how to store seeds several years
- Thread starter Jaze
- Start date
Big Sur
Well-known member
I recommend that you keep them 1) dry and 2) frozen. I have kept Cannabis seeds frozen for over 40 years now, and they are still viable. 0 deg. F., or -18 deg. C.; what most freezers are set to. Some say that you can keep them in a sealed jar with rice or dry packs at 40 deg. F for about a decade. But they HAVE TO BE KEPT DRY at that temperature. Any moisture will do them in. The lower the temperature, the less of a factor that humidity is. Which is why I keep mine frozen. I do not worry about slow cool down or heating back up. Just keep the moisture off of them if you let them thaw out and/or re-freeze.
Broseidon
Active member
Freezing is the best for really, really long term storage.
BUT
You will always loose a percentage of the seeds during the freezing process. While going from unfrozen to frozen, in some of the seeds, water molecules will burst cell walls and cause the seed to become invalid. But not all of them, just some.
You can reduce this risk by gradually decreasing temperature and reducing the "shock" from ultimately freezing.
You can do this by simply moving your seeds into the fridge first and freezing them after 24 hrs in the fridge or so.
Most people will agree that the best storage option for medium-long-term is the fridge.
Seeds will keep there for around 5 years no problem. Without the risk of losing some to the freeze.
But what is most important, whether you freeze or refrigerate, is that you keep them both dark and dry.
There are many methods to do this online for you to explore.
I personally use a small, black plastic container.
In that container I throw either some rice kernels or another dessicant. Something that will pull the moisture out of the surrounding air. Another dessicant you could use are these small silica balls that you find in these small silica packs when you buy shoes/clothing, to keep it dry. You can find these silica balls online in big containers instead of those packs and use those. Even better, you can find silica balls that change their color once they are saturated with moisture. You can then take these silica balls and put them in the oven or microwave for a bit until the moisture is evaporated and they turn their color back to what they were before and can be used again. Nice stuff, I find it better than rice.
So, first, I put a layer of silica into my black, airtight plastic container.
The silica should not touch the seeds directly though as it can pull the moisture out of the seeds, causing them to become unviable.
So on top of the silica, I put a layer of cotton.
Then I throw the seeds in, top with another layer of cotton, followed by another layer of silica, then I close the container.
From my research I would say, this is proper storage. I have kept seeds for a year like this so far in the fridge and had 100% germination rate after one year.
I have not tested the ones I froze yet.
All the best,
Broseidon
BUT
You will always loose a percentage of the seeds during the freezing process. While going from unfrozen to frozen, in some of the seeds, water molecules will burst cell walls and cause the seed to become invalid. But not all of them, just some.
You can reduce this risk by gradually decreasing temperature and reducing the "shock" from ultimately freezing.
You can do this by simply moving your seeds into the fridge first and freezing them after 24 hrs in the fridge or so.
Most people will agree that the best storage option for medium-long-term is the fridge.
Seeds will keep there for around 5 years no problem. Without the risk of losing some to the freeze.
But what is most important, whether you freeze or refrigerate, is that you keep them both dark and dry.
There are many methods to do this online for you to explore.
I personally use a small, black plastic container.
In that container I throw either some rice kernels or another dessicant. Something that will pull the moisture out of the surrounding air. Another dessicant you could use are these small silica balls that you find in these small silica packs when you buy shoes/clothing, to keep it dry. You can find these silica balls online in big containers instead of those packs and use those. Even better, you can find silica balls that change their color once they are saturated with moisture. You can then take these silica balls and put them in the oven or microwave for a bit until the moisture is evaporated and they turn their color back to what they were before and can be used again. Nice stuff, I find it better than rice.
So, first, I put a layer of silica into my black, airtight plastic container.
The silica should not touch the seeds directly though as it can pull the moisture out of the seeds, causing them to become unviable.
So on top of the silica, I put a layer of cotton.
Then I throw the seeds in, top with another layer of cotton, followed by another layer of silica, then I close the container.
From my research I would say, this is proper storage. I have kept seeds for a year like this so far in the fridge and had 100% germination rate after one year.
I have not tested the ones I froze yet.
