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How To Store Seeds for Years...

de145

Member
I do basically the same thing based on researching how they store seeds in the seed vault in Iceland only I use silica gel dessicant crystals the type that turn from orange to blue when they get too moist. You can get them dirt cheap off ebay from Thailand or Indonesia or somewhere. Very handy to have around.

Only difference is I put my seeds in little coin collector envelopes (tiny brown paper ones) and the put them in very short wide mouth mason jars with desiccant crystals in the bottom, then I use my vacuum sealer jar attachment to suck the air out of the mason jar then into the fridge. Every grower should have one of those mason jar vacuum sealer attachments and foodsaver devices, super useful for all sorts of stuff.

Note that the issue with freezing seeds is damage from expansion if they are too moist, putting them in dessicant (rice or silica gel) for a while in the fridge first then transitioning to the freezer avoids the problem because the moisture of the seeds goes down so greatly.

In a seed bank they do basically what you do only they use dessicant crystals in the bottom of a test tube followed by cotton stuffing followed by seeds then the top of the tube is sealed off by melting the glass and sealing it shut. You have to break the glass to get the seeds out.

I think there is probably an issue around how much dessicant to use versus quantity of seeds because you want to shoot for a specific moisture content level in the seeds but I haven't bothered with that and have no issues and I store a lot of different seeds because I'm also into growing and preserving heirloom veggies as well. :plant grow:
 

habeeb

follow your heart
ICMag Donor
Veteran
i like it but if I can add:

-date label the seeds !!!

-use round/ curved bottom vials ( Egyptians used to store stuff in rounded bottom containers )

-no plastic

-wax seal the top instead of electrical tape

-use a food vacuum machine for the mason jar


also more importantly, why not grow, what are you waiting for? even get a aero garden light or 1 t-5 bulb or a kessil LED.. there really is no excuse, and the only person your letting down is yourself
 

EmpireSeeds

Active member
also more importantly, why not grow, what are you waiting for? even get a aero garden light or 1 t-5 bulb or a kessil LED.. there really is no excuse, and the only person your letting down is yourself

Thats Quite an Ignorant Statement
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Not Thats its Really your Business, But I Just Spend $6K (Legal Fees for Cultivation Charges) to Prevent Going to Jail for YEARS!! Instead I Received 5 Years Probation
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I Can't Grow Where I'm Living and Being Currently Disabled
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I Can't Move on My Own...

So I Guess you Know Something About my Life I Don't
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Trust me, I'd Love to Get back into my Favorite Hobby of Growing and Get off ALL These Addictive Pain-Killers I'm prescribed (Oxycotin & Methadone).
Unfortunately My State isn't as Understanding as Some of the Others:angrymod:...Yet!!

Until Then, I'm Collecting Heirloom Strains, That Most Likely Won't be Available When I'm Ready to Grow Again!! (Hopefully Legally)
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peace_pot_leaf.gif
-Capt Dutch
 

PuReKnOwLeDgE

Licensed Grower
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Empire awesome write up!

You forgot the next step though, send PK all your sour bubble. I am the international sour bubble apocalypse seed bank.
 

Incognegro

Member
Nice write Empire!!! Rep for this! I have heard about many similar methods to this..

Any tips on how to germ poorly stored seeds? (In a wooden box, in original packing?) (corr. cardboard/plastic/baggie/whatever?

I DO think I need to go ahead and store my seeds like this one day soon..i've got easily over a couple $K of genetics I'd like to grow, but none were stored properly....

Hopefully storing them properly now, will increase germ rate...my bad, actually LET them germ....lol, I've lost quite a few good genes already...

So any tips?
 

junior_grower

Active member
If you don't mind ill chime in here.


I have written an nice extensive paper on storage techniques vs longterm viability.

First seeds need to be at a correct moisture content. An oven is used at 30C and a Rh of 20-30% until seeds hit a moisture content of 10-12%.
Next the storage, amorphous silicon dioxide is used (the stuff in those little packs you get with crap made in china) in the bottom of all containers plus the addition of a silica indicator ( it turns blue or red with moisture). Next a layer of sterile (yup medical grade sterile packages) cotton is added and then seeds. Lastly a second layer of cotton then more decedent, and lastly the container (glass) is hermetically sealed.
lastly the seeds are stored in 1-2C temperatures.

