shanti / nev , how do you store seeds for long term?

pepper

New member
hi shanti / nev

I remember reading that you popped the NL5 and got a good germ rate, for being so old..

so wanted to ask, how do you store seed, for long term storage?


I also ask this, as I've heard seeds need air? so I was wondering if it's good to store them air tight / in a fridge / freezer / with moisture absorbing material....


I am sure there is more science to this, but I would love to hear what works for you, as I'm curious how a breeder stores his seed..


I store seed in glass, never plastic... and always date labeled
 
I Pm'd Shanti about this quite some time ago he simply said he keeps them in a sealed container in the fridge.
 
^ thanks for adding that info


I do believe there to be a lack of info on seed storage..

imagine if everyone could get there seeds to keep 1 or 2 or even 5 more years, by the container or method you store them in.. imagine how many seed would still be viable to how many people keeping seed alive for future.. anything that affects many users is of value to be considered..

seeds are of high value for many different reasons: money value , security risks involved getting seed, value of gentics in the seeds, long gone seed that you can't put a money value on... I'm sure you ge ttthe point
 
double bag vacuum {how the hell do you spell that word?}
seal and store in the freezer.
Be very certain that the seed has had several months of air time to dry before placeing into baggies and freezing.
I have heard it said that up to half the seed will loose its viability each time you thaw,so thaw only what you will use and put the rest back quickly resealed.


for short term I use the fridge and envelopes,stored in an air tight container.
hope this helps.
s
 
hello fellows,

two years ago i spoke to Chimera about freezing seeds, he told me that repeated freezing and thawing will only lower germination rates and since some customers want to freeze their seeds for long-term storage, he stores them in a lab grade fridge at a consistent 4 degrees Celcius after proper slow- drying process. This way when a customer receives the seeds they can store them by freezing for long term use or plant them. Using this method he has been able to achieving a near %100 germination rate on seeds that are 15 years old.

Bat
 
^ I dont get the logic that he stores them in a freezer, if he states it will lower germ rate to "thaw" them for shipping out to what I would assume is seedbanks / wholeseller ???


also does the same go for storage in a fridge, if you keep pulling them out, do they loose viability by pulling them out to get some seed, and then back in , rinse and repeat.. ?? for worry of this, I have started breaking up seed, and storing them in multiple containers, as not to mess up the temp flux, as they can go room temp in a matter of minutes..
 
hello Pepper,

He don't stores them in a freezer,he stores them in a lab grade fridge. i think that freezing is best for storing seeds for many decades and that a fridge with a constant 4°C is best for storing for a decade or so. in both case it will put the embryo into suspended animation.

Bat
 
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^ thanks for that bit of info

would still love to hear some input from shanti / nev, after all, what were are working with spawns from the seed, and being a breeder, your work is ultimatly passing seed to someone else.. and being the consumer, the seed is the start of it all..


there really does need to be more study into preservation for seed storage.. as you have people using plastics / glass / absorbants/ different temps ................
 
If you want to know the best way to store seeds then Google "The Svarlbard Global seed Vault". They officially opened three years ago to store every seed known to man, it's located in the side of a mountain & they keep their seeds at −18 °C (0 °F).

I wonder if they've got any of Shanti's / Nevilles seeds in there, be nice to think so :)


I'm not a big fan of Wiki, but the info they have about the place is pretty accurate.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Hi All

well since I just sent some seed recently to a chap from 2002 stock that had been kept in a fridge all its life...and had very good germination levels I believe the methods of long term storage are as follows....

1. We keep 2 stocks of seeds, i for the everyday use and 1 for long term use.
2. Long term use means vacuum sealing the seed in small quantities in an air tight , moisture resistant plastic bag and kept in the freezer.
3. Short term use is keeping seeds dry in air tight containers, always put back in fridge when not in use.
4. Point about long term stock you cannot defreeze seed only one time and then keep it is the fridge stock, till it is used.

We have seeds from 30 or 40 years ago still in fridges and even if germination is lower it still pops up a few ...so it all works for us.

Be well all the best sb
 
I take it to mean you can only defrost the seeds from the freezer once, dont refreeze them, instead keep the balance of the defrosted ones in the fridge.
 
4. Point about long term stock you cannot defreeze seed only one time and then keep it is the fridge stock, till it is used.

Looks like he wrote it quick I think what he meant to say is.

" A point about long term stock you can only thaw the seeds once and then keep them in a fridge until seed stock is used up."
 
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