Growing your own cannabis is one of the most rewarding experiences you may have. Not only is it a great way to flex your freedom, it’s also a great way to clean your environment while producing your own therapeutic (or recreational) herbs and concentrates. But growing your own cannabis isn’t the same as popping a few tomato seeds in the ground. For those who want a successful cannabis grow, it’s important to carefully consider your starting point. How to purchase the best cannabis seeds.
Though some growers start with clones, introducing foreign clones into a personal grow can bring with it pests and contaminants that can be hard to get rid of. Growing cannabis seeds from a US seed bank will help you avoid the headache all together. But how do you know which are the best cannabis seeds and they are worth the investment? To understand that, you first need to consider the goals of your cannabis grow.
The Best Cannabis Seeds for Your Home Grow
There are many reasons people consume cannabis – to reduce pain, sleep better, or relieve anxiety just to name a few – and there are different ideal strains for each different purpose. Before deciding which type of cannabis seed to purchase, consider which strains will suit your needs best. For example, those who consume cannabis for its pain-relieving qualities may prefer CBD-heavy indica strains whereas someone who prefers mental stimulation and reduced anxiety may prefer sativa strains.
Space restrictions should also come into play. Indicas, for example, tend to be better for indoor cannabis grows due to their quick growth cycle and relatively small size whereas sativas, with their large size and extended grow period, tend to fair better outdoors where they can spread their branches and thrive. Hybrids, of course, offer a solid middle ground for those looking for specific therapeutic potential with limited space.
But What Are The Best Cannabis Seeds?
There are three types of cannabis seeds on the market today: regular, feminized, and autoflowering. Each comes with different benefits and draw-backs, all of which are important to consider before purchasing cannabis seeds online.
Regular
Regular cannabis seeds are the same ones you might find in the bottom of a bag gone by. Maybe in your buddy’s ash tray. These are a favorite for first-time growers. There is a small initial investment which is important should they not survive. Though those little shriveled white/tan seeds are hardly worth much, fuller, dark seeds that are firm when squeezed could likely produce some killer bud, albiet more likely to contain seeds since it came from a hermaphroditic plant in the first place. When growing cannabis from regular seeds, pay close attention come flowering time. You will have to remove any pollinating males before they get to your girls.
Feminized
Because the female cannabis plant is the only one to produce cannabinoid-coated flowers, feminized seeds are quickly gaining in popularity. By manipulating a female plant into producing seeds, breeders have been able to create seeds that will produce female plants as much as 95 percent of the time. Though past methods involved stressing the mother (thus encouraging the production of hermaphroditic plants and seeds), newer methods involving special types of silver have reduced the trend[i].
Auto-flowering
Unlike other seeds, auto-flower seeds do not require altering phototropic periods to produce flowers. Instead, these plants flower automatically after only a few short months. Due to their ruderalis lineage, these plants typically only grow a foot or two tall with a relatively light harvest but, because they grow so quickly, are idea for those trying to grow outdoors in small spaces like a patio garden. Auto-flowering plants cannot be cloned so multiple seeds will be necessary for multiple harvests.
America is the land of the free but some places are just a bit freer than others. For those who live in 420-friendly states, there’s perhaps no better way to celebrate our freedom than by cultivating cannabis plants in our own homes and back yards. Of course, a successful grow starts with the best cannabis seeds so, before stocking up on cannabis seeds from a US seedbank, carefully consider what types of cannabis seeds will work best for you.
Do you have a favorite type of cannabis seed? Share it with us in the comments below.
[i] Bergman, R. (2017, August 17). How To Make Feminized Cannabis Seeds. Retrieved September 18, 2017, from http://www.ilovegrowingcannabis.com/how-to-make-feminized-cannabis-seeds/
Wow! Thanks for sharing this info it was very informative to me
Seems to me anything you choose on this site will be full of vigour
I agree..should be able to find some fire from greenpoint seeds
How much light for a 48x24x60 and I like indica so and first time grower, what’s the easiest to learn from too get started. Thanks
I would go with an hps! 600 would be more than enough! But you need a way to cool and vent that heat! Other options are leds but good ones are pricey!
