Storing your Cannabis Seeds 

You need to keep them cold, dark, and dry. 

If you plan to grow marijuana for fun or profit, you’ll need to know how to store your seeds. Those seeds are directly related to the quality of your plants. If they are not stored correctly, when you do get around to planting them, they will not germinate. On the other hand, if you store them the right way, they are good to go for years. There’s no reason why those extra seeds should go to waste, simply learn how to store them correctly. Want to learn a few other things that you could do to preserve your precious seeds? Keep reading to learn more.

*Use the Right Storage Container

When storing cannabis seeds, the first thing to think about is your container. Do not use just any random container that you come across. The ideal container should be made of one material. Avoid containers with a mixture of materials. An example of this would be a plastic container with a metal lid or a glass container with a plastic cover. Containers made from more than one material react differently to temperature and other changes, and this can create room for undesirable conditions to reach your stored cannabis seeds. For instance, the metal lid on a glass jar will expand at a different rate when the temperature rises, and this may allow some moisture to enter the container.

Many people suggest using plastic containers for long term storage when asked how to store marijuana seeds, but that isn’t the best idea either. Plastic has tiny (microscopic) pores that can let air infiltrate the container and damage your seeds over time. If you want your seeds to last, don’t store them in a plastic container. Glass is a much better solution.

*Keep Light Out

This part is simple; germination needs light. If you do not want your seeds to sprout, keep the light out. That’s why the most immediate answer to “how to store cannabis seeds” is “keep the environment light free.” Try using an opaque container. If the glass jars you used aren’t opaque, then place your seeds in something opaque, such as black plastic wrap, then put that in the glass jar. Again, keep in mind, plastic is not the best for long term (years), but if you are purchasing at the end of one grow season in preparation for the next, it should work just fine. You can also place your cannabis seeds in a fridge that doesn’t get opened much or another dark location.

*Keep the Temperature Constant

Another thing that you need to think about when storing cannabis seeds is to maintain a stable temperature. Try and keep the seeds around 4°- 6°C degrees. You can store your seeds in the fridge, this can greatly extend their lifespan if done properly. However, make sure you don’t freeze your seeds. The most critical thing is keeping that temperature constant. Your marijuana seeds can deteriorate when the temperature fluctuates.

*Keep Moisture Out

Moisture is the other condition that is required for germination, so you’ll need to keep your seeds dry as well. Depending on how much moisture your marijuana seeds are exposed to, they could either germinate or even rot while in storage. For the best results, keep moisture levels between 5% and 9%.  An airtight, sealed container is a great way to do this. You could also add something to help absorb any moisture, such as silica packets or even uncooked rice. If you decide to use one of these methods, make sure you use something food-grade. Remember, this material will be sitting in storage next to your seeds. It’s also a good idea to use some sort of barrier, such as some cotton wool, between your moisture-absorbing packs and the marijuana seeds. This will leave the seeds undisturbed while the moisture problems are addressed.

*Keep the Storage Environment Clean

How to store marijuana seeds properly also means keeping the storage environment clean. If you’re not careful, pests can quickly destroy your cannabis seeds if they access the storage container and its contents. A clean environment also keeps other contaminants, such as microbes, from compromising the quality of your seeds. After all, you will eventually plant those seeds, and you don’t want to consume cannabis grown from contaminated seeds. Nature designed seeds to last until the ideal germination environment occurs. Therefore, if you follow these storage tips and prevent that environment from happening, you could store cannabis seeds pretty much indefinitely.  

Does it need to be perfect? No. If you only need to store cannabis seeds for a few months, you don’t need to be that strict.  However, if you’d like to keep your seeds for years, plan ahead and take the necessary precautions, and you’ll be delighted that you did.

*How do you know if seeds are still good?

Place cannabis seeds in water, if they sink, you have a winner. If they remain floating, chances are less, but they may still be good to go. It’s always worth keeping them in water for up to three days to see if they sprout a tail.