How to Read a Seed Label
What is in a Label?
The label on a bag of ryegrass seed can tell you many things; it can also hide vital information that you should know before purchasing seed. Below is a label from one of our seed shipments.
These are the items to note:
- Either the variety of seed stated or variety not stated (VNS). This will be the top line or listed directly below it.
- LOT NUMBER - The location of the seed cleaner, year cleaned, and the specific lot of 55,000 pounds.
- PURE SEED - This is the measure of purity, i.e., the actual amount of seed variety that the label states are in the bag. Gardener's Supply standards are 97% or better. Many seed labels will have 95% (or less) and these are cheaper because there is less of the grass seed variety stated on the bag.
- OTHER CROP - In perennial ryegrass, it is usually annual and vice-versa.
- INERT MATTER - The percentage stuff that will not grow, by weight. Double this for the percentage by volume.
- WEED SEED - The percentage of weed seed by weight! Does not state what those weeds are specifically. Depending on what type of seed(s), you could have only a few dozen or up to 10,000 more weed seeds per pound! (Scott's seed catalog). Gardener's Supply standards are no more than .01% or better. Many of our lots are .00%.
- NOXIOUS WEEDS - Noxious weeds are usually not allowed in the state. These vary by state. For instance, poa annua (annual bluegrass) is not a noxious weed in California but it is in Texas. Sometimes, these weeds are allowed into the state as long as they do not exceed a maximum number of seeds per pound of grass seed.
- GERMINATION - Percentage of germination, usually stated as 85% (as a minimum) but can be much higher. Gardener's Supply seed is usually 93-94% germination in laboratory tests.
- ORIGIN - The best seed is grown in Oregon. Some seed vendors, in order to be cheaper, import seed from New Zealand (or elsewhere) that is poor quality: yellow green doesn't mow well and does not transition out in the spring when the bermuda comes out of dormancy.
- TEST DATE - This date is when the actual seed analysis and germination was done. In California, the retailer has 15 months from this date to sell the seed; otherwise, the lot must be re-tested by the seed laboratory. This is what causes the "In CA Sell By Date" statement on the label.
- SEED DEALER - Listed will be the name of the registered seed dealer, which may or may not be the seed retailer.
