When you’re just getting into growing…
The topic of marijuana seeds is one of those topics, that looks easy on the surface…
But once you start digging a little deeper…
You soon realize:
Not all marijuana seeds are created equal.
To get the results you want, it’s essential that you start out with high-quality seeds from the right strain.
Once you’ve got the right seeds, you not only ease your whole growing process…
But you grow plants that yield buds that are on a whole new level in terms of:
- Potency;
- Flavor, and;
- Physical and mental effects.
This is why in today’s guide, you will learn how to pick the best marijuana seeds that will match the effects and flavors you’re looking for…
Plus, what types of seeds will be best for your specific grow-setup.
And the best part:
You’re getting a list of the most trustworthy and reliable seedbanks and breeders in the world.
Let’s get to it.
- Chapter 1: Autoflowering vs Photoperiod (regular) Seeds
- Chapter 2: Feminized Seeds vs Photoperiod (Regular)
- Chapter 3: Indoors vs Outdoors Seeds
- Chapter 4: Different Types of Weed Strains
- Chapter 5: Marijuana Seeds for Sale (Where to Buy Them)
- Chapter 6: Germinating Marijuana Seeds
- Chapter 7: Marijuana Seeds and Cloning Cannabis
Chapter 1: Autoflowering vs Photoperiod (regular) Seeds
Looking around in online seed shops…
You’ll quickly see a section called ‘Autoflowering Seeds’:
Although you have an idea about what ‘auto-flowering’ seeds are…
Maybe you’re not exactly sure what the key differences are between auto-flowering and regular seeds.
If you want to know all the pros and cons of auto-flowering seeds vs regular seeds, in this chapter you will learn exactly that.
The main difference between auto-flowering seeds and (regular) photoperiod seeds, can be found in their name:
While (regular) photoperiod seeds need a change in their light cycle to a schedule of 12/12 (12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness) to start the flowering process…
Autoflowering seeds automatically start flowering after a set period of time (usually around 3 months), and here comes the important part:
Without any change in their light cycle.
Now:
There are rumors in grower communities about auto-flowering seeds not being potent, having a low % of THC…
While this was true in the early stages of auto-flowering Cannabis plants…
Today, auto-flowering seeds are up there with regular photoperiod seeds in terms of potency.
There are pros and cons for both options, and what you will choose, essentially is dependent on your specific setup and your growing skill.
Starting with the pros and cons of…
Autoflowering Marijuana Seeds
Pros
- No change in light cycles needed, which means 1 less thing to mess up;
- Faster harvest cycles, for if you want results FAST;
- Better suited for stealth growing, because of limited height and size.
Cons
- Less forgiving as you have no control over the start of the flowering process. If you mess something up right before the flowering stage starts…you potentially mess your whole crop up.
- Less yield because you can’t extend the vegetation stage to grow big and powerful plants;
- Can’t clone easily. You’ll always need extra seeds for additional plants.
As you can probably tell, auto-flowering seeds are a bit better suited for the more experienced grower and your return on investment will be worse than with photoperiod seeds…
But they can be a great option if you’re looking for results fast or have very limited growing space.
Classic examples:
- Northern Lights Auto. Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
- White Widow Auto. Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
PHOTOPERIOD (REGULAR) MARIJUANA SEEDS
Pros
- More forgiving as you have control over the start of the flowering process. Your plants will only start flowering once you switch to a 12/12 light cycle;
- Potential for much higher yields. Because you can extend the vegetation stage for big and powerful plants;
- Can clone easily.
Cons
- While it’s easy to change the light cycle, you still actually have to do it and make sure it goes well;
- Slower harvest cycles (at least 2-3 weeks slower).
Photoperiod seeds are better suited for the beginning grower or any grower who’s looking for massive yields.
If for example you are legally limited by the number of plants you can grow, there’s only 1 way to get massive yields:
Get photoperiod seeds and grow a few massive plants by training methods and extending the vegetative stage for a very long time.
Classic examples:
- Indica: Afghani – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
- Sativa: Haze –(CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
What’s the bottom line?
While auto-flowering seeds may look easy on the surface (not needing to change the light cycle)…
If you’re starting out, I recommend you start out with regular photoperiod seeds.
Because these seeds are much more forgiving in case of mistakes, you’ll have a higher chance of finishing your first few grows successfully.
And if you think you won’t any mistakes during your first grow, think again: small mistakes can creep in anywhere during the growing process and potentially influence your end-yield significantly.
