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Cannabis Seed Storage

Dogtown

Active member
Hi guys,


do you know a proper device which can measure the exact seed moisture content for small gardeners? I found some but there they say you'll have to put 90ml of seeds in the device to measure the seed moisture content. I asked them if it's possible and if yes, how exact the measurements are if you only put 50 seeds inside...
 

F2F

Well-known member
Glass FTW

Glass FTW

I'm also needing to store some breeders packs.

After seeing how fast terpenes disappeared when I transferred bud from mason jars to plastic containers, I Think glass will be much more impervious. Short term storage plastic would be fine.

Cheers,
F2F
 

Americangrower

Active member
Veteran
If you want seeds to last for years it's simple

1st DON'T leave them in those stupid baggies that every1 used to use.

2nd Place seeds in micro tube then back in the labeled bag (if they came in bag) if not then skip bag.

3rd Place tube into mylar/foil bag and press as much air out as you can and seal. (bags and sealer are cheap like $25 for 200 bags and sealer) Don't forget to label and you can add a tiny Desiccant packet inside foil bag if you want to go the extra mile.

4th place in a container ie tupperware, cedar cigar box then into fridge or if no fridge then a cooler dry place.
 

grayeyes

Active member
I store seeds in a plastic box I bought at a 99 cents store. It is divided into about 12 separate areas. I throw some dessicant in there and seal it in a baggie. Then I keep it in the fridge.

Interestingly, the cold storage seems to help germination.
 

'Boogieman'

Well-known member
I bought a pack of 2ml cryogenic vials with internal threads, a nice pelican case, and orange indicating desiccant gel beads for moisture.

I'm having trouble finding something acceptable to seperation the gel from the seeds, I could buy pom poms or mini cotton balls that fit but I'm unsure if that would contaminate the seeds. Dinafem uses a small black polyurethane cylinder insert that fits inside their centrifuge tubes that separates their seeds from the gel but I can't find anything similar on the market. Does anybody have any recommendations?
 

@hempy

The Haze Whisperer
Hi all i did a lot of research on seed storage as like most i lost things because of poor storage methods. You have 2 options to store seeds 1 is in a fridge 2 you can store them in a freezer.



If you are going to freeze them you need to understand once you un freeze them you need to use all the seed you can not re freeze seed that were frozen. The seed need to be cured and this method can store seed for up to 50 years.


The fridge method is going to give you viable seed for up to 20 years providing you do it right.Sure you will not get 100% strike rate after years but 75% to 50% at 20 years is still good.


You need to hunt down these types of bags that you seal with a hot iron.
https://www.seedsavers.org/heat-sealing-foil-seed-packets
https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Oxygen-Absorbers-Dehydrated-Storage/dp/B00967K6DO


Seed Savers has a lot of good info but you can also find what you need threw them.

https://www.seedsavers.org/
 

'Boogieman'

Well-known member
I plan on putting my seeds in 3ml vials, into the air tight pelican case, then into the fridge. How much silica gel should I add to the vials which will contain 10-12 seeds? Is over drying the seeds with silica gel a concern?
 

acespicoli

Well-known member
'Boogieman'


There are many variables such as purchased seeds and wet freshly harvested seeds moisture content will vary.

Seeds should have a 8% moisture content for proper storage they will crack instead of mash at this moisture level.


Also the seeds will not fog the inside of the container when properly dried, if they do dry further.

There are also many different types of desiccant so results will vary.

Over drying seeds does have the potential to kill your seeds.

When the seeds have too much moisture they will fog the container
https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Dew_point

see the -
Graph of the dependence of the dew point upon air temperature for several levels of relative humidity.

For short-term storage (one year to eighteen months),
store seeds at 35 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (F) with an air relative humidity (RH) level of 30 to 40%.

A rule of thumb for good seed storage conditions are when the F + RH <= 100;

the further you can go below a total number of 100, the better.

For wet freshly harvested seed a 1:1 ratio will get things drying - desiccant:seeds

In your situation it sounds like a couple very small pieces would be idea and monitor for the color change and condensation till you achieve the desired effect

Mini Hygrometer Thermometer Digital Indoor Humidity Gauge Monitor with Temperature Meter Sensor Fahrenheit (℉)
$4.99 at amazon
If anyone finds a adaptive humidity packet suitable for this purpose please post it

 
Last edited:

herbgreen

Active member
Veteran
Centrifuge vials in mylar zip bag w/few rice grains heat sealed

Into a watertight sealed container in a dedicated refrigerator
 

romanoweed

Well-known member
The Problem is: how to seal 100 Percent perfect on a Budget? glueing a Plastic-bag, doest it work?



