Ellen, they should be fine for at least 3 years.

It can take 2 weeks under normal germination methods for the seeds to germinate, so I'd bet that 3 days is not long enough to test them.

Fran

Thanks for this.
I am going to have faith and winter sow what I have!

ellen

If seeds are stored in a cool dry place, they will last for many years. I have seeds I bought in year '2000 and they are still viable. Just think about all the seeds that germinate when you disturb the soil and they get light.

I agree with above posters - you probably aren't waiting long enough.

Yes 3 days is too short for most seeds. Many can take 7-10 days or longer. I'm not sure if Gaillardia needs cold stratification or not, but if they do then they might not germinate under your test conditions.

I usually do germination tests by lining a flat tupperware container with a paper towel, spreading the seeds, and then spritzing with water. I put the top back loosely on the container so there is a little air flow. Check daily and spritz if they need to be moistened, but not too much, because some seeds will mold if they're too wet.

Here is a test I did in 2010 with Salvia - that's 'Coral Nymph' on the left, and 'Yvonne's Salvia' on the right. I can't remember how long they took to sprout, but the germ rates were almost 100% for the Coral Nymph, and about 60% for the Yvonnes, at least for as long as I did the test.

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