Cannabis Seeds

What Do Good Weed Seeds Look Like?

Published

7 months ago

September 28, 2023

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Growing cannabis for seed is a passion project undertaken by plant-loving breeders of every caliber. Generation after generation, parent plants are selected and tracked, genetics are improved and stabilized through traditional farming methods, and the resulting traits are documented and enjoyed by growers and consumers. On the other hand, some folks grow seeds accidentally when stray pollen from a rogue plant enters the garden. Which seeds are good?

When talking about recognizing quality weed seeds, there are two main considerations:

Quality of the future cannabis plant (genetic contents)
Quality of the seed in terms of its characteristics “as a seed” (i.e., suitability for growing)

This article will assume you are already familiar with the genetic characteristics of the plant you’re planning to grow. It instead examines how to recognize high-quality weed seeds in a batch that you harvested, received as a gift, found in a bud, or bought from a reputable cannabis seed bank.

What do healthy cannabis seeds look like?

Healthy cannabis seeds are robust, oval-shaped, shiny, dark-colored, firm, and fully formed when harvested. By contrast, immature and unhealthy seeds appear stunted or shrunken on the non-pointy end (the “abscission” area, i.e., the base where the seed was attached to the flower) and may be light green or white.

comparison between a healthy and unhealthy cannabis seed

Cannabis seed identification myths

Almost all cannabis seeds available to consumers today are incredibly similar in appearance. This is due to how closely related the extreme majority of popular and commercially viable cannabis cultivars (strains, as we incorrectly call them) are compared to their wild and landrace ancestors.

In the 20th century, folks who wanted to grow and breed high-yielding, THC-rich, and fast-finishing (including autoflowering) cannabis under prohibition had a limited selection from which to identify and refine genetics.

For this reason, many easy-to-grow cannabis types share a lot of DNA. Sometimes nicknamed “OG” or “Old School,” stabilized family lines were (and continue to be) used by contemporary cultivators to experiment with hybrid forms that can improve or present unique spins on existing favorites.

Some people believe you can tell what you have just by looking at a seed. In fact, historically, folks have shared some creative ideas about identifying future plant characteristics based on the look or character of the seeds.

Let’s start by answering some questions you may have after hearing popular myths about the appearance of cannabis seeds and what people think it says about their quality:

Are light or dark weed seeds better?

It is fair to say that dark weed seeds are better for growing than light-colored seeds. This is because the dark color indicates the seeds have completed their journey from pollination to maturity. They have developed all of the protective shell structures necessary to survive until they find the right conditions to germinate and start the cannabis life cycle again.

On average, fiber cannabis types, which have been forcibly bred with low THC under hemp-growing laws in many parts of the world, tend to display slightly lighter shades of brown.

Can you recognize feminized or autoflower seeds?

Feminized and autoflower seeds look just like regular and photoperiod seeds. You cannot tell how long a seed will take to grow into a finished plant by looking at it.

Can you recognize if the resulting plant will be male or female?

It is impossible to recognize whether a resulting plant will be male or female by its seed’s observable qualities. Purchasing feminized seeds and ensuring they are kept separate from any other seeds in your collection is the only way to know your plants will grow to be female.

Shop Feminized Seeds

Female plants for healthy bud
Quality genetics, high yields
All popular cultivars

Can you tell the strain by a cannabis seed?

You cannot tell the strain of cannabis by looking at a seed. A grower who produces seeds may notice they become familiar with how their seeds look when made by certain plants (as in the case of stabilized lineages). Still, the likelihood of identifying any given strain in, let’s say, a bag of random seeds is next to, if not entirely, impossible.

Can you even tell if a seed is indica or sativa?

You can’t tell if a seed is indica or sativa from its appearance.

Indica and sativa cannabis types grown for high cannabinoid content and easy cultivation are hybridized forms of plants selected for those features.

Unless (until?) you become as passionate about (might I even suggest “obsessed with”?) growing cannabis as some of us around here, most of the good seeds you will encounter in your life as a grower of high-quality cannabis will look very similar.

Should a cannabis seed have (tiger) stripes?

A lack of stripes is not a good reason to downgrade a cannabis seed, but the presence of stripes or mottling does indicate that its internal structures were mature at harvest.

Seed striping in cannabis is related to an evolutionary need for camouflage, protecting the seeds dropped by plants from being eaten (by birds, mainly). The genes of a subtype can retain this trait, but it may also not be part of that particular variety’s DNA expression.

