Soil quality is one of the biggest hidden causes of grow problems, and a lot of growers don’t even realize it. Here are some examples.

This grower thought their problem was not enough nutrients because the plant was pale.

But the real problem was the soil. Look closely.

• Thick & muddy – roots can’t get oxygen in soil that’s too thick
• No perlite – these little white “rocks” are key to loose, fluffy soil
• Holds too much water – The soil stays too wet for too long.

Bad cannabis soil can take many forms.

This grower thought he was under-watering the seedlings because the soil looked dry.

But the actual problem was they were growing in low-quality dirt that can’t hold much water.

• Pale – light-colored soil often lacks nutrients and organic matter.
• Solid – this soil is so compacted it’s hard as a rock
• Poor texture – even after adding water, it looks pale and dusty

Don’t set yourself up for failure.

Soil is something you choose before planting a seed, so make sure to set up your grow for success.

Choosing cannabis-friendly soil produces more weed with less effort, because Mother Nature works with you instead of against you. You just need to know what to look for.

Note: Seeds like Purple Haze, Northern Lights #10, Do-Si-Dos germinate strong in any grow medium.

What’s the Best Soil for Weed?

There are many brands that work great. My favorite cannabis soil is Fox Farm Coco Loco soil, which pairs well with Fox Farm soil nutrients.

That’s what I used for this grow journal.

When it comes to growing cannabis in soil, you have 3 main choices to ensure great weed.

1. Buy a proven soil – Use a brand known for great cannabis soil. Two great cannabis soil options are Coco Loco potting mix (a coco-fiber-heavy soil mix makes seedlings less prone to overwatering, but needs nutrients earlier) and Ocean Forest soil (true soil that is ”hot” enough you don’t need to add nutrients for several weeks).
2. Use locally available soil – Go to a local gardening store and find “organic potting mix” that looks like the soil examples below. Cannabis soil should be brown, rich, fluffy, and ideally already contains little white rocks called perlite. Make sure to give nutrients after just a few weeks, as cannabis plants quickly use up nutrients in regular soil.
3. Mix your own soil – If you’re looking to make your own soil, here’s an awesome tutorial by Subcool on making cannabis-friendly soil.

Example of great cannabis soil (this is Coco Loco) – click for closeup

Note about soil & nutrients: Cannabis plants are exceptionally nutrient-hungry as they enter the flowering stage. Bigger plants often use up nutrients in the soil, and need nutrient supplementation right as buds are forming, unless you grow in a big pot with a lot of soil.

You can’t go wrong with the Fox Farm trio for soil. Just follow the instructions on the label at half-strength for cannabis plants. Learn everything about cannabis nutrients & supplements for soil.

Fox Farm trio grows great cannabis in soil.

In addition to Nitrogen, cannabis specifically needs plenty of Phosphorus, Potassium, and micronutrients (a “bloom” nutrient formula) to grow big, dense, potent, and strong-smelling buds.

Give extra “bloom” nutrients as buds form to increase potency, density, and smell.

Weed grown in Coco Loco soil with Fox Farm soil trio nutrients (Candy Games #38 strain).

What should you look for in good cannabis soil?

Weed growers consistently find the best cannabis soil has these characteristics:

• dark and rich
• loose texture
• holds water
• drains well

The following video shows the soil texture you want (this is Coco Loco soil, my personal favorite soil for growing cannabis).

Click here to choose the right soil and learn how to water cannabis plants so they thrive.

When Should I Start Adding Cannabis Nutrients in Soil?

Soil is so simple. So close to nature. Add seeds, remember to water your plants, and wait for an awesome harvest, right?

But cannabis plants typically use up the nutrients in the soil. If you don’t start adding nutrients, the start running into nutrient deficiencies (see what that looks like below).

Once plants get hungry, you can’t go wrong with the Fox Farm trio for soil. For cannabis plants, follow the instructions on the label at half-strength. Get the best cannabis nutrients & supplements for soil.

Fox Farm trio grows great cannabis in soil.

Here’s what you need to watch out for as a soil cannabis grower, so you start adding nutrients before it causes issues.

Pale, lime green cannabis plants in soil = you need to add more nutrients.

If many lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, especially while buds are forming, it’s a sign the plant is “stealing” nutrients from the bottom of the plant to give to the hard-working leaves at the top.

That means if many lower leaves are turning yellow and falling off on their own, you need to add more nutrients.

Add more nutrients if bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off.

If the bottom of your pot looks like this, the cannabis plant needs more nutrients.

When the Nutrient Problem is Caused by PH

If you see these different symptoms, the cause is likely a pH problem, not needing more nutrients. See pictures of deficiencies caused by pH.

If you see brown spots, or yellow leaves are “stuck” on the plant, it’s likely actually a pH problem.

Another example of a nutrient deficiency caused by incorrect pH.

Healthy Plants Produce Better Harvests

You can still get a great harvest even if you have some nutrient problems. But you get the best cannabis yields and bud quality when plants avoid nutrient deficiencies and get plenty of nutrients while buds are forming.

Fox Farm Coco Loco soil with Fox Farm soil nutrients works well for weed.

Vic’s cannabis plants thriving in Coco Loco soil with Fox Farm soil nutrients.

Which cannabis seeds perform in soil?

You commonly hear soil growers say “soil produces more terpenes”.

So we put it to the test, In our side-by-side grow experiment using super soil vs coco, we found the super soil buds (at least for that grow) had 17% higher terpenes at the lab on average. See the full grow journal.

When terpene production increases, it helps strains express their unique “smell personality”. That means growing strains with strong flavor/smell profiles can help you maximize your soil benefits.

Strains that produce excellent smells in soil

• Sour Diesel –  Recently released by Seedsman, this strain has a faster outdoor finish than most Sativa strains. Buds are dense and sticky growing in traditional diesel-smelling “colas” (big baseball bat buds).
• Purple Oreoz F1 – Get the power of an early finishing F1 strain and the smell of fruity dessert. Excellent bud quality and yields. Suitable for commercial grows.
• Guava Root GMO – This indica that thrives indoors or outdoors. Compact grow pattern, high yielding, “rootbeer” smell hints, beginner friendly. Great for extracts (4.7% hash by weight vis ice water extraction).

Bonus: Grease Gun Autoflower is a high-smell strain for autoflower growers.

Purple Oreoz F1 bud basking in the sun last summer.

Grease Gun Autoflower by SkunkSquatch is easy-to-grow with huge smells.

Learn how to HARVEST at the perfect time. Then process your buds to increase density and smell great.

The post Your soil might be ruining your cannabis grow appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

I visited my dad in Florida a few years ago. As we were walking around a local market, the smell of weed permeated the air. My dad noted, “This weed smells like a skunk with bad body odor.”

I took another whiff. It was definitely weed, but the smell had a sharp, sour edge that really did smell a bit like a skunk gone loose in a locker room.

I didn’t know what to say. I personally like the smell of almost any cannabis. The smell of super skunky weed in particular brings me back to fond memories of when I first smoked weed in the 2000s.

My first weed was super skunky smelling.

But my dad said something I’d never really thought about before.

He said, “The weed I smoked in the ’70s didn’t smell like this at all. It was closer to the smell of cloves. This whole skunky smell is a newer thing.” He said he remembered when the skunky smell first appeared in his part of Maine in the late 1990s. The new skunky weed was much stronger, and had good effects too. But he still missed when weed smelled more pleasant.

“Dad, you need to get out to California and try some of my weed.” I said.

