How to Buy Cannabis Seeds Online (2024)

How to Buy Cannabis Seeds Online

A resounding majority of Americans have expressed support for legalizing cannabis, making it more popular than ever in the country.

More Americans than ever are thinking about growing their cannabis now that it is legal in sixteen states for recreational use and about 37 states for medical purposes, and only increasing in numbers.

Finding and purchasing cannabis seeds locally in most states can be challenging. Dispensaries are in business to sell you the final product, not teach you how to grow your own.

There is an option: you can buy cannabis seeds online. However, you now need to make a few decisions first: what kind of weed you want to grow, what strain you prefer, and whether you want regular marijuana seeds or something like feminized or auto-flowering seeds.

Your next step is to find a reputable online seed bank. The number one thing beginners worry about is cost. Remember, “You Get What You Pay For” when buying cannabis seeds online.

With so many online seed banks, it can be hard to choose the right one. Are you guaranteed to receive the seeds? The Marijuana Consumer is here to help you with your first or twenty-first online purchase.

Here’s what you need to know to safely and confidently buy cannabis seeds online.

Before Buying Cannabis Seeds Online

Before buying cannabis seeds online, you should know a little about the seeds and the final product once they’re grown. Particulars such as quality seeds, different strains, effects, etc., are necessary when selecting seeds.

Many consumers find growing their plants from tiny seeds a tremendous and rewarding experience. Others love the power of having total control over their crop’s nutrition, lighting, and growth. Some even claim to build a personal relationship with their plants over the growing period.

Whatever the reason you want to buy cannabis seeds online, choosing the highest quality cannabis seeds that fit your personal needs is of the utmost importance.

To do this correctly, you must learn about the different strains and varieties of seeds you can purchase online. You will also need to have a basic knowledge of any problems or obstacles you may face when you buy cannabis seeds online.

Our complete guide is here to help the beginner safely and effectively buy cannabis seeds online. By the end of this guide, you can choose the perfect seeds for your first grow, navigate online cannabis seed banks, and feel confident about making your first online order.

All About Cannabis Seeds

First, let’s talk about what exactly is a cannabis seed. Also commonly called “marijuana seeds,” a primary education on the miracle seed will help you make a better buying decision regarding ordering your grow.

Cannabis Seeds 101

A cannabis plant is either female, male, or hermaphrodite. Each plant has reproductive organs, making it dioecious. When a male cannabis plant pollinates a female plant, a cannabis seed is created.

A realistic illustration of the germination process of a cannabis seed from seed to sprout.

These cannabis plants are self-sustained and can produce pollen and self-pollinate their flowers to produce seeds.

Once seeds are created, they mature. Once fully mature, they detach from the plant and drop to the earth. These seeds can produce new marijuana plants or be harvested for hemp oil or food.

Most marijuana consumed from a dispensary comes from a female plant’s seedless flower.

The name sinsemilla comes from the Spanish term “flor sin semilla,” or a flower without seed.

The Merriam-Webster definition is – Sinsemilla: highly potent marijuana from female plants that are specially tended and kept seedless by preventing pollination from inducing a high resin content; also, a female hemp plant has grown to produce sinsemilla.

The Difference Between Male & Female Cannabis Seeds

Many in-depth articles on the Internet claim that you can tell the difference between male and female seeds by just looking at them. The only way to guarantee the sex of a seed is to watch how it grows.

A cannabis plant first shows signs of sex at around six weeks, during the pre-flowering stage.

Generally, around this point, you can tell if you’re the lucky owner of a female plant if a tiny bud starts to grow on the core between the leading stock and the fledging branch. These small buds will eventually grow into big, beautiful, healthy adult flowers.

Another “tattle-tale” you’re in the midst of a female plant is it will begin to sprout little white pistil hairs around where the tiny bud is growing.

Another unique aspect of young females is that one (or a couple) long white hairs emerge from the bud. These hairs turn red or orange as the flower ages and mature.

Around the six-week mark, male cannabis plants are identified by a tulip-shaped bulb. This is the pollen sac; it will not sprout pistil hairs.

Once a male plant is identified, it must be removed and quarantined from the female plants. If you don’t remove the male plants as soon as possible, they will pollinate the female plants as they mature. This will force the female plant to produce seeds instead of developing flowers. You want to avoid the pollination process for a healthy, successful harvest.

Male cannabis plants are considered useless because they do not produce the desired effects when consumed. You may want to keep this in mind when you buy cannabis seeds online and opt for feminized marijuana seeds. Typically, male plants are used for breeding purposes to produce more marijuana seeds for future growth.

