Here’s some valuable information before you buy seeds online. We’ll explain the advantages and disadvantages between growing regular seed strains, autoflowering seed strains and feminized seed strains.

Disclaimer: Before purchasing cannabis seeds online, make sure to check up-to-date laws and regulations of your country and state/district, as these vary worldwide. We do not promote or undertake in illegal activities.

Cannabis seeds come in a hodgepodge of varieties and options. Feminized seeds, regular seeds, autoflowering seeds; there’s an endless fun of possibilities for the weed grower. With many states in the USA offering medical marijuana programs, and countries such as Uruguay and Spain moving forward in legalization efforts, getting the best cannabis seeds & strains to suit your growing needs is step 1.

From cannabis growers to medicinal users, marijuana seeds have a lot to offer the modern herb cultivator.

Okay, let’s breakdown the 3 amazing types of cannabis/marijuana seeds most popular in the USA, UK, Europe and Canada now.

I . Regular Seeds

Biology

Generally speaking, regular cannabis seeds are made by the female cannabis plant’s pistillate flowers getting pollinated by the male cannabis plant’s staminate flowers. This creates seed. (Also, cannabis plants known as ‘hermaphrodites’ bear staminate and pistillate flowers together on individual plants.)

The fertilized female cannabis plant will form ‘pot seeds’ during its flowering cycle. These seeds can then be sprouted to form new ‘baby weed plants’ that share the genetics of their ‘mother’ and ‘father’ plants.

Just like other dioecious flowers and herbs, a cannabis plant is decidedly male or female from birth – but this will not be clear to the normal human perception at first. As a cannabis seed sprouts and grows into maturity, it will show its true sex as it goes through ‘puberty’: a preparation in fulfilling the species’ genetic destiny(reproduction).

In Cannabis Cultivation

Sensimilla is the main goal & objective in medical marijuana and legal recreational cannabis cultivation. Sensimilla, simply put, is unfertilized(seedless) flowers from the female cannabis plant. In order to obtain sensimilla, pollen from a male cannabis plant must not come into contact with a female cannabis plant during its flowering cycle.

Sprouting regular cannabis seeds will result in separate male and female plants (or hermaphrodites) – in many cases this offspring is even predominately male. However, in standard sensimilla cultivation, the females are kept for flowering – while the males are culled, or used for separate breeding programs.

Advantages/Disadvantages of Regular Seeds

A wide-range of top expert cannabis cultivators swear by only using regular seed. Regular cannabis seeds are reliably viable to breed with and often possess superior genetic strength. When breeding cannabis with regular cannabis seeds, you are assisting in furthering the species'(subspecies) genetic line in a way that’s been in place since cannabis’s inception.

On the other hand, imagine yourself in the United States, currently living in a state that allows for legal and/or medical cultivation of marijuana. Many states and counties in the USA have strict plant limits that the cannabis cultivator must follow. If only allowed to grow 7 plants on a property, and you have 7 regular seeds to start with, there is really no way of knowing how many male or female marijuana plants you’ll end up with. This is the main advantage for using feminized seeds in today’s world.

As is the case with heirloom vegetable and fruit seeds, a locally bred seed strain can vary and adapt to the climate its grown in. A selectively bred seed strain can also be tweaked and customized by careful choosing of desired traits. (large plants, big buds, high THC-CBD, quick flowering, ect.). Regular cannabis seeds are the old tried-and-true standard for strain breeding, although in our modern age feminized seeds, clones, and autoflowering seeds also are all used to breed with.

Regular Seed Options

C. sativa, c. indica, c. ruderalis, c. afghanica – all species and subspecies of cannabis are available in regular seed form naturally in a wide range of strains/varieties. Potent high-THC sativas, heavy-hitting high-CBD indica strains, and the latest & greatest candy A-grade hybrids… even autoflowering strains are available in regular seed form.

Some of the top foremost breeders offer their selection in regular seed form. Ken Estes’ famous Grand Daddy Purple strain and seed company specializes in regular cannabis seeds, and swears by the high-quality genetics of regular seed strains. The legendary DJ Short’s Blueberry is available in regular seeds, and has been a staple for cultivators and breeders for decades. World of Seeds offers a large selection of landrace cannabis seeds: localized inbred indica and sativa strains from around the world that give strength and resilience to the outdoor/indoor pot grower’s crop. Landrace strains such as Afghani, Thai, Colombian, ect. have built the foundation for all of today’s top-shelf candy hybrids.

Don’t forget local sources for regular pot seeds. The long history of recreational/medicinal cannabis was started from regular seeds being collected and shared. Many local and small-scale breeders take their job seriously and produce well bred & respected regular seeds.