The next year he did come to visit me in Southern California. After trying the weed I grow, followed by his first visit to a dispensary, he said, “You know, none of this weed smells like how I remember from the 70s, but I love how all this California weed smells so sweet and mild.”

“Do you like the smell of California weed better than what you smoked in the 70s?” I asked, both of us red-eyed from the weed we’d been smoking all afternoon.

“I’m not sure. That smell came with a lot of great memories… but smoking this strong-ass California weed with you ain’t bad either.” I smiled. For my dad, that’s a huge compliment.

What Makes Weed Smell How It Does?

My dad’s comments left me wondering what causes cannabis to smell the way it does.

Cannabis smells don’t change at random. They change as growers select and breed for different effects or customer preferences.

I discovered there’s been quite a bit of research on what gives each cannabis strain its signature scent.^[1][2][3]

• Terpenes – These aromatic organic compounds “evaporate” in the air and leave a smell. Pine, lemon, floral, sweet… these common smells are heavily influenced by terpenes.
• Volatile Sulfur Compounds – “Skunk” and strong diesel smells typically come from sulfur compounds, not terpenes.

There are also rare or lesser known compounds. But besides terpenes and sulfur compounds, there hasn’t been much research into what causes “other” smells of weed.

Terpenes – Most “good” smells

Of all the things that affect cannabis smell, terpenes have been the most studied by far.

Terpenes make smells like:

• Pine
• Floral
• Citrus
• Spicy
• Earthy
• …and more

The first “good” smelling weed I ever encountered was weed I grew myself. It was a strain called “Mountain Berry” and I got the seeds from a dispensary in San Diego. But these days, almost all the weed at California dispensaries smells sweet, fruity, piney, or other mild floral or earthy odors.

This “Mountain Berry” I grew around 2010 smelled sweet and delicious. Thank you terpenes!

Research shows that terpenes don’t just change smell, but also affect the “high”. For example, the citrus-smelling terpene limonene in weed has been linked to an increase in relaxation.^[4]

This combination of terpenes and weed, sometimes called the entourage effect, likely contributed to the popularity of high-terpene strains.

Mandarin Cookies buds are high in terpenes, giving a “loud” smell without skunkiness.

But terpenes aren’t the whole story when it comes to cannabis smells. The most potent smells come from an entirely different source.

Volatile Sulfur Compounds – Most “pungent” smells

For example, the “skunk” smell of cannabis comes from volatile sulfur compounds, not terpenes. Specifically, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol is the guilty party. It is similar to the spray of a striped skunk at the molecular level, creating that signature scent.

The “skunk” smell of cannabis comes from volatile sulfur compounds, just like a skunk’s spray.

If the smell of your weed literally makes your nose wrinkle, it’s often coming from this category of smells.

The first good cannabis I ever bought smelled like it was sprayed by a skunk (circa 2005ish)

And there are other even lesser known substances that affect the smell of cannabis.

Rare or Lesser Known Smelly Compounds

When a cannabis strain smells particularly “exotic” or not like other weed, it’s often some of these unknown compounds causing the smell.

Why did “Skunky” weed get so popular?

The skunk strains that got introduced into weed in the 1980s through the 2000s weren’t necessarily bred for the smell at first.

This line of genetics had significantly higher THC, and this was most likely the main motivation. Skunky weed was potent.

As breeders selected plants to increase the perceived potency, the volatile sulfur compounds came along for the ride.

Over time, the smell became associated with good weed, and some growers began to select for it directly.

Stanky strong weed became an experience all its own.

Regardless, this new line of skunky weed genetics had much higher THC than what was growing in towns all over America.

The skunky strain genetics spread like wildfire, and much of the smell diversity was lost, at least initially.

Sweet Smelling Strains Rose in the 2010s

In response to legalization in the US and Canada, a wave of new people started buying weed at dispensaries. For the first time, customers actually had choices. Weed was competing on flavor now, not just strength.

And this new market of discerning cannabis enthusiasts loved tasty strains with dessert names (Girl Scout Cookies, Dos Si Dos, Wedding Cake, Candy Games, etc.)

Purple Ghost Candy is a potent, high yielding, and sweet smelling strain.

As a result, throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, many of the new strains were selected for 3 main things: high THC, pleasant smells, and high bag appeal (looks beautiful).

This led to popular strains with completely different smell profiles.

Sources

1. Oswald et al. (2021).
   Identification of a New Family of Prenylated Volatile Sulfur Compounds in Cannabis. ACS Omega.
   View study
2. Oswald et al. (2023).
   Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Diversity of Cannabis. ACS Omega.
   View study
3. Isaacson et al. (2025).
   A proposed lexicon for sensory differentiation of Cannabis sativa aroma. PLOS One.
   View study
4. Limonene and its effects on mood and relaxation. ScienceDirect.
   View study

The Smells of Today

By 2026, cannabis smells have completely changed.

Between dispensaries and home growers, breeding has gone in many directions.

You can still find strains with some of the old smells, but especially in the US the “skunkiness” is a lot more mild. If you’ve watched cartoons, new weed strains are missing the stink lines.

You can’t get the exact weed back from the past, but you can find weed that captures part of it.

Here are a few seeds worth trying…

3 Cannabis Seeds with Notable Smells

For growers looking for classic effects and smells, a resurgence of breeders are working with older genetics to bring back some of the best aspects of the classics.

• Purple Haze – There’s anecdotal evidence that the Seed Supreme captured some of “Purple haze all in my brain” magic. As a plant, these Purple Haze seeds are easy to grow with delicious smelling, purple-tinted buds. Purple Haze seeds store surprisingly well, and maintain high germination rates for years as long as seeds are stored properly.
• Maui Wowie – Signature tropical scent and long lasting effects that won’t put you to sleep. These seeds thrive indoors and out, sprouting tough plants that are mold resistant and can handle some stress.
• Acapulco Gold – This version of Acapulco Gold by Barney’s Farm is a Cannabis Cup Winner. Golden-green buds, unique smell reminiscent of classic central American genetics make these seeds stand out against other versions of Acapulco Gold.

Purple Haze outdoor bud about to get trimmed.

Two Maui Wowie plants (one turned purple!) and two Acapulco Gold plants.

Bonus strain: Jack Herer is legendary for both a unique smell and uplifting effects.

3 Cannabis Seeds That Smell Like a Skunk

• Skunk #1 by Barney’s Farm – Genetics Barney’s Farm has maintained for over 20 years, and one of their pungent strains available in seed form.
• Durban Poison – They Barney’s Farm seed version of this strain has remained one of their top sellers since I started growing in 2008. I remember drooling over it online. Although the THC percentage has increased, they focus on maintaining that unique smell.
• La Pew clone (US Only) – If you want REALLY odoriferous weed, get a cannabis clone through the mail. Clones are more stable than seeds as far as bud smell and this clone cut reeks.

Skunk #1 buds look and smell dank (grown by Keri)

When Picnix grew Durban Poison it was a huge yielder with a thick smell.

The Durban Poison buds smelled “loud” according to picnix.

La Pew clones (US Only) stink to high heaven.

GrowWeedEasy.com’s Growing Cannabis Strain Library

What other strains have you grown, that you feel like have captured the essence of a strain that you smoked in the past? Let us know!

We’d love to incorporate your experiences into our cannabis strain library.

We share details of each strain including pictures of plants grown from those seeds. Our goal is to help share the experience of home growers in one complete convenient place

Research strains to grow!

