Author Topic: Seed storage  (Read 1271 times)

pumkinlover

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Seed storage
« on: July 04, 2020, 08:52:39 »
I've been keeping seeds in the freezer,
When I want to take out a portion of the seeds to sow is  it best to only remove the ones that are actually going to be used?
I've got a bit of a bad habit of taking them out in the morning then not using them for a few hours or even longer because I get sidetracked.
I am thinking that maybe I should get a small pot and take out the the quantity I need at that time, instead of the whole packet?

galina

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Re: Seed storage
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2020, 09:11:56 »
When you take seeds out of the freezer, you should wait until the temperature of the seeds has fully adjusted to the room temperature and only then take out what you need.  This is so that the frozen cold packet or whatever the seed packet has been packed into (jar or plastic box etc) does not pull moisture from the air which could get onto the seeds.  To keep well in a freezer, seeds must be very dry and stay very dry.  This is why a paper packet is always packed into a properly sealed jar or similar, before being put into the freezer, if available also with desiccant inside the jar or a bit of rice to act as a drying agent. 

So refreezing the packet when it is fully warm and keeping it dry in the meantime is no issue.  Of course you may decide to portion your seed stock into what you might need per year and then just take out one portion rather than portion from a larger packet, but you still need to let everything get to room temperature, not open a jar, take a packet out, close the jar again while still frozen, because just by opening cold it will have attracted moisture.  :wave:

JanG

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Re: Seed storage
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2020, 09:21:35 »
That's really interesting and helpful. I had read that it's a good idea to let frozen seeds adjust to room temperature before opening the packet but hadn't understood the principle behind the advice.
All is much clearer now!

pumkinlover

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Re: Seed storage
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2020, 12:52:02 »
Thanks for the explanation.
I've not been doing this right at all,  my seeds are in biscuit tins. Looks like a re-think is necessary but at least I know what to do now.

galina

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Re: Seed storage
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2020, 15:46:13 »
Either metal or plastic biscuit tins can be made airtight by a strip of gaffer tape or parcel tape around the area where the tin and the lid meet.  Just a slight bother to refit it every time the tin has been taken out and opened. 

Don't worry too much, even without tape, biscuit tins close pretty well, after all they have to because if moisture got in easily, the biscuits would get soggy.  Would not worry overly Pumpkinlover.  :wave:

 

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