Do you know that regular and autoflowering marijuana seeds can stay viable even after a decade when these are kept securely and efficiently? Whether you have extra seeds from a package you purchased or you have seeds you grew on your own, you must learn how to store autoflowering marijuana seeds and keep these and preserve its viability. Here are some very important facts on how to store autoflowering marijuana seeds properly to help you preserve your seeds better.
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Seeds Need to Remain Viable
The goal of every storage system is to keep cannabis seeds viable for as long as possible. Viability means that seeds are able to sprout or germinate by the time you plant them. You must choose a container or a storage method that will preserve viability. The container has to be dry and clean while the walls or the outer surface should be lightproof.
Remember that fresh seeds are better than preserved seeds. Indeed, cannabis seeds can be preserved for up to a decade when properly kept but fresh seeds are still better and easier to germinate than preserved ones. It could take days for a mature seed to germinate while a fresh one may only take earlier.
How to Check for Viability Signs
Make sure that you are storing viable seeds! Look for seeds that are dark in color (shades of dark brown, black and blue) because these seeds are likely viable. Do not preserve seeds that are light green, green or white because these seeds are immature and will never sprout.
Preserve seeds that are round and shiny. Seeds that are irregularly shaped and have cracked shells may not be able to germinate. And when buying seeds, look for a company that guarantees higher germination. Seeds from these marijuana seedbanks are truly a real value for your money with their higher germination rates.
Ways on how to store Autoflowering Marijuana Seeds for a long time.
These are possible ways to store auto cannabis seeds. Remember that although it’s great to have your own supply of seeds kept away, it’s still important that you use fresh seeds for your crops.
Using breeders’ bags or packaging
Breeder’s bags are made to keep seeds from spoiling and to protect it from the environment while your orders are in transit. These are mostly made from thick packaging material that keeps water and light out.
If you are not going to use your seeds yet, don’t take them out of the package. Place the unopened bag in a dry and dark environment like your cabinet or even inside your refrigerator.
For opened bags, use tape or staples to seal the opening and place the bag inside a thick plastic bag to make sure water can’t penetrate. Place this in a dark and dry environment.
Do not remove the label of the bags so you can properly identify the contents. Include in the information the date when you opened the bags as well.
Mason jars and other tight containers
A good way to seal off the freshness of autoflowering cannabis seeds is to use mason jars. Look for authentic jars with thick walls and those with sealable covers.
Mason jars come in a variety of sizes and colors. Choose colored jars as much as possible to protect your seeds from light. Light is needed for plant growth including water and nutrients in the soil, therefore, to preserve your seeds and keep it from germinating, place these in a dark and dry environment.
Add a few grains of rice inside the jar to absorb moisture. You may also use food-grade desiccants to effectively remove moisture as well.
Mason jars will be able to preserve seeds for a very long time so it’s important to label your marijuana seeds. Use a sticker label and place the name of the strain, when the seeds were harvested and any other important information.
Use separate mason jars to hold different seeds. And when storing seeds, do not fill the jar to the brim. Provide a half-inch of space on top at least.
Refrigerating or freezing your seeds
An efficient way to keep your seeds so these can last for a long time is by refrigerating them or by freezing. This will keep seeds viable for years plus will protect these from prying eyes. To keep your seeds in cold storage, make sure that power outages are not an issue in your area. If a power outage happens, you could lose the viability of your precious seeds if power is not restored in a day.
Place your seeds inside a plastic container and remove all the air inside using a sealer. Wrap this in the newspaper and place this inside another plastic bag. Pick an area inside the refrigerator or freezer that is not affected by light or changes in humidity. It has to be the deepest and farthest part of the fridge or freezer.
If you must take your seeds out to use them, give your seeds time to acclimate before planting them. For example, remove the frozen pack from the deepest part of the freezer and place this near the door. Once you are certain that the pack of seeds has adequately thawed, remove this from the refrigerator and place this on the counter. Open the package and allow the seeds to adjust to the temperature and humidity. You may now use your seeds after these have properly adjusted.
Never take your seeds from the fridge to thaw using a microwave oven because this can severely affect the viability of your seeds.
Keeping seeds in a dry and dark area
Consider placing your seeds in a dry and dark area. Never place these inside any appliance or household equipment because heat from these can affect the seeds’ viability. If you need to use your seeds, take only the amount you need and store the other seeds away.
Older autoflowering marijuana seeds could take days to germinate. You can help your old seeds by placing this in a glass of water and softening the seed wall. You may also use a file or a small knife to cut the seed just a little bit. You can also use the paper towel method to help soften the seed wall and to sprout the seeds carefully.
