How long can opened inoculant be stored?

I bought seed inoculant that can be used on both peas and beans. Trouble is, they have different planting times. I opened the bag last week and used some on my pea seeds. The instructions said to plant the coated seeds within 24 hours.

So now it suddenly dawned on me that if the seeds have to be planted within 24 hours, will all the bacteria left in the opened bag die within 24 hours, too? Or was the bacteria only activated when I mixed it with the water? I googled, but got all kinds of answers and still don't know. (I have the kind that looks like moist black soil, and you mix it with a little water to make a slurry before mixing it with the seeds.)

Will my opened bag of inoculant still be viable when I plant beans in May? I think the expiration date only refers to unopened bags.

Would it do any good to spread the remainder of the package over the bean bed and incorporate it into the soil now?

Would it help to refrigerate it?

Great question! I read somewhere to roll the air out of opened bag , place in a sandwich baggie, then roll the air out of it also, store in the refrig. That's what I did this past weekend. I hope it works.

Once the inoculant is moistened, it must be used immediately,

Dry inoculant needs to be kept dry and can be used up until the expiration date.

It is only good for one year. I wet the seeds first in a little saucer, drain, then sprinkle on a pinch of the innoculant. Then it goes back into the fridge and I plant the seeds. A little goes a long way....

snowjay wrote:It is only good for one year. I wet the seeds first in a little saucer, drain, then sprinkle on a pinch of the innoculant. Then it goes back into the fridge and I plant the seeds. A little goes a long way....

Several of the stores I went to early this spring only had expired inoculant on their shelves and one store told me that inoculant had just come in

What I bought two weeks ago, expires Jume 2011. Make sure you check your expiration dates.

Wow... That's not right... Thanks for sharing that tip.

Furbalsmom wrote:Once the inoculant is moistened, it must be used immediately,

Dry inoculant needs to be kept dry and can be used up until the expiration date.

 Would a food vacuum work to extend its life past the expiration date if kept in the freezer?

Unlikely. You may want to contact you local County Extension Service or the manufacturer for a definite answer.