Most people will store grass seeds in a corner of their garage or the back of their utility room, but are these the best places to store them? While these aren’t the worst options, there are two other locations I have found to have optimal conditions for seed storage. Depending on how much you know about how seeds work, these locations may seem unusual.
How to Store Grass Seed That You Don’t Use (The Short Answer)
In short, the best places for storing grass seed for later use are either in a seed container in a kitchen cabinet, preferably over the refrigerator, or in the freezer with proper preparation. Both of these places will have optimal grass seed storage conditions. If neither of these works for you, any sealed container in a 60F environment will work.
Where to Store Grass Seed for Best Results (5 Options)
In the average home, there are a handful of ideal locations for grass seed storage that will keep it as fresh as possible for as long as possible. Below are 5 suggestions for places to store your seeds and any caveats those locations come with.
An Unused Kitchen Cabinet (Not Under the Sink)
The kitchen is a great place to store seeds. The kitchen is warm, usually a little more humid than the rest of the house, and it’s a place where you aren’t likely to forget or lose your seeds.
Like any location, grass seed stored in the kitchen should be kept in a sealed, airtight container. Ideally, you will be able to keep the original packaging with it in this container for future reference.
Placing a small desiccant packet in the container for the first 1 to 2 weeks will help the seeds stay at an ideal low-moisture level.
The only place in the kitchen where grass seeds should not be stored is under or around the sink as this can lead to humidity levels that are too high, even if the seeds are in a seemingly vapor-proof container. Humidity that is too high can cause seeds to spoil or may encourage them to sprout early.
The Freezer
Several types of grass seed can be stored in the freezer and kept there for long-term storage with minimal losses in terms of germination ability. These include forage grass varieties or grasses that naturally thrive in pastures. Examples of these grass types include tall fescue and perennial ryegrass.
If I’m storing these grass types, I will place them in a container with an airtight lid along with a few silica gel packets. After about a week I’ll take out the packets and seal the container, placing it in the bottom of the deep freeze in the back of the garage.
I’ve found that seeds stored this way can stay as viable as they were the day I bought them for 3 years and possibly longer but I make a point to cycle out any seeds I use every 3 years.
An Insulated Crawl Space or Basement
If you don’t want to risk freezing the wrong type of grass seed or if you know you’re storing a warm-season or delicate hybrid grass type, then an insulated crawl space is another safe bet. While not as warm as your kitchen, a well-insulated crawl space or the basement should keep temperatures between 40F and 80F, an ideal range for grass seed storage.
This is possibly the method that requires the least amount of work or monitoring. All you need is, as always, an airtight container into which you can fit all of the seeds you want to store. Ensure that the lid is on tight before storage and that there is no risk of flooding in the storage area. Seeds stored this way should keep well for 2 to 3 years.
The Garage (If It’s Climate Controlled)
Storing grass seed in the garage without temperature control isn’t an ideal option. This is because a garage or shed that isn’t insulated or climate controlled in some way is subject to sudden temperature and humidity changes, though the severity will be somewhat less than if the seeds were stored outdoors.
These sudden temperature and humidity changes will stress your grass seeds and will lead to a lower successful germination chance and a higher chance that the grass produced by your stored seeds will be malformed.
If your garage is climate controlled to the point where it is kept in a specific temperature range, you can safely store your grass seeds there. While it can be difficult to control the humidity level in a shed or garage, you can use simple desiccants to keep things in a safe enough range.
To successfully store your grass seeds in a garage, ensure that it is kept between 45F and 70F, ideally. Humidity should be 30% or less. If humidity is usually higher, keep a desiccant packet inside the airtight container your seeds are in and change or recharge it every few months.
Any Indoor Cabinet, Cupboard, or Closet Under the Right Conditions
How do you store grass seed over winter? Keep it indoors. For energy efficiency and comfort, the average home is kept at somewhere around 60F to 70F. This is the ideal seed storage temperature range, as long as humidity is kept at 35% or less.
In these conditions, you can safely store grass seed anywhere that is out of direct sunlight. Seeds should still be kept in an airtight container to help keep any excess humidity out.