Now:
If you are confident in your growing skills or just really want fast results…
Don’t hesitate to get auto-flowering seeds. It’s not like they are MUCH harder than photoperiod seeds, still, the same growing essentials apply. Just keep in mind to be a bit more diligent and stick to the rules, tips, and tricks that you can find here.
Next up we have…
Chapter 2 Feminized Seeds vs Photoperiod (Regular)
To get the buds you want…
You need female marijuana plants.
Only female plants produce buds.
Male plants are only used by growers who are looking:
- To create seeds, and/or;
- Are looking to breed new types of strains.
If you want to dive deeper into the exact reason why feminized seeds (usually) are the best choice for beginning growers, or you want to learn why you would want to create seeds or breed new types of strains…
In this chapter, you will learn everything about the key differences between feminized seeds and regular photoperiod seeds.
Return on Investment
If you don’t care about creating seeds or breeding and want the best return on your investment, the choice between feminized and photoperiod seeds is simple:
Get feminized seeds.
When you get regular photoperiod seeds, on average, there’s a 50% chance your seed will grow into a male plant.
So if you get 10 seeds this translates to only 5 seeds, which will grow into bud-producing female plants.
That’s not the only potential issue with photoperiod seeds though.
Let’s say you plant all 10 seeds and 3 of them turn out to be male, you need to remove these 3 male plants on time or risk pollinating your female plants…
If you forget to remove the male plants on time and you’re female plants get pollinated, they will produce seeds and less potent buds (the energy and nutrition normally used for the buds is now going into the seeds).
(You can read here how you recognize male vs female plants)
This is where feminized seeds come in…
Getting feminized seeds is a simple way to get rid of pollination risk and make sure that all your seeds will grow into bud-producing female plants.
Feminized seeds will always turn into female plants (unless you really stress them, then they might turn into hermies).
So why would you ever risk getting male plants by getting regular photoperiod seeds, if you’re not looking to breed and/or create new seeds?
Well, some growers say that feminized seeds have a higher chance to turn into a hermie plant (basically a sexless plant with reduced yield and potency).
Then there’s the rumor that feminized seeds are less potent and yield less than their regular sisters…
If you get high-quality seeds from reputable seed banks, in our experience, these cons are non-existent and feminized seeds will give you the same results as photoperiod seeds.
The bottom line is:
If you’re purely looking to maximize your yield and only grow buds (not seeds) …
Feminized seeds are the way to go.
Classic examples:
- Indica: Kush Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
- Sativa: Sour Diesel Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
Now, if you’re wondering why you ever would want to produce seeds or create new breeds…
Here’s why:
Creating Your Own Seeds
If you particularly like one of your female plants, you may want to secure her offspring. By pollinating her with one of your male plants, you’ll make sure it will produce a large number of seeds that you can use in the future.
Do realize that you will hurt your yield severely, and only opt to go for this if you don’t care about wasting the yield of one of your plants (what you get back is free seeds though!).
In the long run, creating your own seeds obviously is much cheaper than buying marijuana seeds from seedbanks.
But if you’re just starting out, we highly recommend keeping things simple and starting with feminized seeds.
Breeding Your Own Strains
This is only for advanced growers.
If you want to experiment and breed your own strain, mother nature made this possible for you.
The way you do this is by pollinating the female plant of one strain, with the pollen of the male plant of another strain.
For example:
Let’s say for example you have a White Widow plant and a Purple Kush plant.
You feel that the effects of your Purple Kush plant are too sedative. You want to know how the effects would be of a strong sedative strain like Purple Kush with the more uplifting effects of White Widow.
To breed a cross between these 2 strains, you can pollinate the Purple Kush female plant, with the pollen of the White Widow male plant (or vice versa).
The Purple Kush female plant will now create seeds, which have characteristics from both these strains.
Next up…
Chapter 3 Indoors vs Outdoors Seeds
Don’t let anyone fool you…Any strain that can grow indoors, can grow outdoors…
Cannabis has grown in wild nature for probably millions of years. But here’s the catch:
Not every strain that grows well outdoors, will grow well indoors…
And not every strain will grow easily in every climate.
In this chapter, you will learn everything about strains that grow well indoors vs outdoors and what climates are suited for what strains.
Although theoretically, any strain can grow both indoors and outdoors…
Especially for indoor growing, certain strains are just not compatible with the grow setup of most indoor growers.
Especially equatorial Sativas, which:
- Grow tall;
- Take up a lot of space, and;
- Need tons of intense and penetrating light,
will be a difficult undertaking for the average grower growing indoors.