All the best,
Broseidon
Great stuff braddahs! Moisture and oxygen. I use mason jars, a dessicant, and then vacuum seal. Vacuum seal seed packs, put in mason jar with dessicant, then vacuum seal jar. Out here don’t always have electricity to power the food saver though. So IME, one of the cheapest, simplest and best vacuum sealers to use that requires no electricity is the Pump-N-Seal. It is a simple mechanical vacuum pump. In a pinch, I’ve used it in making BHO too.
10 years plus still getting close to 95% germ. Starting with good viable seed is critical. Use fresh seed. Another reason to buy from the source if you catch my drift.
Cool runnin
M
10 years plus still getting close to 95% germ. Starting with good viable seed is critical. Use fresh seed. Another reason to buy from the source if you catch my drift.
Cool runnin
M
PlantManBee
Well-known member
If you are sure of your freezer and that there is no moisture, I'm sure that's the way to go. I'm not so sure about either, so i use a tin in the fridge. I reckon 10 years they will be fine, or that is what i have seen anyway. They start to lose viability around that time.
I'm currently trying to germ some second hand Acapulco Gold seeds I got probably 7 years ago. They were NOT in great shape when I got them. The attempt included a quick float in dilute h2o2/maxicrop with a dash of a zyme product.
Wish me luck
I'm currently trying to germ some second hand Acapulco Gold seeds I got probably 7 years ago. They were NOT in great shape when I got them. The attempt included a quick float in dilute h2o2/maxicrop with a dash of a zyme product.
Wish me luck
hello fellows thank you very much for your answers and the share of your experience, i will have to keep my seeds between 3 to 10 years before use all of them (i will pick new seeds every year of so) so i think i will choose the freezing with dessicant, it looks to be the best option for me.
thank you very much for your answers and the share of your experience, i will have to keep my seeds between 3 to 10 years before use all of them (i will pick new seeds every year of so) so i think i will choose the freezing with dessicant, it looks to be the best option for me.
bluntmassa
Well-known member
I've popped seeds 6 years old kept in little glass jars full of rice in the fridge still damn good germination rates.
I also recently popped a pack of Master Kush x Skunk still in the straw from the MNS Auction about a year old 100% germination rate just kept in the kitchen cabinet. Got 3 more packs in the cabinet I'd expect they should do just as good.
Of course 10+ years freezers are your best bet that method done right can last well over 100 years of course nobody lives that long. Lol
I also recently popped a pack of Master Kush x Skunk still in the straw from the MNS Auction about a year old 100% germination rate just kept in the kitchen cabinet. Got 3 more packs in the cabinet I'd expect they should do just as good.
Of course 10+ years freezers are your best bet that method done right can last well over 100 years of course nobody lives that long. Lol
Broseidon
Active member
You could do what I did OP.
I stored about half in the fridge and half in the freezer.
Had to agonize over which strains I will "likely grow in the next 5 years" for the fridge and what will likely stay on the bench for a few more years after that for the freezer.
Wasn't easy and I am currently wishing I hadn't frozen my Pure Power Plant seeds from 15 years ago so I could pop them next round
Could of course take them out of the freezer and am still debating that.
I stored about half in the fridge and half in the freezer.
Had to agonize over which strains I will "likely grow in the next 5 years" for the fridge and what will likely stay on the bench for a few more years after that for the freezer.
Wasn't easy and I am currently wishing I hadn't frozen my Pure Power Plant seeds from 15 years ago so I could pop them next round
Could of course take them out of the freezer and am still debating that.
hello broseidon, thank you for your advices, its a good idea to keep the strains in the fridge and some long term storing seeds in the freezer. i would like to ask you your opinion about taking seeds from the freezer please, you said its good to put the seeds first in the fridge and then in the freezer in order to store them and it makes sense but what do you think if i have to take some seeds from the freezer to grow it, do you think its best to put them from the freezer to the fridge first and then put them at room temp in order to germ them ? thank you
I keep mine in a little tin i got from a seedbank a while ago. It looks like it has a seal, and i keep these water absorbing beads that are used for plants with them. All of them are still in plastic baggies they came in.
Ive had pretty good luck keeping them in dry storage like this on my bookshelf, out of the sun. Many of these seeds are getting over 5 years old and my germ rate is still pretty close to 100%
Ive had pretty good luck keeping them in dry storage like this on my bookshelf, out of the sun. Many of these seeds are getting over 5 years old and my germ rate is still pretty close to 100%