Are you a beginner grower of cannabis? If yes, it could be a daunting task to choose the first strain to grow. There were essentially two choices in the early days – you either chose Skunk or Northern Lights. Today though, things have changed a bit.
There are some great varieties of strains on the market, like some great sativa strains for beginners, and as many pitfalls, as a beginner like you could run into.
Remember that you might likely not have a perfect growing experience the first time. However, if you follow the right kind of advice, you should be able to steer clear of those hurdles. Relax, and do not panic if things go wrong.
This article gives you tips on choosing quality cannabis seeds to grow as a beginner.
Price
Price is an important aspect when it comes to picking seeds. You might be tempted to pick the most expensive seeds you can find, especially if you have the dough to spend). You might think that since they are expensive, they should be good, right? That is not necessarily true, though. More so if you are not entirely sure about how you are about to grow them.
You might have devoured all the online tips for growing cannabis and done good research, but you are not yet an expert. The rule is to leave the strains from the top shelves alone for beginners. At least it would help if you avoided them for your first growing attempt. Not when you are still to notch up at least one crop under your belt.
Many things could go wrong, and some experienced growers still experience serious problems, like mold or pests on their crops. Losing a crop you paid to buy expensive seeds for will hurt a lot more than for one you bought the seeds for cheap.
So, buy cheap and get a bit of valuable experience before you graduate to the more expensive seeds.
Indica or sativa strain?
This is a tricky choice to make, and your circumstances also play a role to a certain degree. It is an accepted fact that indicas are a better and safer choice for beginner growers. This is because of their flowering time, which is shorter in comparison.
When you are new to the field, it would already seem that it takes an eternity to grow, harvest, dry, and cure your buds before you can finally consume them. On top of that, waiting extra time for a sativa to flower is not something you might be excited about.
Generally, indicas are more forgiving of mistakes than sativas are, and yes, you will surely make a few in the beginning. That being said, though, your choice might depend on your needs.
It is not necessary to be the case that everybody would like the couch-lock effect that indica dominant strains are known to offer. Certainly, some prefer sativas, and others might need them for medical reasons. So, to a small extent, it depends on individual choices too. There are some good sativa strains for beginners that you could try out.
However, if you are not particularly looking for a sativa varietal, the best option is to play on the safer side with an indica. As you gather more experience along the way, you can always mix it up a bit in future grows.
Do you go for feminized or non-feminized?
When browsing for cannabis seeds online, one of the terms that you will first notice will be ‘feminized.’ Then there is another type called ‘Regular.’
If you have taken the previous advice to take cheaper seeds seriously, you might be tempted to go for the cheapest options available.
However, no matter how tempted you might be by the low prices of regular seeds, it wouldn’t be advisable to pick them for your first grow. You would want to keep your potential problems that might arise at the lowest possibility.
One very easy way to do that is by paying a bit extra and buying peace of mind by ensuring that all the plants you grow will be females.
It is better than noticing a male plant in your crop and knowing that after weeks or months of hard labor, that one male has ruined all your efforts.
What about autoflower?
Another option you have is to go for autoflowering seeds. These are comparatively a recent phenomenon and can be a good choice for beginners, as they go well with everything you wish for in a plant.
They are not too expensive, feminized, and are indica dominant strain and hence a lot forgiving. These are known to grow almost anywhere, and they grow pretty quickly.
The plants they produce will be smaller in size and give you far fewer buds. This, too, boils down to personal preference. If you are growing for recreational use, autoflowers can be a great option to start your growth. On the other hand, if you are a medical user, or are looking for a large yield, give it a miss.
Growing indoor or outdoor?
The decision to choose to grow indoor or outdoor has a lot to do with your location and if you are willing to put in a bit extra effort. Growing indoors will make it easier for you. You will have more control over the growing environment, but downsides too.
It would help if you were prepared to spend a huge amount on setting up the grow area indoors, the inflated electricity bills, and the effects of increased energy usage on the planet.
Once you have decided where you want to grow, you would have narrowed down the choice of seeds to an extent. Some strains of cannabis are better for outdoor cultivation than the traditional varieties from Africa, the Middle East, and the Himalayas.
The modern hybrids, on the other hand, have been developed with indoor growing in mind,
With all this information in hand, you should better decide which seeds could be the best fit for your growing requirements. After all is said and done, the choice is yours, but keep this important thing in mind – even with expert planning and research, things can – and perhaps will, at certain points – go wrong.
Just do not lose hope when they do, you always have another chance, and practice will make you perfect.
Source your seeds well
One of the best ways to ensure that the sativa strains for beginners you saw online are of the best quality is to buy them from a reputable seed bank or a certified dispensary.
The companies that sell the best cannabis seeds are very proud of their skills. They want to offer their best seeds to their customers, the same ones they advertised for.
Find a reputable seed bank who have been in the market for a while. Such sellers have a reputation to live up to, so they wouldn’t want to jeopardize it and put their reputation on the line by delivering suspect quality seeds.
Final Word
The quality of your cannabis harvest will be directly influenced by the seeds you use to grow the plants. The tips mentioned above will help you ensure the quality of cannabis seeds you purchase. However, remember that every individual cannabis plant is different from the other and unique on its own.
