Re: storing seeds

On Thu, Oct 29, 1998 at 09:49:10AM -0500, Scott_Armstrong@LNOTES3.bankofny.com wrote:
> here's another question, my seeds are dryed and now i'm storing them
> away for next year.  the ones i kept anyway.  in any event, what's the
> best way to store them?  at the moment i have them in air tight mason
> jars in a dark corner of my basement.  is there a better way?  should
> they be air tight, or should i put holes in the lid?  seeds that i
> receive from other growers that come in those teeny tiny little manilla
> envelopes, should they come out of the envelopes and into a jar?  should
> they stay in the envelopes and into a jar?  should they stay in the
> envelopes, and out of a jar?  BASICALLY, what's the best way, to store
> them?  :)

The best way is to reduce their moisture content to 8% or less, then
freeze them in airtight containers.  A quick and easy test is that seeds
will break instead of bending if their moisture level is 8% or less.  You
can speed the drying of seeds by putting them in jars with silica gel,
which absorbs a tremendous amount of moisture, for seven or eight days.
Then remove the silica gel and move the seeds into a freezer.
Color-indicating silica gel is the best as you can tell by its color (pink
or blue) whether or not it is unable to absorb any more moisture.  You can
then reuse it by drying it in a 200 degree F oven for eight hours.  Dried
frozen seeds can maintain viability and vigor for years using this
technique.

More details can be had in Suzanne Ashworth's excellent book "Seed to
Seed" on pp35-38.

Shaun in Spokane

--
Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the
fragile blossom that opens in the snow. -Alice M. Swaim

polaris@wolfenet.com  ++  PGP email welcome
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