Growing your cannabis seeds may seem like a daunting task until you realize that it’s pretty much like any other plant. While some strains may require a little extra TLC, you’ll grow more comfortable in your knowledge as you gain more experience.
That’s where we come in. Our team of experts has gathered their extensive knowledge into guides to help you enjoy the rewards from your harvest.
If you’re preparing to start planing your cannabis seeds but need some extra guidance, you’re in the right place.
Join us as we take you through the basics of cannabis seeds. You’ll get an understanding of regular, feminized, and autoflowering Seeds, the species available, how to germinate, and to grow a healthy crop. We have you covered, from buying cannabis seeds to curing your first bud.
Let’s dig in!
Cannabis Seeds - The Basics
To understand cannabis, we have to bring it down to the basics. Cannabis seeds are the purest form offered by nature to grown your crops, but they need to be separated by sex since the seeds are dioecious by nature.
In every pack of regular seeds you get, there will be males and females. Female seeds are the ones that grow the pistils that need to be fertilized by males if we aim to produce new seeds.
Pistils collect the pollen released by male seeds via stigmas to complete this process. Therefore, a female seed that has been fertilized after flowering is only good to create new seeds.
The buds we want from our marijuana crops are all female. This is because they are usually grown in controlled environments without male seeds, and they haven't been touched by male pollen.
Just as farmers need to irrigate their crops and cover them in pesticides every once in a while, you need to take proper care of your weed plants to make sure they grow the way you expect them to.
There are many details to consider, such as light, water, and type of soil. All the care you put into your plant translates into healthy weed plants.
Female plants are preferred for the flowers they produce. As you grow your weed, it will take six weeks to develop the natural traits that define them as male or female.
These indicators are not so difficult to spot: for female plants, you can check for a small bud between a branch and the main stock of the plant. You can also check for tiny pistil hairs that grow in specific spaces where the bud will form.
When it comes to male cannabis crops, they are easily identifiable by the pollen bulbs they grow, with no pistils forming. If you are developing a controlled environment, you will have to remove these frequently. Otherwise, they will pollinate your female flowers, creating seeds only and stunting the growth of the flower itself.
Now we are going to share some information with you about the types of weeds available. We'll also learn what makes a high-quality cannabis seed, how to germinate it, as well as 9 things to know before you start growing marijuana.
What Makes High-Quality Cannabis Seeds?
While there are specific traits to help you recognize high-quality cannabis seeds, you will soon learn that a combination of factors is responsible for making certain crops stand out above others.
Here are some key points to take care of that will improve the quality of your weed harvest.
- Pay attention to genetics: you need to ensure that you buy your seeds from reputable suppliers for genetics. That way, you can read up on everything you need about breeds, mixes, phenotypes, and the defining features you'll get with each one.
- Learn storage techniques: unless you plan to use your seeds right away, you should always store them in a cool dark place until they are ready to be used. You can keep some seeds in these conditions for up to a year. Prolonged exposure in the open will spoil them.
Once you know that you have good quality seeds, it’s time to begin germinating them.
How to Germinate Cannabis Seeds
There are a set of trade secrets to learn how to germinate cannabis seeds. Before planting your seedlings in any given soil, we recommend that they’re germinated through this procedure.
The best way to germinate cannabis seeds is simple, but there are some guidelines that you should follow if your goal is to get quality weed.
Simply put, germination is the process of hydrating seeds. It’s also how we activate the enzymes that will make the plant grow. After successful germination, you’ll see a taproot appearing from the seed.
To ensure that seeds have the best chance of germination, we need three basic elements: water, controlled temperatures, and good airflow in the room where the process will take place. We have found the “paper towel” method to be the most effective way to germinate cannabis seeds.:
- Take your seeds out of the bag and make sure the room you want to handle the germination process is well-ventilated and temperature-controlled. You’ll also want to place the seeds in a warm dark place like a kitchen cupboard that you don’t use often.
- Depending on the number of seeds you plan to germinate, get a couple of clean trays or plates, distilled water, paper towels, and your seeds.
- Soak the paper towels in the distilled water, but not to the point of having them break under their weight.
- Place the paper towel on one of the trays or plates and lay your seeds on it at least one inch apart from each other.
- Cover the seeds with two more paper towels and dampen them; after that, proceed to cover the seeds with the second plate or tray for three to ten days.
- Ensure the room temperature is always between 70° to 85°F and check them from the third day onwards. You will see some of them starting to sprout taproots.
- You will also need to make sure the paper towels are still saturated with water. If they get dried, the seeds won't germinate. Also, keep tabs on the sprouting process. If none of the seeds grow sprouts after two weeks, they are duds.
- Once your seed has a sprout, you will have to treat it with care and keep it sterile until you plant it in the soil of your choice. Avoid touching the seed or taproot with your bare hands until you’ve transferred it to grow medium.
What are Feminized Cannabis Seeds?
Feminized cannabis seeds are variants that have been bred to eliminate male chromosomes. As we have mentioned before, female plants are preferred for the flowers that they produce. Feminized seeds are also the primary choice of many first-time growers.
You can obtain feminized seeds by inducing the monoecious condition. There are several methods to achieve this, such as infusing a fully formed plant with colloidal silver. You can also use rodelization with a female plant mature enough to pollinate other female sprouts. Finally, you can also use gibberellic acid, a substance that contains hormones that induce germination.
