Storing cannabis seeds correctly is essential if you want to preserve their genetics for many years. The best way to do this is in a cool, dry, and dark place. This will protect the seeds from light that could disturb their dormancy, and heat that could cause premature germination.
You should also avoid excessively cold temperatures, as extreme cold can damage or kill the cells within the seeds, preventing them from sprouting when you are ready to plant them. Long-term storage of cannabis seeds under these optimal conditions can help maintain viability rates of up to 90 percent for a decade or more.
Did You Know Cannabis Seeds Are Living Organisms?
Cannabis seeds are definitely an important part of the cannabis industry, as they are the product of flowery buds that have been lovingly cultivated by growers. But often these tiny little marijuana seeds get overlooked or taken for granted, when in fact they are living organisms.
That’s right, cannabis seeds contain within them an embryo that is capable of being germinated and growing into a new plant if given the ideal conditions.
When it comes to storing your precious cannabis seeds, it’s essential to create favorable environmental conditions in order to maximize their potential for successful germination. Not doing so could result in drastically lowered germination rates as opposed to if they were stored correctly and at optimum temperature, light, and ideal humidity levels.
So if you want your cannabis harvest to live up to its full potential, make sure you store those little marijuana seeds with care!
Key Factors To Watch When Storing Cannabis Seeds
Storing cannabis seeds correctly is crucial in ensuring their germination rates and overall viability remain high. The three main factors that can negatively impact the viability of your quality seeds are light exposure, heat, and humidity levels. By taking steps to minimize these factors and properly regulating them, you can extend the shelf life of your cannabis seed collection.
Light Exposure
Light exposure is an important factor when it comes to storing cannabis seeds for long-term use. Inside every seed are delicate embryonic tissues that contain the genetic code that dictates the characteristics of the cannabis plant you will be growing. To ensure the best preservation of these genetics, you want to store your cannabis seeds in a sealed and light-proof container, away from any potential sources of light.
The protective shell of a cannabis seed provides some form of protection from light, but ultimately its best to err on the side of caution when storing them for long-term storage. In nature, cannabis seeds would have been dropped from the plants during autumn/fall and would have been exposed to direct sunlight while they were falling or after they had been laid on the soil.
For this reason, you will want to keep your weed seeds well-protected and stored away in a dark environment where they won’t be exposed to intense light for extended periods of time.
Humidity Level
The humidity level of a storage area is incredibly important when it comes to storing marijuana seeds. For successful germination, moist and humid conditions are necessary. However, for long-term storage, the opposite is true, you must keep your seeds in low humidity conditions as any moisture will soften the hard shell of the seed, allowing the root to emerge.
Without proper control over the humidity levels of your space, even a small amount of water droplets can damage your seeds. For cannabis growers wanting to store their seeds safely and effectively, the environment must be kept at a low enough moisture content so that it does not activate the shells’ dormant properties.
When placed into overwatered soil or a space with high humidity levels, it can act as an ‘invitation’ to the seed to begin its activation process prematurely. Therefore proper maintenance and monitoring of seed storage areas are essential for success in germinating cannabis plants in future seasons.
Temperature Fluctuations
Cannabis seeds need to be stored at low temperatures in order to maximize their shelf life. Low humidity levels are also crucial for maintaining good germination rates. This is because the delicate living tissue inside cannabis seeds can survive much better when temperatures are lowered and its activity slowed down, just like food stays good longer in the refrigerator than it does at room temperature.
In general, the proper storage temperature for preserving cannabis seeds is between 32-41°F (0-5°C). Lower temperatures applied over long periods of time will reduce seed viability. While higher temperatures for short periods of time should not cause any harm to your weed seeds, fluctuations in temperature can increase their susceptibility towards fungal infections and additionally impair cannabis growth rate once planted.
If possible avoid exposing your marijuana seeds to abrupt changes in temperature or sudden extremes in temperatures when storing them. This can make a huge difference in ensuring great germination rates and superior plant quality!
So What Are The Best Ways To Store Your Cannabis Seeds?
Properly storing cannabis seeds is important for ensuring that germination rates stay high and the plants remain healthy. As ideal temperatures play a key role in how long cannabis seeds can be stored, it is suggested to keep them at around 4ºC (in the fridge).
This low temperature helps to slow down the aging process and makes it possible to store seeds for longer periods of time. In addition, other environmental factors should also be considered when storing cannabis seeds. It is important to keep them dark and dry, as exposure to light or too much humidity could damage the viability of their cells.
Drying, Storing And Maturing Seeds From Plants
Having the knowledge and proper techniques to dry store, and mature cannabis seeds is essential if growers are attempting to produce their own cannabis strain. Once the fresh weed seeds are collected, they need to be given time to rest before germinating.
This allows them adequate time for maximum germination rates. Generally allowing the seed a month or two in ambient conditions will give them enough time for them to reach optimal maturity.
When it comes to storing marijuana seeds, what size mylar bags you use doesn’t matter as much as long as it is airtight. It is critical that your container is able to successfully prevent light from entering which can cause your seeds to compromise and affects their potency.
Additionally, when storing in airtight containers make sure you have created some type of desiccant packet or unsealed tea bag inside otherwise the container may trap moisture and begin breeding mold or bacteria on your seed stash.
Choose The Right Container For Your Seeds
It is important to ensure that the container you select has the ability to be sealed. This will help protect the seeds from unwanted oxygen and pests, which can cause damage.
Mason Jars
Mason jars are a great choice for storing cannabis seeds. Their tight seal helps protect the seeds from moisture and ensures they will stay viable over time. Additionally, adding a desiccant can help keep the humidity of the jar at a consistent level. The clear glass also makes it easy to see how many seeds you have and how old they are, so you can easily monitor your supplies.
Envelopes
Envelopes are a great way to store cannabis seeds for short-term use. They serve as an effective barrier against light, thus preventing the decomposition of the precious commodity. Moreover, they’re incredibly fit for the purpose of labeling and organizing seeds of different varieties in the same package.
All you have to do is remember to keep the envelopes in a cool and dark environment, but note that during rainy periods they may become prone to moisture accumulation, so keep them away from potential sources of moisture as much as possible.
Methods For Storing Cannabis Seeds
When storing cannabis seeds, it is important to keep your ideal container airtight and light-proof. Short-term storage can be easily achieved by simply filling any kind of airtight container with seeds and placing it in a cool, dark area as long as there are no fluctuating temperatures or humidity.
Typical spots include the bottom of your closet, the back of cupboards, or other areas in which light cannot penetrate or extreme temperatures are observed. This should maintain the integrity of the seeds for a few months, but if you’re looking to store them for longer than that, then using the refrigerator is recommended.
To ensure prolonged freshness in a refrigerator set, you can use any combination of sealed food-grade containers or plastic bags with desiccants included for good measure so your cannabis seeds can remain viable until use. It’s important to place such storage containers away from other foods and any harm-causing elements like temperature changes or direct sunlight exposure.
Maintaining an adequate environment greatly matters when you want viable and healthy cannabis seeds at hand anytime – plus always making sure all items used for storage are clean, preferably sterilized beforehand ensuring their absolute functionality over long-term usage.