Seed question...
 

I've been sending seeds out on some swaps, is it too cold for them in this sub zero weather?

I thought it was good for them, a lot better than hot weather, anyway.

No, I keep my important ones in the freezer year round.

I take them into the post office when I mail them but after that who knows...

On the receiving end, if the seeds are frozen and in plastic baggies and opened right away, maybe condensation could build up and get trapped inside with the remaining seeds if you zip the baggie back up. I read that you should let a glass jar with seeds inside come to room temp before opening. Just a thought...heat and moisture being the seed's enemies. ;)

I’ve sent seeds out in winter all the time and never had people tell me they had problems.

I just got home from a trip and had 3 seed orders sitting in the mailbox since Tuesday (sub-zero temps here) ... we'll see if there are any issues a couple of months from now when I try to germinate them. I hope not.

Dried properly you wont.
I have had success with seeds kept in the freezer to the bowels hell and everything in between.

You can store properly dried seed for years in a freezer...
Heat is harmful to seeds , cold is not.
Karen

Agree. I have thousands of cast off tomato seeds waiting for spring in the frozen garden now - they sometimes germinate better than my pampered seeds!

I have had seeds stored in a hot Texas garage for maybe ten years sent them to someone else and they sprouted fine.
Not saying heat wont kill them or heat is the best way but you dont have to worry over and pamper them that much.

The sealed jar in the freezer is how I keep excess spices too but my seeds are in a drawer in the house.

[QUOTE=jtjmartin;676724]Agree. I have thousands of cast off tomato seeds waiting for spring in the frozen garden now - they sometimes germinate better than my pampered seeds![/QUOTE]
You're right. The many Spring volunteers tell the whole story regarding the robustness of seeds (and they aren't even fermented and dried).

There should be no problems as long as you're not sending things like fruit tree seed, grape seeds, etc..

Another consideration is what you use to send seeds,meaning those small plastic ziplok ones which I hate, I use only #3 coin envelopes .

Another consideration is how and to where you are sending seeds and how soon they need them.

If I'm sending to France or Germany or Belarus or Spain, etc. I have no idea whatsoever the weather might be, and I've had it happen in the past that some will request seeds and then go on vacation.

Right now I'm supposed to be sending seeds to a person in VT who is on the Canadian border and no way will I do that given this wicked frigid weather we still have here.

Carolyn

Good info.
I have kept some of my seeds in an unheated garage. The temps outside went down to 8F outside. I brought them inside few days ago when I was making my grow list.