Seeds carry on life processes, at a low rate, whilst dormant. Moisture they absorb from the air combines with stored nourishment within the seed to form a soluble food, which then combines with oxygen from the air to release water and heat. Too much moisture in the air will cause the seed to burn up its stored food too quickly producing excess heat which will further lower the seeds ability to germinate. The need is to keep these exchanges to a minimum during storage to prolong life in the seed.
6-9% moisture is ideal for long term storage of hemp seeds. A test for moisture levels shows that hard shelled seeds like hemp seeds shatter instead of mashing at around 8% moisture when placed on concrete and struck with a hammer.
Silica gel, often used in the drying of seeds, can also be used to help maintain stable moisture levels within a permanent storage container. Equal weights of silica gel to seed are used. In general hemp seeds weigh between 0.01 and 0.02 grams and our silica gel sachets contain 0.5g. We recommend seeds are kept in aluminium zip-lock bags and stored inside seed jars along with the correct amount of silica gel to maintain low moisture levels. Be aware that you can seriously damage seeds by reducing moisture levels too much, so do not use too much dessicant.