Recognizing quality marijuana seeds

Marijuana is best known for its effects on people when they smoke it. So, where does this high effect come from?

How do you ensure that the quality of your marijuana is as good as it could be? It all starts by choosing the right seeds. The right seeds are mature cannabis seeds. 

Understand how to recognize quality marijuana seeds before you can grow the best marijuana. High-quality cannabis starts with good genetics.

Begin your grow with healthy, mature cannabis seeds from a reputable seed bank.

When you have a particularly good strain or good season of marijuana growth, you will most likely want to store seeds for that particular type of cannabis, its “parent plant,” so you can experience the same sort of success later on.

In this article, we will cover the basics of selecting the right seeds.

Keep reading.

How to grow the best weed

To grow the best weed, you need to know what determines the best seeds, why genetics make certain weed plants better than others, and how to choose the best seeds.

THC, a term that usually refers to Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, is the ingredient in marijuana that is the primary contributor to the high feeling smokers experience.

This is a bit misleading for two reasons.

First, some types of THC are not Delta-9, such as Delta-8. Second, THC is not the only chemical that is responsible for a high.

Other compounds contribute to the feeling – these chemicals are called cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids include every different variation of THC, and they make up the psychoactive ingredients that lead to the feeling of being high.

The tricky thing about marijuana is that no one can really define the right combination to achieve the best or greatest high.

Even scientists are unable to figure out what combination of cannabinoids makes the most potent combination.

This is partly because the feeling of “high” experienced from marijuana cannot be measured externally – it can only be described by the person experiencing it.

This makes any evidence about correlations between different combinations of chemicals and types or strength of highs very subjective.

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The experience is also different for each person, even if they take the same amount of the same plant as someone else.

Any mix of emotions (usually euphoria, elation, paranoia, sleepiness, or clarity of thought) can be felt by different people, even if they consume the same amount and type of weed.

The best weed comes from the best genes

While there is still a large amount of variation from seed to seed, even within the same strain, a lot depends on the environment in which it is grown and the care you have when raising your plants.

Growing your own weed is an extremely gratifying experience. It will take a bit of trial and error, and you will have to overcome some inevitable failures, but it will be even more rewarding when you finally succeed. 

Download our free marijuana Grow Bible and start growing high quality marijuana strains.

The source always matters

You can source your seeds from: 

• A bag of weed
• A seasoned grower
• A seedbank 

The first step for most new growers is to extract seeds from large commercially purchased bags of cannabis.

This is likely the easiest way to get seeds but take caution— that cannabis has already been heavily processed and packaged.

Huge quantities of bud are dried and cured together en masse and then snipped and stuffed into big vacuum-sealed bags.

Unless you are already directly familiar with the mature plants your seeds or clones came from, growing marijuana is unavoidably unpredictable.

This is why it is especially important to seed or clone your best quality plant since that will make you able to guarantee the quality of the next crop.

Knowledge of the source is also why experienced growers have better outcomes with their harvest.

Also read “Best outdoor seeds for your climate“

They often choose their best cannabis plants out of a single strain, and use those seeds for the following season’s harvest. Now, they have a better understanding of the plant their seeds came from and can also improve their care of the same type of plant. 

Aren’t seeds a bad thing?

All cannabis cultivation comes down to your goals as a grower. Want a bountiful harvest? You’ll want to grow the best weed by breeding perfection using seeds. Skip ahead to learn why. 

“Nope, I want to smoke,” then you need to grow plants that produce fewer seeds. You need feminized seeds. 

“Sinsemilla” is a Spanish word that translates to “without seed.”

It describes female cannabis plants that grow into maturity without fertilization from male pollen. Growing sinsemilla marijuana outside is almost impossible since your female plants could be pollinated from the male plants up to a mile away! 

So why do you want to avoid pollinating your female marijuana plants? Pollination means that the plants will use their precious energy to create seeds instead of flowers.

This is due to natural selection. Since a plant that produces more seeds is more likely to reproduce, a female marijuana plant will prioritize making seeds if fertilized.

Although this is an advantageous feature for marijuana’s survival, it is not exactly what smokers look for in a weed plant.

Sinsemilla marijuana, having never been pollinated, usually produces a more resinous bud since there are no seeds to take over the valuable flowering area.