The stripes on a cannabis seed are among the last characteristics to develop, and the layer in which they appear can sometimes be “sloughed off” in the collection and handling process.

There is no reason to insist that a cannabis seed should have stripes to be a good quality seed.

Cannabis tiger striped marijuana seed — An example of a bunch of tiger striped marijuana seeds

Does cannabis seed size matter?

Cannabis plant breeding (outside of “hemp” grown specifically for fiber) has created varieties that consistently make larger and more uniform seeds.

Larger seeds serve the interests of growers seeking more protein and oil from the seed. In the absence of pollination, this portion of the plant’s energy goes to creating the cannabinoid-rich oils found in and on the unseeded, tightly stacked, and plump buds.

The relative size of a cannabis seed does not matter when it comes to its eventual size: large cannabis seeds will not inherently make bigger plants.

What color should a good weed seed be?

Color is one important characteristic that seed growers use to evaluate whether their seeds are good enough to sell or to plant for the next crop. The color of the seed indicates its maturity at harvest. There is only a short window of time during which the contents of the seed are fully formed, and the outer shell of the seeds is not. For this reason, a good weed seed is generally dark in color.

Light or white cannabis seeds

Light or white cannabis seeds were pollinated closer to their harvest date than their counterparts on the same plant. As it takes a minimum of four, but usually more, weeks for cannabis seeds to become mature after pollination, the seed producer is occasionally forced to harvest their plants before some of the seeds have fully developed.

White or light-colored cannabis seeds can be just as viable as their dark-brown counterparts. However, they are more vulnerable to storage climate conditions (e.g., temperature fluctuations, humidity, dryness) and infection.

If you have white or light cannabis seeds, attempt to germinate them during the first growing season after you acquired them. Under ideal conditions, older white seeds may still germinate, but you are likely to see a reduction in healthy seedling rates the longer you wait to grow them.

Dark or black cannabis seeds

Dark or black cannabis seeds are ready to propagate their genetics at the time of harvest. High-quality weed seeds are usually dark brown, gray, or black in color.

a dark cannabis seed — An example of a darker toned cannabis seed, which will produce a healthy plant

Green cannabis seeds

A greenish-white cannabis seed is probably not completely formed inside, and a green color is a strong indicator it will not grow at all.

Cannabis seeds can retain a green tint until completely formed and dry in the buds. When they are complete, they are ready to withstand the period between the plant’s natural seasons of regrowth.

Sometimes, seeds are still slightly green because they are very fresh. A greenish-colored brown cannabis seed will usually darken as it dries, to the point where the green color fades or disappears. A green hue on cannabis seeds that was otherwise quite dark when the plants were cut down is not usually a concern.

A green cannabis plant seed — An example of a marijuana seed which is probably to young to produce a healthy plant.

How can you tell the quality of weed seeds?

You can tell the quality of weed seeds by using the same evaluation criteria as the growers who made them. In commercial seed production, no matter what type of plant is being grown, a uniform harvest of high-quality seeds is the goal.

When all the seeds in a pack look almost identical, the grower likely had a good handle on the variables to make vigorous seeds with high germination rates and a reasonable storage lifespan.

Look for fully-matured, oval-shaped seeds with a dark color and firm shell, with no signs of damage.

Shop High-Quality Seeds

High-quality, hand-picked seeds
The best genetics out there
Delivery and germination warranty

Is the firmness of a marijuana seed an indicator of quality?

The firmness of a seed, which in agricultural regulations is called its “resistance to compression,” is one of the measurable indicators of maturity. Although you may be able to crush good quality seeds if you try (so don’t try too hard!), a seed’s firmness is an indicator that you have a good quality cannabis seed.

Older seeds can have thick shells.

Seeds with very thick outer shells make it hard for water to penetrate them. The thick outer shell of an older seed may have preserved its viability but may also make your germination period longer.

Seeds from different batches, harvested from differently mature parts of the same plants, or with different genetics can have varied shell thicknesses. Regardless, ideal germination conditions should be maintained even if the seeds of one type or source have already ‘popped’ (sprouted) while others lag behind.

Dry or brittle seeds

Seeds subjected to overdrying lose their ability to support themselves through germination. Dry or brittle seeds are considered poor quality.

What if your seed has a damaged or scratched shell?