Other than pure Sativas, you don’t have to worry too much about indoor vs outdoor strains, UNLESS:
- You want to grow outdoors and you’re living in a colder climate, or;
- You want to give yourself an easy time (which is highly recommended if you’re just starting out)…
In that case, get Indica-dominant strain seeds.
Here’s why:
Indicas naturally grow in colder climates. They originate from the Hindu Kush range, which is a mountain area with a cold climate, on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
It’s written in their DNA to withstand colder temperatures.
And here’s why Indica’s are easier to grow in general:
Indica-dominant strains are short and compact, which means they need much less space and are just more sturdy plants in general, which in turn means they are more forgiving in case of mistakes like giving them too much/little light or over-/under-watering.
And forgiving is what you’re looking for when just starting out…
Because unless you have some growing experience, learn extremely fast, or just are really lucky…
You are going to make some mistakes in your first grow.
Classic example Indica:
- Indica: Purple Kush Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
Now:
If you do have access to a lot of space and light, don’t feel discouraged to grow Sativa-dominant strains. Although they’re harder for the beginning grower…if you grow a bit more diligently, while keeping all the basic growing essentials in mind, there’s a very big chance you’ll grow one successfully.
Next up…
Chapter 4 Different Types of Weed Strains
When getting marijuana seeds, you really have to think about WHAT you want out of your herb in terms of:
- Physical;
- Mental, and
- Medical effects.
The genetic make-up of a strain makes it so that every strain comes with a specific ratio of cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids…
And this specific chemical make-up of a strain, 100% decides the effects that it produces when you vape, smoke, or eat it.
You have countless choices when it comes to choosing your specific strain…and it can be difficult to make the right choice.
In this chapter you’re going to learn the main types of strains and their effects, so you will get the perfect strain for the effects that you’re looking for.
Have you ever wondered why on one occasion when you smoked weed, you felt extremely relaxed and sedated…
While on other occasions you felt uplifted and energetic?
Well, this is probably because of the difference in strains you used (of course your mental, emotional and physical state before you start using it, also plays a role).
Marijuana strains can broadly be put in 2 main categories:
- Sativa’s, and;
- Indica’s.
There’s no ‘better’ choice, the right strain all depends on your specific preferences.
Both will produce different mental and physical effects.
Sativa-Dominant Strains
In the previous chapter, you already learned that Sativa strains don’t grow well indoors because they grow so tall and need lots of intense light.
But Sativa strains not only grow much taller than their Indica brothers…
They produce very different mental and physical effects.
If you mostly want energetic, uplifting, and mentally stimulating effects, Sativa-dominant strains would be your best bet.
Interesting fact:
There are even creative artists and writers, who use Sativa-dominant strains for inspiration…yes, Sativa’s can indeed give you a creative boost as well.
Now:
One potential downside of Sativa-dominant strains is, that they usually contain a very high level of THC and very low levels of CBD.
Combined with the intense mental effects that these strains produce…
The psychoactive effects of Sativa’s can be too intense for some…and in the worst case, could lead to feelings of paranoia.
But if you’re looking for something that will stimulate you mentally, while being physically light…
Sativa-dominant strains are definitely the way to go.
Classic example:
Haze (Different Types)– (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
Next up…
Indica-Dominant Strains
In the previous chapter, you learned that Indica-dominant strains are the easier strains to grow indoors (because they are compact and don’t need absurd amounts of light).
Now, as you might’ve probably guessed…
Indica’s have different effects than Sativa’s.
Sativa’s are energetic and uplifting, while Indica’s are more relaxing and sedative.
They are your best aid if you’re suffering from insomnia or anxiety. They not only relax the body but also the mind. Indica’s put your mind at ease and make you enjoy the moment like no Sativa can do.
The other side of the coin is:
Indica’s can be physically too overwhelming and can put you in the dreaded ‘couch-lock’, where you’re glued to your couch and extremely unmotivated to come off of it.
If you would want to do any activities that require some form of analytical mental capacity, it’s also best you avoid Indica’s. Yes, they relax the mind, but they also dull it a bit, lowering your analytical and cognitive capabilities.
But if you just want to relax, need to sleep, want to be in the moment and have some child-like fun…
Indica-dominant strains are the way to go.
Classic example:
- Northern Lights Auto. Fem. – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
Summary effects of Sativa vs Indica:
Next up…
CBD Strains
Although CBD strains are either Sativa-dominant or Indica-dominant…
These strains still deserve their own section.
Here’s why:
The thing that differentiates them from regular strains: having a very high % of CBD, makes the difference between Sativa and Indica, much less apparent.