I have 2 HLG LED lights that fits perfectly in my 2x4x5 ft. tents, ones a 260 XL and the other one a 320 watt XL(the XL stands for extra long), and it would not be as hot in the tent as HPS……Horticulture Lighting Group.
With the right seed type in the right enviroment you will maximize your return.
Regular seeds are best for making crosses, auto seed work well outdoors in areas that have long days all year long.
1st thought would be who the seed provider is.
2nd thought would be How good Of a reputation they have.
3rd Researching that specific Strain And seeing what it’s feeding is like is it a heavy feeder or is it hyper sensitive.
4th thought would be the size And color of the seed.
5th Thought would be is that one that I would like to store for later and make my own crosses.
6th. Is it one your gonna share or keep for your self
How does seed color and size effect the quality of the seed?
It doesn’t nessesarly but usually the best ones just happen to be darker and bigger but that doesn’t mean their good by any means, just means they are healthier I think!
When starting out I recommend feminized seeds until you feel comfortable with being able to pick out males and females. These are also good for keeping plant counts down. In my opinion there are only a handful of good breeders to chose from. Do your research and find one that uses males and/or females that you are interested in. Then jump in and have some fun. Expect some problems along the way and learn from them. I have found no better way to reduce stress than being in my garden, just me and my girls(and a couple prime males) enjoying the tranquility of only fan noise. It is truly peaceful! Thanks Gu and crew!
I can’t say I would recommend fems bc with my experience fems tend to hermi more! Picking out males isn’t that hard if your willing to read and learn a Lil bit!
It was for me once! Had some blue cheese strains and 2 of them hermed and ruined my entire crop I was new So i didn’t know what to look for until well after it was too late!
Always nice to have this information posted for new growers. It’s so much learning to grow and everything that comes with it. I mostly stick with regular sex seeds myself and have just started messing around with auto flowers. Absolutely nothing wrong with fems at all. I have quite a few fem seeds in my collection and grow. Personal preference is just normal sex seeds though. I love the pheno hunt most of all in growing! Each new seed brings to it a a unique flavor and grow and it’s always an adventure in the grow room. The search through new genetics will never get old.
I absolutely love this company, its genetics, the fast shipping, and amazing Dank! GPS has a customer for life, Thank you GU, for all you DO!
Great breakdown!
interesting read, thanks for the post Gu .
I started growing using feminized seeds, for the quality I received I’d say they are way overpriced! I started using regular seeds when I found Greenpoint Seeds. Let me tell you though it’s absolutely worth it, to me at least, to have to cull a male or two here and there. My worst GPS plant would shit all over any of my past feminized plants. Greenpoint has the quality genetics that I want to buy at a much more affordable price than a Feminized waist of space. No judgement on GPS Fems, I’ve yet to try them.
So are you saying feminized seed is not as high quality as regular seeds?
I think he’s saying he just likes gps genetics better
I prefer regular seeds over feminized for stability
I too prefer regular seeds over fems, for stability in breeding.
I like that short bushy indica that has node spacing real close that you can stretch her out creating multiple cola sites. With me she is liable to be fimmed also. Oh and I have to give Stardawg a thumbs up just for being what it is. That Chem trail leaves a lasting impression.
Regs over fem seeds all day. Autos are really fun tho.
Good info
Yeah I’m with you guys I’d take regular beans over fems any day I just don’t like dealing with herms I’d much rather just kill a few males rather than have sneaky herms ruin a whole crop!
I usually pic out the fems and clone them before flower and the others that I can’t tell or are males I flower for a few weeks once it’s a fact that it’s male I chop them down! One day I’ll keep them somewhere else when I have the space just can’t do that right now it’s breaks my heart chopping any plant as well!
Pretty. Asic info but great info for update purpose.
I’m still waiting for that one gem.
But all and all I found a few ladies.
Hopefully I will get one in my pack of jelly pie
Does anyone know a formula for led light wattage in a grow room
Does Greenpoint sale Auto Flowering seeds