Cannabis seeds are the building blocks of marijuana plants. They contain the essential nutrients and genetics needed to grow your own plants from seed.
There are three main types of cannabis seeds: regular, auto-flowering, and feminized. Each category has its own unique characteristics and benefits.
Male and Female Plants
When you’re growing cannabis seed, it is important to be able to tell the difference between male and female plants. Getting rid of male plants early on will spare you a lot of wasted time, effort, and energy.
The first sign of a plant’s gender is usually around 6 weeks into growth. During this stage, your plant may show signs of “pre-flowers”.
Pre-flowers are little buds that form between the nodes (where leaves and branches grow out of the stalk). Male plants produce pollen sacs, while female plants produce a stigma which catches pollen.
A female flower consists of a cluster of buds, known as a cola. The buds are green tear-shaped and contain a high concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Clones
Clones are a type of cannabis seed that are exact genetic copies of their mother plant. This is an excellent option for growers looking for specific strains that they want to cultivate.
But, clones also come with their own drawbacks, as well. First, they can be less pest resistant than seeds and grow slower.
Second, clones can also develop molds or mildew. This is especially true if they are grown in an enclosed environment such as a propagation tray or humidity dome.
If you want to avoid these problems, it’s a good idea to sterilize the tray and dome before rooting your clones. This will prevent the mold spores from forming and spreading. In addition, misting your clones regularly will help them to stay hydrated and keep them healthy.
Feminized Seeds
Feminized seeds are a good choice for growers who want to avoid having to weed out male plants before they pollinate female plants. This ensures that you’ll always have a harvest full of female cannabis plants and no unwanted seeds that could reduce your final crop’s potency.
Unlike regular seeds, feminized seed strains are bred to produce only female plants. This is because only females produce consumable flowers, and having male cannabis plants around them can ruin an entire harvest.
However, feminized seeds can still hermaphrodite (grow into male plants) in some cases, so you should watch out for this potential problem. Fortunately, modern breeders are using creative techniques to ensure female genetics in feminized cannabis seeds.
To find the best feminized seeds for your growing needs, you should start by researching germination rates and expected yields. Some feminized seeds are faster to flower than others, so you may need to keep an eye on your plant’s growth and light-needs to maximize your yield.
Dispensaries
Cannabis seed is the raw material that allows a grower to obtain clones from a particular strain. This allows consistent genetics for commercial production.
A cannabis seed is a single cell that contains genetic information from both the mother and father plants. This information can be used to express a variety of traits in the plant.
Germination occurs when a cannabis seed sprouts from the ground and grows its taproot down into the soil. To ensure germination, many seed banks offer a moisture-proof bag or container that can be inserted directly into the soil to germinate seeds.
The best seed banks guarantee a high percentage of germination. These companies typically stock a large inventory of popular strains that are well-reviewed.
These strains usually come with a 100% germination guarantee, so you can count on your seed order to germinate within a few days of arrival. This is a big benefit when compared to seed banks that offer only a few sativa and indica strains.
