Storing Weed Seeds: How To Keep Seeds Healthy and Ready For Growing Season

If you don’t have excellent cannabis seeds, forget about producing superb cannabis. 

Although marijuana seeds are durable and robust, they’re not invincible. Improper storage can destroy your seeds and cost you a heap of cash. So, before your seeds germinate, you must take care of them. 

But here’s the good news: Cannabis seeds can last for up to five years with proper storage. As a result, you don’t have to worry about growing your cannabis straight away, especially if the conditions aren’t right. 

However, focus on the following:

• Temperature 
• Light 
• Humidity 
• Storage 
• Insects and pests 
• Germinating old seeds

Here’s a complete guide to storing weed seeds:

Create the Perfect Storage Temperature 

Temperature is critical to creating the ultimate cannabis. The best temperature to store your seeds is between 43 and 47 Fahrenheit. If you maintain your temperature low, there’s less chance your seeds will unexpectedly germinate. 

Experienced growers often have special refrigerators to store their seeds. Typically, this will be a no frost model. Moreover, many growers will keep their seeds in a fruit and vegetable section; that’s even better for cannabis growers. 

Another option is storing your seeds at -4 Fahrenheit. Sure, this is very cold. But it offers the best storage for your seeds, and your seeds may even last for decades. 

Avoid All Sunlight

Of course, you’ll need sunlight to grow your cannabis; without sunlight, it’s incredibly challenging. With that said, you must keep your seeds in a cool, dry, and relatively dark environment. It’s even better if you maintain your seeds in their original packaging. 

Unfortunately, when you expose your cannabis seeds to sunlight — which isn’t hard to do — seeds start using their nutrient stores. Therefore, your seeds won’t have enough nutrients to germinate, thus rendering them a useless waste of money. 

Create the Perfect Humidity 

Humidity is highly important for your seeds. The incorrect humidity can spoil your marijuana. 

Here’s a short guide to humidity :

• Below 8% humidity – If you store your seeds at below 8% humidity, there’s a high chance you’ll attract insects and pests. 
• Between 9 to 20% humidity – Storing your marijuana seeds between 9 and 20% will likely lead to fungi development. Nonetheless, 8 to 10% is good humidity for long-term storage, if it’s the right storage conditions. 
• Between 20 to 30% humidity – Storing your seeds at 20 to 30% humidity is the ultimate storage level for seeds. 
• Between 31 to 60% humidity – Don’t keep your seeds between 31 to 60% humidity. Once the humidity goes beyond 40%, you enter the germination zone. 
• Over 61% humidity – Once the humidity reaches 80%, your seeds will die in around 12 hours. You simply cannot store your seeds at this level of humidity. 

So What’s the Ideal Storage Condition? 

It depends on how long you want to keep your cannabis seeds. You can break the storage time into three sections: short-term, medium-term, and long-term. Each time frame has different storage requirements for excellent growth. 

Short-Term 

If you require short-term storage — i.e., you’re ready to grow your cannabis, and the conditions are almost perfect for harvesting—a dark drawer or even a cupboard is ideal. However, the most important thing is avoiding rapid changes in temperature and humidity, even if you’re only storing for a short period. Rapid variations in temperature or humidity will ruin your seeds in the storage stage. 

If you live in a location with hot outdoor temperatures and cold nights, such as deserts, avoid storing your cannabis outside. Another superb short-term storage option is in a container with desiccant. Then, seal it and place it in a dark and cool place. 

Medium-Term

If you’re looking to maintain  your seeds for a medium-term time range — such as up to 6 months — you’ll need a vacuum-sealed container. A great way to achieve this is in a mason jar or a Ziploc bag. Then, place the container inside a cool fridge. Remember, the lower the fridge temperature, the less chance of germination. 

Modern fridges have low humidity levels. Subsequently, they’re excellent for storing seeds, as long as you have a low temperature. 

Long-Term  

Suppose you want to store your cannabis seeds for over 6 months? This is common for people living in unfavorable harvesting conditions most of the year. You should use a vacuum-sealed container if you need them for a long period of time, and place them in a cool and dark fridge.

Alternatively, you can place your seeds in the freezer, although you’ll need to germinate them instantly once you’ve removed them. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How Long Do Marijuana Seeds Last?

This entirely depends on your storage conditions. You can store your seeds for up to five years if you have excellent storage conditions, which is awesome. However, poor storage conditions can ruin your marijuana seeds within 24 hours. So that’s why your storage conditions are so critical. 

When you purchase your seeds from a reputable producer, your germination rates should be 90% or higher. Poor storage conditions, however, will significantly reduce that figure. 

Can Weed Seeds Go Bad? 

Your weed seeds can go bad; in fact, it may only take 12 hours if your humidity levels are above 80%. Although seeds are robust, you should never think they’re indestructible. 

Should I Keep My Cannabis Seeds in a Fridge at All Times?

If you can maintain your seeds in a fridge at all times, it’s probably for the best. However, don’t worry too much if you can’t. A pack of seeds within a drawer — as long as it’s not hot and humid — should still provide excellent germination rates. 

Although you may want to buy an expensive, modern fridge for your seeds — and it’s certainly a good idea — you don’t always need one. 

Final Thoughts 

Storing your seeds doesn’t have to be a complicated process. You must remember three key things: sunlight, humidity, and temperature. If you remember these, you can keep your seeds in most places and produce superb marijuana.