If you're contemplating growing cannabis, you'll wonder where to start. Cannabis grows from either clones or seeds. The beauty of cultivating your plants from seeds rather than clones is that you experience the plant's growth cycle and uniqueness.
Raising a plant from seed can be daunting and requires you to have patience, TLC, and some bit of luck. The upside is that pot seeds are incredibly vigorous and resilient. Here is a detailed guide to the first days of growing weed seeds.
Choosing the Right Seeds
The health and yield of cannabis plants depend on their seeds' characteristics. Learning about the types of weed seeds will help you determine what works best for you. The main types of weed seeds are:
These are the most recommended weed seeds for beginners. They're not easy to germinate, but cultivating them afterward is a breeze. Cannabis plants from auto-flowering seeds don't require light cycle manipulation to blossom. They also flower faster.
- Photoperiod Seeds
These weed seeds are an excellent choice for those looking to experience the natural and traditional way of germinating and cultivating pot. Nonetheless, if you grow photoperiod seeds indoors, you must provide 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of sunlight to initiate flowering. These plants can return to a vegetative state at the end of each harvest, so there is no need to cultivate new seedlings every time.
Every cannabis grower knows they only need female plants since males don't produce buds. This is where feminized seeds come in since they only produce female plants. If you're a beginner, feminized seeds will make your journey into pot cultivation smoother since you'll avoid wasting your space on male plants or the males pollinating your females, thus cutting your yield.
Regular cannabis seeds are primarily used by experienced cultivators to breed new strains. They are the most natural weed seeds.
Pre-Germination: Preparing the Environment
The health and virility of your weed seedlings depend on the environmental factors where you germinate them. When preparing the germination area, it's best to ensure these conditions are present:
- 22° and 25°C (71–77°F).
- The growing environment should be moist or damp but never wet.
- The humidity range should vary between 70% and 90%.
- Cannabis seeds thrive in fluorescent lighting (Cool White code 33).
- The ideal pH value is 5.8 to 6.2.
Once you've prepared the growing environment and ensured the above conditions are present, you can germinate your weed seeds.
Germinating Cannabis Seeds into Plantings
Typically, it takes anywhere from several days to a week for weed seeds to sprout. There are several germination methods, but water soaking and paper towels are recommended. Here's a quick overview of the two methods:
Water Soaking
This is a simple and direct method of germinating weed seeds. As the name suggests, all you need to do is soak the seeds overnight in a jar of lukewarm water. The next day, plant the seeds directly in containers, on the ground, or wherever you intend to cultivate them.
Paper Towels
Many home growers prefer this method. It entails moistening two pieces of paper towel with water and placing the weed seeds between the two layers. After that, place a plate or a similar object beneath the bottom towel to avert moisture damage, and another on the top towel to induce darkness.
When you notice a white taproot emerging from the seeds, they're ready for transplanting. The newly germinated seedlings should get transplanted taproot down.
Regardless of the germination method you choose, the fundamental conditions that will trigger the appearance of the first taproot are darkness, warmth, and moisture. If the conditions are present, the seeds should germinate within 12 to 36 hours of contact with moisture. However, it's best to note that germination timelines can vary depending on the environmental conditions. The longer it takes for a seed to germinate, the weaker the seedling will be.
Transplanting Seedlings
As your marijuana seedlings grow bigger, you'll need to transplant them into bigger pots with more soil and nutrients to ensure optimum growth. Knowing when to transplant the seedlings determines their health and yield. If you're a soil grower, pay attention to the seedling and its foliage development. The ideal time to transplant is when the plant's true leaves appear and outgrow the circumference of the top of the planning container.
Don't wait too long to transplant your seedlings because root-bound plants may take longer to recover. With this comes the risk of the seedlings becoming too stunted to a point where they'll never recover. Generally, the first true leaves develop within 7 to 14 days of germination, and their appearance indicates that your plants are ready for germination.
How to Transplant Cannabis Seedlings
Once your seedlings are ready for transplanting, prepare the new planting environment/container. Put soil in the container and leave extra room for the seedling and the coco/soil coming with it. Make a hole slightly larger than the circumference of the plant's current container while ensuring the soil is moist. It's equally essential to avoid packing the soil too tightly in the new container.
The moisture level in the current container should also be damp to make the soil less likely to crumble. Once the new container is ready, flip the seedling's current container upside down while holding the top of the plant stem to prevent it from falling to the ground. You should then squeeze the container lightly until the seedling drops out.
After uprooting the seedling from its original container, plant it in the new container alongside the soil around its root. Press the area around the seedling gently to stabilize it and add more soil if need be. The freshly transplanted seedling should then be watered lightly.
Get Quality Weed Seeds Today
If you are looking to grow weed from seeds, you'll definitely want to use the highest-quality seeds. That's what we offer at Kind Seed Co. We offer over 400 strains to grow your favorite weed, so sign up today to get started.