Seed Types: Buy Cannabis Seeds Online

Picking the correct seed type is probably the most crucial step to buying marijuana seeds online. Deciding which weed seeds you would like to plant will determine how much time and care you will need to put into your plant during its growth cycle.

There are three options: regular cannabis seeds, feminized cannabis seeds, and auto-flowering cannabis seeds. Below, we will touch on the options available to help you decide which type of seed is best for your growing needs.

Regular Marijuana Seeds

When you buy cannabis seeds online, most beginners purchase this type of seed. Regular cannabis seeds will produce both female and male marijuana plants. These seeds have not been genetically or chemically altered, so they are straight from the natural plant. You usually end up with an equal amount of male and female plants.

These are the easiest for the novice grower and perfect for your first grow. You must identify their sex during the pre-flower stage and isolate the males once identified. If you neglect to remove them, you will ruin your harvest.

Remember, even if the males are removed, you must keep an eye on the remaining female plants so they don’t morph into hermaphrodites because they’re not feminized. Look for the tiny ball-looking pollen sacs; isolate them with the others if you see a plant forming one. You can use them with the males to produce more seeds for future growth.

Feminized Marijuana Seeds

A feminized seed is a cannabis seed that ensures the resulting plant will be female. This type of seed is altered and does not naturally occur. It is created through a process called feminization.

As the plant progresses through its growth stage, feminization is achieved by a method known as Rodelization or by spraying different gibberellic acid or colloidal silver solutions.

Unlike regular marijuana seeds, hermaphrodites occur due to the lack of the opposite sex growing near in nature. Feminized strains grown in the proper conditions are very resistant to becoming hermaphrodites.

Eliminating the requirement to identify the sex of the plants has allowed commercial growers to save time and money and increase their yields.

Feminized cannabis seeds are great for the beginner. You don’t have to worry about constantly checking, identifying, and isolating male plants quickly. This will cut down a little on time and let you focus on growing big, beautiful buds during your plant growth cycle.

Auto-Flowering Marijuana Seeds

Unlike other seed types, plants from auto-flowering cannabis seeds will automatically start their flowering cycle once they hit a certain age. Regular and feminized strains will only begin flowering when their light exposure is reduced to their age and size.

Depending on your preference and growth plans, you can buy regular or feminized auto-flowering cannabis seeds online. If your goal is to maximize your yield, auto-flowering plants tend to flower quickly, allowing you to harvest more throughout the year.

Although auto-flowering cannabis seeds can produce an excellent yield in about two to three months, you must maintain a particular schedule for the first six weeks. If any problems occur within this time frame, you must take care of them immediately.

The auto-flowering seed is excellent for beginners and professional growers alike. They do not need a set light schedule to encourage the plant to flower. It can be grown indoors and outdoors, even in northern climates where the summer season is short. These types of seeds will take full advantage of the sun when available.

The most significant benefit to the beginner is that auto-flowering plants don’t need too much attention

Cannabis Strains

Now that you have a basic knowledge of the different types of seeds available. It’s time to learn about the various marijuana strains that are out there and the effect they will produce when consumed.

What is a Strain?

A genetic difference within the same species is called a strain. The four main types of cannabis strains are Indica, Sativa, Ruderalis, and Hybrids.

Different strains also have other psychoactive effects; this section will give you a primary education on which strains are best for treating certain conditions, health issues, and symptoms of diseases.

The many different strains of cannabis.

Indica

The first cannabis strain is the Indica plant. It is sturdy, short, broad, and aromatic. It can grow from three to six feet tall during a normal growth cycle. Due to its compact stature, the Indica plant is widespread among indoor growers.

Indica plants have a short flowering period of only eight to twelve weeks and are considered higher-yielding. They also make more resin, which causes considerably more if your goal is to produce hashish.

The buds and flowers are closer and, when touched, have a much tackier feel than other plants.

Indica Effects

Consuming Indica will give you more of a “CouchLock High” or “Inda-Couch” (so stoned you don’t want to get off the couch). It can make you feel numb and sleepy, relieving pain and muscle. Indica is the strain that makes you feel “stoned.” The strain’s effect is much like prescription pills or sedatives, as it helps you deeply relax.

Medicinal Purposes

Consuming Indica will help treat eating disorders, insomnia, glaucoma, muscle pain, migraines, sleep disorders, and seizures. The strain itself will provide substantial relief for most body and muscle pains.

Sativa

The sativa strain is very tall and thin. Sometimes, it can grow up to twenty feet high. Since it grows very tall, it is recommended for outdoor growth.

