Do you know how to keep cannabis seeds alive? Properly stashing away these products ensures you don’t spend money on goods you can’t use later.
Cannabis seeds can survive up to five years after harvesting if stored in the correct environment. Exposure to the wrong conditions may decrease germination viability or even destroy them.
Keep reading to discover the best ways to store marijuana seeds that keep them fresh and preserve their quality.
They’re alive! Don’t let your seeds die
Even though they don’t look very lively, cannabis seeds are technically living organisms. Inside their tough outer coats is an embryo waiting for optimal conditions to germinate and grow into a plant.
It’s possible to kill your seeds if you don’t store them in the right environment. Dead embryos lower your germination rate and reduce the number of seedlings available to grow. Expect a decrease in your total yield of precious buds.
Knowing how to keep cannabis seeds alive is crucial in ensuring your next crop is successful. Taking care of weed seeds means they’re capable of developing as soon as you’re ready to start your next bud cultivation.
Factors to consider when storing seeds
Light, temperature, humidity, and air exposure can affect the quality of your seeds. Let’s look at how each environmental factor causes damage and what you can do to prevent it.
Light
One of the most important rules of cannabis seed storage is to keep them away from light.
Exposing seeds to illumination triggers their germination cue, and they begin using their nutrients.
They won’t have enough food when you try to sprout them later using the best grow lights for cannabis plants. A taproot won’t develop, and the seeds won’t be successful.
For this reason, you must keep them somewhere dark. An excellent way to block rays from contacting seeds is to store them in their original packaging. After removing the ones you plan to grow, tape the packet before putting it into a container.
Humidity
Humidity is another signal that tells seeds it’s time to start growing. For this reason, it’s important to understand how to handle humidity in a grow room.
If too much moisture surrounds them, they absorb water that softens their coats and encourages the taproot to emerge.
When keeping the seeds in extremely low humidity levels, any insects inside them become active and soon wreck them. The unformed leaves are perfect bug food.
The best way to store marijuana seeds is at a 20–30% humidity level. This range protects the seeds and keeps their waxy shells intact.
If you’re keeping your seeds in the fridge, it’s not necessary to monitor the moisture levels in the air. As long as they’re in a dark, sealed container, germination shouldn’t occur.
If you don’t want your cannabis seeds in your fridge, keep moisture levels under control with humidity packs.
These salt-based sachets maintain ideal condensation levels when placed into containers. They can both add moisture to the air or reduce it as needed.
Temperature
When thinking about how to store marijuana seeds, you must consider temperature. Keeping them in constantly cool conditions extends their lives and enables you to store them for longer.
When growing in nature, the arrival of spring brings warmth that tells the seed to start germinating. The outer shell opens, and roots and stems begin to sprout.
Should this process happen when the seed is not in the soil or a controlled environment, pests and bacteria enter it. There’s a good chance the embryo will rot, destroying any chances of growing into a healthy plant.
The best temperature for storing cannabis seeds is around 43–47℉, making the fridge suitable for stashing them.
Other cooler locations for storing seeds are pantries, basements, or rarely opened drawers and cupboards.
Once you’re ready to germinate your seeds, consult a cannabis temp humidity chart for ideal conditions that encourage healthy growth.
Air
Any cannabis cultivator knows how much marijuana plants love fresh air circulating their branches. Just as ventilation encourages healthy development in adult plants, it can cause seeds to germinate.
Using airtight containers is how to keep cannabis seeds healthy while preventing premature growth.
The best conditions for storing cannabis seeds
Store your seeds in their original packaging. Place the packet in an airtight container in a cool, dark, low humidity area. This way, they’ll remain healthy and ready for germination.
Keep light, temperature, humidity, and air exposure levels constant. Fluctuations in these variables reduce storage life or allow microbes to damage your embryos.
Containers for cannabis seed storage
A suitable container is crucial to protect seeds from exposure to harmful elements. Choosing the right storage vessel is how to store cannabis seeds to extend their shelf-life. Here are some commonly used options and how well they protect their contents.
Glass jars
Glass jars are great containers for seeds because they keep moisture out. Tightly seal the lid, and the humidity level inside remains constant.
They also come in various sizes, making it easy to find the best one for the number of seeds you want to store.
An excellent cannabis seed storage option is to use an amber or green glass jar. These colored bottles prevent light from affecting their contents.
Envelopes
Standard mailing envelopes are good at keeping seeds away from sun rays, provided they’re thick enough. This storage method makes labeling your seeds simple.
Put a few humidity packs into the envelope with the seeds to reduce moisture levels.
Vacuum-sealed bags
Vacuum-sealed bags prevent seeds from coming into contact with any oxygen or humidity. Placing the sealed pack into another container protects it from light.