The recent Candy Games #38 I grew had a very unique aroma. Check out the grow journal. The name was a misnomer. It did not smell like candy at all to me (for candy smell get Purple Ghost Candy). But  the smell did remind me of the the Maui Wowie and Mazar buds I grew in the early 2010s.

Candy Games #38 brings non-traditional smells to modern bud structure and potency.

The post Why Weed Doesn’t Smell Like It Used To (Skunk vs Sweet) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Today learn the universal principles that let you grow better weed than you can buy. 

I love these strains for home growers: Blue Dream (pictured here), Candy Games #38, and Purple Ghost Candy.

1.) Start with Extraordinary Genetics

What to Do: Start with the best seeds you can find. Good seeds germinate consistently and produce the kind of weed you want (density, smell, size, effects, strength, color, smoothless, etc.).

Why: Good seeds grow good weed with your desired effects, even if you make mistakes. Plants works with you instead of against you.

Quick Win: Use one of the following 3 methods to find great genetics for your next cannabis grow.

1. Choose a proven breeder and read the strain description to find what suits you. A good breeder always maintains quality for all their seeds. Some breeders I like lately are Happy Valley Genetics, Seedsman, Seed Supreme, and Ethos (all represented in my current grow journal). 
2. Copy what works – Get the genetics that you see people growing great weed with. For example, if you have friends that grow weed, or interact with growers on social media, take their lead if you like what you see. Find out what they’re growing and get seeds from the same source to copy their results.
3. Enjoy the gamble – The old fashioned method. Grow the seeds you have, or choose a strain that sounds good and go for the adventure! Good seed banks curate their seed selection and have seed germination guarantees, so any of their seeds should produce good weed.

The seeds you pick make a huge difference to results. For example, the following plants were grown together with the same grow medium, nutrients, and care. But look how different they’re turning out! The difference is 100% genetics, not anything I did.

Blue Dream and Candy Games #38 have wildly different genetics! Choose a strain that makes weed you want to grow.

2.) Use a Strong LED Grow Light (Cannabis-Specific)

What to Do: Get a proven cannabis grow light that’s designed for the size of your grow space.

Why: Light = food for plants. More light is better, up to a point. Spectrum (light color) matters too, affecting not only yields, but also density, color, and potency. Older grow lights, most especially “blurple” LEDs, don’t get nearly as good cannabis yields or bud density as newer “quantum board” style LEDs with pinkish or white light.

Modern cannabis LEDs usually produce white or pinkish light.

Quick Win:

1. Choose an LED grow light that’s proven to get great results with weed. The best thing you can do is use a grow light that growers are already using to produce great cannabis harvests. 
2. Good LED companies include… We’ve consistently found these are the most popular grow lights for GrowWeedEasy.com readers: Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, and HLG. I’ve used multiple models from each of these companies and always had great results with growing weed. Which one to get? Choose the grow light that best fits your grow space and budget requirements. Spider Farmer and Mars Hydro get about equal results. HLG lights tend to be overpowered and cost a lot, and often have to be turned down even in a dialed in setup, but gets some of the best bud density of any LED we’ve tried so far. Even their tiny 65W and 100W LED lights have produced multiple ounces for us.
3. Check out our list of 9 recommended cannabis lights with yield estimates, and see pictures of real cannabis plants we’ve grown with them.

A HLG 65W LED is surprisingly productive in a 2x2x3 grow tent. Not bad for an LED that uses less electricity than my bedroom fan.

Or upgrade to a bigger grow light, like a HLG 350 Diablo (or two).

Or go BIG, like Max did here, with multiple lights including a Spider Farmer G5000.

Often it’s easier to combine multiple smaller grow lights than have one enormous grow light. That way you can adjust them independently and have more control over where light falls.

3.) The Right Nutrients at the Right Time

Whether you grow in soil, coco, or hydro, provide proper nutrients. Either use cannabis-specific nutrients and dole out to plants on a schedule. Or start with a cannabis-specific soil that slowly delivers the right nutrients at the right time (called “just-add-water” super soil). 

What to Do: Make sure plants get the right amount of nutrients at the right time.

Why: Faster greener growth, but more importantly, proper nutrition in the flowering stage greatly increases bud quality, yields, and potency. On the other hand, a plant that is starved of nutrients while buds are forming makes small, airy, non-potent buds. Most crucially, make sure plants have plenty of nutrients for the first 6+ weeks of the flowering stage, until hairs start darkening and curling in. Plants still need nutrients after that, but for the best harvest, it’s especially important to avoid significant nutrient deficiencies during the early flowering stage and initial bud formation.

Quick Win: Use cannabis nutrients and follow an already-tested schedule

1. Easy cheap option – Dyna-Gro Grow + Bloom. Give at 1 tsp/gallon. Give “Grow” for seedlings until first 3 weeks into flowering stage. Then once the flowering stretch is over, give “Bloom” until harvest. These nutrients were initially designed for orchids, but growers have discovered they give surprisingly great results with weed. I was impressed when I tried them in coco.
2. Advanced nutrient system – General Hydroponics Flora trio. My personal favorite nutrients, I find the GH trio provides some of the fastest growth and biggest yields. No need to follow a special schedule. Just follow the amounts listed on the side of the bottle at half-strength, and only raise the amounts if plant seem pale. I’ve had good results in soil, coco, and hydro.
3. Use super soil instead – Use a “just add water” organic soil that’s made for a plant like cannabis. This kind of soil slowly releases nutrients over the course of the grow, so you don’t need to add any extra nutrients. Nature’s Living Soil is a proven super soil concentrate that makes super soil when used with Coco Loco soil. Just remember, super soil can be stinky at first! But the smell settles after the plants make themselves at home in the soil.

General Hydroponics Flora trio are my personal favorite nutrients for growing weed.

Follow the directions on the bottle at half-strength to grow green, happy, and abundant cannabis plants.

4.) Water Plants So They Grow Faster

Water plants regularly with the right amount at a time. It’s important roots don’t dry out, or stay overly wet for too long. Luckily, if you’re following all the other steps here, you can make some watering mistakes and plants still turn out great. Cannabis plants are remarkably able to recover from watering issues as long as you course-correct.

What to Do: Water plants properly. The easiest method is to follow a cannabis-specific watering schedule like the one below. Or follow proven general principles.

Why: Plants grow faster and get fewer deficiencies, especially seedlings, when given the right amount of water. Good watering practices helps plants start growing fast out the gate. 

Seedlings grow super fast if you give the right amount of water!

I use a battery operated water transfer pump to easily water plants.

Quick Win: Basically, give seedlings just a little water at a time, at first, in a small circle around the base, every few days. If you don’t want guesswork, follow the following seedling watering schedule that I use. It’s suitable as long as you’re in a 3 or 5-gallon pot (and works pretty well in most sizes). Never wonder again if you’re over or under-watering your seedlings!

Day 1 – Give 2 cups (500ml) water per plant (at this point, your cannabis seedlings should have their leaves completely open and be in a 3-gallon or 5-gallon pot under the grow light)
Day 3 – Give 2 cups (500ml) water per plant
Day 6 – Give 2 cups (500ml) water per plant
Day 8 – Give 3 cups (750ml) water per plant (every 3 days after this)
Day 11 – Give 3 cups (750ml) water per plant
Day 14 – Give 4 cups (1 liter) water per plant
Day 17 – Give 4 cups (1 liter) water per plant
Day 20 – Give 5 cups (1.25 liter) water per plant
Day 23 – Give 6 cups (1.5 liter) water per plant
Day 26 – Give 6 cups (1.5 liter) water per plant
Day 29 – Give 8 cups or 1/2 gallon (2 liter) water per plant

At first, cannabis seedlings only need a little water in a circle around their base.

