Your friend apparently does not buy from the same commercial seed companies that I do but they do use zip lock bags for seeds. I'm also a seed snatcher and have stored many seeds in plastic bags that grew up to be very nice plants. You want to make sure that the seed are good and dry but after that they are good to go.

I've had good luck saving seeds for sev. yrs. in ziplocks; I sometimes put silicone packets (from shoes, pocketbooks, etc!) in the baggie, but not always. Some people do say paper is the way to go, but personally I've found that very dry seeds (as nurmey mentioned) store really well in ziplocks.

I'll add my voice to those above. Zip lock bags do not kill seed. This is a very persistent rumor, caused in most cases by improper drying & storage techniques. Many seed companies mail seed in air-tight foil or plastic; and I have successfully stored a broad selection of seed in zip locks for many years, with great germination rates.

If seed is dried properly - the big "if" - sealing in airtight containers is not harmful. The problem is that for most home seed savers, proper drying is hit-or-miss. There are several methods that can work; I use a natural method, which I posted in this forum under the "Where do you dry your seeds" thread. Others use a dehydrator, or desiccant, to dry seeds down to the proper moisture level. Any of these methods might work, but the environmental conditions in your area could influence your choices. What works for me in the North may not work in the hot & humid South.

Once the seed is properly dried, it still must be properly stored to remain viable. If zip lock bags have one drawback, it is that they act as mini greenhouses, retaining heat & moisture... so if exposed to strong light (including infra-red), the temperature inside can rise rapidly. For example, if the bag of seed were placed in the sun during planting, this could very quickly weaken or destroy the remaining seed. And for some seeds, any light penetration can increase seed metabolism, which causes the seed to use up its energy stores, reducing storage life. Zip lock bags should be stored in the dark, and seed to be planted in the current year should be transfered to other envelopes.

And of course, seeds should be stored in cool temperatures wherever possible. Each degree of temperature reduction increases seed longevity. At the very least, seeds should be stored in an area where the temperature is fairly constant.

Given the proper drying & storage mentioned above, zip locks are a safe, economical way to store seeds.

I have used zip lock baggies to store seed but I always put a piece of paper towel or plain paper in the bag with the seed, it won't have moisture build up this way. Store them in a cool dry place.

Is it okay to put my seeds in a sandwich baggie and then put them in the deep freezer? I am new of savings seeds so I don't know what to do please help what's the best way to save seeds for putting them in the deep freezer ?

Here is one procedure: 1 Spread your seeds out on paper toweling or a screen tray outdoors in light shade for at least six hours. Full sun can cook your seeds. Choose a day with low humidity. Moisture in the seeds can expand when frozen and kill them. Seeds can also be dried on a cookie sheet in an oven set to 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours. 2 Place the seeds in envelopes or small plastic bags, according to type. 3 Write the name of the variety and the date on each packet. 4 Place all the packets in a glass jar and seal the jar. 5 Place the jar in a place in an area of the freezer where it is unlikely to be disturbed. 6 Bring the seeds you plan to plant back to room temperature at planting time. Plant the seeds according to instructions for the variety. .

To freeze seed, it must be (a) dried to a low moisture level, and (b) stored in an air-tight container.

Left over commercial seed is probably already dry enough to freeze. Home-saved seed will require drying before it can be stored, to prevent freezing damage. Seed drying is a science unto itself, and there are many methods that can be used. Personally, I would not recommend using an oven, since the temperature of most ovens is not stable enough to guarantee against the possibility of heat damage. Spreading the seed under a fan indoors is one method; seeds usually need at least several days to dry properly. Using color-changing desiccant gel, placed with the seeds in a jar, is another good drying method... change the desiccant until it no longer changes color to indicate moisture, at which point the seed is dry.

Perhaps the best question is, how to know when seed is dry enough to store? Small dry seeds will not bend without breaking. Larger seeds like beans & peas can be struck with a hammer (carefully, with eye protection!). Dry seeds will shatter; if the seed just crushes or clumps together, it is not yet dry enough.

A sandwich baggie, by itself, is inadequate for frozen seed storage. Freezer bags are best for this purpose. Regardless of what type of bag/envelope the seed is placed in, those should be placed into a larger air-tight container for storage. Glass jars with good seals are most commonly used. As mentioned in the post above, frozen seed must first be thawed to room temperature before it can be opened... exposing cold seed to moist air will cause condensation on the seeds, which will severely weaken or kill the seeds.

If the stored seeds will be used for multiple years, a good tip is to divide the seeds into multiple small zip lock bags. That way, a single packet can be quickly removed for use, without thawing all the seeds in the jar.