If your seed has a damaged or scratched shell, you may consider this a lower-quality weed seed. Any damage sustained by the seed’s protective coating makes it vulnerable to the elements, compromising the viability of the contents.

Don’t throw it out, though. A scratched shell is not a reason to discard the seed without attempting to grow it. However, you should lower your expectations for successful germination.

Seed identification has great potential.

The future may hold fascinating new developments in seed quality and type identification. There is a resurging interest in sourcing, identifying, and protecting global cannabis genetic diversity.

Using cannabis seeds purchased at a market in Thailand in 2022, a group of scientists recently released the first known open-access dataset containing four thousand images for machine learning (AI-training) purposes.

With researchers all over the world studying and sharing information about cannabis and its seeds, new data may come out that will put some of the old myths to rest (or perhaps reveal exciting insights!).

Conclusion

Today, as growers, our ability to estimate the quality of seeds we intend to grow comes down to a few key aspects.

Observations of the seed characteristics and general appearance.

Does it look like it was mature when collected? Was it protected from damage throughout its post-harvest journey from the parent plant to the garden?

Trust in the seed producer.

Do you trust your source, especially their skills in cultivating, harvesting, and preserving high-quality cannabis seeds from healthy plants? Do you trust their quality control standards and guarantees?

Experience.

What data collection, documentation, and analysis of our own experiences growing high-quality cannabis seeds do you have? What can you tell from what you’ve experienced?

These are the three things you should always consider when evaluating cannabis seeds. However, when you start with brown, firm, uniform, and not visibly damaged seeds, you give yourself the best chance at success. For high-quality marijuana seeds with guaranteed germination, visit ILGM.com.

Learn more about cannabis seeds

Be sure to check out the following articles if you want to learn more about cannabis seeds:

Once you’ve got your hands on some high-quality cannabis seeds, don’t forget to download Robert’s free Marijuana Grow Bible and check out the ILGM Grow Support Forum to get growing!

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autoflowering seeds

The best cannabis seed companies 2024

Published

3 weeks ago

April 12, 2024

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These recommendations on the best cannabis seed companies are made by Leafly Product Picks after extensive research, internal debate, and expert consultation. If you make a purchase through links on this page, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Updated for 2024.

A quick look at 2024’s best cannabis seed companies

Homegrown Cannabis Co

Cookies Seed Bank

Premium Cultivars

Selecting seeds ahead of the planting season is one of the most exciting parts of growing your own cannabis for experts and novices alike. There are thousands of strains out there to try, with more dropping every season, so the only real question is where you want to start.

We’ve put together this list of the best places to buy seeds online to help you navigate where to find quality seeds you can count on. We’ve gone ahead and classified these into several categories like best genetics, best for beginners, etc, so read on until you find the right seed bank to fit your needs. Happy growing!

Top seed banks of 2024: Reviews and recommended products

Highlights

Expert knowledge courtesy of Robert Bergman
Extensive resources for newcomers
Highly affordable

The cannabis journey of a thousand harvests begins with a single seed, and tons of happy hobbyist growers get their start with I Love Growing Marijuana, affectionately known as ILGM. Founded in 2012 by the incomparable master breeder Robert Bergman, ILGM.com is our recommendation for the best seed bank to start your growing journey due to their extensive online resources for novices, as well as plug-and-play grow kits that are ideal for those just starting out. That’s not all—ILGM will also include a free download of Robert Bergman’s Grow Bible with every purchase.

ILGM is the perfect company to teach you how to stop worrying and learn to love growing marijuana, and even have it love you back.

Do-si-dos: Winner of one of the biggest prizes in cannabis, our very own 2021 Leafly Strain of the Year award, Do-si-dos may be a total champion, but it hasn’t let all that fame go to its head. Do-si-dos is still the easy-to-grow sensation that arrived on the scene nearly a decade ago and has been a friendly introduction to the world of cannabis growing ever since. Do-si-dos is a slightly indica-leaning hybrid that can hold up well in a variety of climates and growing conditions, although it slightly prefers an indoor environment. You can start your cultivation adventure with ten Dos-i-dos feminized seeds for just $149.

Pros	Cons
Plug-and-play options	Limited selection of rare strains
Free Grow Bible

Highlights

Great for medical patients
Easy delivery
High-CBD options

Many growers first take to the hobby because they get tired of giving so much of their paycheck to the local dispensary. If you’re one of those cannasseurs that got into growing green to save some green, then look no further than Seeds Supreme. They have a massive selection of strains both common and rare, expertly collated into an easy-to-use webpage. You’ll be hard-pressed to find seeds for a better price anywhere, and Seed Supreme even frequently slashes their own already low prices with heaps of special deals and promotions.