I heard you can buy those Food-boxes, the ones with as many Ripples possible, but unless someone has tested the exact same Brand, i cant be 100 Percent shure either.. Im to poor for a Vacum-MAchine.. Any Idea?
Anything other is comparably easy. I fear the Seeds gatering the Moisture from Freezer over the next 10 Years.
 

herbgreen

Active member
Veteran
Mylar zip bags are cheap

Impuse heat sealers the small ones and centrifuge vials also cheap

Never need to vac seal only press air out and zip then heat seal edge

throw a few rice grains or whatever in the bag first for insurance and perfect

Problem with plastic bags is they breathe They are not even really water-proof

mylar bags are very good at sealing air and water out

Then into water tight container and fridge you are good
 

herbgreen

Active member
Veteran
even if you just put seeds in mylar bag and only ziplock it would 1000% better than plastic

Then keep in another water proof container

Air, water, temp, light

All the stuff they need later on seems to want to kill a seed

freezing is better but cant unfreeze ever If you can do that great
 

romanoweed

Well-known member
Thanx for the Guide! Would do that things you say Herby, but would a Tupperware be 100 Percent Airthight UNDER the Requirement , that i managed to 100 percent seal it? Would the Plastic let trough Air, trough the Plastic itselve?? My Problem im not a Onlineshopper. I think of Glueing a Tupperware.. Probably refresh Glue all year, since Glue can degrade over Time.
 

herbgreen

Active member
Veteran
If you have to use plastic then

I would get glass jar masonjar put dessicants or rice grains n bottom of jar then the packs

The tupperware is not really air tight

Anything that can screwdown tight A heavy plastic or glass jar would do

Then just keepin fridge

Trick is dont let humid air in and seal it up tight

Waterproof is best
 

romanoweed

Well-known member
I can hear, sealing it TIGHT sounds like a logical minimal Solution, and fridge sounds also like a prevention for Moisture. I can imagine that it is actually dryer than in freezer.. I should test it, but my Feeling says also Fridge.


Im still wondering if i better let 50 PErcent of the Seeds in normal living Roow wich gets very heated in Summer, but i dont have to fear the Moisture as much, well im totally Aware that there might be equal Moisture in Livingroom... but i guess the Stagnation in freezer or fridge could be heavyer inthere since there is less Space, therefore Moisture would fight Seeds more consistently, just a Thought, not knowing. (i know i have to make shure i have Moisture out to beginn with,drying/demoisturematerial-absorbing)
 

'Boogieman'

Well-known member
'Boogieman'


There are many variables such as purchased seeds and wet freshly harvested seeds moisture content will vary.

Seeds should have a 8% moisture content for proper storage they will crack instead of mash at this moisture level.


Also the seeds will not fog the inside of the container when properly dried, if they do dry further.

There are also many different types of desiccant so results will vary.

Over drying seeds does have the potential to kill your seeds.

When the seeds have too much moisture they will fog the container
https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Dew_point

see the -
Graph of the dependence of the dew point upon air temperature for several levels of relative humidity.

For short-term storage (one year to eighteen months),
store seeds at 35 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (F) with an air relative humidity (RH) level of 30 to 40%.

A rule of thumb for good seed storage conditions are when the F + RH <= 100;

the further you can go below a total number of 100, the better.

For wet freshly harvested seed a 1:1 ratio will get things drying - desiccant:seeds

In your situation it sounds like a couple very small pieces would be idea and monitor for the color change and condensation till you achieve the desired effect

Mini Hygrometer Thermometer Digital Indoor Humidity Gauge Monitor with Temperature Meter Sensor Fahrenheit (℉)
$4.99 at amazon
If anyone finds a adaptive humidity packet suitable for this purpose please post it

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=70564&pictureid=1995016&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

Thanks for this post. I used to buy Dinafem seeds a lot. They would add the same amount of desiccant as seeds by volume (1-1) so that is what I did. Had I seen your post I would add less. Now I'm wondering if I should pull them out of the fridge and take out some desiccant?
 

acespicoli

Well-known member
I would use it sparingly on purchased seeds they should just need to be maintained an not dried. Let the containers warm to room temperature before you open them. if not thats when they attract condensation
 

romanoweed

Well-known member
Explonation, why i will let some in Roomtemparatures:
I seem to hear that even in Roomtemparatures, 7 Years storage with still nice Germination Rate seems like realistic Scenario. I even took 7 year old Seed out the Attic, with nice Gerimination. So, incase my Fridgestorage acidently leaks Abit, i give it a assumed 1/5 Percent Chance that they mostly all die. So, this wouldnt happen 4 Times, but the 5th Time they assumably all died. And in that case i have the Roomptemparature Storage, where my Seeds wont live as Long, and after ten Years very Little Germination rate, BUT they will live. So , i have a Save Room-Storage, and a Risky but Highgermination/Longterm-FridgeStorage. So, i will have even A Seed, and i will have very likely longtime Seeds


How can one measure Seedsmoisture? Thats what i could buy in nearby Store..
 
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