Fortunately, many seedbanks have a wide variety of feminized seeds listed for sale, saving you the hassle of trying to create these for yourself.
What are Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds?
Most pot plants need a change in the light cycle to help them move from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage. If you're using regular cannabis seeds, photoperiods should last between 16 to 20 hours every day, followed by 12 straight hours of darkness for at least two weeks.
The good news is that some seeds are naturally designed to autoflower when they reach certain stages without requiring a strict photoperiod schedule. The seeds able to accomplish this are from the Rudelis species. They can be crossed with indica and sativa strains to deliver desirable traits from either, combined with predictable flowering.
Autoflowering cannabis seeds do not require strict light cycles, but they require consistent light for us to harvest the most from our plants. These seeds are ideal for growing during spring since the climate and light will favor them the most during summer. Be mindful about your location, though. Short cold summers do not go well with these seeds.
Cannabis Species
If you are getting started in the world of cannabis, you will read a lot about strains, types, and the effects they all have when consumed.
However, one of the most critical pieces of information you can learn is the three basic species of cannabis in existence; each one of them has its unique features. If you keep on growing cannabis from seeds, you will learn the fundamental differences between them, to tell them apart by sight.
The main species of cannabis are named indica and savita. We are going to explain the differences between each one of them as well as hybrids.
Indica
Indica is a plant that is easily recognizable for its short size and characteristic leafiness. It's considered the best marijuana plant to grow indoors since it never grows larger than 4,9 ft. In addition, it's known for its sedative effects and the overall feeling of relaxation that it induces when consumed.
Hotter climates favor indica's growth, so it's common to see it grown in the USA's southern states and most of South America and Europe. It’s known for properties like pain relief, anti-inflammation, sleep, and stress relief.
Sativa
Sativa is the largest plant out of the three species. It's easily identified for having a robust stem and thinner leaves than the other two species. Sativa plants can grow up to 13 ft. but they require special care and attention and an environment that goes no higher than 68° Fahrenheit in temperature.
Sativa is primarily produced outdoors in equatorial regions of the world. However, it can be grown indoors but only under highly controlled conditions. This variation of cannabis is known for having a "cerebral" effect, making you feel motivated, creative, and energetic.
Hybrid
As the name implies, a hybrid is a strain of weed that mixes a little bit of both. The vast majority of the cannabis variants you will find in a dispensary are hybrids. They are known for offering the best of both strains with a balanced effect.
Every single hybrid is grown under special conditions, and every single one of them has a different effect. This is where your knowledge comes in. You will have to learn about the effects of each strain before deciding on which one to grow. You can also learn how to choose the best cannabis seeds to get the species you are looking for based on the desired effect and growing conditions.
What Are the Effects of THC and CBD?
All marijuana strains have two main components: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol ) and CBD (cannabidiol.). Each compound works very differently and has unique effects on the central nervous system.
These cannabinoids are present in all weed strains, and the strain of choice will determine the ratio of CBD to THC. You’ll often find these number quotes by seedbanks as percentages.
THC
It's the principal psychoactive ingredient in weed. It's also a chemical that can make you feel energetic or euphoric. While it can also lead to less desirable effects such as anxiety and paranoia, most people seek it out for the increased feelings of wellness it transmits and the "kick" it offers to certain mental traits such as creativity.
CBD
Cannabinol goes for the other end of the spectrum. It's a chemical that has sedative effects and will help you feel relaxed and calm. This property is also incredibly sought after in the medical field since there is a high demand for cannabinol as a pain suppressor and a sedative.
How Can You Store Cannabis Seeds?
Learning how to store marijuana seeds is a great skill you will need since they are not exactly cheap to come by.
If you are buying cannabis seeds, keep in mind that a single one can cost up to $12 in some USA areas. In addition, you should be mindful of the regulations and laws of your state before purchasing them.
Once you buy your first pack, you need to know how to store cannabis seeds. You may follow some of these tips:
- Get them into an airtight container, make sure it's light-proof, and place your seeds inside it.
- Ensure the space where your container is stored is dry, cool, and away from any light source.
- If you feel like making extra sure about having your seeds dry, pour some dry rice in the container to keep away any moisture.
Cannabis Seeds FAQs
What are feminized cannabis seeds?
Feminized seeds are the product of selective breeding to eliminate male chromosomes. Many seed banks will offer up to a 99% chance that their seeds will produce female plants.
What are the three main traits that make a high-quality cannabis seed?
We need to be mindful of three specific traits to obtain high-quality cannabis seeds on our own:
- Pay close attention to the genetics of the seed.
- Learn storage techniques.
- Allow our seeds to mature.
You will notice how timing makes up the most of it, so you better learn to have patience!
What is the main difference between THC and CBD?
THC can activate your senses to make you have otherworld experiences, while CBD can relax and dull your senses.
Now you’re ready to get started
Marijuana as a substance has been slowly overcoming the social stigma associated with it. Now more than ever, many people understand the practical use of cannabis to help in the treatment of medical conditions. This doesn’t diminish the joy for those who consume it for recreational purposes.
Since you’ve laid the foundation, why not take a look at some of the seeds on sale and begin your cannabis grow journey today?