Seed Supreme goes the extra mile when it comes to taking care of their customers who primarily grow cannabis to ease the symptoms of their medical ailments. Not only do they have multiple strains popular in the medical community, Seed Supreme allows you to sort strains via the particular symptom you are hoping to relieve or condition you are suffering from. Customers are able to browse either by ailment, like multiple sclerosis or arthritis, or by symptoms, like nausea or insomnia. This means that Seed Supreme is one of the best spots around for finding the perfect strain to help with whatever ails you.

Seed Supreme’s low prices means you’ll never have to pick between two of your favorite strains again. Thanks to them, the answer will always be both.

Alien OG Feminized: A true 50/50 hybrid the likes of which are increasingly rare, Alien OG is the sort of strain that’ll have you questioning your place in the universe. Hailing from outer space by way of the San Francisco Bay, Alien OG gets its potent DNA from Alien Kush and Tahoe OG Kush, two parents who are no slouches in the THC department either. You can expect your Alien OG buds to reach up to 28% THC in ideal conditions, enough to satisfy the strongest of tolerances and help anyone explore the farther reaches of the galaxy.

Pros	Cons
Incredibly easy-to-browse website	Automated customer support
Extensive options for medical patients

Highlights

Multiple award-winning genetics team
Incredibly in-depth growing information
Special members-only Seed Vault Club

With twenty years of excellence under their belt, DNA Genetics are some of the elder statesmen of the cannabis world. They’ve migrated from California to the Netherlands and back again, breeding legendary strains and filling their trophy case with prestigious awards. There’s hardly a cannabis award in the twenty-first century they haven’t won by introducing the world to favorites like Tangie, Kosher Kush, and Lemon Skunk, magical strains that continue to loom large in cannabis culture to this day.

DNA Genetics has begun to license its precious genetics to home breeders, spreading the DNA to be shared and iterated upon, in the true spirit of cannabis culture. If you’re interested in growing weed that is one step short of mythical, then DNA Genetics has the storied genetic legacy you’ve been dreaming of.

A team that got so tired of winning every single award that they decided it was only fair to let everyone else have a turn with their genetics. We’re honored to add one more accolade to this legendary group.

Chocolope Fem: The delicious winner of over ten awards, Chocolope is descended from OG Chocolate Thai, a hard-to-find cultivar notable for its chocolate and coffee aroma, and Cannalope Haze. Chocolope is a mouthwatering sativa-like that produces huge, resin-coated buds, perfect for the hash-maker or anyone who appreciates a stronger smoke. This strain is beginner-friendly, resilient, and oh-so tasty; there’s no reason not to treat yourself with a seed or twenty.

Pros	Cons
Legendary genetics	Smaller selection
Exclusive VIP members club

Highlights

Custodians of classic strains
Innovative genetic team
Scientific outlook

Earning the crown for the most innovative purveyor of seeds is Royal Queen Seeds, a European seed bank that has had a British Invasion-level impact on American growers. Based in Amsterdam, a site of stoner pilgrimage for decades, Royal Queen Seeds has been the careful shepherd of cannabis DNA that goes back to the days of the coffeeshops. However, it’s Royal Queen’s ability to look towards the future that has earned them the spot on this list.

Royal Queen’s dedication to innovation extends to all levels of their business. Not only are they advancing the frontiers of cannabis genetics with their line of F1 Hybrids, but they’re also making sure growing weed is more accessible and fun than it ever has been before through tools like their online seedfinder. Touring Royal Queen’s incredible genetic library will surely have you seduced by a special strain that you can crown as your next fave.

Royal Queen Seeds has made monarchists out of us. With unrivaled respect for tradition combined with an innovative edge, RQS will have growers saying “Hail to the Queen.”

Titan F1: F1 strains are famed for their resilience and robust genetics, and Titan F1 is an exemplar even among the F1 crowd. A pioneering hybrid, Titan F1 is an inbred cross of princely genetics including stand-out strains like Blue Dream, Amnesia, and Sugar Magnolia. Cannabis inbreeding won’t result in your weed going pug-shaped—in fact, RQS uses the technique to reinforce beneficial traits like resilience to pests or high-THC content. Get Titan F1 growing in your garden today, and experience some truly titanic majesty.

