Does age of seeds matter?

[BigB6]

Hello fellow farmers. I went mad a couple of years ago during a buy 1 get 1 free promotion and got a butt load of fastbuds seeds. I don't keep them in the fridge just in a dark place. I've finally started to use them. They germinated no problem although took a little longer to pop. Do plants from older seeds grow with less vigor? These are only seedlings right now so I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Just wondeeing does any1 have any experience with old seeds.

 

[Jpkindbud]

I know once you hit the 2 yr mark, just stored in a dark dry place, it gets iffy. There are tips on germing older seeds. Gibberillic acid, H2O2 mixed at 1:1 solution with water in shot glass. Scarification of seed helps. Take 100-120 grit sand paper and scuff seed seam and sides to cut husk a little. Helps with water absorption

 

[CannabisMingus]

I don't know if it has any affect on growth. Germ rates for sure but once popped I think it's controlled by genetics and grow environment. IMHO, YMMV, etc.

 

[kfigerm]

I can only tell about my experience. When I left for a hiatus in 2014 I kept seeds properly stored, but never cared about anything that had to to with the grow business. Popping them after 8 years was no problem at all and there are some of those beans left that will be grown definitely. Those think different and original amnesia haze beans I had grew nicely in two following grows and one with the last think different is ongoing. Plants were like expected.
Others may have made different experiences.

 

[MotaZona]

8 years is amazing. With how these things seem to accumulate, it’s a blessing for sure.

 

[NoFrillsNoBills]

I bought my first seeds from Mephisto back in early 2020 I think it was. I've had them stored in a container, with rice to absorb any rogue moisture. I just planted some of them in my most recent grow and they popped within 48 hours. And they seem to continue growing like you'd expect them to.

Everything I've read, and I think you're already seeing anecdotal evidence, as long as you properly store them and that environment doesnt change too often and stays stable(this seems the most important) then they should be good for many years. I certainly am not scared of them not germing(yet). and haven't seen too many people giving reason to be concerned.

fwiw, I don't do anything accept put them I a solution, wait until they get to a point where I can push it and it's no longer as buoyant, perhaps not sinking but not coming back up either. Then I put them in to e little peat pod, germ to seedling then move the peat pod in to the bucket I intend to grow in and away we go.

 

[Cannaficionado]

Ive popped 20 year old seeds like a normal fresher seed before. Took a lot longer, like almost 10 days but it still grew, that was almost 20 years ago now. Got the beans from my exs dads collection from when he started smoking.

 

[nomadJ]

Ive popped 20 year old seeds like a normal fresher seed before. Took a lot longer, like almost 10 days but it still grew, that was almost 20 years ago now. Got the beans from my exs dads collection from when he started smoking.

When i think of all the seeds I binned as a young teen i regret not keeping them in a freezer !

 

[Cannaficionado]

When i think of all the seeds I binned as a young teen i regret not keeping them in a freezer !

Mine were kept in a drawer in a basement for most of that time lol, i may have just gotten lucky

 

[Olderfart]

I keep mine in a jar with dessicated rice in a dark jar covered with tinfoil in the fridge. So far, I have not seen much difference with my old seeds. This solo girl was from the first seeds I bought from Mephisto in 2019:

She started a bit slowly, but once she got her stuff together, she did just fine. This picture was a few days ago, so the seed was more than 3 years old. I doubt that the end result will be much different than it would in 2019. I think the key is dry, cool, and stable storage conditions. With care, seeds will do fine for quite a few years. As others mention, scarification, H2O2 and patience can help.