Nonetheless, if someone is recommending their seed to you, look at how they’re breeding it first. The weed scene is full of self-titled ‘experts’ and ‘master growers’, some of which do not have any knowledge on agriculture and plant biology. Make sure the seed you get is legit – not made by some ‘bro’ growing in his mom’s backyard, selecting the best 2 plants to mate, from a ten-pack of seeds. Professional breeders work with hundreds and thousands of plants, enabling fine-tuned selective breeding.

Some of the finest gems in the weed strain world have been discovered from the mystery bag seed, namely Sour Diesel. (However, finding a unsuspecting seed in a crop of mostly seedless bud is a hermaphrodite red-flag. Tread with caution.) For those who are riding on their harvest to come out well, make sure the strain has been bred by the highest standards.

The ‘Real Deal’

Whatever kind of cannabis you’re looking for, regular seeds will be an all-access pass to the genetics of that variety. Something you can make your own seed with. If you ever wanted to breed your own cannabis strain and make seeds, regular seeds are the ticket to sexy pot.

When selecting what regular seeds to get, make sure you can answer a few basic questions:

Where has this seed strain been grown?

Is this seed strain selectively-bred by a reputable source?

Is this a hybrid, IBL or landrace strain?(Read about this here

What is the genetic lineage of this cannabis variety?

What is the flowering time of this strain, and will it be suitable for my environment?

Is this seed strain true-breeding?

Bestselling Regular Seeds Online



I I . Autoflowering Seeds

Biology/History

‘Autoflowering’ seeds are the outcome of various cannabis sativa(c. sativa) subspecies being cross-bred with cannabis ruderalis (c. ruderalis). Cannabis ruderalis is a species of cannabis that’s growth cycle is not triggered by day-length alterations (non-photoperiodic); cannabis ruderalis is not affected by photoperiod or seasons changing.

The general consensus is that cannabis ruderalis(c. ruderalis) originated from Russia. In 1942 c. ruderalis was first scientifically discovered in southern Siberia by a Russian scientist, Janischewski. Additionally, c. ruderalis has been long seen in the wilds of other northern climate areas North America and Europe/Asia such as the mid-western United States, Canada, and various countries in central and eastern Europe.

Normally, cannabis ruderalis is not grown for recreational use, as its low THC levels are on par with hemp, and it rarely grows over two feet in height. Consuming pure genetic c. ruderalis will not lead to any psychoactive effects. Ruderalis resin’s CBD(cannabidiol) content surpasses its THC levels, which has given the subspecies and its hybrid ‘autoflowering’ offspring a place in the medicinal marijuana community.

In Cannabis Cultivation

Cannabis seed breeders worldwide have been experimenting hybrid crossing c. ruderalis with the subspecies of c.sativa: c. indica, c. afghanica and sspc. sativa. Through these efforts, breeders have locked down the non-photoperiodic, day-length resistant trait – thus creating what we now know as autoflowering seeds.

Autoflowering seeds opens up a spring of possibilities for the cannabis cultivator, who can now grow and harvest new hybrids of popular weed strains from seed under a perpetually high 18 – 24 hour light cycle.

Cross-breeding with finely-tuned, high-THC strains of marijuana has led to the rise of c. ruderalis-mixed ‘autoflowering’ genetics – plant’s producing higher, competitive levels of THC, CBD and other c .sativa cannabinoids/terpenes due to their shared genetics with potent recreational & medicinal marijuana strains.

The Ups & Downs of Autoflowers

Many high-hoping pot growers, have put their faith into autoflower strains, only to quickly lose that faith by not providing enough day light hours & intensity. The way to grow autoflowering strains and make it worth it, is with a lot of strong direct light, and a lot of plants.

Cannabis breeders are to this day improving the genetic lines of autoflowering seeds & strains. Early on, autoflowering strains were not very desirable for the serious cultivator. Growers were faced with small yields off of puny plants with low-THC… paled in comparison to a short-flowering full-blooded indica or sativa.

Step into modern times and the autoflower world has changed drastically. Cannabis with mixed-ruderalis genetics is coming out shockingly potent and profitably-yielding. Cultivators are getting rapid, regular harvests of top-quality marijuana using these easy-to-grow quick bud plants.

The modern ‘autoflower’ plant rarely has a life of over 10 weeks, with a vast selection of the autoflowering varieties being ready to harvest from seed in a mere two months. This speedy-express shipment of the dank has been ‘just the key’ to many successful indoor-grow projects. Hence the term, ’60-day wonder’.

