If you are a regular weed user and live in a US state where it is legal, chances are you have already tried your hand at growing your weed. If you haven’t tried it yet, well, there is a lot to learn.
Growing cannabis is tricky even for experienced growers. It all starts with the cannabis seed. If the seed you plant is no good, then you won’t get a plant at all. If you plant a seed of poor quality, then your plant will likely be of poor quality too.
If you want your cannabis plants to be healthy and potent, then the seeds your start with need to be healthy and from a good strain of cannabis.
Some people that grow their cannabis prefer to purchase their seed online, while other growers prefer to save and store seeds from their plants. How cannabis seeds are stored for later use is of the utmost importance.
How Can I Tell If Cannabis Seeds Are Good?
If you are going to go to the trouble of storing cannabis seed long-term, then you want to make sure you are storing only good seeds. After all, what would be the point in storing bad seeds? Most of the time you can tell a good quality of a cannabis seed by the way it looks.
Healthy cannabis seeds will have darker shades of gray and black on the outer shell. These darker colors can also signify genetically superior seeds.
Healthy seeds should also be firm to the touch and have a glossy and wax-like look to the shell. If you roll the seed between your thumb and index finger and it feels firm, then it should be a good seed to plant and should store well in the right conditions.
Effects Of Humidity On Cannabis Seeds
How you store your cannabis seeds works in much the same way as when you store your cannabis. Humidity can play a huge factor in how well your seeds stay preserved and for how long. In fact, humidity plays a major role in the entire lifecycle of the cannabis plant, from seed to storage of the finished flower, and ending in consumption. We even have a guide to rehydrate your cannabis if you fail to keep it moist enough and even have information on freezing your cannabis, which can cause mold issues quickly. But I digress.
Too much humidity can cause seeds to become soft and mushy or germinate. If there is no humidity at all, they can become dry and brittle and crack open.
Cannabis seeds store ideally at 20% to 30% humidity. If the humidity level is higher at 40% to 60% humidity, they will likely germinate. At 80% to 100% humidity, they will drown and wilt in as little as 12 hours.
If the humidity level falls below 20%, the seed may heat up and sweat, develop fungi on the outside as well as the inside. At the lowest humidity level of 10% or less, the seeds can attract insects or pests.
Best Storage Methods For Cannabis Seeds
Keeping your cannabis seeds cool and dry at a consistent temperature and humidity level is essential. First, you need to pick your storage container. It should be air-tight and keep out UV light if possible.
It can be a glass container with a sealing lid. Ziplock baggies are alright to store seeds in if you do your best to remove as much air as possible.
Storing your seeds in a cupboard or closet shelf is fine for short-term storage. Never store your seeds outside in a garage or shed because the constant temperature changes of day temps and cooler night temps will not be good for them.
For more long-term storage, you can always refrigerate your seeds. The refrigerator will keep the seeds at a cool, constant temperature.
Refrigeration can preserve your seeds for several years or more, but it is probably best to use them before this amount of time goes by. Freezing your seeds is possible, but necessary.