CBD has no psychoactive properties, in fact, it will temper the effects of THC and will mostly produce physical effects.
And this, in turn, suppresses the differences you would normally feel between Sativa and Indica strains.
The main reason why these CBD strains have been bred in the past decades is the following:
Over the past decades, CBD has been shown to be an extremely potent medical agent, good for treating countless of conditions and their symptoms. But regular strains didn’t contain therapeutic amounts of CBD, so high-CBD strains had to be specifically bred.
Now:
Every strain has at least some % of CBD…
But if you’re looking for the medical effects of CBD, you need therapeutic amounts of CBD.
Classic examples:
- CBD Strains – (CropKingSeed – CA / Seedsman – UK)
Just keep in mind:
If you’re only looking to get super-potent buds that will send you to another dimension…
Avoid CBD-strains, as they really temper the effects of THC, and CBD strains have lower percentages of THC in general.
Chapter 5 Marijuana Seeds for Sale (Where to Buy Them)
There are 1000s of ‘seedbanks’ on the internet…Most of them are very shady, non-transparent, and untrustworthy in general.
When you get seeds you want to be 100% sure, you’re getting quality seeds that will result in strong bud-producing marijuana plants.
In this chapter, you will learn the best places to get your marijuana seeds.
When buying marijuana seeds…
The last thing you want is:
- Weak plants with inferior genetics;
- Seeds that don’t even germinate;
- Or even worse: get scammed and lose your money.
Yes, the last one does happen on a more frequent basis than you would think.
If the only way to pay is to wire money to a (sketchy) bank account…
There’s a very big chance you’re going to get scammed.
The only way to ensure your quality is to buy from reputable seedbanks which have proven they’re reliable and supply quality seeds.
It also helps if the prices are fair, the seed bank carries seeds from well-known breeders, and the customer support is amazing.
Taking all these things into account, here’s a list of seedbanks that we like in no particular order:
Crop King Seeds (Canadian)
Crop King Seeds is a Canadian-based breeder and seed bank at the same time.
And while they might not provide you seeds with the most superior genetics that will grow into the most impressive plants that you will ever see…
When you’re just starting out, it’s best if you start with something cheap but reliable.
Because let’s be honest here:
Before you get some growing experience under your belt, it’s highly recommended to keep things cheap…
Unless you’re lucky, mistakes will be made and crops will be killed.
When talking about cheap but effective seeds, Crop King Seeds is the number 1 value-for-money seed bank that you will find.
Now, don’t think the quality of the seeds coming from CKS is bad…
Their seeds have very high germination rates and they grow into good quality plants, yielding proper buds.
Some of their strains do much better than others, however…
And if you’re looking for a highly recommended strain that has proven to do well, get these seeds:
Their customer service is also on point: you can order from these guys with great peace of mind, knowing if anything goes wrong, they will make sure to keep you a happy customer.
Click here to go to their website:
Now:
If you are looking for seeds with the most superior genetics or more variety…
The next seed bank is for you.
Seedsman (UK)
Seedsman is a UK-based seed bank. They don’t breed any seeds, but simply carry seeds of some of the most well-respected breeders like Greenhouse and HumboldtSeeds.
This is probably the seed bank with the most choice in terms of strains and breeders.
You will find literally every strain in any form or shape (feminized, autoflower, CBD strains, etc.).
The prices are also very fair.
That being said…
There’s 1 small (easily preventable) problem with Seedsman:
If you order seeds with regular shipping, there’s a significant chance customs will confiscate your seeds (even though marijuana seeds are legal almost everywhere in the world!).
But this is easily preventable:
If you’re located outside the UK, be absolutely sure that you order with stealth shipping.
This seed bank has great customer service as well and will load you up with great deals and freebies at times like Halloween and Black Friday. And in case of problems, you can absolutely count on their customer service: it’s stellar.
But the best part about their customer service:
They have very fast shipping times, even if you’re located in the U.S. or Canada!
Click here to go to their website:
Sensi Seeds (Netherlands)
SensiSeeds is one of the oldest, if not the oldest breeders and seedbanks in the world.
They’re located in Amsterdam and are one of the largest seed banks: they carry over 500 varieties of strains!
And if you think such a large selection of seeds, negatively affects the quality…
You’ll be in for a pleasant surprise.
Some of their strains are selected by the Dutch government to be supplied as prescription medical marijuana.
SensiSeeds really perfected their strains over a period of decades and you will be hard-pressed to find a strain that won’t impress you.