This is the method that closest reassembles a fridge. If anybody wants Ill post the info for long term cold storage <-15C
 

MJBadger

Active member
Veteran
I use the fridge only and currently have beans close to 9 years old that mostly still all germinate. It really depends on where they came from to begin with, genetics, health of mother plant
I have seeds that have been in my frige and freezer for over 10 yrs and i still get +/- 80% germ rates. This really is one great way to store seeds for any given length of time

I will add to these two quotes by my own experience . I store all my seed refridgerated in small containers that have a dessicant top to them , used for urine strips etc . This year i had 100% gremination from 4yr old seed & in the past germed 6 & 7yr old seed with around 80-85% germ rate .
 

qbert

Member
I had a handful of strains in original packaging inside a tupperware with a desiccant pack in it in the fridge for a bit over a year.

Two of the strains germinated 90%.

Three strains germinated 0%.

There's still one strain and a few oddballs (freebies, bagseed) left.
 

EmpireSeeds

Active member
If you don't mind ill chime in here.


I have written an nice extensive paper on storage techniques vs longterm viability.

First seeds need to be at a correct moisture content. An oven is used at 30C and a Rh of 20-30% until seeds hit a moisture content of 10-12%.
Next the storage, amorphous silicon dioxide is used (the stuff in those little packs you get with crap made in china) in the bottom of all containers plus the addition of a silica indicator ( it turns blue or red with moisture). Next a layer of sterile (yup medical grade sterile packages) cotton is added and then seeds. Lastly a second layer of cotton then more decedent, and lastly the container (glass) is hermetically sealed.
lastly the seeds are stored in 1-2C temperatures.

This is the method that closest reassembles a fridge. If anybody wants Ill post the info for long term cold storage <-15C

Greetings Junior!!
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Since This is Now in ICMAG'S OFFICIAL ~DIY~ LINK-O-RAMA for Seed Storage, I Strongly Encourage Anyone and Everyone with USEFUL Information/Data to Post Here In This Thread
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I Feel Its Very Helpful to People Researching
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the Subject, to Have Everything Needed, ALL in ONE Thread!!

S
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K+ for Your Contribution!!
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Peace-2.gif
-Dutch
 

EmpireSeeds

Active member
Nice write Empire!!! Rep for this! I have heard about many similar methods to this..

Any tips on how to germ poorly stored seeds? (In a wooden box, in original packing?) (corr. cardboard/plastic/baggie/whatever?

I DO think I need to go ahead and store my seeds like this one day soon..i've got easily over a couple $K of genetics I'd like to grow, but none were stored properly....

Hopefully storing them properly now, will increase germ rate...my bad, actually LET them germ....lol, I've lost quite a few good genes already...

So any tips?

The Only Advice I Have Pertaining to Germinating Poorly Stored Seeds, Is to Use the Paper Towel Method, Using a Mixture of RO/Spring Water and a HEAVILY Diluted Bleach Solution
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to Counteract Any Mold or Contaminates
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that the Seeds MAY Contain...

Sorry I Can't be More Helpful...but Obviously its Easier to Prevent Those Issues Than to Fix Them...Hence the Thread
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Best Wishes!!
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einstein.gif
-Dutch
 

rogerw

Member
I have froze seeds for over 10 yrs. I ended up with about 60% grow and that was them just in plastic bag and many wraps of freezer paper. 1 thing I can tell you is never use you fridge freezer only freezers . reason is the auto defrost cycle on fridge freezers freezer burn the seeds in less than 1 winter. Trust me I learned the hard way. I also like the freeze in water tight btl then freeze in block of ice. That way no air temp change nothing is going to burn your seeds. it's cheap easy and works for years. Plus the cops can not see what's in the block of ice.
 

de145

Member
Next the storage, amorphous silicon dioxide is used (the stuff in those little packs you get with crap made in china) in the bottom of all containers plus the addition of a silica indicator ( it turns blue or red with moisture). Next a layer of sterile (yup medical grade sterile packages) cotton is added and then seeds. Lastly a second layer of cotton then more decedent, and lastly the container (glass) is hermetically sealed.
lastly the seeds are stored in 1-2C temperatures.

