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.

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.

Happy growing,
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.

“Fimming” (also known as FIMing) is a cannabis grow technique to increase yields. Discovered by mistake, this unusual plant training technique increases the number and size of cannabis buds. When the fimming is done right, of course. This marijuana fimming tutorial shows you how to fim plants perfectly every time.

Fimming refers to removing the top growth of a young cannabis plant, like this.

The result of successful fimming? 4 branches from one spot.

Fimming can help make more bushy, productive cannabis plants.

What to remember: The ultimate goal of fimming is to create a bushy plant with lots of main branches. This results in many big buds instead of only one.

What is fimming cannabis? Growers pinch off the top of a cannabis plant when it’s a few weeks old. When timed just right, plants naturally grow more top buds once the plant starts flowering. The fimming process causes a plant to naturally grow more wide and bushy as it develops. When growing cannabis indoors, creating a wide, flat plant is key to getting the biggest yields from your setup. Fimming naturally helps create that ideal plant shape for you.

A freshly “fimmed” cannabis plant.

Does fimming increase cannabis yields?

Yes, usually. The results of fimming range from “no effect” to “very effective”, depending on whether it’s done correctly. The bonus of basic fimming is growers can’t really do it wrong. The worst that can happen is no effect. But if you follow this fimming tutorial, your cannabis yields consistently get a yield boost.

Is fimming better than “topping”?

“Topping” is a similar technique to fimming, also to increase cannabis yields. The difference is topping means removing the whole top of the plant. Fimming means pinching off a small amount of growth.

Both methods are effective to make plants grow bushy and produce lots of big buds. Topping consistently splits the main stem into two, but you can accidentally stunt plants if you do it at the wrong time. Fimming is less consistent, resulting in 1-4 stems coming from the same spot, though you should get all four when fimming is done right. If you fim cannabis plants wrong, the result is no effect, and you’ll have the same single main stem as before. You can’t stunt a plant by simply fimming, but if you do it wrong, it doesn’t work and you don’t get any of the benefits.

Learn More: Topping vs FIMing Cannabis Tutorial

Why is it called “Fimming”? Fimming was discovered by mistake, and the name “Fim” reflects that history. The story goes that a cannabis grower tried to cut off the top of the plant, but didn’t do a complete job. But he liked the results better, and named the technique “FIM” for “F*ck I Missed”. Fimming was born.

How to “Fim” a Cannabis Plant

The main idea behind fimming is to “mow” off the top growth of your plant. The goal is to split the main stem into 4 stems with one strategic cut. A plant with 4 main stems is easy to train to grow wide and flat with simple bending. When done right, fimming cannabis can give results somewhat similar to time-intensive manifolding without adding weeks onto your grow time.

Wait until plant has grown 3-5 sets of leaves. At the right time, you’ll noticed all the lower stems are starting to grow into little branches. Yes, it’s not just about the total number of leaves, but also the overall size of the plant. If a plant is still tiny and thin, you should wait even if it’s got plenty of sets of leaves.

Too small to fim – even though this has 3 sets of leaves, the plant is tiny. The lower growth has not started growing away from the stem yet. Wait until plant gets a bit bigger or it may get stunted from fimming.

Beginning of fim window – This plant is just barely big enough to fim. The lower branches are just starting to grow away from the main stem. You might get better results by waiting just a bit longer.

Ideal size to fim – A cannabis plant about this size is the perfect size to fim. It’s got about 4 sets of leaves, and the lower growth is starting to grow away from the main stem into little branches of their own.

End of fimming window – This seedling has 5 full sets of leaves, starting on the 6th. This is about as big a cannabis plant should be when you fim. If your plant is bigger than this (and still in the vegetative stage), you should use the “topping” technique instead of fimming. To top a plant, cut through the main stem right above the 5th set of leaves (check out the full topping tutorial).

Right after fimming your young cannabis plant, it should have a “mowed” top left behind. Look at the above diagram to try to make sure you’re cutting through at the best spot.

Look at your plant and compare to the diagram above.

Remove this much growth to “fim” a cannabis plant.