Autoflowering Seed Options

Almost all of the top most popular hybrid strains today are available in autoflower form. From White Widow to Northen Lights, and even Haze plants, the list of autoflowers strains is growing rapidly. Indica-leaning genetics, sativa-leaning genetics, you can get whatever you’re looking for in auto seed.

A fellow known as the Joint Doctor released the first widespread autoflowering strain for recreational growers, the original Lowryder. This has since been bred and developed further into new varieties. CBD Crew has highly-reviewed autoflowering seeds that produce competitive plants selected for their high CBD(cannabidiol) content. Perfect for medicinal marijuana cultivators. Another company, Flash Seeds has created a seed-line specializing in production-level autoflowering strains and superautos, high yields off of speedy plants.

Superautos are speedy autoflowering cannabis plants that get larger in stature, with heavier yields. This was done by picking the quickest flowering sativas to breed with autoflowering genetics, selectively repeating generation-after-generation. Superautos get bigger than the standard autoflower strain when sprouted and grown. In suitable long daylight outdoor climates, these superauto strains can reach heights of up to 8 feet and yield half-a-pound per plant. Superautos are extremely desirable for cannabis cultivators in cold seasonal climates who are faced with a short summer.

Practical Info

Medical marijuana cultivation that is restricted by square-feet instead of plant quantity is when autoflower seeds truly shine. Plants can be set up to produce a perpetual quick-return harvesting cycle, under and infinite 18-24 high intensity lighting cycle.

Outdoor growers will need to be set up in a long daylight-hour(long photoperiod) environment to get the most from autoflower strains. In a setting such as the Alaskan summer, which tops out at 24 hours of visible sunlight during the summer solstice, autoflower strains get the massive levels of light that they love. In tropical/subtropical areas such as Hawaii, that doesn’t even get over 14 hours of light during its longest day, additional high-intensity lighting will need to be provided for most auto varieties.

Indoor professional autoflower cultivators fill a tight rooms with hundreds and thousands of short autoflowering weed plants. Closely spaced indoor growing techniques such as the ScrOG or SOG work well for autoflowering seed strains. Autoflowering plants can be set at different stages of growth in the same growing area, enabling frequent scheduled bud harvests… this works out to always having fresh weed on hand. Use a calendar & schedule to set up a quick-producing bud operation easily.

Autoflowering cannabis strains come in both regular and feminized seed form. Look at an updated chart of the top best-selling autoflower seed strains below.

Bestselling Autoflower Seeds Online



I I I . Feminized Seeds

Biology

As the name suggests, ‘feminized’ seeds are seeds that have been specially bred to ensure virtually all-female cannabis plants when sprouted. This ‘feminizing’ is accomplished by triggering one female cannabis plant into producing rogue pollen to fertilize another budding female plant. The resulting seeds that are formed consist of only double X-chromosomes – reliably all females. As a female has been bred with a female, the ‘children’ are all female in turn.

In order to get a female cannabis plant to produce pollen, the plant/clone must be ‘shocked’ or stressed to enable the hermaphroditic trait. This ‘shocking’ can be done a few different ways:

Rodelization is the old-school ‘shock’ technique for weed plants. Rodelization simply put, is letting sensimilla(seedless) female plants go far past their normal harvest time-frame. For some strains and varieties, this long ‘ride-to-the-end’ triggers a genetic survival instinct. Plants will then exhibit a hermaphroditic trait – pollen sacs, that can be collected and used to breed with other females/clones.

Light-cycle interruption is also used as a method of stressing female plants. This can be done in a controlled grow room easily. Simply stagger the photoperiod(light ON hours) sporadically i.e. 10/14, 18/6, 8/16, ect. day-by-day until hermaphrodic pollen sacs are formed. Note that this method and the rodelization technique does not work on all cannabis strains/varieties.

Critics of rodelization and light-cycle methods state that doing this is essentially selectively breeding hermaphrodite-prone genetics to work with, that will produce offspring with a higher tendency to go intersexual(hermie). Supporters of these techniques say that the ‘hermie’ trait is already present in most cannabis varieties as a self-preservation gene, and only comes out under high-stress situations.

Using colloidal silver(CS) is the most reliable method of ‘shocking’ female cannabis into producing pollen for feminized seeds. This widespread technique works for nearly all pot strains/varieties.

Spraying a desired weed plant (or specific branch of a plant) with colloidal silver will allow the tiny silver particles to absorb into and bond to a plant’s copper molecules. Copper molecules are used by female cannabis plants to produce the hormone ethylene, which signals development of their standard reproduction flower: calyxes and pistils. Now obstructed by the silver, the ethylene hormone is suppressed and male characteristics are stimulated in the plant, thus producing pollen sacs used for feminized seed breeding.

