Let’s say that your latest batch of feminized cannabis seeds from Growers Choice has just arrived at your doorstep, but for whatever reason, you aren’t quite ready to germinate and plant them. Today’s blog will teach you how to store cannabis seeds for longevity, so they stay fresh for as long as possible. After all, if your cannabis seeds aren’t fresh, they may not germinate or grow into a plant.
Not Ready to Germinate Your Cannabis Seeds?
This may be because you’re thinking ahead and stocking up for the impending day that your state or country legalizes cannabis. You want to get the jump on everyone, or it could be because you’ll be out of town for a while, or you’re waiting until your most recent cannabis crops are ready for harvest before you plant more, or you ordered 25 seeds but are wanting to save half for later, etc. Suffice it to say, cultivators–both newbies and veterans–store their cannabis seeds for a variety of reasons. However, something that even some of the most experienced growers can forget is that cannabis seeds are actually living organisms, which is to say that they are alive! So, not storing them properly could end up costing you hundreds of dollars or more in “ruined” seeds. Fortunately, you can store your cannabis seeds safely for up to five years, provided you do so correctly. Plus, doing so doesn’t require you to build some kind of airtight bunker or invest in specialized equipment or have a degree in botany to successfully store cannabis seeds.
How to Store Cannabis Seeds: Three Methods
Whether you are storing your cannabis seeds for a couple of weeks or years or anywhere in between the three big things you need to remember are light, temperature, and humidity. By easily and properly controlling all three of these factors you should be able to extend the lifetime of your feminized cannabis seeds to up to five years. Conversely, if you don’t, then you risk your seeds not germinating when you’re finally ready to take them out of storage.
Light
It is imperative that you store your seeds in a dark space because when they are exposed to light they begin to use their nutrients, which means that when you’re ready to use them they won’t have enough nutrients to germinate. Also, you need to make sure that the space you store them in is pest/insect-free, as even one insect could ruin your batch of seeds. If you’re planning to germinate your seeds within a couple of days of getting them then you should be ok just leaving them in their envelope or packaging. However, if you’re planning to germinate them in say a couple of weeks, then storing them in a sealed container with desiccant in a dark drawer or cupboard should be fine, so long as the temperature and humidity levels are pretty “normal.”
Humidity
Finally, maintaining humidity levels in your storage space is extremely important. Basically, you want humidity levels to be around 21-30% for short- to medium-term storage periods. For long-term storage, 8-10% is advised. If humidity levels are below 8%, you could end up with pests and insects. If it’s 9-20% you could end up with mold; 31-60% is the “germination zone,” and above 60% you risk losing your seeds. In fact, if humidity levels are at 80%, your seeds will die in about 12 hours’ time! And, remember, no matter what, the environment needs to be cool and dark.
The Best Ways to Store Cannabis Seeds
Once you’re ready to take your seeds out of storage and germinate them, you can do a quick check by placing them in water. If any of them float, they are most likely “bad.” That said, you can still try to germinate them by keeping them in water for about 72 hours. If they begin to sprout, then you can try to grow them, but just know that your harvest from that seed/plant may not be of the best quality.