Leave this much behind.

When done right, fimming results in 4 stems coming from essentially the same spot on the cannabis plant. However, fimming is not always the most consistent. Instead of 4 tops, if you don’t cut at the right spot you might end up with 1, 2, or 3 tops instead of all 4. If you want total control with perfect symmetry, check out the “topping” technique instead.

It’s normal for the new growth right after fimming to look weird. Remember, you cut off 80% of these leaves before they got a chance to grow out! If you damage a young leaf, it becomes more and more obvious as the leaf grows. However, brand new leaves after these ones should look normal.

A few days later, those mowed leaves from fimming should look a bit funny growing in.

Plants that have been fimmed naturally grow more bushy, which helps maximize yields in the flowering stage.

However, to improve your results, bend over tall branches. Just regularly bend the tallest stems down and away from the center of the plant, and tie them down. This process is known as Low Stress Training, or LST for short.

Keep bending tall stems down, so plant grows wide and flat.

The result? Tons of buds at harvest time!

Advanced Technique: Remove all stems but the top 4 (Serious Fimming)

Some growers take their fimming to the next step. Instead of just splitting the stem into 4 and letting the plant grow naturally, some growers remove all the other stems on the plant. In other words, they remove all steps but the top 4 they want to keep.

A fimmed cannabis stem. All but the top 4 stems were removed off the main “trunk”. Source: Nugbuckets

This makes it so all branches come from essentially the same spot on the cannabis plant.

Another example of a cannabis plant that was fimmed and all other branches removed. Source:Tarzan

However, if you want to go this direction, you may enjoy a more consistent plant training technique known as manifolding.

Learn how to manifold your cannabis plants.

Manifolding – better than fimming for cannabis growers who want symmetry.

Now you know how to fim your cannabis plants, so you get bigger yields at harvest time!

Want to learn about other marijuana plant training techniques to increase yields? Check this out!

Complete Guide to Cannabis Plant Training Techniques

The post “Fimming” Cannabis: The Secret to a Bigger Harvest? 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.

Hey cannabis growers! We all know how annoying nutrient problems can be. And obviously, the best thing to do for your cannabis plant to prevent growing problems is give them the conditions they need to thrive. But did you know some strains are naturally more resilient than others? Certain genetics are less likely to experience problems. Yes, some special strains can experience sub-optimal conditions and still thrive.

Some cannabis strains make amazing buds even if you make some mistakes.

But which ones? These strains typically share some features…

• Fast-Flowering Strains – Perhaps it’s because they just don’t get enough time to get sick, but fast-flowering plants are often ready to harvest before you start running into significant problems even in sub-optimal conditions.
• Buds Grow as Nuggets, Not “Colas” – “Cola” is Spanish for tail, some growers use the word cola do describe a long fat bud. Sometimes these types of buds are called “baseball bats” (or in less polite company, “donkey d**ks”). These strains are high-yielding, but also prone to bud rot because they focus energy on producing long, fat colas. And for the purposes of today’s subject, tend to take out literally everything they can from the plant to their own detriment. These strains happily kill themselves to make buds. Which is kind of cool in its own way, but if you’re just looking to get a solid harvest with high bud quality, you’ll find the strains that tend to grow buds as small nuggets tend to thrive and stay healthy while their cola-wielding friends are sucking out every last nutrient as the plant slowly dies around the buds.
• Stable, Established Strains – Strains that are well-bred to be predictable tend to be more resistant to problems than raw crosses or experimental strains. That’s because breeders often refine their best strains for years to ensure that every batch of seeds grows exactly the same – fast and healthy!
• Legendary Strains – Some strains become legendary for a reason. Often, it’s because they just have something special to offer. Strains like Blue Dream, Girl Scout Cookies, Bruce Banner, and others were developed over years by home growers and commercial growers together. They’ve stuck around because they are all around great strains, and that’s also why you see they are some prominent in the history of so many new strains. Although not all versions of these legendary strains are great, I’ve found when you get them from a good breeder, they’re more likely to perform above-average than when you’re growing a strain you’ve never heard the name of. I love a strain name like “Candy Pegasus” as much as the next person, but you need to be more wary of brand new strains.
• Direct-to-Grower Breeders – Strains from breeders that sell directly to customers are often a great choice. I think it’s because they’re also the ones answering questions when growers run into plant problems. The further removed the breeder is from the grower, the less they may be thinking about how plants grow, since breeders are usually growing in ideal conditions. These growers breed only for what the buds are like, and may not “stress test” their plants, unlike breeders who also consider growth patterns. Direct-to-growers breeders pay extra attention to ensure their strains tends to germinate quickly, efficiently use nutrients, grow fast, and never herm. For example, I have found the homegrown strains from Seed Supreme, Seedsman, and MSNL tend to be easy to germinate, fast-growing, and overall resistant to problems.

