Seed storage

[NarnianGarden]

OK Ms. Carolyn, lesson learned. I thought I was smart, but ...
Hopefully the silica gel has been of some help in keeping the seeds dry. Here's hoping that no damage has been done and that March sunlight will produce good and quick germination results... I would NOT like to think all of those seeds stored in the freezer have been ruined.

Carolyn, what would you advice for now... Should I keep the jars in the fridge or would they be better off in room temps?

[KarenO]

excellent Advice. I store mine in a cool dry cupboard and for the years I have saved seed they all seem to germinate just fine for sure up to five years. Now that I have some seed that is getting elderly, I will grow a plant or two to save new seed and throw out the old thereby renewing my supply of that particular tomato for another 5 + years. Which reminds me, I have a couple to do this year... Thanks
KO

[Salsacharley]

I had multiple Matt's Wild Cherry volunteers sprout up out of the ground this year from last year's crop, and those seeds went through some serious freezing temps...probably freezing and thawing several times before they germinated. I wouldn't worry too much about the effects of freezing seeds, especially if they were in better controlled conditions.

[Pappi]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Dessicants are sold that change color depending on the moisture content. I don 't have the time right now to locate a source for those, but perhaps someone already knows some sources or one can Google them.

I would not assume that seeds from commercial sources, nor traded seeds would have as low a moisture content as 6-8%.

Yes, they would be dry, but not as dry as seeds with that low a moisture content.

I'm all for not even fooling around with refrigerating or freezing seeds, as I posted above, although those in hot humid areas such as the US SEast in particular might consider protecting the most important of their seeds where summers do have high sustained humidity levels.

Carolyn

The color changing silica is available at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They also offer it in larger sizes if you search the site. The 28g size should treat about 2.1ft³ of air space.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I had multiple Matt's Wild Cherry volunteers sprout up out of the ground this year from last year's crop, and those seeds went through some serious freezing temps...probably freezing and thawing several times before they germinated. I wouldn't worry too much about the effects of freezing seeds, especially if they were in better controlled conditions.

Part of the natural life cycle of tomatoes is when fruits fall to the ground seeds become available to perpetuate that life cycle.

But, those seeds have a germination inhibitor in the gel around the seeds which protects the seeds and inhibits germination/freezing conditions until conditions are ok for germination which is in the Spring sometime. And we then see those new plants as what most call volunteers.

However, if seeds have been processed and the gel removed, which happens with all methods I know of, since the gel is lost, so is seed protection and the germination inhibitor and those seeds are then destroyed by freezing and the formation of ice xstals.

Carolyn

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Part of the natural life cycle of tomatoes is when fruits fall to the ground seeds become available to perpetuate that life cycle.

But, those seeds have a germination inhibitor in the gel around the seeds which protects the seeds and inhibits germination/freezing conditions until conditions are ok for germination which is in the Spring sometime. And we then see those new plants as what most call volunteers.

However, if seeds have been processed and the gel removed, which happens with all methods I know of, since the gel is lost, so is seed protection and the germination inhibitor and those seeds are then destroyed by freezing and the formation of ice xstals.

Carolyn

Do you know of any work done to determine if there are different seed preparation procedures that would optimize survival of frozen seeds? (Techniques that would be generally possible, not techniques requiring lab facilities?)

Such as, perhaps, not fermenting and/or perhaps treating seeds in some way?

I'm not much inclined to freeze seed, living in that cool, dry state where seeds stored in filing cabinets have been revived after 50 years -- but it is an interesting question as more people become interested in preserving seeds in different environments.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by JLJ_

Do you know of any work done to determine if there are different seed preparation procedures that would optimize survival of frozen seeds? (Techniques that would be generally possible, not techniques requiring lab facilities?)

Such as, perhaps, not fermenting and/or perhaps treating seeds in some way?

I'm not much inclined to freeze seed, living in that cool, dry state where seeds stored in filing cabinets have been revived after 50 years -- but it is an interesting question as more people become interested in preserving seeds in different environments.

I think that's an individual person question as to how many tomato seeds to be stored and how long a person wants to store them and still have some viability and also for what purpose as in just home use, listing in the SSE Yearbook, making seed offers, trading, etc/

So no one answer that fits all.

Carolyn