After reading conflicting ideas on seed storage temperatures I decided to try a quick experiment to see if there was anything to it. What I was worried about was some of the things I read said that if you store your seeds in a freezer that they would be ruined when the moisture content in them froze. I want to store my seeds as cold as possible, without ruining them, so they will last longer. I used 10 ea. heirloom seeds from 7 different plants that I saved from last year's crop. The seeds are almost a year old and have been stored in airtight bags in the fridge at 38F (3C). I then put the same quantity in the freezer at -10F (-23C) and left them there for 12 days. I know that's not very long term, but if the cold was going to ruin them I figured that would be long enough. After the 12 days I proceeded to see what would germinate and below are the percentage results: Seed Type Fridge Freezer Corn 80% 100% Melon 80% 70% Tomato (1) 100% 90% Cucumber 50% 40% Tomato (2) 70% 60% Pea 100% 100% Bean 40% 10%
the longer something is frozen the more damage occurs some seeds, from foods native to northern climates, like being frozen some do not if all seeds did survive being frozen your garden would be covered in volunteer crops, as you notice, not much comes up the second year melons and pickles definitely dont like freezing,this i learned the hard way
Thank you for the info, think I'll just keep mine in the fridge until the electricity goes off to be safe.
i keep mine on a shelf in the storage closet in a closed metal container, nice cool and dry there all but my corn, that stays on the ears and decorates my walls til spring
You are right about the conflicting ways to store seeds... Some say this some say another, everyone has a better way it seems... I have read that the "cans" of "survival seeds" are as dead a a door knob most of the time....Some say they need to be dried, some say frozen, and some say to "treat" them with diatomaceous earth. It is confusing on a good day. I really don't know what is the BEST way to preserve them personally. It's become a "crap shoot" at times. I suppose the BEST WAY is to run tests such as you have mentioned, then you will KNOW for certain what does work! Keep us posted!
I just ignore what most say about seed storage and apply the same rule of thumb as my food storage. Cool, dark and dry. That being said I keep my seeds in packets, organized by plant in an accordion style folder. In the front of the folder are some notes from previous seasons of plantings. Things like germ rate, transplant rate, harvest, notes about quality of food produced, etc. What I have found is that my heirloom tomatoes don't like this hot summer we've had, only getting small fruit from them, if at all. Oh well, fall planting time
mother earth has not been at all friendly to her green growing parts lately and we humans have only made it worse (pollution, GM foods, pesticides) like ive said before, it looks like its time to garden indoors (greenhouse) where everything can be controlled it will also give much more of a growing season to us northerners fresh homegrown 'maters in january?
We are building a greenhouse next spring. I am hoping it will be in time. Saving heirloom seeds in mylar packs and small ziplocs in our cool room(pantry) . I just planted some two year old seeds and they germinated fine. My soil however ruined the plants as it was too acidic. My greenbeans did not take at all so two year old beans dont cut it when just kept cool and dry for two years. Snow peas and Melons germinated but the snow peas withered away in the acidic soil. Cucumbers did great as did several heirloom tomato plants. KF
I haven't done this in a scientific manner but I buy the end of year cheap seed and put it in the freezer in a ziplock bag. I am using some seed that is three years old and getting at least 50% germination. It is kept in a top freezer on a refrigerator so the temp is around 30.
the ashes from your wood burner will sweeten your soil kingfish test the acid levels tho before you add too much and mix it in a little, i know it will wash away that way but putting too much on in layers will burn stuff or become like concrete
Are you buying regular seeds or heirlooms? Sounds like you are getting the ones that you don't want for SHTF
