Health

Smart Buying: What Every Cannabis User Should Know About Seeds

Quality cannabis seeds aren’t cheap, so consumers must know how to make market purchases. Outstanding genetics lead to excellent cannabis crops. What should every cannabis user know about seeds when buying to ensure they provide high-quality crops?

Where to Purchase?

To ensure quality, people should purchase cannabis seeds from reputable seed banks. These suppliers stock seeds from various breeds and keep the seeds in their original packaging. They accept multiple types of payments and fill orders promptly. Furthermore, customers may request tracking information when purchasing products from a reputable seed bank. People often seek assistance from Kind Seed Co when purchasing seeds and have questions about which ones they should buy. They know this company is reputable and will steer them in the right direction. 

The Legality of Purchasing Cannabis Seeds

People must ensure they remain within the law when purchasing cannabis seeds. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, cannabis seeds may be legally purchased under current law because they contain less than 0.03 percent THC. They are not a controlled substance unless they are used to grow marijuana. People often use the seeds as bird food or fishing bait. However, men and women also need to know state laws, and purchasers must know that mail carriers might confiscate packages because cannabis remains illegal under federal law. 

Seed Packaging

Most seed banks ship their products in the original packaging to ensure the authenticity of cannabis seeds. This packaging should be crush-proof to protect the contents, share information about the cannabis strain, and contain desiccant beads to safeguard the seeds from humidity. Buyers may ask the shipper to send the seeds in discreet packaging so others don’t know what they bought. 

Breeders require their seeds to be shipped in the original packaging to remain fresh. Some seed banks purchase cannabis seeds and repackage them under their brand. When doing so, they place the seeds in envelopes. Mail sorting machines crush seeds packaged this way. Ask each seed bank how they send orders. Seeds should be in priority mail packages to avoid this damage. 

Feminized Seeds

Once consumers have ensured the company protects their purchases, they move to the seed selection process. Feminized seeds remain popular with many growers. They bred only female seeds, so a grower doesn’t need to worry about male plants pollinating female ones and destroying the crop. All feminized seeds have two X chromosomes. Breeders create these seeds by treating female plants with chemicals designed to disrupt the plant’s hormone signaling system. Feminized pollen is then used to pollinate female plants, so they produce only female seeds. 

Photoperiod Strains

Photoperiod strains rely on light cycles to move through the development stages. These plants only flower when exposed to short days and long nights. Most photoperiod strains need equal light and dark to move into the flowering phase. However, growers must know the light requirements of the strains they cultivate. This information helps them determine when to plant the seeds outdoors or adjust the indoor grow lights to meet the plant’s needs. 

Hermaphrodoitic Plants

Most cannabis plants are either male or female, with reproductive organs of one type. However, certain plants are hermaphroditic, which means their flowers have both male and female organs. If the male organs pollinate the female plants, the crop is ruined. Some strains have high rates of hermaphrodites, while others have a minuscule amount. Reputable breeders stress test their strains’ genetics to eliminate intersex plants from their breeding programs. Home growers don’t need to worry about hermaphrodites if they purchase quality feminized seeds. 

Autoflowering Strains

Autoflowering strains aren’t dependent on light to move between the different stages of development. They automatically flower after a specific period passes. These strains have a short grow cycle. People can harvest their crops within 70 to 100 days of successful germination. Indoor growers frequently choose this option. 

Breeders continue to experiment with autoflowering strains. Some strains today have over 20 percent THC, and users appreciate the terpene profiles. These plants are small, so people who wish to be discreet should look into available options. However, the short growth cycle means there is less room for error. If mistakes are made, the plant may not have time to recover. 

Fast Strains

Breeders have combined photoperiod and autoflowering strains to create fast strains that flower when exposed to light for 14 to 16 hours daily. They refer to these plants as photoperiod sensitive, and the plants often flower when root-bound or if growers plant them outside too early. Growers appreciate that the yield potential of these strains is significantly higher than that of autoflower strains. Growers can clone plants and keep them. 

Sativa or Indica

Sativa and Indica are from the cannabis species. The difference lies in the effects. Indica strains have a sedative effect, while Sativa ones motivate individuals and stimulate creativity. Sativa plants usually have narrow leaf blades with long internodes. Indica strains are short and have wide leaf blades. 

Indica plants lack mold resistance because they evolved in dry climates. When choosing seeds, look for those grown outside if the cannabis will be cultivated outdoors. They are hardier and can resist plants commonly found in outdoor growing environments. Many people are encouraging breeders to stop distinguishing strains as Indica, Sativa, or hybrid and instead classify them by their THC and CBD levels. 

Hybrids

Breeders offer numerous hybrid strains, and growers may want to try a few. They contain genetics from plants worldwide, and these plants tend to benefit from hybrid vigor. The offspring of these plants have superior characteristics because they pull the best from each parent plant. The plants may be more fertile or hardier. Growers find these strains can often overcome the challenges they frequently experience.  People should not be overwhelmed by the number of cannabis seeds offered. When they know what to look for, they can get quality seeds that produce abundant yields. Learn more today to find seeds that meet your specific needs. They are out there when one knows where to look. 

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