Do You Freeze Your Seeds?

[OldGuy43]

I remember reading somewhere that freezing seeds simulated winter and made them grow better. Any comments or ideas?

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Yup. I always store my seeds out in the barn to make sure they get Mother Nature's temperature treatment. Works for me.

ETA: If you do store the seeds outdoors make sure you keep them in critter-proof containers. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[bobm]

You realize that those fur balls have to eat something to tide them over the winter so that they can reproduce 10 fold next spring .

 

[Mickey328]

I store mine in the fridge. There are a few that need a freeze so those go in the freezer, but the rest stay in a sealed baggie in the fridge.

 

[canesisters]

Yup. I always store my seeds out in the barn to make sure they get Mother Nature's temperature treatment. Works for me.

ETA: If you do store the seeds outdoors make sure you keep them in critter-proof containers. Don't ask me how I know.

So.. what sort of container do you use? Plastic is not critter proof (not in my barn anyway). But maybe I've got some particularly nasty critters

 

[Carol Dee]

Glass jars work great. Old pickle jars, etc... no need to use your good canning jars.

 

[Jared77]

What about the old metal ammo boxes?

 

[thistlebloom]

Umm, why would a pepper or tomato seed need to freeze to replicate winter? They are tropical plants....
Just sayin'....

 

[journey11]

I freeze all of my seeds, but mainly to keep them viable longer. I just did germination tests on 2009-2010 corn, peas, beans and tomatoes and got 85-95% germination on all. (Samples were 20 seeds each.)

 

[thistlebloom]

I know freezing is said to be a good seed preservation method, but what if you lose power? And what happens when you bring your seeds out to plant them? Do you quickly remove the ones you will be using and get the rest back to the freezer as quickly as possible? You wouldn't want them to thaw and then refreeze would you?

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I have wondered about the nuts and bolts of that method.

Since viable seeds have been found in pyramids, buried for a few thousand years, it would seem that the most important
ingredient is cool and dry more than anything else. imo.