It doesn’t matter whether you have purchased seeds from the market or saved seeds from your vegetable garden; you need to make extra efforts to preserve them for years. In this article, we’ll share some tips for storing seeds for years.
1.Save Seeds
Whether you want to store vegetable seeds or flower seeds, the process is the same. First of all, allow seeds to mature and then start collecting them. There will be a gel in some seeds, so ensure that you remove it. If you don’t remove the gel, it will not help while preserving seeds.
Removing gel from the seed is easy. Place these seeds in a water bowl. Ensure that the bowl has a lid. Shake them at least once a day. The gel will come off the seeds, and you can remove it from the bowl.
Also read: Maintain a Healthy Garden Throughout the Winter
2.Dry and Store Seeds
Now, you need to dry seeds, and the best drying temperature is between 60-100 degrees. Ensure that you place your seeds in a well-ventilated space and stir them daily to dry them completely. Food dehydrators at extremely low-temperature settings can also be used to dry seeds.
You can dry small seeds with an airflow fan in just one or two days. On the other hand, large seeds require more time, and they usually take 7-10 days.
Once the seeds are completely dried, it’s time to store them. You can store them in a seed storage box, zip-closure box, and Mason jar. Before storing them, ensure that air is pressed out. Don’t forget to mention the seed type and date on the storage packet. If you want to preserve them for a year, place them in a cool and dark location.
3.Create Perfect Conditions for Long Term Storage
If you want to store your seeds for the long term, ensure that you keep them in a cool and dry place. Cold storage is a better option for preserving seeds for years. You can keep your seeds in your refrigerator to keep them cooler.
Storing seeds at much lower temperatures in a refrigerator can cause frost damage to your food. Therefore, the best idea is to place them in a separate temperature-controlled location.
Cooler environments generally result in moisture which isn’t good for seeds. Therefore, you need to use a fully sealed container to keep moisture out. Moreover, you can also use moisture-absorbing packets to protect seeds from humidity.
Plastic bags are a good storage option, but ensure no moisture is trapped inside the bag. Press out the air so that moisture doesn’t get inside.
Be Careful When Getting Seeds Out of Storage
After taking storage containers out, don’t open them immediately. The rapid temperature change will not hurt seeds, but it will allow moisture to condense inside your container. Therefore, store seeds in different boxes so that you only get that one out that you need immediately.
Try these storage hacks for your seeds and watch them serve you for years without spoiling.
Also read: How to Organize Your Garden Equipment in a Small Storage Shed