After the first 30 days, start watering like this…

(1+ Months) Cannabis Watering Schedule

1. Wait until top inch of soil is dry (for coco, wait until top is mostly dry)
2. Water until you get 10-20% runoff out the bottom
3. Remove runoff (test the pH if needed) and start over

P.S. Learn about auto-watering pot bases so you can water plants less often. I’m loving them lately.

5.) Harvest at the Right Time

Wait to harvest until buds have reached peak potency, size, and bud quality. Harvest earlier (speedier more “up” weed) or later (stronger relaxation effect) to achieve your desired effects. Dry and cure using a proven home method.

What to Do: Harvest buds based on their maturity level. After harvest, dry buds to make them smokable (buds are mostly water on the plant), and then jar them so they “cure”.

Why: Choosing the right harvest time maximizes yields, potency, and effects. Drying and especially curing increases density, appearance, potency, and effects, while enhancing the natural bud smell.

Quick Win: 

1. Follow our free harvest & curing guide on GrowWeedEasy.com
2. Check out our new digital book HARVEST. It’s perfect if you want a step-by-step harvest guide that’s available anywhere without the internet Growers who sign up for our Home Grow Masterclass next week get a free copy of HARVEST. And those who have already purchased HARVEST get a steep discount on the class! Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter and watch your email for more info coming soon.

Wait until buds have reached maturing before harvesting for best effects…

Harvest time may be my favorite part of growing!

The post Grow Better Weed: The 5 Core Principles appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

The post LED Selector appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Where is the best place to get cannabis seeds? We recommend these cannabis seed source as of late January 2026…

• ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) – California, United States
• MSNL (Marijuana Seeds Netherlands) – Amsterdam seed bank now ships from US, Canada & UK
• North Atlantic Seed Co. – Maine, United States
• Seed Supreme – Florida, United States
• Seedsman – Ships from US & Europe
• Other – Did we miss anyone you like? Let us know.

Check out my recent grow journal featuring seeds from Seedsman, NASC & Seed Supreme.

Seeds of different strains grow different buds.

Are you looking for yields (like Blue Dream) or beauty (like Candy Games #38)?

Maybe density & potency are most important. Then go with a strain like Purple Ghost Candy.

Note: Purple Ghost Candy is an oversized stretchy plant that always makes potent, dense buds, but not always purple. See the full strain review.

Or perhaps the key to your heart is a pungent, memorable smell (like Mandarin Cookies V2).

Check out the new cannabis strain library for reviews of strains GrowWeedEasy.com recommends for home growers.

Note: Here’s how to store your seeds so they last for years.

Where to get cannabis seeds? Here’s our note to marijuana growers looking for good seeds going into a turbulent 2026…

Updates on the 2026 Farm Bill

“How will the new Farm bill for 2026 affect home growers? Is there a specific deadline for growers? I have seen many opinions, but have yet to find a straightforward answer to this question.” ~ Bob

Laws and regulations seem to be evolving every day. The reason no one can give you a straight answer is because no one knows for sure what will happen.

If you want my personal opinion, I suspect it will have a small effect in the short term, and a long-term dampening effect.

Seed companies may try to work with lawmakers to find ways to ship seeds in compliance with the law. But unless the law is changed, fewer small breeders will participate. Some people are concerned that only the biggest companies with deep pockets for a legal team might be able to easily sell seeds and take payments.

That’s why home growers need to value cannabis genetics.

In other words, don’t panic. However, do take on a general preparedness mindset.

Learn more about the new U.S. cannabis seed law that goes into effect November 12, 2026.

Nebula Haze
GrowWeedEasy.com

Hey growers,

Looking for good cannabis genetics? We got you! We have run our recommended cannabis seed source page on GrowWeedEasy.com since we started the website in 2010.

GrowWeedEasy.com’s trusted seed sources list has helped home growers find seeds since 2010.

If you don’t have cannabis seeds in hand, it can feel like it’s going to be hard to get them. Luckily, these days, you can get viable seeds of good strains sent to you almost anywhere. Today, we want to hear about your experiences ordering seeds online.

Marijuana seeds are so tiny…

But within each seed is a tiny living thing, longing to be released…

Did you know? A cannabis seedling embryo is already fully-formed inside each seed, just waiting to germinate and grow weed for you!

Germination lets the seedling inside escape its shell prison!

Never touch newly germinated seedlings like this, I only did it for the picture!

Leaves are yellow inside the shell, and turn green once the leaves start getting exposed to light.

Less than a day after being planted into a Rapid Rooter, the seedling is green and already growing new leaves!

Learn how to germinate seeds here.

Back in 2010 when we started GWE, we’d only had good experiences with a single seedbank so far (the others had been mediocre-to-bad). So back then, the seed source list had only one option…

Bonus: Check out the October 2010 version of the seeds page on the Wayback Machine! You can even click around to see the original version of the site 🙂

Our seeds page is not meant to be a comprehensive list of seed sources. Sirius and I are just a two-person team and can’t try every seed company. There are many, many outstanding cannabis seed sources not listed on our seeds page.

But what the page is, is the list of the seed banks we actually use ourselves to grow weed at home and document on the website.

Check out our recent autoflowering grow journal! The OG Kush Auto produced smooth, potent buds.

When we stop using a seed company ourselves, for whatever reason, we take it off the seed source page. Usually, they haven’t done anything wrong, just simply no longer carry strains we’re looking to grow with.

We believe it’s crucial to ensure every seed bank on the list is legit, and only stay if we continue to use it for our home grows.

Our seed bank testing is led by you: If we hear about a really great new company that everyone loves, we will test it out ourselves. Our goal isn’t just to grow great weed (though we do a lot of that too!), but also help home growers find exactly what they’re looking for.

GrowWeedEasy.com testing process for seed banks

• Community feedback – If we keep hearing good things about a particular seed source, we know it’s time to give it a try.
• Order seeds anonymously – We never tell them it’s us. I always order the seeds myself as if I were a regular customer. I feel like that’s way more likely to give the “authentic” experience.
• Grow the seeds – Next, we actually grow the seeds from germination to harvest in a home grow environment.
• Document the results – We take pictures and notes about each plant, including where we got the seeds, and share that information on GrowWeedEasy.com and through our newsletter.
• Lab testing – When funding is available, we get the buds lab-tested, especially for side-by-side grow experiments with clones (like testing super soil vs coco or plant training methods like defoliation vs natural)

We also love, love, LOVE when you send us grow pictures, or tell about your experience with seed banks and their strains/seeds.

Our current cannabis seed source recommendations, as of January 2026.

• ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) – California, United States
• MSNL (Marijuana Seeds Netherlands) – Amsterdam seed bank with shipping centers in the US, Canada, and UK.
• North Atlantic Seed Co. – Maine, United States
• Seed Supreme – Florida, United States
• Seedsman – Ships from US & Europe
• Other – Did we miss anyone you like?

We encourage you to write us any time with specific cannabis seed bank feedback, including anecdotes, or just your overall thoughts or experiences buying cannabis seeds online where you live.

We’ll be considering everyone’s feedback as we go through 2026. And make sure to sign up to our newsletter to ensure you get insider information and updates about seed sources that we can’t post on the website. You can email GrowWeedEasy.com directly by responding to our weekly newsletter.

Harvest great smelling, dense, potent buds with proven home harvest techniques. By Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside, authors of GrowWeedEasy.com.

