Seeds are porous structures, capable of absorbing moisture to balance with their surrounding air environment and absorb excess food stored within their kernels to produce heat through chemical reactions with oxygen molecules.
Moisture, temperature and light are three key elements that reduce seed’s shelf life in storage. But provided they’re stored optimally they should still last years!
Cold Storage
Cold storage helps preserve seed by creating and maintaining an ideal dormancy environment, including reduced exposure to light, moisture, and temperature fluctuations. The goal here is to simulate nature’s own storage system by eliminating conditions which promote sprouting or decay of seeds.
Before storing seeds, they should first be completely dried out to be effective. This applies both to those harvested from your own garden as well as commercially purchased varieties; too much moisture exposure could cause them to quickly germinate and exhaust their energy reserves before going dormant, rendering them inaccessible for later use.
Establishing the ideal environment to dry seeds before storing them can be challenging. Both commercially purchased seeds come wrapped in material that must be removed before being stored, as well as those from self-sown plants. Home gardeners can speed up this process by placing seeds on a sheet of paper towel for several days to dry naturally before placing into their storage bins.
Once seeds have dried out, they should be stored in an air tight container with an airtight seal. Refrigerated beverage coolers provide ideal storage solutions; just be sure to check often for moisture build-up! For those without access to refrigeration, recycled containers such as empty plastic bags or cardboard canisters used by snack food packages are great ways to keep seeds dry; washed-out pill bottles also work great as long-term storage solutions.
Airtight containers not only help stop the development of unwanted fungi, but they can also protect seed crops against insect pests such as beetles, weevils, borers and moths which are devastating to seed crops. Prevention is key here – inspecting all harvested and saved seeds prior to storage to check for potential stowaways as well as ensure proper sanitation processes are in place prior to storage.
Before opening any stored seeds from their storage location – be it refrigerator or airtight – it is crucial that they reach room temperature gradually as rapid temperature fluctuations can cause condensation inside of their container, potentially impacting viability and viability of future harvests.
Warm Storage
Seeds stored in darkness typically last much longer when stored than those exposed to light and warmth, as these conditions speed up metabolism of the seed, deplete its nutrient stores and accelerate decomposition leading to poor germination rates and short shelf-lives.
Seed is often plagued by insect pests, making collection difficult. To mitigate the threat, inspect all seeds thoroughly prior to storage in airtight containers; insects can damage and displace seeds while even spreading diseases through mass infestations of seed batches.
Refrigerators are an excellent place to store seeds long term, particularly for people without dedicated storage sheds or rooms. Simply pour your seeds into airtight plastic containers such as recycled baby food jars or spaghetti sauce jars before sealing tightly – adding an oxygen absorber or vacuum sealing further increases longevity of their lifespan.
Before opening your seeds from the fridge, allow them to return to room temperature first. Exposing them abruptly to sudden temperature changes may shock them and cause moisture condensation within their containers, which can negatively impact their viability.
Refrigerator storage of seeds should also be undertaken with special considerations in mind. Make sure to use an anti-desiccant like silica gel or desiccants when freezing seeds; and remember to store them away from foods containing high moisture levels, which could compromise their integrity by sharing in its moisture content with them.
When you are ready to use your seeds, be sure to slowly thaw them in the fridge over two or more days. This will ensure they do not sprout before planting them – something which could drastically lower viability. Furthermore, when taking out of the freezer it is important not to put them directly back in as this can trigger rapid temperature change that shocks seeds.
Vacuum Sealing
Vacuum sealing is one of the best ways to store food, from uncooked ingredients that you need for future cooking, or cooked meals that need to remain fresh in your freezer for use later. Vacuum sealers keep food fresher for longer by limiting air exposure – thus helping prevent freezer burn and maintain optimal flavor profiles in its contents.
vacuum sealing seeds is especially helpful as it creates an oxygen-deficient environment, making it harder for spoilage bacteria and fungi to flourish and thus extending their shelf life. In addition, when selecting storage containers that can be airtight sealed such as mason jars, plastic containers or buckets – especially easily sealable ones are Mason jars which also serve as great moisture control containers! Mason jars make this task even simpler; you may even consider adding desiccant packs for further moisture control!
Always bear in mind that certain foods, such as raw mushrooms and bananas, will continue to ripen even after vacuum-sealing them, so it’s advisable to cook or freeze these before vacuum-sealing, otherwise you risk creating unviable seeds which won’t germinate properly.
When choosing an environment for seed storage, it’s essential that it provides both cold temperatures to dormancy while remaining dry enough for preservation. 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below should provide ideal temperatures; in cooler areas storing seeds in a refrigerator may provide optimal storage conditions.
Vacuum sealing can also be used to preserve other foods and items, including herbs, spices, or silverware. Furthermore, it’s a convenient way to quickly marinate meats or pickle vegetables quickly; additionally, vacuum sealing provides the ideal method for creating sous vide dishes, an innovative cooking technique which enables users to achieve perfect searing steak and create unique recipes not possible through traditional means.
To use a vacuum sealer to store seeds, first remove all paper from seed packets and transfer them into an airtight glass jar or container. Fill this jar with water before adding linseed oil as an anti-floatation measure – close and seal with your vacuum sealer later! For additional airtight protection you could wrap the jar in plastic before sealing – either before adding seeds or after.
Freezing
Home freezers provide long-term storage of seeds, but you must first ensure they have been dried to an ideal moisture content before freezing them. Too much moisture absorbed during thawing could damage seeds in this cycle; for best results, return them from the freezer slowly in airtight containers to room temperature.
Seeds purchased in packages tend to be dry, and can be safely stored in plastic bags with tight seals to keep moisture at bay. It is best to label each package of seeds with their species/variety name and year of purchase so you know exactly what is in your collection; additionally, keeping everything organized helps make finding what you want easier when planting time arrives.
Fermented, washed, or dried seeds that require additional processing (ie: fermenting, washing, and drying) are often stored frozen as the best solution to their viability issues. One such example can be seen at Norway’s Svalbard Global Seed Vault where seeds are kept at approximately -18oC to maintain viability over time – this technique is also employed by serious seed savers in order to safeguard their own seed for future use.
Before freezing seeds you have collected yourself, they must first be completely dried down to an acceptable moisture content level – either sun drying, in an oven, or using a dehydrator – or else they will form ice crystals when frozen and cause irreparable damage to their seeds.
Organising seeds – both purchased or saved yourself – can make life much simpler, enabling you to easily see what you have and use the oldest first. Doing this also ensures that any non-germinating seed won’t do it again the following year.