Pros	Cons
Innovative genetic team	Somewhat slower order processing
Wide variety of classic & unique strains

Recommended product: Kyle’s Sweet Island Feminized

Highlights

Great resources for growers of all levels
Several experts on staff
Unique cultivars

The best growers in the business will tell you that there’s always more to learn about cannabis cultivation. Like an iceberg, most of the substance of cannabis growing is below the surface. Growers who are interested in learning from some of the best minds in the cannabis industry should find a home at Homegrown Cannabis Co, a seed bank that offers extensive seed options as well as all the resources you could ever need to take your growing game to the next level.

Homegrown Cannabis Co has a crew of cannabis-growing heavyweights bringing their knowledge to Homegrown customers by writing articles, producing videos, and recommending strains. These experts are a veritable Mount Rushmore of cannabis legends, including Parker Curtis, Victoria Rouland, Nikki Lasterto, Swami Chaitanya, and the incomparable Kyle Kushman. With combined decades of experience, you can’t go wrong consulting with these legends.

Homegrown’s team of experts is second to none. Talk about a blunt rotation!

Kyle’s Sweet Island Feminized: One of Homegrown’s Cultivars with Character (CWC), Kyle’s Sweet Island bears the stamp of approval from one of Homegrown’s biggest assets, the man himself, Kyle Kushman. Sweet Island has a robust pedigree featuring Sweet Pink Grapefruit and Big Skunk #1, two famous parents who always bring a tropical vibe.

After planting Sweet Island, prepare for it to grow to a formidable height — this hybrid leans sativa and will bear the growing hallmarks of those strains. On the smoke, Sweet Island is an energizing, mentally stimulating strain that Homegrown recommends for a wake’n’bake companion. And with a respectable 19% THC, Sweet Island will give you just the push you need without sidetracking your whole day.

Pros	Cons
Great community	Limited rare cultivar selection
Expert advice
Affordable

Highlights

Very innovative
Embedded in San Francisco culture
Originated world-famous strains

If you’re a seasoned hand at cannabis cultivation, and you find yourself craving something new and exciting to grow to keep the hobby fresh, then Cookies Seed Bank would like a few words. Cookies are legendary in the business, creating multiple world-famous strains, like GSC, a strain whose name pays homage to both the brand itself and the girls in green sashes. While picking up strains you’ve heard of before is certainly an option, in our opinion, the real reason to check out Cookies is the strains you haven’t. The team at Cookies is constantly cooking up new, unique strains that push the boundaries of cannabis cultivation.

Cookies was founded by the dynamic duo of Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr, AKA Berner and the enigmatic growmaster known only as Jai. Berner is nothing short of a cannabis mogul in the mold of Jay-Z, hip-hop career included. His partner Jai is a pillar of the San Francisco Bay Area community and a foundational part of the broader cannabis culture. His creativity has influenced the makeup of American cannabis forever, and if you want to know which strain will take the country by storm next, there’s a decent chance Jai is dreaming it up right now. Get your seeds from Cookies and impress your friends with a harvest of the next big thing.

Want to know what the next five years of weed will look like? The last two at Cookies.

Fried Banana is the sensitive type; a skilled hand can be necessary to help this strain reach its full potential, but there’s no better investment to make. Fried Banana features a depth of flavor and aroma that’d have a sommelier stuttering, a true treat for the connoisseur of finer cannabis flower.

Fried Banana is a backcross of Cookies’ legendary Gelato #41, with additional genetics from Stardawg Guava, where Fried Banana gets its tropical flair. Make sure you keep an eye on Fried Banana plants when they reach maturity, they tend to grow spindly as they near harvest. The team at Cookies recommends providing Fried Banana a bit of support to make sure it becomes all it can be.

Pros	Cons
Lots of unique strains	Premium price point
Killer legacy

Highlights

Impeccable genetics
Outstanding user community
Resources for all experience levels

There’s nothing quite like word of mouth to inspire trust, and a company that isn’t afraid of letting their customers speak freely is usually one you can bank on. Such is the case with Premium Cultivars, our selection for the seed bank with the best user community. Each strain available on the Premium Cultivars storefront features insightful, relevant reviews from growers all over the United States. This creates a dedicated community of growers that customers have access to, without digging through a dozen Reddit threads to find a worthwhile review from a real person.

