Remember the "volunteer" tomato? I planted ten yesterday and left the other seed out. I couldn't find them this morning when I looked. I searched the kitchen (my daughter had cleaned up). After about an hour, I started on the garbage. Sure enough, there was the envelope, in the very bottom, but only about 25 seeds - about 75 were gone. By that time, I was relieved to have found any.
But it doesn't end there. I pulled them out of the now wet envelope and put them on a plastic lid to dry - and debated on just planting them tonight. A few minutes later I went into the kitchen, and they were gone. The plastic lid was about 8 feet away, on the spagetti, no seeds. I saw one seed on the countertop, and got it. Then I got the bifocals and flashlight. I ended up finding about 17 or 18, and immediately secured them! Whew, what a day!
A friend never plants his seeds in dirt, he soaks them, rolls them in a good paper towel and sprays the roll several times a day.
That is how he tests them and as he is like me, with lots of very old seeds, saves the time needed for dirt and pots.
The strong sprouted seeds go into the dirt and the weak ones do not get saved.
Your day sounds like some of mine.
My sister comes every year and complains about my junk, she is a toss it and go buy new person.
We all have ‘those days’, I am happy that you found any of the seeds.
The sunflower may not grow, or some of my old ones didn’t, but then mine were picked over the years from my birds seed and may have been treated.
How frustrating for you! I hope you plant them all and get 17 healthy plants, and from that, hundreds of seeds and tomatoes.