Genetics is most important when growing cannabis
Genetics plays the most important role when growing cannabis. Genetics will determine a lot of things like what type of yields you will have and if they will be big yields or small yields. Genetics will determine if you’re going to end up with low-quality cannabis or high-quality cannabis. Genetics will determine how your plants are going to grow in their growing conditions and environment. Some genetics are bred to be more pest and mold resistant than others allowing plants to grow in conditions that are not optimal. If your growing outside your genetics will determine if your plants will finish in time before the frost comes. Some genetics finish in as quick as 7 weeks where some genetics can take 12 weeks or longer to finish. By selecting good genetics with a faster flowering cycle you can get off 6-8 crops a year instead of 4 that is a big difference in product each year. Long and short no matter what way you look at there is a reason why the phrase Genetics Is Key has been around and will always be around. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have or rather you have a state of the art million dollar setup with the best nutrients in the world if you do not start with good genetics your not going to end up with a good product. With that said I am not trying to talk anyone out of experimenting and popping them random beans, you have sitting around. I am just letting you know what could happen and why good genetics matters if you want a quality product.
Difference between good quality and bad quality genetics
It is very clear to tell in the photos here the difference between good quality genetics and low-quality genetics. Of course, you need to have the proper setup and optimal conditions as well to ensure a good crop but starting with good genetics is the first step.
Good quality Genetics
as you can tell by the photos below you can see what comes from good quality genetics. You will have nice dense buds, good yields depending on the strain and nice frosty buds with a higher than normal THC content.
Bad quality Genetics
as you can tell by the photos below when you get or start with low-quality genetics your going to end up with a low-quality product that will not look as good or taste as good as your used to. The THC content could be low and the smell could be minimal. Having good genetics can be the difference between smoking really good product they call Fire to really shitty product they call hay.
Something I will never understand
Being a grower for 10+ years one thing I could never understand is why the majority of people who grow for the first time or even seasoned growers who have been growing for years cheap out or take the easy road with genetics. Growing cannabis is like making an investment. You invest your time over 2-3 months growing the cannabis as well as your money into the power, gear nutrients and more in hopes for a return of nice product that will save you money down the road. The most common thing I see is people are willing to spend the money for the gear and put their time into the crop but not willing to spend the money on quality genetics or do their research on what strains would be best for their growing conditions. It is very common, almost weekly that I get people telling me they just dropped hundreds or thousands on their grow setup and they are going to get clones from their buddy or going to be popping seeds they found in weed or that they had or had laying around. This will work but it’s better to experiment on a small scale then to experiment with your entire crop. I will list why this may be a problem below. This may not always result in a bad crop but your chances are a lot higher and unless you like taking gambles or have the extra time and money to burn sometimes it’s worth it to just get good genetics.
Popping seeds you found in weed
This is known as bag seed when you find cannabis seeds in the bag of weed you bought. This is one-way strains are carried on but can end up being a waste of time. I am not telling you not to plant the seeds you find in your weed I am just telling you what can happen so you can be prepared for the end result. If you found a strain you like and ended up getting a seed from the bud if the seeds are not fully developed and matured it will not germinate. If the seed is matured and it does germinate you could end up with a hermaphrodite or the seed could carry on more stress and mutations that caused the first plant to produce seed in the first place. This is not always the case but if your spending time and money growing you do not want to wait 2 months to find out your buds are full of seed. I was one of these guys 15 years ago wanting to plant everything I found. Then I found out what high-quality genetics were and never planted a bag seed again. If this is all you have then pop the beans and have at it. If you do not mind spending the time taking care of them and inventing into them again pop them you never know you could end up with something really nice but if you do not want to take the risk purchase some good genetics.
Popping seeds you had laying around
Popping seeds you have laying around the house or found can come with problems as well. Again I am not telling you not to pop them as you could have some good quality genetics I am just making you aware of what can happen. First, if the seeds are too old and were not stored in the proper manner they might not germinate and sometimes you might need to help them by softening the outer layer or sanding a bit of the shell off making them soft enough for the taproot to pop. If this is the case the growth can sometimes be slowed in the plant. If the seed ends up being a male then you risk pollinating the rest of your crop turning everything to seed. If its low-quality cannabis then you just invested your time and money growing something nobody is going to want including yourself. Popping random seeds can leave you like a kid in a candy store come crop time if they are all different as you never know what you’re going to get.
Getting clones from a friend
Getting clones from a friend is always an easy way to get your crop started. If your friend grows weed but buys better weed to smoke you might not want to get clones from him. I am not saying do not get clones from your friends but if you’re going to be sure to ask the right questions. Find out how old the mother is, what generation the mother is, ensure there are no pests or bugs. Some people are set in their ways and continue to run strains for years upon years. I personally know a few old timers so set in their ways they started with a mother 10 years ago and still have mothers from that plant going today. Problem with this is each generation is making the plant weaker and weaker. When I first tried his products they were amazing but each year they got worse and worse. Do your research ask what breeder the mother comes from and have a look at some pics from that breeder to see what end results might look like. End results are going to differ depending on grow conditions etc but this will give you a general idea. If you can not find the strain name chances are it’s because it was made up. Making names is common for some reason if a grower doesn’t know the strain they will throw a name on it and stick with it.
How to start with good genetics
Starting with seeds
To start with good genetics you need to start with a reputable breeder or someone with some proof as we all know everyone has the bomb lol. If you’re going to be growing with seeds you do not want to be buying from joe blow that runs the new seed site with granddaddy purple for 5 dollars a pack of seeds. Chances are you’re going to be getting hemp seeds or very low-quality genetics. Do your research look at what people are saying on social media, forums and review websites. Look for photos of people growing the strain you’re interested in that previously got seeds from the same breeder this will give you a sneak peek at the quality if they are being grown in optimal conditions. The phrase “you get what you pay for” is not always true when it comes to buying seeds. I’ve bought a 5 pack of seeds for $30 that was twice as good as a 5 pack I bought for $200. In the end, doing your research can help ensure you get the best of the best. I will leave a list below of some breeders I have used in the past that have never let me down.
Starting with clones
To start with clones you’re going to need to order some in or get them from a friend. I recommend asking how old the mother is that you will be getting clones off of. If the mother is 2+ years old I myself would pass on them. If the mother is under 2 months old again I myself would pass on them. Both will grow fine but from my experience over the years, the healthiest of plants come from mothers between 2 months old to 1.5 years old. Ask if they know what generation the mother plant is from. If the mother comes from a reputable breeder they will know if it is an f1, f2, f3, f4, etc. The lower the number the more traits and qualities it will have to the original strain. Ensure to ask about bugs and pests and double check yourself before bringing clones into your grow room or tent. It is too easy to get pests in the grow room but not as easy to get rid of them so trust me when I say Ask and double check yourself.
High Quality Trusted Breeders I Use
I will list some breeders that I have personally used that I know has top quality genetics. Everyone has their own favorite breeders and there are hundreds of good breeders out there, these are just the few I have experience with.
InHouseGenetics
EnvyGenetics
LitFarms
ThugPug
Symbiotic
SavageGenetics
Cannarado
420FastBuds
Seedbanks I use
Canadian and USA seed bank that ships I believe worldwide. I also helped to design this site and got a lot of my genetics from them. They have exclusive drops, limited edition drops and have allot of the high-end top quality breeders with a nice selection of genetics.
Conclusion
Wrapping things up if you want to grow quality you need quality genetics. If you do not care and just want to grow to try growing then anything will do. Yes, there is that chance that you can find some fire in random seeds but there is also a chance you’re going to be dealing with seeds in your bud at the end as well. If you have any questions or comments please post them below
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