Premium Cultivars was able to cultivate this online community because of the undeniable quality of their genetics, and the care they take in preserving that legacy. Growers respect quality and hate a scam, and the fact that Premium Cultivars has been able to inspire such a loyal community speaks incredibly well to their product. See for yourself what these seeds can do in your garden, and then pay it forward and leave your own review!

If you’re a nerd like us and love talking about weed as much as smoking it, then you’ll find your kind online at Premium Cultivars.

Jealousy: Jealousy is currently having a moment, earning a slew of accolades including the big one; the coveted Leafly Strain of the Year award. All this popularity has made Jealousy a hard girl to find, with many dispensaries selling out as fast as breeders can grow. Now, thanks to Premium Cultivars, you can snag Jealousy for yourself with these autoflowering, feminized seeds. The word from the Premium Cultivars community is that Jealousy is an easy, low-maintenance strain to grow, so pick up a pack of twelve seeds for just $129.00 and get to planting.

Pros	Cons
Excellent user reviews	No information listed for strain effects
High-quality genetics
Fast delivery

Why you can trust Leafly Product Picks

Leafly is the world’s leading cannabis discovery platform and provides a vast library of content from some of the most respected voices in cannabis. Leafly Product Picks prioritizes accuracy and integrity in our selections, working through mountains of research, testimonials, and testing to source products you can trust.

Jake Rosendale: Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products

smiling portrait photo of man in glasses and grey cap against an aquamarine background

Jake Rosendale is Leafly’s Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products. He’s been with Leafly since 2022, where he spends his time researching the best products in the wide world of weed. Jake’s been writing about cannabis, food, and wine in the Seattle area for 5 years. In addition to Leafly, you can find his work in Seattle Met Magazine and High Times. He loves sci-fi novels, country music, and Super Lemon Haze.

Anna Elliott: Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products

portrait photo of woman with short dark hair and glasses in a black polo shirt against an aqua-green background

Anna Elliott is Leafly’s Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products. She’s been with Leafly since 2021, managing and editing brand-related content and bringing the best stories on the industry’s top products to life. With a decade of experience reviewing products, covering brands, and editing stories, Anna loves talking up the people & products that make a real difference in readers’ every day. She’s found that Space Mints makes the perfect pairing for enjoying her frankly irresponsible vinyl collection.

Final thoughts

No matter the season, these seed banks are the best in the business. With options for every type of grower, from horticultural novices to captains of cannabis cultivation, our selections for the best cannabis seed companies are poised to kick off a renaissance in homegrowing. A greener world is a better world, so find the seed bank that’s right for you and get your hands in the dirt today!

For business inquiries, please direct messages to affiliate@leafly.com.

Availability subject to law

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Cannabis Seeds

How to Grow Cannabis on a Balcony or Terrace

Published

9 months ago

August 16, 2023

admin

Do you want the benefits of sun-grown cannabis alongside a cultivation experience with a small form factor? Your balcony or terrace may be perfect for a little home cultivation.

Growing weed on a balcony can be an affordable solution for those in cities or anyone without access to outdoor space. This style of cultivation can make it very simple to get started. Your plants are right outside your door for a fraction of the cost of most setups. Plus, growing outdoors in containers has been tried and tested by cannabis cultivators for generations.

There are some unique considerations, however. Shade, wind, pests, and security often impact how you grow cannabis outdoors on balconies, rooftops, or terraces. While these are all issues with any grow, balcony growers want to pay special attention to these based on the location of their balcony.

The lifecycle for balcony cannabis plants often starts indoors. Seeds should be popped and have started the early vegetative stage before moving outdoors in containers. Everything else, including your harvesting, drying, and curing steps, will be no different than those recommended in our Marijuana Grow Bible.

Ready to get started? This article will discuss a few things to keep in mind, so you’ll be up and running in no time.

Growing your marijuana on a shaded balcony

Although many of the methods you’ll use to cultivate marijuana on a balcony will be similar to standard outdoor cannabis cultivation, shade poses a unique problem. You can’t change the direction of your balcony or grow space in a building. Like many things in cultivation, you’ll have to adapt. Start by reviewing the basic outdoor light needs to get up to speed.

If you’re one of the lucky ones with a balcony facing south (northern hemisphere), you can enjoy longer sunny afternoons. As you might know, more sun hours are ideal for photoperiods. For everyone else, shade will be inevitable.

