In achieving favorable growth and vigorous development of the marijuana plant, it is best to obtain and start to cultivate with a great marijuana seed. Although water, essential nutrients, and proper lighting are aspects to consider for sustainable growth of marijuana, the initial checking of marijuana seeds’ quality will assure every grower, to begin with, the best onset cultivation.
Also, it allows growers to fully ensure that the genetics and characteristics of your desired strain are achieved properly. Apart from the assurance that the terpenoids and cannabinoids are obtained perfectly, it also allows growers to prevent having dud or bad seeds.
To ensure that you are not purchasing some bad marijuana seeds, this article will help you identify between a good and bad marijuana seed. It is essential to start cultivating a good seed to assure that there are no unexpected cultivating problems that will soon arise when bad seeds are grown.
Characteristics of Bad Marijuana Seeds
There are certain characteristics that bad marijuana seeds possess, which can be separated from the good ones. Below are the basic characteristics of bad seeds, which will serve as your guide.
Seeds That Are Beat-up
This type of marijuana seeds is typically purchased from a friend or generally from somewhere unreliable without a name or reputation in selling marijuana seeds. Commonly, these seeds have a beat-up appearance, and when attempting to germinate, it does not undergo germination compared to seeds stored in excellent environmental conditions.
Seeds That Are Old
Similar to other seeds of plants, marijuana seeds do not last for too long. However, marijuana seeds can last for years; the quality will degrade over time. It will be harder for them to germinate and grow if they get older. Additionally, old seeds are much slower to grow compared to fresher seeds.
There are also other old seeds that are easily broken even when just gently squeezed. To prevent this from happening, marijuana seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place like refrigerators. Seeds stored properly will still germinate accordingly even after years of storage.
Seeds That Are Bag
This type of seed is a toss-up in genetics. The buds produced by your marijuana plant generate a bag seed that supposedly should not be there, given that you began the cultivation with a good marijuana seed. Therefore, the seeds produced by good marijuana seeds will not always give the assurance of their quality. The genetic makeup of seeds is a lottery process. This simply means that, despite breeding two renowned strains of seeds, you are less likely or more likely to produce the offspring that you expect.
The genetic makeup of seeds does not work smoothly as you intend them to do. That is why many breeders opt for several backcrossing to achieve the most stable genetic makeup of a marijuana strain that captures both its parents. Generally, bag seeds are seeds of random quality, despite coming from high-quality marijuana seeds.
Seeds That Are Immature
This type of seed is harvested at an early age. Typically it appears to have a combination of white and green colors, and usually, the size is small since it has not attained its full maturity stage. This type of seeds is bad because when they attempt to germinate, the seeds will have a hard time. They are not typically for cultivation.
Seeds That Are Hermaphrodite
Hermaphrodite seeds are simply seeds that are male. This type of seeds is considered bad because when grown, it does not produce buds; only female seeds can do it. Therefore, before purchasing seeds to grow, it is wise to identify the gender initially before they are even planted.
Characteristics of Good Marijuana Seeds
Marijuana seeds with quality background and good characteristics should be separated from the bad ones. Below are the following qualities that you should be looking for when purchasing or deciding whether it is a bad or good marijuana seed.
Seeds That Are Dark in Color
Good marijuana seeds typically have dark colors. It could be black, gray, or brown. The color is a sign that the seed has high quality. On the other hand light-colored seeds with green tints are more likely immature seeds.
However, it does not mean that the darker the color, the better seeds it would be. Too much darkness, which sometimes resembles a dark purple tone, may suggest that seeds underwent dying. When seeds are touched and have powdery dust, you can always be aware that these are powdery mildew.
Seeds That Are Waxy in Coating
To identify a good marijuana seed, it should have a visible coating like wax around the seeds. Due to this waxy coat, the seeds will seem to have a sheen appearance.
Seeds That Have Stripes
Apart from colors and sheen, good marijuana seeds have stripe marks around them. These could also be spots in black or brown color. Typically, seeds with stripes that resemble tiger stripes or lightning are reasonable indications of good marijuana seeds.
According to experts, the stripes of the marijuana seeds serve as coating protection. If the seeds appear to have a furry coating, this implies that it has molds that developed from acquiring a high level of moisture.
Seeds That Have Hard Shell
According to experts, you can determine the quality of the marijuana seeds when they are slightly squeezed and withstand it without crushing. It means that the seeds are of high quality and suitable for cultivation. While seeds that are easily crushed by the slight squeeze are more likely weak marijuana seeds or even dead, which have no potential in growing.
Seeds That Are Crackless
You can use a magnifying glass to see whether the seeds have no signs of cracks. Marijuana seeds with holes and cracks, even when appearance is minimal, should be thrown away immediately as it has a higher likelihood of not sprouting.
Tests to Determine the Quality of Marijuana Seeds
Those mentioned above are simply fundamental guidelines in determining a good seed from a bad one; however, there are also other ways to properly identify the seeds through the tests below.
Floating Test
This test can be done on any type of seeds, apart from marijuana seeds. To do this, fill in a cup with warm water, and pour in the marijuana seeds. Allow soaking the seeds for a few hours before trying to check it. Afterward, observe the seeds in the water. If the marijuana seeds float, these seeds are either dead and have no chance of growing or immature, which are likewise a waste to cultivate.
However, when the seeds sink, they are more likely excellent to cultivate due to the heaviness of the seeds. Typically, high-quality marijuana seeds are heavy. Always take note, ensure that your seeds are germination ready before using your seeds for the tests because it will be a waste if the germination is not yet happening.
Touch Test
This test involves holding the marijuana seeds between your fingers and trying to squeeze them slightly. Do not apply too much force that could crush the seeds completely. Rather put a minimal effort into squeezing. When doing this, the marijuana seeds should be free from cracks or holes. Also, it should not have a wrinkled appearance.
If the seeds fail to overcome the following, they are bad quality marijuana seeds and will definitely not survive when they undergo germination. However, if the seeds did not seem to have problems when doing the touch test, they are good for germination and cultivation processes.
Germinating Test
This is the most accurate and apparent way to determine if your marijuana seeds are of good or bad quality; allow them to undergo germination regardless. If the seeds did not turn out great despite providing appropriate environmental conditions, therefore you can easily say that the marijuana seeds were lacking in quality.
Final Thoughts
When purchasing marijuana seeds, it will take a lot of your trust. It is less likely that you can identify the quality of seeds by just looking at them. The genetic makeup of the seeds will only be determined according to the information from the seller. This is why it is essential to purchase marijuana seeds from reputable dispensaries or seed banks.
In producing the best quality of marijuana seeds, it will take tremendous experience and skills to perfect the production of high-quality marijuana seeds. It will take a lot of time to produce favorable seeds. Purchasing marijuana seeds from widely known seed banks will definitely provide a huge amount of chances of getting the same quality you expect.
Meaning, the more reliable the store is, the better the marijuana seeds are in quality and characteristics. You are also secured and free from worries if the marijuana seeds you bought are of top quality when harvested.
