If stored properly, marijuana seeds can last for up to 10 years. That alone is reason to want to know how to store them.

Saving Marijuana Seeds

There are details, of course. But if you are cultivating marijuana in your home, then you’re already used to details. This is just the last step to take to preserve a particularly good strain when you hit upon one.

The Three Big Rules

Storing marijuana seeds, like growing plants, is simple enough but must be managed with great care.

There are three major, foundational bits of knowledge about seed storage. They are:

• Store them somewhere dark
• Store them somewhere dry
• Store them in a cool place

Those are three things to always keep in mind. They are unchangeable. Failure to follow any one of them will end in, well, failure.

Ways to Store Marijuana Seeds

Before storing a seed, make sure to let it dry out. If necessary, store in an airtight container with a desiccant to draw out moisture. Once they are dry, consider the following.

Refrigeration. This works, but only if the seeds are sealed within an airtight, opaque container into which no moisture can intrude. The refrigerator also keeps any insects or critters finding your seeds.

Freezing. There is much debate about this among pot growers. Freezing can damage the seeds, but over the long-term it might be a better move than refrigerator. The same packing rules apply to keep out light and moisture.

It’s possible to store seeds in a cool, dark place, such as down in the basement. If properly sealed, seeds can be stored this way with a desiccant. Recommended times for this type of storage vary from a year or so to as long as several years, depending on the setting and the type of container.

Starting New Plants

You’ll already know how to grow a plant and should have all the equipment ready to go and the right location to get started.

With the seeds, you’ll want to give them time to acclimate to room temperature again. This is especially true for those that have been in the freezer. You’ll want to move the seeds from the freezer for a time into the refrigerator, and then from the refrigerator to room temperature.

Cultivation Laws

There are a wide variety of laws across the United States right now, so it’s very important to look up the laws where you live.

For example, some states allow the growing of marijuana plants, but limit them to a low amount. Others will allow you to purchase marijuana but not grow it. And unless you live in one of the handful of states that have made recreational marijuana legal, you’ll need a medical reason for growing marijuana.