Sativa’s flowering timeline is longer than most; it can take anywhere from ten to sixteen weeks. The buds are very airy and loose.

Sativa Effects

Sativa affects more of your head than your body. After consumption, you will feel uplifted, energized, happy, and even creative. Sativa is well known for being consumed by creative people such as artists, musicians, and professionals. It is often used as an anti-depressant to fight the dull drums of everyday life.

Medicinal Purposes

The strain is used to provide energy for people who suffer from chronic fatigue. Somebody can also use it to treat symptoms of mood disorders.

Ruderalis

The runt of the bunch and least well-known is the ruderalis strain of cannabis. Many cannabis farmers and consumers alike consider this a subspecies of sativa. However, it does have its traits and qualities as well. The plant itself is thin and short.

One of the most common reasons ruderalis is not as popular as Sativa and Indica is its minimal Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. However, it does have higher levels of Cannabidiol (CBD).

Because the strain grows fast and thrives in colder climates, it is often only used by breeders and growers to create solid, healthy hybrid strains.

Hybrid

Hybrid plants occur when one cannabis strain is cross-pollinated with another. Breeders do this to increase potency or yield and to create a more intense strain. The combination of the two will also carry all the parent strain features. The idea behind hybrid strains is to combine the best parts of all the strains into one “Perfect Plant.”

Hybrids are the most common strain available today; it is difficult to find a 100% pure Sativa, Indica, or Ruderalis strain. Multiple years of cross-breeding have created a wide variety of hybrids that are available for you to buy.

More Cannabis Seed Information

When shopping and buying cannabis seeds online, you may see other descriptors with percentages or additional information. Below, we break down the most common ones.

Tetrahydrocannabinol & Cannabidiol

The two main chemical compounds in marijuana are Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).

Tetrahydrocannabinol is the chemical compound that produces the mind or body “high” you feel.

THC creates a psychoactive effect within your system that can change your perception or mood. Most consumers chase their euphoric “head high” for recreational purposes.

THC levels are what most recreational marijuana consumers are looking for when they want to buy cannabis seeds online. The higher the percentage of THC, the better the high.

Cannabidiol does not produce a psychotic high whatsoever. CBD is where the medicinal value of cannabis derives. It enhances THC’s positive effects while helping reduce the negative impact.

CBD is used to treat many different medical conditions and diseases.

Terpenes

While browsing cannabis seeds online at your favorite seed bank, you’ll see different strain descriptions. You’ll know that taste and aroma are often the topics of conversation. Many marijuana connoisseurs consider a strain’s flavor and smell like a fine wine.

Terpenes are the plant’s natural oils responsible for the smell and flavor of cannabis. The combination and quantity of terpenes will vary from strain to strain.

Before selecting one, you should read through these notes carefully and consider what is written. These notes will also help you know the effect you’re consuming your harvest when using a vape or traditional smoking.

Although not the easiest to grow, plants without genetic modification or chemicals are generally considered the best-tasting and the most aromatic.

Hemp

Hemp is used mainly for industrial purposes. Considered a type of Sativa, it is used for various commercial applications such as clothing, food, paint, textiles, and paper.

Hemp is typically grown in locations within the Northern Hemisphere.

There are many differences between hemp and marijuana.

Hemp has a shallow THC content of about .03% or lower.

However, it does carry a pretty high quantity of CBD. This means it only provides little or no high when ingested or consumed.

Decide What to Grow

When buying cannabis seeds online, the first step is deciding what you want to grow. While popular strains like White Widow or Strawberry Cough might come to mind, these might not be good for your growth.

Some things to consider are whether you’re growing indoors or out and if you live in an area where growing is legal. If you’re growing indoors, you may want to consider a low-odor strain that doesn’t get very tall, like Northern Lights or Lowryder.

Or, you may be looking for a highly effective strain relieving symptoms of a medical condition.

Either way, there’s no point in conducting much research on a seed bank that doesn’t offer the particular strain you need. Once you decide what you’re looking for, it’s time to find seed banks that offer it.

Research Before You Buy Cannabis Seeds Online

One of the most significant challenges of purchasing cannabis seeds is finding a reputable company.

Plenty of fly-by-night seed businesses are out there, and slick website designs can prevent you from quickly identifying which companies aren’t worth dealing with.

Since getting a refund for marijuana seeds that you never received, or poor quality seeds that don’t grow well, is pretty much impossible.

You will want to ensure you’re doing business with a legitimate marijuana seed retailer.

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