Producing seeds isn’t all bad for the smoker, however. If one crop is particularly delicious or potent, it is vital to let those plants produce some seeds.

Store these seeds correctly and label them accurately to make informed decisions about which seeds produced the best crop and which ones are better to avoid.

You can then use seeds that produce tall plants or strong, sweet buds for a future growing season.

When you find a plant that you want to preserve seeds for,  make sure to treat those seeds with extra special care, as they are your best bet for harvesting the best product.

Why you should grow weed from seeds

Some people are intimidated by growing marijuana from seeds. At first, the results may not be as big as you had planned for – this is normal, and you will continue to get better with time and experience.

To reach the highest possible yield of cannabis, you must study and practice, especially if you haven’t done anything so much as growing potted house plants or flowers on your window sill.

Just keep at it, and within a few growing seasons, you will be an expert.

Although research and preparation make a big difference, they can only go so far without actual hands-on experience.

As you learn and develop your skills, trying clones may be tempting rather than learning by trial and error with seeds. Careful, though.

Different strains and plants will grow, mature, and flower at different rates. Growing one Sativa might be completely different than growing a different strain of Sativa. 

Plus, you never know what you may end up growing.  When growing from clones from another grower, your clone might inherit any issues they had while growing it.    

Buying marijuana seeds from a seed bank

Buying seeds from a seed bank gives you a better idea of what to expect in terms of the quality, yields, look, and time it will take to bloom.

Plus, you’re starting fresh with new seeds, which lowers the risk of diseases or pests in your plants. Learn more about why growing from seeds produces the best weed. 

When you grow from seeds you have certainty. Whenever you see your stash of weed in the freezer, you will feel proud.

Whenever you smoke your marijuana, you can feel safe and satisfied because you know exactly what you are putting into your body and where it came from. 

Where to find the best quality seeds

Quality marijuana seeds mean quality genes. Better genes better your chances of growing a healthy harvest. 

Online seed banks offer a wide selection of quality marijuana seeds, and reputable seed banks make it easier to purchase good seeds.

Your seeds should come from seedbanks because the ones that sneak into dried marijuana flowers are rarely usable – mostly because they never reach full maturity before being harvested. 

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Besides, for many, marijuana cultivation is a business. If they were good seeds, wouldn’t the growers have kept them? 

The only reason you’ll be able to find marijuana seeds at all is the difficulty growers have in finding and removing all of the seeds.

Commercial growers have nothing to gain by offering free seeds to consumers.

Identifying quality marijuana seeds

Cannabis seeds grow underneath the buds themselves, sandwiched in between the plant matter and the parent stem.

They’re difficult to see and have a cushion of protection underneath their shell to guard against all of the drying, curing, processing, and packaging that they’ll go through before they get to you.

It’s somewhat amazing that bag seeds, found seeds in prepared marijuana, manage to survive the marijuana preparation process at all, but some do (with mixed results). 

You may also find seeds with damaged or scratched surfaces. If so, give them a chance; you might be surprised. You cannot judge a seed by its shell.

Mature seeds come in various colors, shapes, and sizes.

Don’t discount paler, smaller seeds- even seemingly green seeds might surprise you. Give them some time and see how they develop.

Some inconspicuous-looking seeds might produce the greatest plants!

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Keep in mind, today’s seeds come in many shapes and sizes. An autoflowering seed might be a little smaller. Other strains might have a little variance in color.

Just like there are many marijuana strains to choose from, with different sizes and colors, there are also different types of seeds. 

With a moderately healthy stock, you’re likely to see about one in every three cannabis seeds sprout.

Although seeds are relatively robust, many factors can prevent sprouting, such as: 

• seeds with damaged husks
• immature seeds
• seeds damaged by environmental extremes

Seeds face a lot of damage in how they are stored. For example, the practice of freezing seeds can make them unviable.

This is a common problem, especially in northern latitudes where winter temperatures accidentally free poorly stored seeds. Of course, you won’t know if the seeds were frozen, but that may be the reason when they don’t sprout. 

You can store seeds indefinitely, but they might have more trouble germinating as they get older.

As long as you store the seeds in a dry and cool environment, you can keep them pretty much forever. Just don’t expect them to germinate as easily as fresh seeds.

