A polyembryonic cannabis seed is a single seed that holds two (sometimes three) embryos, so it sprouts twin seedlings that you can carefully separate and grow as individual plants. It's rare, it's not a defect and it doesn't give you any advantage beyond a free extra plant. Our community is always sharing finds from the cannabis world, and today someone showed us one of these twin-sprouting seeds. Polyembryonic seeds carry one embryo that comes from a fertilized ovule and, alongside it, another embryo that grows out of tissue from the female plant's reproductive organ. Bottom line: one plant is the "original," and the other is a clone of the mother plant. A polyembryonic seed gives you two separate root systems, which makes splitting them tricky but not impossible. The key is to separate them gently. Once germination is done, you can remove the seed shell and carefully pull the two sprouts apart. When the plants are separated, plant them as usual in two different containers. This usually surprises growers with two sprouts, but there are known cases of three plants coming out of a single seed. As cool as it is to see, these seeds don't offer any real advantage beyond the extra plant. Think of it as a buy-one-get-one-free deal, courtesy of Mother Nature.

What is polyembryony?

Polyembryony is a biological phenomenon that can happen in a range of species, including some plants like cannabis. When it comes to cannabis seeds, polyembryony means a single seed can produce multiple embryos. When a cannabis seed is polyembryonic, it can carry more than one embryo inside. That means when the seed germinates, several seedlings can pop up instead of just one. Each of those embryos has the potential to grow into its own plant. Polyembryony is fairly rare in cannabis seeds, but it can happen in certain strains and under specific conditions. Keep in mind, though, that the vast majority of cannabis seeds sold to and grown by home growers produce a single embryo. If you want to germinate cannabis seeds, there are several methods to choose from, like the paper towel method: dampen a paper towel, place the seeds inside and keep them somewhere warm and humid until they sprout. Each germinated embryo can be treated as its own seedling and grown separately.

What to keep in mind when storing cannabis seeds

Location

First things first: store them somewhere cool and dry, because well-kept, high-quality cannabis seeds can last two or three years depending on their size. Bigger seeds generally hold up longer than small ones. To keep your cannabis seeds cool, the usual advice is to store them in the fridge or in a room where the temperature stays low and steady.

Temperature and humidity

Another factor to watch is humidity, which should stay low, around 8%. Your best bet is to buy sealable storage containers and put the seeds inside along with dry rice or silica gel to soak up moisture from the air, with a layer of cotton or paper between the two.

Labeling

One last tip: label each cannabis strain properly so you don't have to open the containers until you're ready to grow them.

Where should you store cannabis seeds?

If you've got seeds but aren't ready to germinate and grow them yet, there are several effective ways to keep them fresh and safe. 

Glass jars:

If you want to store your weed seeds long-term, glass jars are a great call because they keep moisture out. Jars come in big and small sizes. You can drop a desiccant pack inside to regulate humidity, and use cotton balls to keep the pack away from the seeds and soak up any extra moisture that could damage them. The jar needs to be closed or sealed with an airtight lid, or you can wrap it in an opaque cloth; stored this way, seeds can keep for many years.

Paper envelopes:

If you're wondering how to store cannabis seeds for a short time, envelopes work. Just make sure the envelope is thick enough to protect the seeds from light. Keep the seeds somewhere dark, since light is a germination trigger; that way they stay dormant and don't sprout by accident. You can also label the envelope with the strain name, the storage date and how many days you plan to keep them.  To make envelope storage extra safe, you can fill it with grains of rice or add a desiccant pack to regulate humidity. Make sure you keep the envelope indoors so bad weather can't get to it.

Vacuum-sealed bags:

Another option is storing cannabis seeds in vacuum-sealed bags. They're completely sealed and keep oxygen away from the seeds. Vacuum-sealed bags are great for storing lots of seeds for a long time. You can use the vacuum-sealed bag on its own or put it inside a small container. Both methods work, and the seeds will stay dormant for as long as you need.

Refrigeration:

You can store cannabis seeds in the fridge for a long time. Before they go in, though, put them in plastic bags that hold up well to cold. Most important of all, make sure no light gets into the fridge, since it can harm the seeds.

Unusual ways to store cannabis seeds

–Burying the seeds:

Lots of people wonder how to store cannabis seeds, and as weird as it sounds, you can dry them and then bury them until it's time to plant. The temperature underground stays cool, which helps keep them in good shape.

–Plastic bags:

We mean zipper-lock bags, like Ziplocs. They work for storing cannabis seeds for a short stretch.

–In a dark basement:

If you don't have a fridge, you can store your seeds in a cool, dark basement. Any method that isn't airtight means your seeds need to go inside an opaque envelope or bag. Moisture and light are a seed's worst enemies, and if you want seeds that last and stay in good shape, you have to keep both of them away.

You might also like...

https://www.cosechalibre.com/que-tipo-de-agua-es-el-mejor-para-regar-tus-plantas/