Seeds – Storing Your Seed Bank

Q: I purchased some seeds earlier this year, placed them in a freezer bag and placed the bag in the freezer. I plan to purchase more seeds to continue my seed bank and wanted to know can the frozen seeds be removed from the freezer into a storage system outside a freezer.

A: Storing seed successfully is not complicated but it depends on two things: constant temperature and low humidity.

If your seed were completely dry, you can move them from the freezer to a cool spot without deterioration. If you suspect they were not completely dry, it’s possible the move will result in moisture being absorbed into the seed germ and they will refuse to sprout. I recommend storing dried seed in a baby food jar in which you’ve placed a tablespoon of silica gel powder. They are safe then in either the back part of your freezer or in the back of a cool closet. In both spots the temperature does not change much.