According to estimates, it was found that the use of marijuana has increased by ten times over the last 25 years. This number has increased due to legalizing recreational and medicinal weed here in the USA and in other countries. No wonder that many people have tasted success as new-age entrepreneurs with their own cannabis cultivation setup.
Many people are getting more and more aware of various types of marijuana products and are consuming vast types of products.
But how to grow high-quality buds? If your inner weed farmer is tingling with excitement at the prospect of growing blockbuster harvests, then let us tell you – it all starts with the seed.
You can grow good weed plants by properly choosing the right seed and taking good care of the plant.
If you are new to the marijuana world, you must understand that the seed is the most important part of getting high-quality plants and a pleasant experience. Before you even see your plant, some plant quality is determined by how well-treated the seed is.
Therefore, you must purchase the seeds from a reputable seed company. Sometimes while purchasing, you may end up with bad quality seeds, which will cause you some problems down the lane.
Hence, we have compiled this article today to help you spot bad seeds. We have also mentioned various tests to help you test bad seeds and how to choose good seeds.
Which seeds qualify as bad seeds?
When we say bad seeds, it does not necessarily mean damaged or spoiled. There are dud seeds that never sprout, thereby causing you to waste your time and resources on a seed that is not good.
Another type of bad seed is a male plant. The reason male plants are called bad is that they cannot be used for consumption. The male plants pollinate the female plants in their surroundings. This reduces the THC level in female plants.
People get male plants when they buy regular seeds. There is always a 50/50 chance that the plants from regular seeds will be male plants.
How do the seeds become bad?
You must store the weed seeds in a dark and cold place to ensure they survive for long. If the seeds are not stored in ideal conditions, there are chances the seed might go bad.
When you get your seeds, store them in a dark container away from light sources, at a proper height above the ground level.
The humidity of the seeds should be around 8% to 10% if you plan on storing them for a long duration. If not, then the ideal humidity is around 21% to 30%. The lower the temperature where you store the seeds, the lesser are the chances of the seeds germinating unexpectedly.
Various procedures to test bad seeds
To ensure your efforts and resources are not wasted, it is always advised to test the seeds before they germinate. The good thing is that you don’t need to be an Einstein to test the seeds for their quality. To find out which seeds are good and which seeds have gone bad, you can conduct several tests. We have explained various tests in detail.
1- Look at the seeds
Sometimes you can understand whether the seeds are good or bad simply by looking at them. But to know it correctly, there are some steps to check, and they are as follows-
- A good seed will be very dark in color and will have black and grey patches on the seed. If the seed is white, green, or pale, it means that speed is bad or old.
- A healthy seed will have a layer of wax coating on the shell. This makes the seed shiny.
- A good seed will not have any cracks on the seed. If the seed has racks, then there are chances moisture must have gotten in, and the seed might have gone bad.
- A healthy seed will be round and flat in shape. A good round seed will sprout into a healthy plant. Some seeds might have thick shells, but once you water them, they will soften up.
- View the seeds closely for any white or dusty powder on the seed. If it has, then it means that the seed has fungus, and such seeds should not be planted.
These visual affirmations will go a long way in determining whether you need to shed your sweat and blood after them.
2- Touch the seeds
Once you have looked at the seed and feel okay, the next step is to touch the seed. But while touching the seed, be careful because you do not want to apply excess pressure.
The seed should be strong and rigid. Only a strong seed will germinate properly. If the seeds are not strong, it is advised to put them in water and look at various other alternatives.
3- Putting the seeds in water
Placing the seeds in water and looking at how they behave can speak volumes about the seeds. Though the water testing method is not only approved for cannabis seeds but other plants seeds as well.
You should only use the water test if you are ready to put the seeds for germination. If you have no plans to germinate them, then do not do the water test.
Place the weed seeds in a glass of water. The water can be warm and not hot. Put the seeds in the water and wait for an hour or two.
Look at the seeds carefully. The weed seeds that sink to the bottom of the glass are good and can be used for germination. The ones that float are bad and should be discarded immediately.
4- Using germination test
There are several ways growers check whether the seeds will germinate or not. The most common method is to directly plant the seeds in the soil and wait for the results.
The other method is using paper towel methods. In this method, you dampen a paper towel, place the seeds, cover the seeds with another paper towel and place them in a container.
Put the container in a dark place and check whether the seeds have sprouted. Once you see the sprouts, using tweezers, transfer them carefully into the soil or the pot. Touching the seeds will also contaminate the seed, and you might not get the desired effect.
How to always choose the good seeds?
Most new and experienced growers also prefer buying feminized seeds. The feminized seeds guaranteed female plants that can be later on used for consumption.
You should buy the seeds from a reputable pharmacy or an online dispensary. Read the product description and try to understand the source before buying. You might occasionally get bad seeds, but you will receive good seeds the majority of the time.
Final thoughts
There is no proper step-wise method that you can follow and differentiate between good and bad seeds. However, you can observe the seeds and then make an informed decision about the seeds. Reduce your chances of getting bad seeds by buying them from a dependable seed bank like Homegrown Cannabis Co.