The plus side is, you can do a few things to help with too much shade. First, the seeds you grow may need to be auto-flowering to thrive. Photoperiod plants may do well if facing east or west, but it depends on your building setup. Autoflowering strains, on the other hand, will take the sun they can get and make it work, so consider those if you have a lot of shade.

There’s no solution for 100% shade; if that’s your situation, you’ll want to consider growing indoors. If you have a south-facing window, you could move your plant to the window in the afternoons to keep getting direct sunlight. This can have some added benefits, like reducing weather stress.

The last solution to consider when dealing with shade is supplementing your outdoor plants with artificial light during the day. If your setup and budget allow, you can find some good options. However, grow equipment kept outdoors will have a considerably shorter lifespan.

Monitor your planned grow space for a few days and consider where the sun will be when you harvest to gauge your light level. Make sure to plan your grow around it, as light is one of the limiting factors for cannabis grown on balconies and everywhere else.

Shop Indoor Seeds

Indoor-thriving plants
For windowsill or under lamps
Feminized and autoflowers seeds

Growing weed on a windy balcony

Depending on your location and elevation, cannabis grown on a balcony may be subject to some heavy wind. Wind, of course, isn’t bad, as plants need a steady wind to grow and stay strong throughout their vegetative stages. But too much will cause wind burn, cutting yields and potentially breaking the plants. Take these precautions to avoid seeing plants toppling over and grow medium flying out of your containers.

Move the plants indoors if they are small enough. Time away from the wind and weather can help a plant recover. This would not be ideal for larger plants.
If your balcony has railings consider blocking the space with plywood to encase the plant more in your balcony. Keep in mind this can cut down on wind, but it may also look obvious to anyone passing by. Get creative in how you block the space.
Trellising and staking will be essential for windy grows. They won’t prevent windburn, but both can provide a solid structure and keep plants from breaking or snapping under weather stress.

Trellissing is also a good idea for taller plants in general. Autoflowers can also handle wind better, as they tend to grow a little tougher with their ruderalis ancestry.

You can also try other cannabis strains known for their resilience, like Cheese, K2, and OG Kush in either seed, clone, or crosses.

Planning for a windy balcony grow may take trial and error to find the best fit for your situation. However, with basic plant care, you can keep your grow healthy and give yourself the best chance of success. Don’t let a little wind ruin your work; shelter your plants and keep things shorter with training methods.

Cannabis Fertilizer

Healthy plants = BIG yields
Optimized recipe for each stage
Strong plants from seed to bud

Cannabis pests on a balcony

Like all grows, pests can make or break a harvest. Balcony-grown cannabis is no different. When growing cannabis outdoors on a balcony or roof, you may think pests wouldn’t be a problem. However, the sweet smells of flowering plants will attract winged pests from quite a distance, especially if it’s a windy situation. Thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, and caterpillars can all pose a threat to your balcony cannabis grow.

This isn’t necessarily worse than standard outdoor cultivation and may, in fact, be much better depending on your setup. Including pest prevention in your routine will save you stress and headache down the road.

Methods like neem oil may help but must be applied during the veg stage to benefit the plant. It may be a rough journey if you don’t prepare for pests and find out you have them. Use bacterial and fungal controls to keep your plants healthy, and watch for any signs of pest damage or stress. For more methods to keep pests off cannabis plants, review our list of pest control techniques and browse our available plant protectors.

Growing cannabis on your balcony is great option. Here are top 10 strains to grow on your balcony,

How to hide your balcony grow

With balcony grows, there’s always a security concern. You don’t want neighbors spotting your plants from the street or surrounding properties. In the US, discretion is a requirement in states with legal home growing.

For security and stealth purposes, you can visually hide your grow with other balcony objects like other plants, chairs, or tables that would obscure the plant(s) from view. You can do this with almost anything you have. Use screens or trellising to quickly diminish lines of sight. Plant training methods can also help keep plants very low to the ground or behind an object or fence.

When it comes to the smell, there’s no hiding the wonderful aroma of a cannabis plant in full flower. When on the balcony, that scent will carry. To stop this, keep things small and consider your surroundings. Just because cannabis will grow on your balcony, it may not be the best idea. Make sure you can get through the flowering phase without stressing about the smells that come with it.