Get total guidance next harvest.

Find the Best Marijuana Seeds for You

Every cannabis strain listed here is personally recommended by GrowWeedEasy.com for home growers. Check out our notes and the pictures to see why we chose each strain. Our goal is to make it easier for you to find the perfect cannabis seeds for you. More strains added every week!

The post The Seed Banks WE Use to Grow Weed (2026 Update) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Table of Contents

1. No-Move Germination – Plant seeds directly in final pot.
2. 18/6 Light Schedule – Set timer to 18/6 ON/OFF
3. Water Seedlings Right – In a small circle every 2-3 days
4. Perfect Environment – Like a warm Spring day
5. Measure Your Success – How big to expect seedlings to be

Bonus: 7 Recommended Seeds for a Strong Start

How to Start Strong: Fast-Growing Cannabis Seedlings

Many cannabis growers struggle with seed germination and seedling care. That’s normal! But cannabis germination and happy seedlings are easy with the right techniques.

Give cannabis a great grow light, like this TSL2000 LED (8-14 oz yield – learn more)

Here’s how to get seedlings to grow: Follow the steps in this “fast start” seedling tutorial. Your cannabis seedlings will grow so fast that other growers won’t believe how big they are for their age.

These cannabis plants are just 1 month from germination. They got off to an ultra-strong start using the techniques in this tutorial.

Starting strong is an important aspect of achieving big yields with cannabis. Especially autoflower strains, which have an extra short seedling period, and start flowering (making buds) in just a month from germination. That means a slow start results in small autoflower cannabis plants that stop growing bigger when they only have a few bud sites.

No matter what you do, a tiny stunted plant can not compete on yields with a big cannabis plant with tons of bud sites positioned directly under the grow light.

1.) Germination – Plant Directly in Soil

My recommended germination method for a fast start is to plant the seed directly in the coco or soil. This way you never have to move your seedlings after they sprout.

Plant your cannabis seeds and keep them warm during germination. Warmth is key to fast, strong seed germination.

2.) Light Schedule – 18/6 ON/OFF

My recommended light schedule for seedlings is 18 hours light/day. You can give cannabis plants up to 24 hours of light a day, but giving a 6-hour night increases the overall hardiness of seedlings vs giving them no dark period.

Use a cheap electrical timer to turn your grow lights on and off for you. Set it to turn the lights off for 6 hours a day. Perfect for cannabis seedlings.

Give seedlings 18 hours of light a day by putting grow light on a timer.

Use a cheap electrical timer to turn your grow lights on and off for you. Set it to turn the lights off for 6 hours a day. Perfect for cannabis seedlings.

Just plug your grow light into the timer, and the timer into an electrical outlet. Now you’re good to go! The timer turns the lights on and off for you on the 18/6 schedule.

3.) Watering Seedlings – In a small circle around the base, every 2-3 days

The easiest way to stunt autoflowering seedlings is from poor watering. Give them the right amount of water (not too much, not too little) so they’re growing fast right out of the gate.

Give just a little water at a time in a small circle around the base of new seedlings at first. Water every 2-3 days.

4.) Environment – Like a warm Spring day

Analogy: Seedlings are kind of like the story of the 3 bears. Just like Goldilocks, seeds want the temperature just right. Not too cold, not too hot.

Ideal Environment for Seedlings

• Warm – 80-85°F / 27-30°C is a lovely warm-but-not-too-hot temperature range for new seedlings and young cannabis plants.
• Medium-high humidity – 50-65% RH is a good humidity range after the seedlings have popped their heads above the soil. Too low humidity and seedlings get stressed. Too high humidity and seedlings don’t grow as fast as they could because their leaves can’t transpire as much.
• Breezy – Make sure plants have fresh air, plus a gentle breeze to strengthen stems and help prevent the possibility of mold or stem rot.

5.) Measure Your Success – How big to expect seedlings to be.

Aim for 6 sets of new leaves by day 21 from germination.

If plants have grown at least 6 sets of leaves in 3 weeks (day 21) from germination, you’re perfectly on track. If plants have fewer leaves than that, it’s okay, but you may still have room to improve your start.

For photoperiod plants, a slow start isn’t a big deal; it just means you may need an extra week or two in the vegetative stage. However, for autoflowering plants on a tight schedule, slow start plants may not get as big or produce as much weed as they could have.

An average “strong start” looks like this. These cannabis plants are 21 days from germination. Some are bigger than others, but overall they’re all growing fast and healthy. Even the smallest one has 6 sets of leaves (though the 6th set has just started growing in on that upper right plant).

In perfect conditions, with fast-growing strains and a strong grow light, cannabis plants can get even bigger in that time. These autoflowering plants are also just 21 days from germination. Now that’s a STRONG start. I think this is the biggest I’ve ever seen seedlings get in that time period. Note: They were grown under an 4000k LEC/CMH grow light, which tends to get faster vegetative growth than other grow lights, in my experience.

Cannabis plants depend on you for a strong start.

For photoperiod plants, a strong start can shave a week or two off your total grow time, which is awesome.

For autoflowering plants (which start making buds when they’re about a month old on average), a strong start is key to getting good yields. If autoflowering plants start making buds before they reach a good size, they’ll stay stunted and puny, incapable of producing a big harvest. That means it increases your yields to avoid common pitfalls that slow down young plants.

By germinating seeds in their final destination, giving 18 hours of light a day, watering seedlings perfectly, and giving a perfect environment, you’ll get strong fast-growing seedlings that get big quickly and can start flowering as soon as possible to produce a big harvest.

Give great care to your cannabis plants and they reward you well!

Bonus: Recommended Seeds for a Strong Start

Standard Strains (Photoperiod) – These are my top 3 personal favorite strains right now.

• Candy Games #38 – Good germination, outstanding density and bud appearance. May be one of the most potent strains on the market, testing at over 30% THC. Smells amazing. Grows hard “nugs” of weed that are easy to dry.
• Mandarin Cookies V2 – I absolutely love the buds from this strain, including the appearance, but especially the effects. Buds are potent, relaxing and smell of pineapple and sweet to me. Produces stellar bud quality even if you make some mistakes. Absolutely encrusted in trichomes, and tests particularly high in relaxing limonene.
• Purple Ghost Candy – This strain is extremely easy to grow with massive yields and some of the best bud quality I’ve grown. Plants get big, and grow fast. Make sure to initiate 12/12 once plants reach half the final desired size. Responds extremely well to training. Will reward you with enormous yields, just make sure to give plenty of light and nutrients.

Four different examples of Mandarin Cookies V2 I’ve grown in different environments. Forgiving plants, and always an outstanding smoke.

And an example of the resulting Mandarin Cookies V2 buds after harvest. Like out of High Times magazine 🙂

Autoflowering Strains

• Banana Daddy Auto RBX2 – very potent but still relaxing effects (described as “euphoric) that may be a good choice for those with anxiety who still want to get high, with around 24% THC and 1-2% CBD. About 80 days from germination to harvest. Chunky buds and the plant stays a manageable height.
• Blue Dream Auto – Ready in as little as 62 days though THC improves over another 1-2 weeks, dense buds, low CBD to help the buds feel more potent.
• Creme de la Chem Auto – A personal favorite, ready in 65-75 days (mine was ready in 70). I love the bud effects, which feel strong yet mellow and relaxing.

Bonus: Pineapple Express Auto – One of the most famous auto-flowering strains of all time, this is ready to harvest in under 70 days from germination.

This Creme de la Chem Auto grown under a tiny LED turned into a bud ball.

