How and where is it better to store seeds

Newbies often ask questions about how best and safer to preserve cannabis seeds so that they do not lose their properties.

Hemp seeds can sprout three to five years after harvest. We’ll show you the best way to preserve your seeds so that they germinate as quickly and confidently as the seeds of the first year.

How to prepare seeds for storage:

First, dry the hemp seeds thoroughly after harvesting. To assess the need for drying, you need to put the seeds in a tightly closed jar and leave for several hours. If the seeds are not dried properly, condensation will appear on the walls of the jar.
Secondly, you need to select whole seeds, without cracks and chips, without suspicious spots and signs of mold.
Thirdly, you need to choose a container for storage. These can be canvas bags, paper bags, tight-fitting glass jars, or plastic containers.
Fourthly, decide on a storage location. It should be cool, dark and dry.
How to create optimal conditions for the preservation of marijuana seeds:

Provide a suitable temperature. At room temperature, seeds can only be stored for a short time. If you need to “hold” them for several months or years, it is best to provide them with a stable temperature of 4 to 8 degrees. A refrigerator or freezer is best for long-term storage. In order for the seeds to withstand low temperatures, they must be well dried and hermetically sealed. If you decide to store seeds in the freezer, observe the following rules: do not take out the seeds often and for a long time, and wait until they reach room temperature before removing the seeds from the container.
Watch out for humidity: ideally, it should not exceed 8-9%. Experienced growers recommend adding desiccants such as silica gel, food grade diatomaceous earth or diatomaceous earth to the storage container, or mixing the seeds with white rice.
Control the lighting: the place where the seeds are stored should be dark. And even more so, the rays of the sun should not fall there.
What problems can you face when storing cannabis seeds:

Insufficiently protected seeds can become prey for rodents. When storing seeds in the cellar, they should be closed in metal or glass containers.
Mold and mildew appear where undried seeds are sent for storage.
If insects get into a container with seeds, they can spoil the entire genetic material. Experienced growers advise putting some diatomaceous earth in the container to protect them from insects.

If, in spite of everything, changes have begun in the seeds, and you see that they are about to sprout, it is impossible to stop this process without losing the seed. Plant them in the soil mixture, otherwise the seeds will die. (Article on germinating seeds).