As far as general security goes, make sure there’s no easy route from the outside to get to your grow on the balcony. You don’t want plants to walk away overnight after you’ve put effort into them. Floodlights, cameras, and more can help with this element of security. Remember to keep your grow to yourself. As fun as it is to discuss, if you need stealth, stay quiet and cultivate wisely.

When to grow cannabis on a balcony or terrace

Timing is everything for balcony grows. As easy as they are to tend and get to, you are still dealing with mother nature. Plan for as much light as possible. Always be aware of the grow calendar and consider the full duration of your plants before getting started to avoid any surprises. If the weather gets cold or wet, be careful about starting photoperiods and stick to autoflowers. You may want to even plan to finish the harvest indoors if necessary.

With good planning, you can catch the seasons at the right time to optimize your grow and produce high-quality balcony-grown cannabis buds. The right time really depends on your location and the seasons.

Tips for growing weed on your terrace or balcony

Overall, growing cannabis on your balcony, terrace, or rooftop is similar to outdoor container cultivation for cannabis. With shade, wind, pests, and security accounted for, you can rely on your knowledge, setup, and the plant itself to create quality.

Outside of the environmental variables we discussed, you also want to look at your available space and plan well. Good use of plant training can maximize the yields a small space can deliver. Keep container sizes in mind to make sure they’re movable if needed. Always consider going with autoflowers on your balcony cannabis grow first, as they can take a rough environment and flower successfully at any time of the year since their growth cycle is based on age, not the light duration. Use this to your advantage, along with plant training methods like scrog and low-stress training, to put the plant exactly where she needs to be in your available space.

Have more to add? Leave a comment below to let us know if you’ve grown successfully on a balcony or have any remaining questions about how to get started.

Keep on growing!

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Cannabis

How To Purchase Cannabis Seeds Online

Published

9 months ago

August 12, 2023

admin

Purchasing cannabis seeds online can be the most glorious experience since the invention of Google or it can go horribly wrong.

Cannabis seeds fall into the same category as cannabis flowers, concentrates and edibles. In certain states, it’s legal to buy recreational weed and cultivate cannabis plants.

Know The Seed

It’s always good to know your seed before you grow weed, which means it’s important to research cannabis seeds to understand what grows where and how high. (FYI, having an overgrown house full of the wrong cannabis plant isn’t as cool as it sounds.)

The types of seeds:

Regular seeds: they come in a packet of mixed male and female seeds and you’ll have to keep the guys away from the gals to stop the male seeds from pollinating the females.
Feminized seeds: low-maintenance and can be planted straight into the soil without worrying if the male plants will be trying to get their groove on. Using these seeds cuts out the hassle of having to sex out the plants and removing the males.
Autoflowering seeds: great for new cultivators and growers that can’t provide their seeds with enough natural daylight. These seeds are able to change to a flowering state with age and not their light cycle, creating a shorter grow-to-harvest time.

hemp cannabis product sales projected to hit a billion dollars in 3 years — Photo by ulleo via Pixabay

Where to Buy Cannabis Seeds

From total marijuana legalization in Canada, to North America becoming more chilled out about its own state laws, buying your favorite green flower has never been easier and growing your own is almost as simple.

Cannabis is no longer a lightweight drug for stoners, hippies and rappers; it’s used in the mainstream both recreationally and medicinally. Certain states have legalized the use of cannabis, making it simple for anyone over the age restriction to pop into a local dispensary and exchange coin for cannabis.

Another option is to buy cannabis seeds online from legal vendors and get the seeds delivered directly to your door.

meghan markles nephew is selling a marijuana strain named after royal baby — Photo by Robert Baker via Unsplash

Side note: Always look for established companies with good customer reviews. Also, beware of scams on social media from users offering you cannabis seeds. It’s likely that “@Andycakes643” doesn’t really have any seeds to sell you.

Purchasing cannabis seeds online can be easily done from a reputable seed bank. All you need is a suitable payment method, a little research and a can-do attitude.

Ready to buy a little low-key weed seed? Many seed banks will often take payment from debit cards, credit card and for extra discretion they accept cryptocurrency. If that’s still not enough security for you, certain seed banks even use third-party payment processors.

Don’t be alarmed if your cannabis is shipped in a CD case or a stuffed toy, it’s a little weird but it provides an added layer of security.

Final note: If you’re new to growing your own cannabis seeds, it’s best to start low and take it slow. A small order lowers the risk of potentially losing a substantial amount of money and flower.

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