The post 5 Steps to Give Cannabis Plants the Best Start appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

We had just started an autoflower seed journal, and received an email from Labron, a self-proclaimed “old DeadHead”. Labron had a message to share about storing cannabis seeds.

This Picture: Fresh, viable cannabis seeds. Ready to grow!

“I hadn’t grown anything in years, but last month when you started your auto flowers, I decided to follow suit.”

We recently started a “grow with us” autoflowering grow journal in the weekly newsletter, and Labron decided to join in using the seeds he had stored away a few years ago.

This Picture: Our autoflowering plants from the current “grow with us” grow journal

“I had stored perhaps 40 or 50 seeds… stored in individual zip lock bags (very small type), were then placed in larger zip locks and placed inside a cigar box… stored in a cool, dry and dark cabinet.”

His stash of cannabis seeds had been stored in ideal conditions. He decided to germinate some of the seeds using the wet paper towel germination method.

This Picture: The wet paper towel method is one of the most popular ways to germinate cannabis seeds. Seeds are kept between wet paper towels (in a bag or between two paper plates) until they sprout.

“Using the paper towel method, I started 12 seeds, 6 females and 6 auto flowers. Only 3 developed tap roots. And of those 3, only one actually started sprouting regular leaves.”

He was using a germination method that had worked well for him in the past. That is a sign the lack of germination is likely due to seeds themselves.

This Picture: If you ever use the wet paper towel method to germinate seeds, make sure to label which one is which!

“I grow organically and use a soil made up of top soil, coco coir, peat moss and vermiculite… I have usually had good results with this formula. But not this time.”

His message for other growers is to buy fresh cannabis seeds whenever possible.

“What I am concluding… is that sometimes good genetics and procedures are not enough. You want fresh seeds if possible. Even well stored, old seeds are just that. Old.”

You can get most well-stored old cannabis seeds to germinate. But even if you give perfect conditions, some seeds won’t germinate no matter what you do. So whenever germinating older seeds, make sure to have a backup stash of extra seeds. Preferably fresh ones. There are many times you wish you had more seeds, but never a time you wish you had less!

This Picture: On the right, you can see the round cotyledon leaves that were fully formed inside the shell. Pretty neat! These first leaves are yellow inside the shell, but once they get exposed to light they open up and turn green.

“I am in my late 70’s and have a bag of collected seeds that was started sometime in the early 1970’s. It currently contains several thousand undifferentiated seeds of who knows what strains from the past. But would any of them even try to germinate and grow? I doubt it.”

It can’t hurt to give those seeds a try, you might be surprised!

This Picture: A happy little marijuana seedling with the seed shell stuck on its first round leaves. If you ever see this, just leave it alone and it will fall off on its own 🙂

If you’ve got old seeds you want to germinate, or new seeds you want to keep safely in storage, here are some tips to increase your chance of success as much as possible.

Tips for Germinating Old Seeds

• H2O2 Dip – Dip the seeds in Hydrogen peroxide before initiating germination. This kills any possible germs or pathogens on the shell.
• Heat – Make sure seeds are warm. Ideally the germinating seeds should get 80-85°F (27-30°C). A seedling heat mat underneath (or reptile heat lamp pointing down from on top) can help. If you’re planting the seeds directly in the grow space, turn on the grow light while they’re germinating. Just like the sun!
• Wet – Once seeds touch water, it kickstarts the germination process. That means it’s crucial once the seeds get wet, they never dry out. Make sure your paper towels, seedling cube, or soil (or whatever medium is holding the seeds) doesn’t dry out during germination.
• Leave Them Alone – Don’t touch or move seeds after they start germinating.
  • If using paper towel method, put just one sheet of paper over the top of seeds, so you can see whether they’re germinated through the translucent sheet. Give them 3 days before you even check, though that may kill you inside.

Learn how to germinate cannabis seeds for high germination rates.

After germinating old seeds, you’ll be rewarded with happy, adorable seedlings of rare genetics.

How to Store Cannabis Seeds to Last for Years

• Dry – Seeds must stay totally dry
• Sealed – Keep in air-proof container
• Cool – Temperature under 65°F (18°C)
• Dark – No light exposure is ideal

Of course if you have your own seeds, there are many ways to accomplish these conditions. But I personally love when I buy seeds that are already perfectly set for good storage. Good packaging also means the seeds are more likely to have been stored properly before they got to you. Here are examples of good seed packaging, so you know what to look for.

I like how Seed Supreme stores their in-house seeds. This is how I got my last seed order. Seeds in vials, kept in a sealable light-proof bag. Just stick it in the back of the fridge or cool drawer and cannabis seeds can stay viable for years to come.

Another great seed storage method is by Happy Valley Genetics. Seeds are kept in vials inside a little cardboard box. It does take more room to store compared to the above method, but the package is really spiffy looking, and each vial is completely safe. I had already cut the seal on this pack before I made the video, but I like how their seed packs come sealed so you know you have an unopened breeder pack.

Candy Games #38 is one of my favorite strains right now!

The post Why Your Old Seeds Might Be Dead (Even if You Stored Them Perfectly) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

See Other Examples of Cannabis Growing Setups

Mars Hydro TSL-2000 Quantum Board LED Grow Setup for Growing Cannabis

• Average Yields: 8-14 oz ounces
• Plants: Recommended 2-6 plants
• Optimal grow space is a 2’x4’x6′ grow tent
• Actual Power Consumption: About 300W at full power, and can be dimmed down for younger plants or if the temperature is getting too high
• How Far to Keep from Plants: 24″ from the top of plants in the vegetative stage, and 18-24″ away in the flowering stage (watch plants for signs of light stress)

Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED grow light – great seed-to-harvest cannabis grow light.

Example of cannabis plants grown under the TSL2000 MarsHydro LED grow light (by Sandra, an alumni of our Home Grow Masterclass).

About the Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED Setup for Growing Weed Indoors

This is currently the LED I’m using for growing weed. Mars Hydro does testing on live cannabis plants and it shows. Cannabis plants grow fast and healthy under every Mars Hydro LED grow light I’ve tried, and it gets some of the best LED bud density and yields in the 2×4 footprint range.

Pros: The Mars Hydro TSL-2000 is a bar style quantum board with a great spectrum and ultra-high efficiency chips that seems to get better yields than some other LEDs for the amount of electricity. They’re gentle on plants and easy to use. The giant reflector does a great job of getting light through the whole tent so buds get fat right up to the walls.

Cons: The metal reflector is a bit sharp around the edges (at least mind is). I didn’t have any issues with it, but I did cover the edges with duct tape so I didn’t accidentally bump my head into it.

Setup Cost Estimates

Estimated Cost: $575+

• Ultra budget (no smell filtering): $575
• Ultra budget + smell filtering: $675
• Premium – higher quality fan plus optional extras: $850

Summary of what’s needed for this Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED cannabis grow light setup.

Complete Grow Supply List

This cannabis grow room setup guide with shopping list includes all the supplies you need to get to harvest.

Mars Hydro TSL2000 Quantum Board LED Grow Light (up to 350 watts)

Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED grow light (designed to be used from seed to harvest)

• Yields: 8-14 oz per harvest
• Simple to use and hang. Works exactly as you’d expect.
• Gets great growth on young plants as well as excellent bud formation.
• Only uses 300 watts of electricity (can be turned down if necessary)

Cost: $360

The Mars Hydro TSL2000 can produce up to 14 oz of weed when used as directed

The TSL2000 LED grow light is dimmable, so you have full control over the intensity.

