Is there quality in marijuana seeds?

Warning: This article is for Spanish-speaking residents of countries where the sale of marijuana seeds is legal. We treat this item neutrally as another culture and in no way encourage its consumption.

The quality. This hackneyed term of which we no longer know what it means

Everything is of high quality. Any good trader worth their salt will say that everything is quality. From the most expensive and exclusive to the least expensive. Clear! Everything is quality for the price. Quality is very subjective and has had various definitions throughout history. For me, the definition of general quality that best suits me is.

Product that meets customer expectations at the lowest cost.

Note that this definition, as banal as it may seem, hides in its terms very specific areas that can be used well or badly when it comes to understanding quality.

Meeting – expectations – at a lower cost.

Am I getting what I expect? At a competitive price? Business competitiveness is found in price, and it is intrinsically linked to customer expectations.

Don’t confuse quality with marketing. They are different things and marketing is often focused on creating needs for us and then telling us that we need this product or service.

When buying a typical good like a car, smartphone, or computer, we all know what we’re talking about when we talk about value for money. This relationship is almost inseparable. Today, the very cheap rarely meets medium to long-term expectations. And other times, what is very expensive overstates expectations that may well be met with another similar asset at a lower price. Finding a balance is often the master stroke.

Therefore, meeting expectations at a competitive cost is considered quality. If we translate expectations into product features, which ones should cannabis seeds meet?

Characteristics of Quality Marijuana Seeds

We are talking about seeds, and one of the main factors is germination viability. The seeds must be able to germinate on their own. The more time passes, the more this ability is lost. Old seeds involve more risk of not germinating. In this article we can see general data about seeds of different crops. For marijuana seeds, it’s exactly the same.

Macro of marijuana seeds. Photo by FARM.23

Choosing the right variety for our expectations.

The world of varieties of any plant is so vast that it overwhelms. And I’m not talking about marijuana seeds. I’m talking about any plant product that humans consume. The apple has hundreds of different varieties, although the reality of greengrocers leaves much to be desired in this regard. We almost always see 5 or 6, no more. Ask an Asturian or Basque cider maker about the varieties of apples…

In the case of crops like marijuana, strains get out of control. There are about a thousand varieties in the world. These are estimates but realize that most are hybridizations of different varieties and species, multiplying the possibilities of different results. There are two well-known species (Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica) although there are more.

Other things to look at although they are not always foolproof:

• Color. The vast majority of marijuana seeds are light or dark brown in color with lighter stripes. If it is green, it is normal that it is not well developed as a seed, and its ability to germinate may be questionable.
• Hardness and Texture: The outer layer covering it should be smooth and the seed should be firm. Any indication of a soft, not very smooth or flexible seed is a symptom of an immature seed. However, this is relative. If we press too hard and not on the tips of the seed, we will crush it irreparably.
• Specific seed weight: There are no objectively worse and better data, but a “bit heavy” seed usually indicates a lack of moisture. Sometimes soaking solves it, but germination viability can also be affected by low humidity for long periods of time.
• One way to assess this without resorting to something as subjective as weight is float test. If a seed is floating, it’s not a good indication. It must flow. It is obvious that this test must be done if what we want is to begin to germinate. The moistening of the pericarp of a seed is the trigger for germination. Don’t do it wanting to save them later because you will find surprises.
• Size: Not a good indicator. Starting with the species, the seeds of C. indica are larger than those of C. sativa. If from there, we move on to various hybridizations between varieties and species, then the size becomes something useless to evaluate to know the quality.

Marijuana seed storage.

Considering the point already explained, this factor is directly related. The more storage, the less quality, the less chance of germination. In absolute terms, marijuana seeds can have a viability of up to 10 years. However, it should be borne in mind that, year after year, the percentage of seeds that can germinate decreases.

To ensure optimal viability, storage should not be stretched beyond a year and a half. And the optimal storage conditions are under vacuum in a dark and cool place, without great thermal variation.

Can we know the sex of a cannabis seed?

NO. There is nothing more to add to this section. What a seed bank can “ensure” you is to have feminized seeds. Otherwise, until you see the flowers, there’s no way to know.

If purchased, will it germinate better?

The “certified” seeds have among their characteristics a better quality. But let’s assess the quality. More CBD? More THC? Higher proportion of buds? More hardiness and resistance to low light and water? These are growing traits that often have nothing to do with a marijuana seed’s ability to germinate. Each variety is adapted to soil conditions, irrigation, light, etc. “Ease of germination” is often determined by growing conditions rather than germination itself. In other words, if you don’t know how to germinate a seed, even if it is purchased, it may not germinate as well as it should.

Cover photo: “thöR