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Seed storage
- Thread starter Scarecrw
- Start date
Makes sense. Rice does absorb well. Could work.
I just dry my seeds on a sheet of plain paper for three days, out of the sun, in a dry place, like the top shelf in the pantry or my book case. Then put them in plastic baggies, and into a metal box, which also stays away from direct sunlight.
Works pretty well for me.
Some guys refrigerate, but I'm of the opinion that there is a lot of condensation in there, so unless you seal your baggies really well, the seeds are gonna get wet.
I just dry my seeds on a sheet of plain paper for three days, out of the sun, in a dry place, like the top shelf in the pantry or my book case. Then put them in plastic baggies, and into a metal box, which also stays away from direct sunlight.
Works pretty well for me.
Some guys refrigerate, but I'm of the opinion that there is a lot of condensation in there, so unless you seal your baggies really well, the seeds are gonna get wet.
The main thing is AFTER your seeds are sufficiently dry to keep them at a constant temp. If the temps fluctuate too much, you will get condensation inside the container they are in. That's why a lot of people put them in the fridge. I just keep mine in a plastic shelving unit with desicant packs in each drawer. Works good enough for me.
I'm kinda lucky though. My wife works for a place that sells baggies and desicants. So I get them CRAZY cheap. I thought about buying a bead storage container from Michaels or something, but why fix what aint broke, you know?
I keep mine in envelopes. Do they need to be sealed in bags?
Rice is alright, but to do any real good, I'd go with putting some sort of desicant in there, even if it is the free ones you get any time you buy an electronic device and stuff like that. My procedure is probably a lot more extreme than what most people do, but it does keep the seeds viable for a long period of time. If you are going to store the seeds for just a few months, then you would be fine using rice and just making sure they are fairly well cleaned before you put them in anything closed up in plastic. Tom
I have a cardboard box with a hole cut in one end and a computer fan on the other end, powered by an old cell phone charger to run slow and quiet at 5V (12V spec'd fan). Inside I put plastic dishes with different pepper seeds, placenta and all.
After a few days the seeds just crumble off the dried out placenta. Years ago I stored them in plain white paper envelopes which seems to do ok but they stay inside in a temperature controlled environment and humidity kept in check as humidity never gets high before the outside temperature rises so the A/C dries the air out inside.
In more recent year I'd transfer them to empty translucent brown pill bottles. Doesn't seem to do any better or worse really but they hold more, hold seeds more securely too, but it's more of a pain to label them than being able to just write the names, dates, etc on a paper envelope.
I've never added rice but if you're sure it is fairly dry it couldn't hurt. For best results I would let it bake in the oven for a while to drive away any moisture it may have accumulated already.
I don't keep seed for reuse very long though, I think the oldest I sewed this year was from 2007 or 8 but I'll probably keep using some of it in the future so long as the germination rate is reasonable.
After a few days the seeds just crumble off the dried out placenta. Years ago I stored them in plain white paper envelopes which seems to do ok but they stay inside in a temperature controlled environment and humidity kept in check as humidity never gets high before the outside temperature rises so the A/C dries the air out inside.
In more recent year I'd transfer them to empty translucent brown pill bottles. Doesn't seem to do any better or worse really but they hold more, hold seeds more securely too, but it's more of a pain to label them than being able to just write the names, dates, etc on a paper envelope.
I've never added rice but if you're sure it is fairly dry it couldn't hurt. For best results I would let it bake in the oven for a while to drive away any moisture it may have accumulated already.
I don't keep seed for reuse very long though, I think the oldest I sewed this year was from 2007 or 8 but I'll probably keep using some of it in the future so long as the germination rate is reasonable.
Joseph Stalin
Banned
If they bake in the oven like over 95 degrees doesnt that kill the seed?
SadisticPeppers
eXtreme Business
I've done the same as what GreenTea has recommended with the De Arbol seeds I got, and it worked out pretty well. Just take a paper plate, and sandwiched between two paper towels, put the seeds on there for 3-4 days in a cool dry place away from light. That did the trick. I put mine in medicine bottles.
Oh yes, and don't forget to label the plates right away if you're drying out multiple types of seeds. A lot of confusion will ensue otherwise
Oh yes, and don't forget to label the plates right away if you're drying out multiple types of seeds. A lot of confusion will ensue otherwise
I meant heat the rice in the oven to drive out moisture, not putting the seed in the oven. However most (all?) seed won't be destroyed at only 95F, but keeping them at much lower temperature greatly extends their shelf life. Seed that will tolerate freezing can keep well for 10 years or longer while many won't make it that long at room temperature let alone hotter... but I don't know if all pepper seed will tolerate freezing.