If you’re growing your own cannabis supply, then you may have also thought of creating your own breed of weed. This is what most growers do after they learn all the ropes and tricks of cultivating good strains. But before you can come up with great strains, it’s important to plan. Good planning is essential in creating the best strains, and a part of planning is the following factors listed below. Consider these before you start sowing seeds.
Choosing Parent Strains
There are hundreds upon hundreds of cannabis strains in the market. You may have thought about breeding some of them to come up with new strains with which possesses the qualities you like. As much as this sounds amazing, it’s not as easy as it may seem.
You see, some strains may have outstanding characteristics, but these qualities may be recessive in their genes. It can take several generations of plants before the characteristic you want can come up. So, as with all breeding activities, you must consider the strains you want to marry. Make a careful study of their characteristics, read genetic charts, and find out if the characteristic you’re looking for is dominant in the strain.
For instance, you want to create a small plant out of two hybrid plants, where one of its parent strains is a small, and compact, Indica-dominant strain. It’s safe to say that the small and compact characteristic may be carried on to its offspring since this is a dominant characteristic after all. The resulting plant will be small but not as small as the parent and will have all the favorable qualities you are looking for as well.
However, there is still a chance or a small percentage that your plans may not push through, so it’s best to back up. Consider not just one compact and small strain but three or more, and then experiment. You can’t really tell what will happen unless you really grow your own cannabis plants.
Parent strains should also be healthy, with fewer problems when it comes to nutrient needs, pests, mold, and environmental tolerance. Candidate parent strains must have stable genetics as well. Study the genetic line of the parents to get a good idea of the outcome strain.
Finally, consider popular parent strains. You might have tasted a new strain that got you hooked! But there’s no harm in trying to breed new strains and, as always, take time to study strain genetics. Don’t overlook this step, or you might not get the results you want.
What is the outcome you want?
In all growing and breeding activities, the final outcome drives everything. You must be very particular about this as you will base your parent strain search on your desired outcome.
Do you want to create an easy-to-grow strain? How about a strain with unique tastes and aromas? How about a strain with enhanced pain-relief qualities? Only when you have defined the characteristics you really need then will you be able to proceed with breeding new strains.
Your growing environment
If you live in a very cold Northern environment, you might find it hard to breed plants that are light-dependent or those who are not too adapting to cold weather, in contrast, if you live in a very dry environment.
But thanks to indoor growing, you can recreate the ideal growing environment that’s right for every strain. So before you create your own strain, upgrade your indoor growing facility. Make sure that you’re ready to create a new strain with capable growing lights, efficient fans, and your growing area must be enough to hold the number of plants you need.
We recommend growing and experimenting indoors so you can tweak and manipulate the environment catering to the needs of the plants with the different types of equipment you have. Also, indoor growing will help you monitor your plants better. You’ll be able to prevent insects, pests, and mold better when you are growing and testing in a protected growing area.
Create a clean, sterile, and well-protected growing area. It must be a place where you can safely place your plants and monitor them as you cultivate and test them. The breeding area must be off-limits to everyone, and as you enter, wear protective covers like a gown or suit to avoid bringing any rouge pollen inside the area. Also, seal off windows that can be entry points for unnecessary pollen. Don’t let pets, children, or anyone get access to this area without your permission.
Consider your capabilities as a grower
Consider your skills and know-how in growing and breeding new plants. Get familiar with breeding terms like backcrossing and genome. Here are some common words and terms you will encounter when you breed cannabis:
- P1 – this is a term referring to the parent strain.
- F1 – this is a progeny created from a cross of two parents
- F2 – this is a progeny from self-hybridization or the inbreeding of F1 individuals
- Clone – this is a plant that has descended from one ancestor
- Genome – the genetic information that is possessed by an individual or species
- Genotype – The genetic makeup of an organism that usually includes alleles that are recessive with no physical expression.
- Hybrid – this is a strain composed of two unknown parents
- IBL or Inbred Backcrossed Line – this is an outcome of five generations of continuous breeding, backcrossing, or self-pollination. And IBL is homozygous or possesses true breeding of particular strains.
- Phenotype – is the observable, quantifiable, and qualifiable representation of any trait.
- Trait – this is a genetically determined condition or characteristic; it is a recessive trait as well.
Other ways to improve your capabilities as a grower are to read, research, and watch videos or guides on how it is done. Finally, make a diary or any form of documentation to record your breeding activities. Your goal should not be limited to breeding your own strain, but also sharing your newfound knowledge and skills with other breeders.
Breeding new strains give you a new opportunity to contribute to the growing cannabis industry. Who knows, you might be on your way to breed super cannabis strains!