Looking for some specific recommendations? Let’s explore some hardy cannabis strains that can handle a challenge!

Blue Dream by DNA Genetics

Why It’s Resilient

• Fast-Flowering – Ready to harvest with a 8-10 week flowering stage.
• Stable, Established Strain – This version has been stabilized from the original clone-only strain over several years.
• Legendary Strain – Blue Dream is the gift that keeps on giving. Every year there’s a new, even better Blue Dream. It has that special something that can only be accomplished by growers all over the world working together to develop a strain for years.
• Direct-to-grower – Get is straight from DNA Genetics off their website.

Ideal For: Growers looking for a balanced high (strong yet extremely relaxing) with a forgiving growth cycle.

Get Blue Dream – Buds get tinges of purple with strong enough light

Growing Blue Dream Tips 

Ready to harvest with a 8-10 week flowering stage, this version is exceedingly easy to grow. Plants are just not picky. Responds well to training and can handle relatively higher levels of nutrients. Does well outdoors but really thrives indoors.

Girl Scout Cookies (GSC) by Seed Supreme

Why It’s Resilient

• Fast-Flowering – Ready to harvest with a 8-10 week flowering stage. These buds won’t “go long” on you.
• Stable, Established Strain – This version has been stabilized from the original clone-only strain over several years.
• Legendary Strain – Anyone who’s been watching cannabis cups or visits dispensaries has probably seen this strain many times. There are sooooo many “Cookies” strains that have been developed from this strain as well. It’s legendary for a reason, and this refined version may have even better bud effects and sweet “cookies” smell than the original clone.

Ideal For: Those seeking a strong, euphoric effect, sweet-smelling buds, and a resilient growth profile.

Get Girl Scout Cookies – Famous for a reason!

Growing Girl Scout Cookies Tips

Easy to grow, easy to train. Can handle warmer temperatures than some other strains, which makes it a good choice if you’re struggling to control the heat in your grow room, or live in a very warm climate. Great yields even if you make some mistakes.

Honorable Mention: Platinum Cookies is a Cookies cross that has that special something. Check out my full Platinum Cookies strain review.

Purple Ghost Candy by Seedsman

Why It’s Resilient

• Buds Grow as Nuggets – Chunky, dense nugs galore. Often grows with purple tinges all over the buds as long as you provide high levels of light.
• Stable, Established Strain – This strain was a banger from the beginning, but has been refined over the last few years into a gold standard stabilized strain.
• Direct-to-grower – Seedsman runs a full seed bank full of strains from many different breeders, but I’ve consistently found their in-house strains are just all around easy to grow with great germination rates and lower chances of problems.

Ideal For: Growers looking for a potent high and a sturdy plant with big yields. Best for growers with a bigger grow space. This plant needs room to stretch (either tall or wide). Performs great as a single plant as it tends to completely fill up the grow space available.

Get Purple Ghost Candy – One of my favorite strains lately!

Growing Purple Ghost Candy Tips

I’ve found this strains tends to grow big plants with huge yields, yet grows buds as nuggets so you don’t run into the same problems as other high-yield strains. Grows lots of side branches and responds very well to pruning, bending branches, and defoliation.

One of the reasons I chose this strain over the others I’ve grown from Seedsman is the outstanding bud quality. Buds tend to grow dense, beautiful, and POTENT. Make sure to wait until buds are totally mature before harvesting for the best bud quality. Not for the faint of heart or casual smokers!

