seeds Storing seeds for the winter

[Pepperpotts]

I've noticed alot of merchants put up seeds for sale in the fall and that the more popular ones usually sell out before growing season.

We get comically cold winters here (-40C) and was curious if they were kept in a air tight mason jar or the like if they are safe to be store in a shed or freezer?

 

[BlackFatalii]

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores their seeds at -18C, so I would assume that you will probably be OK, even at -40C. Storing them in a regular household freezer is fine, in my experience. Just make sure to let the seeds dry out well before you freeze them. Otherwise you could kill them. But as long as you let the seeds dry out before you freeze them, the germination rate will still be good after freezing, in my experience.

 

[Pepperpotts]

The ones I buy I assume are going to be properly dried, the ones I am growing though I was going to put half in the dehydrator and air dry half

 

[BlackFatalii]

I don't know if putting seeds in the dehydrator is a good idea or not, since I have never tried that myself. I worry that it might get too hot. Letting fresh seeds air dry for a couple of weeks or so should be enough, IMO.

 

[Downriver]

@Pepperpotts - another thing is if you freeze your seeds in a jar, let the jar return to room temp BEFORE you open it. Something about condensation forming and spoiling the lot.

Also, dehydrating seeds works fine, you just have to watch the temp, like BlackFatalli says. I set mine at 105F/40C. Seeds have germinated fine.