Storing Saved Seeds

Whether you're just getting into seed-saving or you want to learn to properly store seeds you bought, let's talk about storing saved seeds.

What Happens if Seeds Aren't Stored Properly?

First things first, we need to know what happens to seeds if they aren't stored properly, so we can assess the risk and results you'll get based on different storage methods.

When seeds aren't stored properly, the most typical repercussion is a decrease in viability. That means their germination rate will go down.

While all seeds typically show lower germination rates the longer they're stored for, improper storage speeds up this declination.

If your seeds tested at a 90% germination rate when you first harvested them, improper storage could reduce that number faster than it would otherwise drop.

This doesn't mean that none of your seeds will sprout, it just means that fewer and fewer of them will sprout with each passing year.

Eventually, seed germination rates can drop frustratingly low, requiring numerous seeds to be sown in each cell or space to get started.

If you don't account for their germination rate, you might plant too few seeds and miss out on harvests and production because fewer plants than you expected have grown.

Causes of Reduced Seed Viability

When it comes to storage, seeds have 3 main enemies:

• Light
• Heat
• Moisture

Long-term exposure to any of these 3 will reduce the viability of your seeds and lead to lower germination rates.

Over time, exposure to these conditions will see germination rates continue to reduce, until your seeds are no longer reliable.

For this reason, it's important to protect your seeds and shield them (as much as possible) from light, heat, and moisture.

While it's not always possible to create the perfect storage conditions for seeds, you can do the best within your ability and circumstances to protect them in order to increase their longevity.

Ideal Seed Storage Conditions

Total Darkness

Seeds should be exposed to light as little as possible for maximum preservation. Direct sunlight can be especially damaging.

Seed envelopes or brown paper bags can keep out light, though they aren't necessarily the best option for keeping out moisture.

Waterproof

Consider amber jars, which block more light and harmful UV than any other color jar, while also keeping moisture out completely.

I love these little amber 8oz glass jars. These things are great for most seeds, and should last a lifetime through the ebb and flow of seeds coming and going.

If you're saving lots of seeds, or bigger seeds like beans, squash, and peas, you might go for the amber quart mason jars instead.

Cool Stable Temperature

Seeds store best right around 35F to 40F (1.6C to 4.4C). Make sure they don't drop below freezing, however, as this can adversely affect the viability of many types of seeds.

Luckily, humans have already done the hard work of inventing an environment which maintains a stable temperature in this range, as well as low-moisture and rarely ever any light.

It's called a refrigerator.

Best Place for Storing Seeds

Seed-savers hail the fridge as the most prime enviro for keeping precious seeds at maximum viability until it's their time to sprout into life.

If your big fridge is full of food (like a regular human), grab yourself a mini dorm fridge, a pack of amber jars, and go to town saving all your garden seeds!

Investing in your seed-saving infrastructure up-front will help reduce your spend on seeds over time, and increase your self-sufficiency by saving more of your own.

Once you've got your seed-saving infrastructure in place, hop on over to our guide on How to Save Garden Seeds.