There’s only 1 problem with this seed bank though…
They don’t ship to the U.S., Canada, or Australia.
But if you’re based in Europe, SensiSeeds seeds are some of the highest quality seeds you can get, for a very fair price.
Click here to go to their website:
Note: If you are located in the U.S., Canada, or Australia and want to try SensiSeeds, order them from Seedsman!
Next up, another Dutch seed bank that does ship internationally…
True North Seedbank (Canada)
Not all top-quality seedbanks are located in Europe…
If you’re looking for one in North America, look no further.
True North Seedbank is a Canadian-based seed bank, that provides more variety and better quality seeds than Crop King Seeds…
Just realize getting top quality seeds from the best breeders, is going to cost you more as well (for a list of the best breeders check below).
Now:
Although they’re a relatively new seed bank (less than 5 years old)…
They quickly build a great reputation by offering seeds from the best breeders for fair prices…while providing great customer service and fast and discreet shipping, especially if you’re located in the U.S.
The bottom line is:
If you’re located in the U.S. and need seeds from the best breeders fast…
True North Seedbank is the seed bank you should check out.
Click here to go to their website:
Seedbanks vs Breeders
Is there a difference between seed banks and breeders?
Yes, definitely.
Some breeders are also seedbanks…But definitely, not all seedbanks are breeders.
Breeders are the guys that breed the different strains that you know about like White Widow or Jack Herer, and seedbanks are the guys that sell them (but as said before most breeders also are seedbanks as they sell their own seeds).
Now:
We already talked about top-quality seedbanks, selling seeds from the best breeders, and having great customer service…
But as you might’ve expected, there’s also a difference in quality between the strains of different breeders.
Here’s a list of breeders we believe provide top quality seeds (in no particular order):
- Bohdi;
- Mr Nice;
- SensiSeeds;
- Dinafem;
- Dutch Passion;
- Nirvana;
- DNA Genetics;
- HumboldtSeeds;
- GreenHouse.
This list is not exhaustive and there are many more quality breeders, but these are the ones we personally tested and absolutely loved.
So when looking for the best seeds, get seeds from these breeders (our listed seedbanks provide all of these).
Chapter 6 Germinating Marijuana Seeds
If you’re getting marijuana seeds…
At least at some point, you probably want to be germinating them.
Now:
There are different ways you can go about this…
But the best way we’ve found over the years of growing, we explain thoroughly in this article:
Chapter 7 Marijuana Seeds and Cloning Cannabis
90% of growers want to start out growing with more than 1 plant.
Usually, it’s in the 3-6 range.
Now, the easiest way to get the exact number of plants you want is to just order the number of seeds corresponding to the number of plants you want, PLUS a few extra in case 1 or 2 of your seeds don’t germinate.
What most beginners don’t know though…
Is that there is another way to get to the number of plants you really want:
- Cloning.
In this chapter, you’re going to learn the pros and cons of getting marijuana seeds vs cloning and what seeds you should get if you think, there’s a chance you might ever clone.
What Is Cloning
When you clone your marijuana plant, you essentially make a copy of it by cutting off a piece of it, planting it, and letting it develop roots.
This result is close to an exact copy of your mother plant, except for genetically. Genetically, you’re 100% sure you’re having an exact copy (which means the buds it produces will produce the same physical and mental effects).
Since cloning only works if you’ve already got a plant, or know someone with a marijuana plant…
Starting with marijuana seeds is the most practical option for most of you (If you’re living in a state or country where growing marijuana is 100% legalized, you could also start by buying a clone from a dispensary or a cloner).
How to Clone
Let’s say you start out with a few marijuana seeds.
After you’ve grown your first mature female marijuana plant, and you really like its produce (the buds), you can start cloning this plant:
You cut off a branch of the mother plant which is well suited for cloning, and plant it in a root riot starter cube.
Over time, this branch will start to develop roots and grow into a full-fledged, bud-producing plant.
If you think this might be something you would want to do at some stage in your growing career, you have to get the right seeds:
Non-auto flowering seeds.
It doesn’t matter whether you get feminized or photoperiod seeds, as long as they’re not auto-flowering, you’re good.
When cloning from photoperiod seeds, just make sure you’re actually cloning a female plant…otherwise, you won’t get any buds (only female marijuana plants produce buds).
Autoflowering seeds are trickier to clone.
Here’s why:
There’s a big chance the clone you take is as far in its lifecycle as the mother plant from which it was taken…
And won’t have enough time to grow before it comes into the flowering stage, which means its yield will be abysmal.