How to avoid causing too much damage to very old seeds

[THC123]

Hi guys

After many years I have my original seed collection back and also a newer one. I am talking thousands of strains.

I need to make an inventory as soon as possible.

Problem is they have been in freezer for 15-20 years at -18 degrees celsius.

I wanted to wait untill it freezes, and this week, around 4-5 o clock in the morning it will be -3 degrees celsius.

I was wondering if this temperature difference could potentially cause damage? I mean it is still freezing?

The plan was to take small batches out of the freezer, do inventory asap and then put batch X back in freezer and start with batch Y so that exposure time to -3 is minimal.

Is this a good idea of should I wait untill it hopefully gets colder? I don't know anyone with a walk in freezer ....

 

[GMT]

If you're afraid if exposing them to minus 3, how are you ever gonna pop em?
Or is it the thaw and refreeze you're worried about? I often take tubs out to access seeds. Nothing thaws in the one or two mins it takes. To be frank, I think you're over thinking it.

 

[romanoweed]

As i heard, you never should open the Jar they are in when taking out freezer, cause the moisture of the room will collect on the seeds and somehow damage them.. cant remember well, but quiet shure, DONT OPEN THE JAR UNTIL IT HAS TAKEN ROOMTEMPARATURES EVEN INSIDE THE SEEDS . onec they well accliatize you can open it and then you Need Germination techiques, wich you can find 3 or more Threads on icmag . I personaly dont like Icmags searchengine, so i advice you to use this searchentry in Google or similar: " germinate old seeds site:www.icmag.com " , read basically most of it and use probably a couple thechniques they describe there, in case you have low succesrate, but IF the storage was right, then after 20 years it might still be very good germination

 

[THC123]

Many seeds still germinate well. The issue is the time it would take to make the inventory. I have to take a big bag out, read the label on every small pack inside, write it down then put the big bag back in the freezer and take the next big bag.

Easily 20-30 minutes of exposure to higher temps per big bag. I was wondering if this could potentially lead to severe damage or lower germ rates in the future. I am afraid the higher temps, while still freezing could cause any thaw.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Time for a summer of seed runs to refresh the batch I think. Let me know if you need help with that

A frozen chicken will take hours to thaw. Frozen Shrimp will take minutes. This is because of water content. The water content in seeds is minimal. This means they are probably not frozen internally. Taking your time at room temperature won't hurt them at all. Ripe seeds are very well protected against freezing and over drying. Seeds that are not mature (pale colored), but still viable, are susceptible to over drying in a frost free freezer (via sublimation).

GMT is right. You're good to go. Even at your leisure.

Got a short list?

 

[THC123]

Thx 4 your input.

Shortlist djeez lol:

- Many landrace seeds like haiti, indian, zanzibar, kenya, congo, cabo verde etc
- Many heirlooms like the old Nederzaad strains and original positronics seeds
- Many outdoor hybrids I created a long time ago
- Many old outdoor strains including viking (hopefully they still germ).
- Many old commercial strains including hypro amnesia regulars
- Many AG13 crosses
- etc..... I am really high right now I am gonna stop, just woke up from a weed nap, that white OG made me so hungry, time to look for food!!!

 

[romanoweed]

ah, i think the solution: go somewher where it is freezing Temperatures outside, (or atleast the closer to freezing the better, since then the thaw might move slower, since less pull, the thaw moves cause the temperaturedifference, right. aswell in winter outdoors it is actually more dry than in summer, even you wouldnt have thought that, right.?) . Then repackage them there. I think in just 20 Minutes this would not cause big damage.
I think under that requierements i told you are absolutely good to go, with minimal , or Zero damage. Also, im not shure how much of that damage results in 20 minutes only.. probably not that much. In the end EVEN IF you do this completely wrong, and just open it directly, let it sit like that, the thaw will kill around 1/3rd of your Seeds per Tawing-Time, the Rest survives undamaged.
And as a absolute Landracelover, the Alternative to mix them in a Seedrun and just make one big haze would be much bader choice.. Just go outside, probably place 2/3 ricecorns by the seeds, but not too much, can be dangerous if too much for soaking moisture, all good
(and i understand your concers, ever a big Moment, im not different)

 

[Im'One]

Get friends you trust to help, reduce temperatures and relative humidity and work as you can?

