Test an old bean packet before allocating it to a container
Bed & Balcony · Care observation sheet · 2026-10-25

For one clearly labeled packet or saved lot of bush-bean planting seed. Keep lots separate. This is a home germination screen, not a seed-health test, a formal certification or a way to diagnose every cause of poor container emergence.

OBSERVATIONS
Lot identity, packet age and storage history:
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Initial lot count, random sample size and stock remaining:
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Start date, towel setup and actual warm location:
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Daily new germination, cumulative count and conditions:
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Finish date, final count and percentage calculation:
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Use, repeat or replace decision and next sowing check:
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CHECKS
If you can identify the lot and spare a representative sample: Use Iowa State's minimum of 20 randomly selected seeds; its guide prefers larger samples. Mix the dry lot gently before selecting rather than choosing only the largest seeds. Record the sample size and deduct it from the available stock.

If the lot is unknown, too small for that sample or the test conditions were not maintained: Keep its germination as unknown. Choose a fresh identified lot, or repeat a valid sample if enough seed remains. A towel that dried out or a lost label makes this a poor basis for rejecting or endorsing the packet.

If a completed valid sample has a usable result for your planting decision: Compare it with the packet's original germination figure if present and the room available in the pot. A low result can justify replacement; a favorable result still requires suitable sowing conditions and final plant spacing. Do not squeeze extra mature plants into the container to compensate.

ACTION CHECKLIST
[ ] 1. Set up a labeled random sample
Count the initial sample, then spread the seeds separately on several layers of premoistened paper towel. Roll or fold the towel so seeds remain separated and place it in a plastic bag. Label the lot and start date. Iowa's test uses a warm place at 70–80°F; record the actual location and temperature rather than assuming a sunny window meets it.

[ ] 2. Inspect and count new germination
Check after two or three days, then daily. Keep the towel moist and record conditions. Count a seed when a root or cotyledon emerges through the coat, not merely when it swells. Following USU's counting method, remove counted germinated seeds from the test towel so each seed enters the cumulative total only once.

[ ] 3. Finish, calculate and choose
Follow Iowa's observation period of about a week or more: once some seed has sprouted, finish when a week of observation indicates no more are about to emerge. Continued new germination means the result is still in progress. Write the final count and calculate germinated ÷ tested × 100: 16 ÷ 20 × 100 = 80%. Keep the original sample count as the denominator even after removing sprouts.

NEXT CHECK
Record use, repeat or replace with the reason. For example, a valid result of 7 out of 20 is 35%, a weak lot for a small container; Iowa generally recommends replacing seed at 50% or lower. If retaining a more favorable lot, update its remaining count and use the warm-container sowing guide. Preserve final spacing and check actual emergence after planting.

REFERENCE
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Store Seeds and Test Germination Rates
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-store-seeds-and-test-germination-rates
Utah State University Extension: Collecting and Storing Seeds from Your Garden
https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/collecting-and-storing-seeds-from-your-garden

Your notes stay in this file. Review local conditions before acting.