Example of cannabis buds I grew under the Mars Hydro TSL-2000 (strain is Zweet Inzanity). Check out the full grow journal!

More cannabis plants grown under the Mars Hydro TSL-2000.

My most recent harvest of cannabis plants grown under the Mars Hydro TSL2000.

Grow Tent (recommended sizes)

Just about any grow tent brand works great, but I’ve had good luck with the CoolGrows tents and they’re pretty reasonably priced. A grow tent is an easy and cheap way to instantly create a perfect cannabis grow space that can deal with water, light, heat, and smells.

• 2’x4’x6′ tent – an example is Mars Hydro 48”x24”x71” grow tent.

Cost: $110

This Mars Hydro tent is a good fit for the Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED grow light.

6″ Exhaust Fan 

An exhaust fan vents hot air and can be combined with a carbon filter to stop all smells from leaving the grow space. The 6″ size is more than enough for a 2’x4’x6′ grow tent.

• Recommended:  6″ AC Infinity CLOUDLINE series of inline exhaust fans. These are quiet at top speed and completely silent at lower speeds.
  • S6 is the cheaper, simpler version which works well and gives you basic fan speed controls
  • The programmable T6 version has handy extras like a Temperature/Humidity Probe and Display Screen
  • I picked the 6″ fans because their 4″ fan struggles to keep this size tent cool if the grow room gets warm, though it could get the job done in a pinch.
• Budget choice (Cheap but loud): 6″ Vivosun fan
  • The Vivosun 6″ Fan – 440 CFM is significantly smaller and cheaper. However, it is also significantly louder and uses more electricity.

Cost: $80+ ($80-160)

The AC Infinity CLOUDLINE S6 6″ exhaust fan uses less electricity and runs quieter than most other exhaust fans of similar power. It is silent on the lower settings. The programmable T6 version is the exact same fan but has a digital screen that gives you more control over the fan settings.

(Optional) Carbon Filter – For smell filtering

When set up properly, a carbon filter removes 100% of odors but it must be attached to a good exhaust fan (like the AC Infinity above) to work.

• Recommended: AC Infinity 6-inch Carbon Filter, 6″ x 16″ version plus ducting/clamps

Cost: $100

I’ve had great smell filtering with the above 6″ AC Infinity Cloudline fan attached to a matching 6″ carbon filter with 6″ ducting.

Plant Pots

I prefer fabric pots or air pots because cannabis plants grow faster but need to be watered more often than standard hard-sided plant pots. Both types work great for growing cannabis indoors. Often the best plant pot is whatever is cheap and easy for you to get.

• Recommended: Fabric pots between 2-7 gallons (any fabric pots work great so I pick whatever is cheap or looks the best to me)

Cost: $20

These 5-gallon fabric pots work great in this setup.

Grow Medium (Soil, Coco, Hydro)

Grow mediums can include coco coir or soil (hydroponics for more advanced growers) but if you’re not sure, a coco-based soil like Coco Loco is perfect for beginners.

• Recommended Soil: One 2 cu ft bag of coco-based soil with perlite should be able to fill 15 gallons worth of pots. For example, it will fill 3 x 5-gallon fabric pots.

Cost: $40

Coco Loco is a coco-based rich airy soil that cannabis plants thrive in.

Nutrients

Many nutrient systems have a nutrient schedule so you give your plants the right ratios for each stage of life. Basically, you use a “vegetative” or all-purpose plant nutrient for the first part of your plant’s life and a “bloom” or low-nitrogen nutrients when buds are forming. Tip: Always start at half-strength with a new base nutrient system since the recommended amount can be too high for cannabis plants.

Recommended Beginner Nutrients: Dyna-Gro Grow + Bloom nutrient combo is excellent, cheap, and easy to use for growing cannabis indoors.

• Dyna-Gro “Grow”: Give 1 tsp per gallon of water during the vegetative stage.
• Dyna-Gro “Bloom”: Give 1 tsp/gallon of water after buds start forming.

Cost: $20

Dyna-Gro Grow + Bloom is a cheap and simple nutrient system for newbies. One bottle for veg, one bottle for after buds start forming. 1 tsp/gallon. Super simple!

Premium Nutrient Alternative: General Hydroponics Flora Trio. It costs a bit more and isn’t quite as simple as Dyna-Gro, but this is my personal favorite nutrient system for growing weed. Check out my cannabis growers’ guide to the Flora trio.

Other Nice-to-Have Stuff

• 24-Hour Timer (to put your grow lights on a timer so the plants get a day and night period on a schedule) – $10
• Water containers (I personally use a 3-gallon or 5-gallon water jug to mix up nutrients, but anything can work) – Much cheaper at Wal-Mart ($5-15) than online!
• Extra 1/8″ Rope Ratchets (sooooo handy) – These can be used to hang your grow light or carbon filter from inside the tent, and still be able to easily move it up and down without needing any strength. Your grow light usually comes with a set of rope ratchets, but it’s a great idea to get an extra set to hang the carbon filter – $10
• Thermometer/Humidity Monitor with a probe so you can keep track of the temperature inside the tent – $15
  • Advanced Alternative: These Govee Thermometers let you check the temperature and humidity from your phone. Convenient! – $32
• PH Test Kit – Prevent potential nutrient deficiencies by testing the water pH – $20
• Measuring spoons for measuring out your nutrients (many people already have these) – $9

Estimated Cost: $575-$850 plus the cost of seeds

• Ultra budget (no smell filtering): $575
• Ultra budget + smell filtering: $675
• Premium – higher quality fan plus optional extras: $850

More cannabis plants grown under the Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED grow light

By DD

By Andres

By Amanda

The post Mars Hydro TSL2000 LED Cannabis Grow Setup & Tutorial (300W LED) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

You’re browsing a cannabis seed bank website, and see different marijuana strains with the same name, perhaps Bruce Banner. But one says “Autoflower” and one says “Fast” (sometimes also “Express” or “FF” or “Fast Flowering”). What does this mean? What’s the difference?

What’s the difference between an Autoflower and a Fast cannabis strain?

“Autoflower” and “Fast” Cannabis Strains are Not the Same

This may be the most confusing strain naming convention for beginner cannabis growers. You could read the entire strain description, and still not know what to expect. Autoflowering strains are technically very fast to grow, typically being ready to harvest just 2-3 months from germination.

However, the short answer is a “Fast” strain is a fast-flowering photoperiod strain (not an autoflower strain).

Keep reading for a quick and simple explanation, so you know exactly which strain to choose for what you want!

“Autoflower” Cannabis Strains Make Buds Automatically

An auto-flowering (“auto”) strain makes buds automatically after a few weeks, and these plants are typically ready to harvest only 2-3 months from germination. These are not photoperiod strains and don’t need special light periods, or any input from you whatsoever, to start growing buds. They’re essentially like a cannabis houseplant that just needs to be kept alive to make buds.

Auto-flowering strains like this Gorilla Glue Auto by Fast Buds tend to stay small and are typically ready to harvest 2-3 months from germination.

• Autoflowering examples: Bruce Banner Autoflower or Chemical Candy Auto

Learn more about autoflowering strains.

“Fast” Strains are Photoperiod Strains… but Faster

A “Fast” strain is not an auto-flowering strain, but actually a photoperiod strain that has been bred specifically to go through the flowering stage extremely quickly while still achieving good yields and potency.

