Q: Can I use fescue seed that I had left over from last spring?

A: If it was stored in a cool, dry, dark spot, the seed should be fine. If it became very hot, if it was soaked with rain in your garage, if it was stored near a sunny window, the seed might not germinate very well. You can do a quick test by sprinkling a teaspoon of seed on a wet paper towel and placing it in a plastic bag. Check in five days to see how many seed have sprouted. If only a few show signs of life, you now have a nice bag of bird seed, not grass seed. It is a good idea to check the tag on the seed bag before you purchase fescue this fall. If the seed was tested for germination last year, it has likely lost some of its viability. Look for more recently tested seed.

Note: the Georgia Seed Law prohibits selling fescue seed that has not been tested for germination within the last 9 months.

See  Georgia Seed Law section 2-11-23