Vacuum sealing is an effective way to store seeds that keep them viable for long periods. If you have to keep cannabis seeds alive regularly, it’s worth investing in a quality machine.
Plastic containers
Avoid using plastic containers to store cannabis seeds. They aren’t airtight, exposing their contents to changes in light and humidity.
Some types of plastic are also porous and allow outside environmental conditions to pass through.
Mylar Bags
These shiny silver bags often used for food preservation are wonderful for cannabis seed storage. Their thick foil layers protect contents from moisture and light. Mylar pouches are also durable, preventing puncture accidents.
Combining one of these bags with vacuum sealing can keep seeds safe for months at a time.
Plastic Ziploc Bags
Ziploc bags are the most common form of storage used for seeds, but they’re far from effective. As well as not being airtight, they offer no protection from light exposure.
Placing the whole bag into another jar or pot is better for the seeds, but more effective options are available.
Choosing the best way to store your weed seeds
How long do marijuana seeds last? It depends on the location and container you choose to store them in. Having an idea of how long you’re going to keep your seeds before germinating them is key to preserving them.
Here are options determined by the length of storage time needed.
Short-term storage (days to weeks)
For short-term storage, temperature and humidity fluctuations are the most important things to avoid. They may cause germination triggers and destroy the plants’ chances of growing later.
Place the seeds into a container such as an envelope, and add a few humidity packs. Put the envelope into a dark cupboard, and the seeds should stay healthy for a few weeks.
Medium-term storage (a few months)
How long can you store cannabis seeds in airtight containers like glass jars? As long as you place them in the fridge, seeds remain viable for six months.
It’s important to remember that frequently opening and closing the refrigerator door causes temperature fluctuations. Keep the seeds at the back or in the fruit and vegetable drawer, so they’re not affected by changes in warmth.
If you store cannabis seeds often, it may be worth purchasing a second fridge dedicated to preserving them.
Long-term (More than six months)
The best way to store cannabis seeds for more than six months is to use vacuum sealing. Put the closed bag into an opaque container inside the fridge.
It’s possible to store seeds in the freezer if you want to go the extra mile in ensuring their preservation.
However, the extremely low temperatures may cause the delicate embryo to shatter if mishandled. Only freeze your seeds if you want to keep them viable for years.
Top 5 strong strains for lasting seeds
When it comes to seed preservation, you can follow every rule in the book and still end up with ones that won’t germinate.
To a large extent, how long you can store cannabis seeds depends on strain genetics.
Some marijuana cultivars naturally produce hardier seeds that are more resistant to the environmental factors causing early sprouting.
If you don’t want genetics to work against you when storing seeds, choose a strain well-known for creating tough seeds.
Here are our top five strong seed strains.
- Afghan autoflower seeds: This historic strain thrives in warm conditions. Afghan autoflower is easy to grow and naturally resilient to most plant problems. A few tokes of this cultivar send waves of relaxation through the body.
- Moby Dick feminized seeds: An excellent strain for cannabis seed storage is Moby Dick feminized. This hybrid cross of two powerhouses develops enormous buds coated in snowy white resin.
It’s easy to maintain in warm conditions and reaches extraordinary heights with enough room to grow. The nugs from this plant provide mental clarity that uplifts the mind without being overwhelming.
- Durban Poison feminized seeds: Durban Poison is highly resilient when faced with pests, diseases, and severe weather. This cultivar provides hassle-free growing that results in mounds of buds.
The strong herbal aroma is stimulating and causes a euphoria that later turns into utter laziness.
- Strawberry Cough feminized seeds: When wondering how to keep cannabis seeds alive, choose a cultivar like Strawberry Cough. It can handle all kinds of weather, especially high humidity levels, making growing easy. Expect hefty yields for minimal effort.
This strain is ideal to use when you’ve got a long to-do list. It provides an energy boost while increasing your motivation and focus.
- Blackberry Kush feminized seeds: Blackberry Kush has a fabulous fragrance with a tantalizing taste and powerful effects. The plant is a breeze to cultivate and produces leaves in a beautiful plum shade unique to the strain.
It provides a hard-hitting, long-lasting body stone that leaves you incapacitated on the couch for several hours.
Pro-seed with storing your marijuana seeds
The basics of storing cannabis seeds are straightforward. Don’t expose them to light, humidity, high temperatures, or air circulation. Keep conditions constant and never put your seeds through sudden environmental changes.
Putting your supply into an opaque, airtight container keeps seeds healthy. Properly packaged seeds remain dormant until you’re ready to cultivate them.
One of the best ways to ensure viable seeds is to purchase high-quality genetics. Plan well and buy hardy strains that produce strong seeds. Visit SeedSupreme for the best selection of superior, easy-to-grow seeds that you can store with confidence.