Dude I posted all this a long time ago almost word for word in this same thread on this same page a few posts up. You didn't read the other posts? :)

I based it off the seed storage vault in iceland method, sounds like you did as well.
 
T

TREE KING

great thread empire. what about storing weed? i may be in a situation where im gonna have to store some weed for 6 months to a year. it was from a greenhouse that was grown out for the whole outdoor season. im just trying to say in wasnt in indoor grow style of operation where it took 2 months to flower. i dont know if that makes any difference. a friend of mine was saying that when it starts to get old it turns brown.

what do you guys think? freezer or fridge? how long can i store it without losing quality?
 

Madrus Rose

post 69
Veteran
great thread empire. what about storing weed? i may be in a situation where im gonna have to store some weed for 6 months to a year. it was from a greenhouse that was grown out for the whole outdoor season. im just trying to say in wasnt in indoor grow style of operation where it took 2 months to flower. i dont know if that makes any difference. a friend of mine was saying that when it starts to get old it turns brown.

what do you guys think? freezer or fridge? how long can i store it without losing quality?

This is a great little thread , isn't it ? Especially when i think i bought my first
beans in yrs just the other day & prolly spent too much , lol.

~*~For Storage of flower material ~*~
Few yrs ago was watching the science channel on " How Do They Make That" ..or some such stuff . And they were doing a segment on potatoe chips with the very last thing they showed were the chips being measured into the bag & sealed . But, just before they seal the bag they mentioned there is an injection of Nitrogen gas ( completely inert) into the bag for freshness !

Little bells started going off in my head as u can imagine & went "Doh" in my very best
Homer Simpson imitation . This seemed exactly the solution for storing pot & why didn't i
think of this B4 ? If it works for potatoe chips then why not flower/pot medicines ?

So i googled "Nitrogen food Storage Vacuum Sealing" which you can to, and there is a
couple of nice folks up in Nor Cal that do have a nice selection of Nitrogen
Vacu sealers here ..problem solved .
http://www.trimscene.com/bagging.htm

*actually they advertise right here on IC up on the header of the page & sure
once u get the concept could come up with a bottle of Nitrogen, a vacu-seler
& a cheap way to approximate this without spending 3k.


This is great little tip Empire for seed storage ,
tyvm:

regards ;)

ஜ۩۞۩ஜmroseஜ۩۞۩ஜ

<< Seeds Store Best in Dark Places, a Cool, Steady Temperature is Important.
Moisture can be your Worst Enemy and you Best Ally. Too Much and the Bean will Germinate, not Enough and The Seed Will Dry Out. There is Enough Moisture in a Refrigerator to Actually Start Germination in a Seed. To Counter Act the Moisture I Use Instant Rice. The Instant Collects more Moisture than Regular Rice. >>>




picture.php
 
T

TREE KING

This is a great little thread , isn't it ? Especially when i think i bought my first
beans in yrs just the other day & prolly spent too much , lol.

~*~For Storage of flower material ~*~
Few yrs ago was watching the science channel on " How Do They Make That" ..or some such stuff . And they were doing a segment on potatoe chips with the very last thing they showed were the chips being measured into the bag & sealed . But, just before they seal the bag they mentioned there is an injection of Nitrogen gas ( completely inert) into the bag for freshness !

Little bells started going off in my head as u can imagine & went "Doh" in my very best
Homer Simpson imitation . This seemed exactly the solution for storing pot & why didn't i
think of this B4 ? If it works for potatoe chips then why not flower/pot medicines ?

So i googled "Nitrogen food Storage Vacuum Sealing" which you can to, and there is a
couple of nice folks up in Nor Cal that do have a nice selection of Nitrogen
Vacu sealers here ..problem solved .
http://www.trimscene.com/bagging.htm

*actually they advertise right here on IC up on the header of the page & sure
once u get the concept could come up with a bottle of Nitrogen, a vacu-seler
& a cheap way to approximate this without spending 3k.