• “Fast” strain examples: Bruce Banner Fast and Crystal Candy F1 Fast Note: Fast strains are sometimes called “Express” or “FF” (for Fast Flowering)

What does “photoperiod” mean? Photoperiod strains are traditional cannabis strains, and instead of automatically growing buds after a few weeks, they need to experience a 12/12 light schedule (12 hour nights) in order to start making buds. Otherwise photoperiod plants just get bigger and bigger forever, never growing buds. Luckily, giving 12 hours of darkness each day is easy to accomplish indoors just by putting your grow lights on a timer.

Learn more about photoperiod cannabis strains.

A “Fast” strain like Crystal Candy F1 Fast is NOT an auto-flowering strain!

Fast cannabis strains are usually developed in one of two ways.

Two ways to create a “Fast” photoperiod strain:

1. Cross a photoperiod strain with an auto-flowering strain – Once the cross is made, the first generation (F1) of offspring will be photoperiod because the auto-flowering trait is recessive. In other words, the offspring carry the recessive autoflowering gene, but still act like photoperiod plants. Those photoperiod plants tend to be much faster-flowering. Some breeders might sell those F1 seeds as “fast flowering”. However, typically a breeder will continue breeding to select for the fast-flowering trait while breeding out the recessive autoflowering trait until they stabilize a photoperiod strain with that extra speediness. The use of autoflowering genetics is why you’ll notice that many “fast” photoperiod strains are developed by breeders that also breed auto-flowering strains.
2. Cross 2 fast-flowering photoperiod strains – In this case, the breeder makes the cross between great photoperiod plants, identifies the fastest-flowering offspring, and then uses those plants to breed the next generation. This is typically done by commercial growers, and over several generations can shave multiple weeks off the flowering time without sacrificing yields or bud quality.

For home growers, we typically don’t mind an extra week of growing here or there. As long as we’re getting several solid harvests every year, we’re often happy with that. Compared to those growing weed to sell to dispensaries, we may take more time in between grows, and experienced home growers often grow way more weed than we could use on our own anyway.

However, once breeders develop these fast strains, it’s actually pretty neat from the perspective of a home grower. Who doesn’t want to get the same bud quality and yields, but sooner?

Fast cannabis strains produce the same results in less time.

Recommended Fast Strain: Gorilla Cookies Fast (sometimes listed as Gorilla Cookies “FF” for “Fast Flowering”) can get big and produce great yields, but buds are ready to harvest 7-8 weeks after initiating 12/12. That’s 2-3 weeks quicker than most photoperiod strains.

Here’s an example of Gorilla Cookies Fast. Tons of weed in a short amount of time!

While we’re here, I just wanted to explain the difference between feminized and regular cannabis strains, since this is a super important distinction for home growers!

Feminized vs Regular Seeds

• Feminized Seeds – Every cannabis plant is female when you start with feminized seeds. That means every single plant will make buds, and the buds will be seedless. These special seeds are created using an advanced feminization technique. As a home grower, starting with feminized seeds lets you grow weed without worrying about male plants. Example: Bruce Banner Feminized
• Regular Seeds – With regular seeds, half plants are female (makes buds), half are male (don’t make buds). Example: Bruce Banner Regular. Male plants make non-smokable pollen sacs instead of buds, and also release pollen, causing any nearby buds to become full of seeds. Although it’s extremely important for growers to know whether a cannabis plant is male or female, you can’t tell which is which from looking at the seeds, or even from looking at the young plants. Male and female plants look the same until they start making flowers or pre-flowers. Therefore when using regular seeds, growers must identify and remove male plants as they reveal themselves. You get to skip all that if you start with feminized seeds.

Half of “regular” seeds grow into female plants, which make buds.

But half of “regular” seeds grow into male plants, which make non-smokable pollen sacs.

I recommend most beginner growers start with feminized seeds. This takes one extra possible headache out of the growing process. It stinks if you grow a few regular seeds and most of them (or even all) end up being male, due to random chance. In that case, you would have to start over to get more cannabis plants that grow buds. It’s a lot easier to take care of cannabis plants when you know every plant will make buds!

Feminized seeds always make buds.

Fast Fun Fact: You may have noticed many versions of Bruce Banner on this page. Why so many variations? It’s because the original Bruce Banner cannabis strain (bred by Jason Holck, aka OG Ironlung) hit the genetic jackpot of big yields, high bud quality, and strong euphoric effects.

Bruce Banner genetics tend to be high-yielding with excellent effects.

Do you have any questions about marijuana seeds or strain names? If so, let us know and I can add the necessary information to this tutorial!

The post What’s the Difference between “Fast” and “Autoflower” Cannabis Strains? appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Every home cannabis grower knows that your strains make the difference between a ‘meh’ harvest and an amazing cannabis harvest that makes your eyes water with pride. At GrowWeedeasy.com, we are constantly growing, so we make sure to keep up with the latest developments when it comes to strains and strain breeders. That’s why I want to highlight a new strain breeder, Happy Valley Genetics, that offers stabilized seed versions of some of my favorite cannabis genetics that were previously only available as unstabilized crosses or clones.

Happy Valley Genetics is a new(ish) cannabis breeder.

Sometimes it’s hard to get information about new breeders, so I put together this page to share my research and experience with this breeder so far.

Happy Valley Genetics offers cannabis seeds that are stabilized and ideal for home growers.

Who is Ethos Genetics, and what do they have to do with Happy Valley Genetics?

Ethos Genetics is a Colorado-based company known for breeding high-quality cannabis seeds which I’ve been growing since around 2015. They offer great genetics, but the one downside (in my opinion) is they tend to release lots of “crosses” but don’t actually stabilize their strains. That means you could get 5 seeds of the same cross, and potentially produce 5 very different plants with different buds. This is amazing from the perspective of “phenotype hunting” and breeding your own strains. You get seeds of amazing genetics with lots of genetic variety to sift through.

However, for a home grower who isn’t planning on breeding seeds, it’s often more convenient to get a stabilized version of a strain when buying seeds. This makes planning a lot easier.

Advantage of using stabilized strains is you know…

• Plant size – Be able to anticipate how big plants get
• Time to harvest – How long they take before they are ready to harvest
• Bud quality – Know how buds look/smell, potency, density, etc.

With a stabilized strain, you can grow 5 seeds and all 5 plants will grow the same as each other, almost as if you were growing clones.

Stabilized strains are usually better for home growers.

That brings me to Happy Valley Genetics. They are located out of Massachusetts and have been collaborating with Ethos Genetics for several years. During this collaboration, Happy Valley Genetics won two High Times Cannabis Cup awards: Best Sativa Flower for Super Lemon Haze and Best Hybrid Flower for White Wedding.

As part of my research on this breeder, I learned that Ethos and Happy Valley Genetics primarily breed with only female plants, stating that the Y chromosome from male plants does not necessarily contribute a lot to female bud development. This unique technique of cutting out male plants lets breeders always choose two “parent” plants that produce excellent buds, and is combined with testing plant genetics to get objective data instead of relying on anecdotal observations.

Happy Valley decided to start stabilizing the best versions of Ethos strains, and entered a formal licensing agreement. Now they offer stabilized strains, based on Ethos genetics, in both feminized photoperiod and feminized auto-flowering form.

Recommended photoperiod strain (so far)

Candy Games #38

Recommended auto-flowering strain (so far)

Pineapple Diesel Auto

See other Happy Valley Genetics.

Let us know your experience with this breeder. If you’ve got pictures, don’t hesitate to submit them and we might feature them on this page!

The post Who is Happy Valley Genetics? (“Powered by Ethos Genetics”) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.