How to store marijuana seeds

You got your seeds. Now store them. 

When storing your seeds, remember: 

• Use the right storage container
• Store in a cool, dry place in a closed container
• Label your containers with name and date
• Test your seeds before planting them 

As with most plant seeds of any kind, marijuana seeds last the longest when stored in a cool, dry place in a closed container.

Always remember to label your containers accurately.

Since cannabis seeds can last quite a long time when stored correctly – the length of multiple growing seasons – it is easy to forget which seeds are in which container after a couple of months. 

It’s also a good idea to include the date on your label.

As you gain years of experience, you may realize that seeds from a certain year perform better and produce better weeds than seeds from other years.

If you want to store seeds for even longer, you can freeze them for two years or even longer.

It’s important to note, however, that this will significantly lower your chances of success. In general, there is a risk when storing seeds over long periods.

Whether it’s from poor storage or another reason, marijuana seeds will occasionally not germinate or grow, so test the seeds before planting them.

Do this step several weeks before you plan on planting to make the most of your precious growing season.

Choosing the best seeds to plant

Picking out which seeds are not going to work is not rocket science. You want in-tact husks; if you can easily squash a seed with your fingers, it probably will not germinate successfully.

When in doubt, generally go for brown, plump, waxy seeds instead of particularly pale or dark ones. Keep in mind that random bag seeds rarely succeed at germinating and growing.

While Marijuana is called “weed” and fares quite well in the wild, naturally scattered seeds only grow a fourth to almost half of the time.

What to look for when buying cannabis seeds

For cannabis breeding, you need both male and female seeds. Feminized seeds ensure your plants are not pollinated and won’t yield many seeds, if any at all. 

Buying top shelf marijuana seeds 

It takes a lot of trust to buy anything online, let alone cannabis seeds. There’s no way to know what strain you’re getting by looking at the seeds themselves. You won’t know anything about the genetics, except for what the grower or breeder tells you.

This is one of the biggest reasons why you’d want to purchase your seeds from a reputable company or seed bank. Random dealers won’t necessarily know any better than you what strain they have.

When you buy seeds, try to choose a seed bank or company that offers some client support.

Cultivating cannabis isn’t too difficult, but because of the nature of the plant, you can’t just ask friends and family for help and support.

Usually, seed banks provide some troubleshooting for their customers. It’s in their best interest to help customers and maintain a positive reputation.

It takes a lot of experience and expertise to produce high-quality seeds.

The entire process of selecting, testing, and producing a batch of seeds can take up to a year or more.

Buying your seeds from a company you can trust ensures your harvest benefits from all of that effort. 

Know how to perfectly time your harvest so you can maximize your yield. Download our free mini harvesting guide

FAQs about quality cannabis seeds

Which seed bank has the best genetics?

A seed bank with good genetics will not hesitate to guarantee the quality of its seeds. ILGM guarantees its seeds and its shipping. Choose from a variety of feminized and autoflower seeds as well as marijuana-growing supplies without worrying about dealing with bad genetics. Purchase your seeds in our cannabis seed bank. 

Why should you start with healthy cannabis seeds?

Healthy cannabis seeds produce healthy cannabis plants. When a seed is damaged, the plant may take longer to grow, require more nutrients, produce lower yields, or have less potency. Expert growers can sometimes nurse plants with poor genetics to health, however, it is easiest to start with healthy seeds. 

What do good cannabis seeds look like?

Cannabis seeds come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. You can’t simply look at a seed and know it will do well. The best way to check the quality of a cannabis seed is to germinate it. A poor quality cannabis seed will struggle with germination and likely struggle with growing, as well.

Choosing what to grow next?

• Cannabis seed types explained
• What are feminized seeds?
• What are autoflower seeds?
• What are regular cannabis seeds?
• What are photoperiod cannabis seeds?
• Comparing autoflower vs. photoperiod
• What is sinsemilla?
• ILGM Quiz: What strain is best for you?
• Cannabis plant types: Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis
• Where to buy marijuana seeds?
• Cannabis Seed Banks in the USA
• Recognizing quality marijuana seeds
• How to store cannabis seeds
• Feminizing: How to make female cannabis seeds

What’s your experience in identifying high-quality marijuana seeds? Please share with us or ask questions in the comments!

Happy growing,

Robert