Within two weeks of triweekly foliar application of colloidal silver, the female cannabis plant will likely produce viable pollen sacs, that can be collected and used to fertilize another female clone or plant, creating feminized seeds. The colloidal silver technique is the standard method used nowadays by the top-of-the-line cannabis seed companies and breeders.

In Cannabis Cultivation

Feminized marijuana seeds hold the largest buyer’s market of pot seeds online, in some countries accounting for up to 90% of seed sales. Their broad appeal is simple, people want reliable genetics that will grow up to become what they desire from cannabis – sensimilla.

Many feminized cannabis strains show less plant variations(phenotypes) than their regular seed counterparts. This is done by breeding two identical clones together with each other. When more genetics are shared in common, the offspring becomes more predictable.

Cannabis growers worldwide, especially in America, Canada and Europe have been the heaviest consumers of feminized seeds. Cultivators and breeders are able to try new weed strains easily – even with only a single feminized seed. A cheap ticket into prized high-grade marijuana genetics.

Advantages/Disadvantages of Feminized Seeds

The real beneficiaries of feminized seed are cash-croppers and tight time-schedule growers who need quality yields when they expect them. Through the selective breeding and adjusting of these strains, many professionally-bred feminized seed varieties will be ready for harvest on the exact day that is stated on their flowering time.

This genetic predictability also shows its advantage in the quality of buds produced by the plants. Anyone who has grown blueberry in regular seed form knows that every phenotype does not have the ‘true blueberry’ flavor… rather it’s a select few that really shine in fruitiness. Feminized seeds’ genetics have narrowed down those phenotypes, enabling the cultivator to find that ‘true blueberry’ plant with a lot less guesswork.

In the early years of feminized seeds, hermaphrodites were fairly common(especially late-flower banana herms). This discouraged a lot of people from using them, and created a bad name for the seeds. Poorly-bred feminized seeds to this day will have intersexuality(hermaphrodite) traits in some plants.

However, skilled breeders using the correct practices have shown the world that feminized seeds can be improved on. Modern large-scale cannabis operations are sprouting thousands of feminized seeds without costly intersexuality problems. Bottom line: Make sure to obtain feminized seeds from a reputable source.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of feminized seeds comes from the huge catalogue of marijuana strain varieties available now in feminized form. The vast majority of these seeds are not sold in standard ’10-packs’, but broken down into smaller packages of five, three, and even single seeds. All of a sudden, the at-home medical marijuana grower with plant limits can affordably own a collection of specialty strains, while staying in their specific guidelines.

Feminized Seed Options

Thousands of popular and fun cannabis strains are available in feminized form, giving the homegrower a massive amount of options to try from.

When searching for feminized seed online, make sure to only get the best performing genetics to do the job. If you are growing indoors, make sure to look for the flowering time that suits your schedule, along with bud quality, flavors and yields.

Outdoor growers should select feminized seed strains that suit your environment. That means if you are in a warm damp area, selecting a mold resistant sativa-dominant hybrid will likely do better than an indoor-bred mostly indica strain. If you are in a short-summer dry location, use it to your advantage. ‘Rock bud’ indica-dominant strains can yield heavyweight buds from potent dank weed plants that flower and finish up quickly.

Legendary sativa/indica hybrid strains, in feminized seeds, are ready to ship worldwide from online seedbanks. Hard-to-find cult classics such as Cinderella 99 and Strawberry Cough are on the market from reputable breeders. Heavy-yielding champions like NYC Diesel, Skunk #1 and OG Kush are in feminized seed form and have been vigorously grown and tuned for optimum performance.

Practical Info

Feminized seeds are an alluring option for growers with strict plant limits. Choose the exact amount of females you need without using costly time and energy on undesired male plants.

For the buyer on a budget, feminized seeds can be bought in single seed quantities. Most of the top bestselling feminized seeds online can be bought in a ‘pick and mix’: single seed packs priced very affordably. This allows growers to try a variety of strains, with a single plant for each one.

Feminized seed plants can be cloned, and replicated indefinitely. To find a dominant female plant for cloning, buying seeds in packs of five, ten or more is recommended.

Bestselling Feminized Seeds Online



Read next: What to know about buying cannabis seeds online: Landrace, Hybrid & IBL

Disclaimer: Before purchasing cannabis seeds online, make sure to read current laws and regulations of your country and state/district. We do not promote or undertake in illegal activities.

What are your favorite strains? Let us know in the comments below.