This is great little tip Empire for seed storage ,
tyvm:

regards ;)

ஜ۩۞۩ஜmroseஜ۩۞۩ஜ

<< Seeds Store Best in Dark Places, a Cool, Steady Temperature is Important.
Moisture can be your Worst Enemy and you Best Ally. Too Much and the Bean will Germinate, not Enough and The Seed Will Dry Out. There is Enough Moisture in a Refrigerator to Actually Start Germination in a Seed. To Counter Act the Moisture I Use Instant Rice. The Instant Collects more Moisture than Regular Rice. >>>




picture.php

thanks Madrus but im not gonna be storing flowers often enough to spend a few thousand dollars of a nitrogen vacuum sealer. this will probably be a one time thing. what about without the nitrogen?
 

SOTF420

Humble Human, Freedom Fighter, Cannabis Lover, Bre
ICMag Donor
Veteran
A glass mason jar in the bottom of your fridge is all you need to store buds for several months and preserve them almost like when the were freshly harvested. Just make sure they are kept cold & in the dark. The sooner you get them in the fridge the better after drying and a light cure.

I routinely smoke buds well over a year old kept in the fridge and they are fresh, potent, & very tasty just like before the storage but they smoke even smoother after the cold curing. Buds will also not really mold or mildew in the fridge (in my experience) if they are pretty dry before storage. :canabis:
 
T

TREE KING

A glass mason jar in the bottom of your fridge is all you need to store buds for several months and preserve them almost like when the were freshly harvested. Just make sure they are kept cold & in the dark. The sooner you get them in the fridge the better after drying and a light cure.

I routinely smoke buds well over a year old kept in the fridge and they are fresh, potent, & very tasty just like before the storage but they smoke even smoother after the cold curing. Buds will also not really mold or mildew in the fridge (in my experience) if they are pretty dry before storage. :canabis:

SOTF420, thanks for the response, the only thing i forgot to explain is that im gonna be storing a large amount that cant fit into mason jars. so in your opinion can i just vacuum seal everything in plastic bags and keep them in the fridge?

are you saying that the fridge is better than the freezer for this? just curious
 

SOTF420

Humble Human, Freedom Fighter, Cannabis Lover, Bre
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Well if you seal them in the foodsaver bags you are going to squish everything and not really be able to have access to the buds without unsealing it and having to reseal it over and over which is a major pain in the ass not to mention the ongoing damage to the nugs from the constant smashing from the pressure. I really don't like to vacuum seal herb personally it's just not necessary in most cases.

The answer here is that you do not need to vacuum seal the buds in the first place because if you use high quality thick freezer bags or big glass jars (or both) to store the buds in then there should be no moisture or air exchange. The cold temperature of the fridge will prevent the buds from decaying very much if any at all, I actually prefer a long term "cold cure" in my smoke as it seems to really bring out the flavor without losing potency due to any THC converting into CBN, etc. which can occur in warm temps.

They are making very large BALL brand jars now with the snap down wire lid handles which could store a pretty decent amount per jar, likely a 1/2 lb or maybe much more per jar depending upon density so check into them they work like a mule. :canabis:
 
T

TREE KING

Well if you seal them in the foodsaver bags you are going to squish everything and not really be able to have access to the buds without unsealing it and having to reseal it over and over which is a major pain in the ass not to mention the ongoing damage to the nugs from the constant smashing from the pressure. I really don't like to vacuum seal herb personally it's just not necessary in most cases.

The answer here is that you do not need to vacuum seal the buds in the first place because if you use high quality thick freezer bags or big glass jars (or both) to store the buds in then there should be no moisture or air exchange. The cold temperature of the fridge will prevent the buds from decaying very much if any at all, I actually prefer a long term "cold cure" in my smoke as it seems to really bring out the flavor without losing potency due to any THC converting into CBN, etc. which can occur in warm temps.

They are making very large BALL brand jars now with the snap down wire lid handles which could store a pretty decent amount per jar, likely a 1/2 lb or maybe much more per jar depending upon density so check into them they work like a mule. :canabis:

when i vacuum seal i manually seal it before any buds are crushed and im not gonna need access to any buds while its in the fridge. i would just need to keep in the fridge for 6 months straight and then take it out for good. i might be sealing multiple pounds. so i guess i can just use vac seal bags right? thanks for your help soft
 
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