Growing 101: Where & What to Look for in Seeds

Good things come in small packages, or so the saying goes. If you want to grow your own cannabis to pack a fat bowl of bud, you may find that the very first step is the most challenging. The seeds used for growing cannabis are no different from the seeds you use to grow tomatoes or roses. However, that does not mean you simply buy cannabis seeds, throw them in the ground, and have the good stuff to smoke in a few months. If you have tried cloning cannabis and want to try growing it, you need to know how to buy marijuana seeds for sale and where the best sellers can be found.

Growing Pains

Every bit of bud you buy at a dispensary has been grown from a female marijuana plant. Plants, like animals, have both males and females. The female marijuana plant has the mind-bending THC, while the male marijuana plant has very little THC (although usually more CBD). When you grow cannabis plants, you have to keep mature males away from mature females. This is because males fertilize the females, and fertilized females do not make bud with active THC.

However, there's no way to get a cannabis seed without fertilization, meaning that the females who come in contact with males will produce seeds. Some females can self-fertilize, though it is rare, so you should not count on it for seeds. However, commercial growers will "feminize" plants using chemicals, eventually creating strains that are guaranteed female. For home growers, however, they can not be assured of gender.

Make a Choice

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What makes for a good quality seed? If you have never grown before, most seeds probably look exactly the same. Indeed, often you cannot tell that you have found a dud seed until you put it in the ground, but there are some indications of quality you should check for. The first is color: cannabis seeds should be a rich dark brown, with stripes or dots. White seeds are not mature. The seed should have a thick wax coating; cracks or buffs mean it probably will not grow. Size can matter, too, and bigger is usually better. White dust on the seed may mean mildew.

If you crack the seed open, you indicate how well the entire batch may perform. Oily, black, or musty-smelling seeds mean that the biological material within is fermenting instead of germinating and will not grow. Pick up the seed and squeeze: it should bend slightly under pressure but not crack open. Finally, there is the water test: plop your seeds into a cup of water. They should float at the surface. However, you should only do a float test if you are ready to plant the seeds immediately, as water will cause germination.

Buyer Beware

Is it legal to buy cannabis seeds? Yes, depending on your state, you can buy seeds wherever you can purchase recreational cannabis. Even states where cannabis is not legal may not restrict deliveries of cannabis seeds, primarily because they cannot track their movement. That said, it is not legal to possess cannabis seeds in places where recreational and/or medicinal cannabis is outlawed, nor is it permitted to bring them into the country.

Legality is usually not the problem. As with many things in life, you can typically find cannabis seeds for sale, but this is no guarantee that they will be of good quality. There's no guarantee they will even be the strain you want: you may think you are ordering quality OG Kush and find that you receive ditch weed. One way to ensure quality is to check out a 420 seed bank, which is exactly what it sounds like. Seed banks can be large or small, local or national. Ordering marijuana seeds online is a great way to connect buyers and sellers, and buying on the Internet is significantly easier and safer than it was just a few years ago. Furthermore, reviews are published on most online sources, meaning getting opinions from other buyers has never been easier.

Go to the Source

Every stoner loves to talk to other people about their favorites, meaning that there's endless advice out there. You ask dispensary owners and budtenders about their recommendations, and you can check out cannabis publications highlighting world-class growers and strains. The High Times reviews seeds, categorizing growers by the quality of the bud they produce, connecting buyers and sellers.

Since the process of growing seed to weed is only somewhat scientific, you should try your best to experiment. Cannabis growth is not just a factor of good seeds but also good soil, light, water, and nutrients. By trying out many different types, you will find yourself with lots of suitable options and lots of good bud.

Do you grow your own cannabis? How have you found the seed selection process affects the final product? Let us know in the comments below!