How to Actually Read a Seed Certificate
The Certificate Is a Promise, Not Paperwork
Most buyers file the seed certificate without reading past the variety name. That’s a mistake — every figure on it is a measured promise about how that lot will behave once it’s in the ground.
The Four Numbers That Matter
You don’t need a laboratory background to make sense of a certificate. Focus on four things and you’ll catch most problems before planting.
- Germination — the single best predictor of a clean stand
- Physical purity — how much of the bag is actually seed
- Genetic purity — whether you’ll get the variety you paid for
- Moisture — the quiet driver of storage life
A Habit Worth Building
Read the certificate the day the seed arrives, not the morning you plant. If a number looks off, that’s the moment to call your supplier — while there’s still time to swap the lot.