There’s no better way to start the year than by learning to grow your very own marijuana at home.
The first step is to always have high-quality cannabis seeds. Buying from reputable seed banks is a popular way to get your seed supply, though there are a few things you have to know before you spend money on seeds.
What is a Cannabis Seed Bank?
Cannabis seed banks specialize in creating a reserve of viable seeds and stores them properly to sell to commercial or personal cannabis growers.
But more than just being a seed repository, reputable seed banks may also focus on developing strains and feminizing seeds. There are many notable seed banks that are responsible for creating strains that are well-loved around the world today, engineering them specifically for certain health benefits or characteristics, such as higher THC strains or those that provide superior focus.
Feminizing seeds is also a crucial process for growers. Since only female marijuana plants yield cannabis buds, they are more desirable for cultivators. But male plants also contain minimal THC in their leaves, yet there is a priority on growing female cannabis plants because of the smokable end product. In a natural setting, cannabis seeds will usually grow a balanced amount of female and male plants but growers invest time and resources to grow female plants so as not to end up discarding the male plants.
Seed banks also provide growers access to a wide array of auto-flowering seeds which mature much quicker.
Speaking of auto-flowering seeds, read on below to learn about the different seed types you may come across in a seed bank.
Regular vs. Feminized vs. Auto-flowering Seeds
When shopping around for seeds, there are three kinds:
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Regular seeds
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Feminized seeds
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Autoflowering seeds
Regular Seeds
Regular marijuana seeds are those grown without any type of manipulation; as mentioned earlier, they have a 50% chance of turning out female, and 50% chance of turning out male – the way nature does it. However, due to the presence of male plants, regular seeds offer breeders the benefit of designing new marijuana strains. Male cannabis plants yield pollen which is necessary for fertilizing female cannabis flowers, in order to produce a new strain or new batch of seeds.
There are many different kinds of regular cannabis strains out there. From high-CBD strains to high-THC, sativa, indica, or hybrid, there’s something for every kind of need.
Since there is no manipulation from the grower, the genetics of regular seeds are all natural. You can even create hybrids by mixing the genetics of two subspecies in seed form. Regular seeds are recommended for the grower who is looking for a balanced chance of getting both male and female marijuana plants; being able to have both lets you create your very own strains.
Feminized Seeds
Feminized seeds are those that have been tampered with, most often genetically, in order to increase the chances of resulting in female plants. The processes used by growers usually involves inhibiting the ethylene hormone through use of colloidal silver or chemically reversing the plant during its flowering stage. Feminized genetics also involve crossing one female plant with the other, or forcing female plants to produce pollen.
Feminized seeds do have many advantages, though the most significant is its ability to produce larger plants and more potent yields. It isn’t too difficult to work with feminized seeds; in fact, both seasoned and beginner growers alike can make use of it.
For breeders who are looking for potent marijuana flowers that are full of resin, feminized seeds are recommended. It will save you time filtering out the male plants, and it will also keep your grow area free from pollen roaming around in the area.
Autoflowering Seeds
Autoflowering seeds are named after the fact that they can flower without needing any changes in light. Since they flower automatically, they are especially popular among beginners, though seasoned growers can also appreciate how easy they are to grow.
There are other benefits to autoflowering seeds, particularly their lighting schedule: light cycles are extremely simplistic, and because of that, they are more protected from changes in temperature as well as pests. This is another reason why autoflowering cannabis seeds are so easy to grow.
Autoflowering seeds are also similar to feminized seeds in the sense that they end up as female cannabis plants. Additionally, they are lower maintenance compared to other types of cannabis seeds and harvest quicker.
How to Tell If You are Buying Quality Seeds Online
For starters, it can be tricky at first to buy cannabis seeds online. That’s primarily because cheap and poor-quality genetic seeds look exactly the same as those that have been produced from years of careful breeding. It’s always recommended to do your research very well to ensure you are buying from a reputable seed bank online.
There are a few things you can look out for, such as the appearance of the seeds. Quality cannabis seeds have a solid coat that is intact, since low quality seeds tend to be damaged or have cracks outside. Seeds should also have a uniform shape and size. Those that have different colors or shapes is a quick way to tell that they are of low quality since these characteristics arise due to improper growing and environment.
Ask the grower about the seeds’ germination rate. You want seeds that have an 80% or more chance of germination. This means that if you buy 100 seeds, around 80 of them will germinate and produce cannabis plants. Some reputable sellers provide the germination rate in the product description.
Price
There is no need to pay a high price for quality cannabis seeds. Many seed banks run great deals and promotions, which is a fantastic way for beginners to get their hands into growing while saving money. However, just like with everything else, you may not be happy with the grow rate and quality of cannabis seeds that are priced too cheaply. If you have the wiggle room for it, invest in high quality seeds to start with and once you get the hang of growing, you can propagate from the plants of those premium seeds.
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