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Did you know that old cannabis seeds can grow just as well as fresh ones? Storing cannabis seeds properly can help add years to their shelf life! That’s good news for growers who love stocking up on their favourite strains or want to save seeds for growing later. With the proper techniques, they’ll be as good as new when you’re finally ready to plant them! Here’s what you need to know.

Storing Cannabis Seeds

Cannabis seeds are living things. There’s an entire plant resting dormant inside those tiny seeds that’s waiting to emerge under the right conditions. The goal with storing cannabis seeds is:

To prevent the stimulation of hormones to begin the development process prematurely

To protect them from damage and disease

Even the slightest stimuli can trick the seeds into thinking they’re ready to grow, which can ultimately hurt their chances of germinating when you’re ready to plant them. The best cannabis seed storage methods minimise the following:

• Air exposure
• Heat exposure
• Humidity exposure
• Light exposure
• Temperature fluctuations

Eliminate these factors and your cannabis seeds can last for years.

Best method to store cannabis seeds

The amount of time you plan to store cannabis seeds impacts how you should store them. Cannabis seeds already have a long shelf life, but simple techniques can extend it even further before planting.

Preserve your cannabis seeds for years with these strategies.

Immediate Use (storage less than 1 year):

It’s common to stock up on cannabis seeds for an upcoming growing season. If your timeline for planting them is less than one year, there isn’t much required since they already have a long shelf life.

Keep your seeds sealed in their original packaging or transfer them to an air-tight container. Putting them in a dark location is best, but not mandatory if you’re planting them soon.

Short Term Storage (1-2 years)

You’ll be surprised how fast a year goes by. If you’re the type to buy multiple packs of seeds and end up with excess after planting, consider short-term storage to keep your extras fresh!

This time period is still relatively short when it comes to storing cannabis seeds. Leave all extra seeds in their original packaging and store them in a tiny or storage box. Place them in a dark area that receives little light, such as a drawer or a closet.

Medium Term Storage (2-5 years)

Storing cannabis seeds for up to five years requires a more controlled environment. For this storage time, the best place to store your seeds is in a refrigerator. It simulates the best environment to keep them stable for years before planting.

The best refrigerator settings for storing cannabis seeds are:

• Temperature between 2-5°C (35-40°F)
• Moisture level between 5-7%

We recommend putting the seeds in a vacuum-sealed ziplock bag and placing it in a dark container to avoid light interruptions when opening the refrigerator. Use a thermometer and moisture level reader to ensure you meet the correct environment specifications.

To preserve the appropriate moisture level, place a few desiccant packs in the ziplock bag. These packets help absorb moisture, but too many packets can actually dry out the cannabis seeds and harm them during storage. For a budget-friendly option, replace the desiccant packs with dry rice.

Long Term (Up to 10+ years)

A decade may sound like eternity, but for cannabis seeds, it will feel like yesterday when they were harvested. Growers can effectively “freeze time” by storing their seeds in the freezer. The cold temperature and dry conditions are ideal for keeping them fresh.

The best freezer settings for storing cannabis seeds are:

• Temperature at -15°C (5°F)
• Moisture level between 5-7%

A vacuum-sealed bag helps prevent freezer burn. Also, be sure to keep them in the dark the entire duration in storage.

Keep in mind that cannabis seeds do not have an expiration date. They have an undefined shelf life and storing them under these conditions can make them last indefinitely. Some growers have been able to germinate old cannabis seeds after more than 20 years in storage. Read our guide on how to germinate old cannabis seeds.

Best practices for storing cannabis seeds

If you know you will be storing your cannabis seeds for an extended period, here are a few tips to ensure they will stay preserved for growing later:

Label your seeds – it’s easy to forget the cannabis seed strains and when you purchased them if they’ve been in storage for years. Labelling helps growers keep track of how long they’ve been in storage.

Store at the beginning – the sooner you properly store your cannabis seeds, the better they will be preserved. The more time they spend exposed to elements like heat and light, the more at risk they are of being damaged.

Avoid opening and closing your storage – only store cannabis seeds with the above methods if you want to preserve them for extended periods. Continuously opening the refrigerator to get seeds exposes the remaining seeds to light. Also, thawing and refreezing seeds multiple times is harmful to them. Keep seeds separate if you anticipate using them in upcoming grow seasons or risk harming your entire collection.

Add new cannabis sets to your collection

Now that you know how to store cannabis seeds properly, you can shop confidently for any strains you like, even if you don’t plan to use them immediately. Seed banks continuously release new strains and phase out older strains. So, if you have a favourite, now is the best time to buy them and store them for later. Quality cannabis seeds from Amsterdam Genetics are perfect for storing and will be ready when it’s their turn for a future grow season.