seeds Seed Vault

[bentalphanerd]

I can't help it, I'm a hoarder. I keep a few of every variety, crosses and even seeds from freak pods that are hotter or more flavorsome than normal.
For me it's those small plastic salad dressing tubs that I get from the supermarket, I dry my seeds then seal them in there with a small piece of paper towel (to regulate moisture level) and into a cool, dark, well aired cupboard. My recent crop of Black Pearl is proof that this method works for a good 18 months with 100% germination, but what about longer.
What is needed to store seed for years or decades? What causes seeds to turn useless?

 

[nipotastro]

i know that research centres "freeze" seeds for future uses. I think works at home too. put the seeds in a glass hermetic cup and put it in freezer..
... and good luck!

 

[chilehunter]

get some oxygen/moisture absorbing packets & throw them in with the seeds & vacuum seal them in a plastic bag & throw them in a freezer. this should keep the seeds useable for many years.

 

[chilliman64]

anyone know where to get the little gel packs from?

does freezing cause the water molecules in the seeds to expand, damage the seed tissue rendering it useless?

 

[bentalphanerd]

Thanks everyone-

Im a little skeptical about freezing too, I mean it freezes cells and thats not good for most organisms. I think in the pro setups they use cryogenics, liquid nitro, thats a bit of a different set up to the home freezer.
What kind of things make a seed go bad or dormant? Why does age affect a seemingly inanimate object?

 

[chilliman64]

I think ultimately it's keeping the amount of moisture at the correct level - too much and they go moldy, too little and they turn to dust

 

[Pam]

I keep meaning to look this up. According to Suzanne Ashworth in her book _Seed to Seed_, you can freeze seeds, but only if you are careful about drying them. She says they need to be down to about 8% moisture, and the way to tell if they're dry enough is to bend one. If it bends and doesn't break, it's too moist. If it breaks, it's dry enough to freeze.

It's an excellent book. I highly recommend it if you're planning on saving your own seeds from a variety of vegetables. You can get it from Seed Savers or Amazon.