How to Store Cannabis Seeds Long Term: The Best Ways to Store Cannabis Seeds

how to store cannabis seeds long term

Your preferred cannabis genetics can be kept safe for many years by properly storing cannabis seeds. The best portion of your cannabis seed collection can be kept alive for ten years or longer under the correct circumstances. But if the conditions aren’t right, your favorite feminized seeds and autoflower seeds won’t germinate as well. It makes sense to learn more about long-term seed storage if you are a cannabis seed aficionado who invests time, money, and love into amassing a collection of the best cannabis genetics.

You May Not Be Aware that Cannabis Seeds Are Live Things.

how to store cannabis seeds long term

It’s important to keep in mind that cannabis seeds are technically considered live organisms when keeping them. This is so that they can produce an embryo that can be germinated and grow into a new plant. Cannabis seeds can be stored under ideal climatic conditions to maximize germination rates, just like any other seed. However, if you provide cannabis seeds the incorrect storage conditions, your seed germination rates will fall off quickly. The greatest strategy to increase germination rates is to store cannabis seeds until they sprout in perfect conditions.

Read More: New Mobile Media: Mobile Media Making in An Age of Smartphones

Important Things to Consider when Keeping Cannabis Seeds

There are three basic problems with cannabis seed storage that will lower the germination rates (or “viability”) of your cannabis seeds. These are heat, humidity, and light. Each of these elements will lower the germination rates of your feminized or auto-flowering seeds. On the other hand, you can increase the lifespan of your cannabis seed collection if you can minimize and properly control heat, light, and humidity.

Luminous Exposure

Delicate embryonic tissues that contain the genetic code can be found inside your cannabis seeds. This in turn determines the kind of marijuana you will ultimately plant. Avoid putting cannabis seeds in your grow room when storing them for an extended period of time because they need to be kept away from harsh light. The ideal is a light-proof, sealable container.

The cannabis seed’s shell does aid in shielding the embryo from light. But keep in mind that in the wild, cannabis seeds were typically dispersed over the ground in the late summer or early fall. They would stay there until the following spring when they would germinate under a thin layer of earth. Cannabis seeds weren’t ever made to withstand high light levels. An excellent technique to preserve the highest seed germination rates is to store cannabis seeds in the refrigerator in a dark, humidity-proof container.

Cannabis seeds from the Dutch Passion strain can be kept in a seed tin or other container by simply resealing the seed packet with tape. Cannabis seeds can be kept in the refrigerator in Eppendorf tubes (available in black or amber). Small plastic tubes called Eppendorf tubes are typically used to store liquids, but they are also frequently used to store cannabis seeds.

Read More: Kitchen Organization Hacks: 5 Genius Ways to Organize Kitchen Cabinets

Amount of Humidity

how to store cannabis seeds long term

Humidity levels play a significant role in cannabis seed storage. Cannabis seeds need damp, humid conditions in order to germinate. So it makes sense to store cannabis seeds in low humidity environments. Your seeds should not be kept close to a source of moisture because this will cause the shell to soften. The stiff, inflexible shell of the cannabis seed can be effectively softened by adding water or other liquids. As a result, the tap root might grow.

The actual water content of cannabis seeds will be around 10% when kept for a long time. Cannabis seeds can be easily kept at the low humidity levels necessary for long-term seed viability by being kept in the refrigerator. You should be able to store cannabis seeds in the refrigerator for up to 5 years while still having good germination rates if you only make sure they are kept in a dark, dry container without any condensation close to the seeds.

You don’t need to check the humidity levels in your refrigerator. Simply keep your seeds in a tightly closed, dark, and dry container inside of your refrigerator, and they should last for many years.

If you’ve grown your own cannabis, you may be aware that seeds can be a little too fresh to germinate when they’re extremely young, right off the plant. For this reason, some advocates recommend allowing cannabis seeds to mature at room temperature for a brief length of time. This enables the moisture content of the seed to decrease sufficiently, increasing the viability of the seed. How long should seeds be allowed to dry before storing? It should last for a few months at room temperature.

Read More: Food Hacks: 5 Clever Tips and Tricks to Save Money

So, How Should You Keep Your Cannabis Seeds?

What degree of heat is best for preserving seeds? Most people find that refrigerator temperatures of 4 °C are ideal. The autoflower seeds/feminized seeds are already at low humidity and in a dark environment if they are in a sealed, lightproof container.

Do not stress out over constantly keeping your seeds in a refrigerator. Keep in mind that seeds kept in a draw for a few years should still germinate well even without a refrigerator. Don’t keep your seedlings on a window ledge or in your grow chamber, or anywhere with high temps or direct sunlight.

Keep in mind that cannabis seeds can easily be crushed if something is set on top of them when storing them in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. That can be avoided with a compact box or plastic container.

Myra Harris
Myra is the Chief Editor at TheNewsPocket. Here at TheNewsPocket, she has been writing for a wide range of Entertainment niches. She spends most of her time interacting with a like-minded group of people on social media and contributing proactively to several online discussion forums and websites.