seed storage and dessicants

[Sativa Diva]

Like I said I don't keep seeds after 4 years, obviously they will last longer if that's what you want. Amazing the compost bin didn't fuck them up.

Happy growin. 

[Sir PsychoHashy]

I probably should chuck in here that on top of using what turned out to be way to much dessicant (rice in my case), I also live in a mostly arid inland climate, which I have no doubt exaccerbated my situation.  I am now starting to wonder if for me no dessicant at all might be the way to go, but it could be a different matter in coastal regions.

 

With purchased seeds there is no way of knowing the age or storage methods used before you get them, and I've had inconsistent germ rates with purchased beans as a result.  But what brought it to a head for me was having my own beans turn to shit in under 12 months after being completely viable several months beforehand.  The seeds were dry and brittle, and cracked open with minimal finger pressure, so excess drying out is the only logical conclusion, and I had more rice than seeds in the baggies.  Other older beans stored with less or no rice still had viability.

 

From what I've read since it would appear that seeds need to be dried before storage, to less than 10% but I don't know how you tell, and then stored in airtight, preferably glass, containers after that.  In the dark with moderated but not necessarilly really cold temps that don't fluctuate much sounds like the ideal.  I think, but again don't know, that the purpose of a dessicant in storage is more about dealing with unwanted ingress of moisture to the storage environment than for the direct benefit of the seed.

 

Whatever it is, I'm hoping to get on top of it real quick, as I now have some beans that I really don't want to lose.  The beans I killed cannot currently be remade as the breeder seems to have stopped production of the mother, which sucks as I really liked the offspring.

[crow]

Thanks to everybody for contributing your opinions and experiences.

 

I've still no idea what's best but I'm taking a middle road.  Got some glass vials and organised my favourite seeds, threw in all the single seeds and freebies and put just 1 dessicant pack in and buried in my hallway cupboard.

 

 

And all in less than 3 weeks from when I first pondered the issue!

[Faith]

Cool crowsange!....nice little seed stash    

Faith

[itchybromusic]

Just the odd seed or 5000 there Ange

[louise]

Like I said I don't keep seeds after 4 years...

Happy growin. 

 

What I meant was... it's overkill to go to the extreme of vac sealing and refrigerating seed if you are changing your seed over every 4 years. Hey, but if you like doing it feel free, I just didn't want newbies thinking they had to do that to keep seed viable for a few years.

[weeping angel]

The dream...

 

http://www.inquisitr.com/1617569/doomsday-seed-vault-now-has-marijuana-seeds-your-weed-will-survive-the-apocalypse-even-if-you-dont/

[Sativa Diva]

Wasnt meaning to freak out or mislead the newbies or anyone. Its just that over my growin years I have had 1, 2, 3 and 4 year old seed that didnt germinate at different times, for whatever reasons I dont know. I had read somewhere that vacuum sealing is the safest way to store seeds and buds. I have been vacuuming for about the last 10 years, germination rates have been exelent compared to earlyer years when seeds where chucked in the cupboard. 

It might seem like overkill to some and it may well be, but I have found it to work well. I dehydrate my vegys and vac them as well.

 

happy smokin. 

[_Puff_Tough_]

Wont need to worry about storing seed if you're expecting to use them within 5 years or so. Ancient hemp seeds have been successfully germinated with ga-3, gibberelic acid. No need to stress too much.

vac sealed in vac bags with seeds stored in small satchel bags packed with tissue. EDIT- and popped into the freezer.

Edited September 5, 2015 by _Puff_Tough_