 

[romanoweed]

Choose a day and daytime when it wasnt rayning or snowing, no fog,

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Thx 4 your input.

Shortlist djeez lol:

- Many landrace seeds like haiti, indian, zanzibar, kenya, congo, cabo verde etc
- Many heirlooms like the old Nederzaad strains and original positronics seeds
- Many outdoor hybrids I created a long time ago
- Many old outdoor strains including viking (hopefully they still germ).
- Many old commercial strains including hypro amnesia regulars
- Many AG13 crosses
- etc..... I am really high right now I am gonna stop, just woke up from a weed nap, that white OG made me so hungry, time to look for food!!!

God damn.... That sounds like so much fun!

 

[troutman]

This is why I do an inventory before I store them away.

 

[THC123]

Haha yes I know.

I actually made an inventory but due to circumstances I had to store my seeds elsewhere and I have to recheck everything. Plus I also have many more recent strains that still arent in the inventory.

But yeah I was a bit sloppy because everything had to go in a hurry.

 

[St. Phatty]

I would be concerned about moisture getting on the seeds.

Cold Jar in a room with humid air = drops of water collecting.

I have the impression that land plant seeds need to be stored dry.

Related to seeds with a high moisture content, it's like the cellular equivalent of having water in a pipe and it freezes and cracks.

But the drops of water that might collect will mostly just get frozen when the jar goes back into the freezer. So I wouldn't worry too much.

I always have a roll of towels nearby when I handle quality perishables like seeds. Just to keep everything dry.


So in nature, the buds would just hang and get moldy with seeds, some seeds would get eaten.

Seeds drop to the ground and get wet and frozen for months.

Seems like they're designed to take a lot of abuse.

 

[romanoweed]

like st phatty says, i heard that eitherway, if you now let the Container sit until normal temperature, or mistakely open it directly, you will easily get some moisture to damage the seeds when refreezing again. So, rule of thumb refreeze them maximal one time, not even two times, cause every time 1/3 seeds up to 1/2 will die every time. But in 20minutes, one time wont kill all, maximal 1/3. Im now also unshure if you therefore better acclimatisize them with closed Top, to repackage... or take them out and fast repackage them outside in near freezing temperatures. But i would clearly tend for the secound . since it is the temperaturedifference wich collects the thaw. and the heating up/re-iceing is what kills the 1/3 of zellmembranes too. Yes i seem to remember to take them out fast for to just take the wished seeds out the Container.

 

[GMT]

Doesn't everyone use the resealable plastic baggie things for seeds? No air gets in or out. That makes rh irrelevant even for temp diff's. Worst case scenario, you get condensation on the outside of the bags.

 

[romanoweed]

this plastic baggies arent really that airthight,
I remember once placing wet weed inside such baggies, and something caused thesese baggies to expand and fill with air...in secounds..

 

[GMT]

Given that you have to open the seal to get air out, rather than just applying pressure, I can't see much passive air exchange happening in 20 mins. But nothings perfect I guess.

 

[romanoweed]

yes depends strongly on the amount of force wich this temperature-difference will create. I actually dont know what caused that enorm pressure in my Case with wet weed.. Was it Moisrure exiting the buds, therefore not something coming TROUGH the bags? i dont know.


Again, would you repackage them in freezing Temperatures outside, you would go the save way. That im shure.

 

[TheDarkStorm]

If you have to open them ..open them in temperatures that are still below freezing as low as possible..they should still all stay dormant..and no chance of mosture as its still below freezing...as far as im aware frozen food works the same way...might be a idea to open them in the freezer ther in an try an do your inventory ther slowly over a few days transferring evrything to new jars all within the freezer.