The Optimum Grass Seed Storage Temperature
Grass seed should be stored at temperatures of about 50F to 70F for best results. Temperatures below 50F and above 70F can also be acceptable in the right circumstances, but this is the safest range to keep your seeds at if you don’t want to expend any extra effort in preparing your seeds to withstand above or below-average humidity or freezing or scorching temperatures.
For example, grass seeds stored below 50F need to be kept dry and, unless they are a pasture-type grass meant to withstand several freeze-thaw cycles, they should be insulated and kept above 34F at a minimum.
Grass seed stored above 70F needs to be kept in a dry environment which will often mean using a dehumidifier and fan or a sealed container with a desiccant. Seeds should also never be allowed to spend days or weeks in temperatures above 120F as it can stress them and lead to internal damage over this period.
The 100 Rule for Storing Grass Seed
If you want an easy-to-remember way to keep the ideal grass storage temperature in mind, consider the 100 rule. We have gone over this rule in our guide for “How long does grass seed last?” as the better you follow this rule, the longer your grass seeds will tend to keep.
The 100 rule simply states that for better seed storage you should keep your seeds in an environment where the humidity percentage and the temperature add up to 100. For example, at 70F, you should have a humidity of 30% or as close to 30% as possible as 70+30=100. If you have a lower temperature, such as 50F, then you should have a humidity of 50% as 50+50=100.
The closer you can keep these levels to 100, the better your seeds will perform in the long term. However, there is still a maximum for how long you should keep your grass seeds, even if they’re stored perfectly.
How Long Can You Store Grass Seed For?
How long you can store grass seed and still have it remain viable will depend on how it is stored, the quality of seed at storage, and the type of grass seeds you are storing. Further, each instance of extreme temperature or humidity fluctuations, as well as other factors, can cause your seeds to deteriorate. These factors include:
- High and Low Humidity (Above 70% or below 30%)
- Temperatures Outside of the Acceptable Range (Below 40F or Above 120F, on Average
- Exposure to Pests
- Exposure to Mold
- A Porous Container
- Crushing
- Time (Seeds Can Only Be Kept for a Max of 5 Years)
- Poor Quality Seeds at the Time of Purchase
- Delicate Hybrid Varieties with a Short Lifespan
In general, you can expect most types of grass seed to last for up to 3 years with good germination results. Personally, I bring in new seeds if it has been more than 3 years even if the seeds pass a germination test. This is because even if seeds germinate after a certain point, they still have a chance to turn into plants that aren’t ideal even if they are stored in the best conditions.
No matter how many years it has been since I stored my seeds, even if it’s only 8 months after purchase, I will conduct a germination test before planting them. Though these tests can take up to 30 days to complete, I’d rather spend 30 days on a test than waste an entire season because the seeds struggled or failed unexpectedly.
I’ve written another article that goes over the tests you can use to see if your grass seeds are still good.
Other Storage Hacks I’ve Picked Up to Get the Most Out of Your Grass Seed
Storing grass seeds isn’t too complicated. You want to keep them in the same range you would be comfortable with and store them in an airtight container. Below are a few extra steps you can take to keep even the most delicate grass seeds around for a bit longer and in good shape.
Choose the Right Container for Your Grass Seeds
Ideally, you’re going to want to keep your seeds in a high-quality plastic, ceramic, or glass container with an airtight seal. Low-quality plastic containers can be nicked by anything, even grass seeds, and lose integrity over time.
Test Your Seeds Yearly
Even if you choose to skip a year or two before planting your seeds, do a germination test yearly and keep track of these test results. This can help keep you out of a tight spot if you need a special grass seed variety on short notice.
Remove Excess Moisture
Use desiccants or other moisture and air removal methods to keep your seeds dry. By removing any excess moisture, you can help prevent your seeds from spoiling and make them less likely to deteriorate if there are temperature fluctuations.
Keep the Original Packaging
The original packaging your seeds come with is an invaluable source of information. Not only will it have planting directions, but it should have lot or batch numbers as well as packaging or sell-by dates. These can help you keep track of when you should use these seeds and when you may want to replace them.
The original packaging of your grass seed should also have its last germination test results. This is so you have a metric to start with when you do your own tests, so you know if the seeds have lost viability and by how much.
Use a Moisture Barrier
If possible, keep your seeds inside a moisture or vapor-proof bag within their larger airtight container. This is particularly important if your seeds are likely to freeze or if you live in a high-humidity area.
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