Dirty Unicorn by Dirty Bird Genetics

Why It’s Resilient

• Fast-Flowering – Typically ready to harvest in about 9 weeks from 12/12.
• Buds Grow as Nuggets – Buds are dense and sparkly, and produce tight nugs.
• Stable, Established Strain – Dirty Bird Genetics took a famous Thug Pug strain (Unicorn Poop – a non-feminized strain that is always sold out) and worked with it for over two years to make an amazingly consistent strain that gives you the wonders of the original genetics but in feminized, stabilized form.
• Direct-to-grower – Get it straight from the breeders.

Ideal For: Those who want a clear-headed, energetic high with top-of-the-line bud appearance and smell.

Get Dirty Unicorn – Unusual name, memorable buds!

Growing Unicorn Poop Tips

Plants tend to grow on the taller side, with extra space between nodes, but that actually makes it really easy to train this plant to grow into whatever shape you want. Vigorous, fast growth. The seeds germinate fast and seedlings tend to start strong.

Bruce Banner by Seed Supreme

Why It’s Resilient

• Buds Grow as Nuggets – Dense, tight nugs galore!
• Stable, Established Strain – Developed over years
• Direct-to-grower – Get it straight from the source.

Ideal For: New growers, low-maintenance gardens, and those prone to minor nutrient mishaps. Offers a powerful, uplifting high.

Get Bruce Banner – Named after the Incredible Hulk for the sheet potency of buds

Growing Bruce Banner Tips

A robust strain that can take extra nutrients and warmer temperatures. Great yields, easy to grow, and overall just a pleasure of a plant.

Choosing the right cannabis strain can make a big difference. Hardy strains are known for their ability to thrive in less-than-perfect conditions, which makes them perfect if you’re looking for a consistent harvest with minimal issues. It can help when you opt for fast-flowering strains, those that grow buds as nuggets, stable and established genetics, legendary strains, and those from direct-to-grower breeders. Remember, the best cannabis strains are the ones that give you what you want, how you want it!

Happy growing!
Nebula Haze

The post Which Strains Get Fewer Nutrient Problems or Deficiencies? appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Ok, it’s starting to get warm outside. What if you want to harvest a lot of outdoor weed as fast as possible? What if you’re working with a short summer where you live? Perhaps it’s already summer time; do you still have time to grow weed outdoors? Get the answers today!

• Under 2 months → Not enough time to harvest outdoors (time to start an indoor grow)
• 2-3 months left → Grow an autoflower (Gummibears Auto, LSD-25 Auto, White Russian Auto)
• 3+ months left → Grow an autoflower (fastest) or fast photoperiod (Bruce Banner Fast, Guava Root GMO, Gorilla Gas F1)

Grow autoflower strains for an ultra-fast outdoor harvest in as little as 2 months!

Pictured: Rainbow Kush Auto plants on either end, Four Assed Monkey Auto plants in the middle. Masterfully grown by our Home Grow Masterclass student Raymond!

When I started growing in 2008, you had to always plant your cannabis in the Spring and they would not be ready to harvest until late Fall. That’s how traditional (“photoperiod“) strains worked.

Luckily, as a cannabis grower in 2026, you have more outdoor growing options.

There are now many strains, known as autoflower strains,  which are ready to harvest as soon as 8 weeks from germination, regardless of when you germinate your seeds. That’s less than 60 days from seed to weed. It’s still mind-blowing to me how fast autoflower can strains sprint to harvest.

Autoflower cannabis strains need as little as 2 months to go from seedlings…

…to a bountiful outdoor autoflower cannabis harvest!

What that means to you: If you’ve got at least two more months of decent weather where you live, you’ve still got enough time to complete an outdoor harvest using autoflower strains. Note: “Decent weather” for growing cannabis plants means the weather is sunny on many days, and not freezing cold or constantly wet.

Fun Fact: I’ve noticed that many fast autoflower strains have “Blueberry” genetics in their history. Someone in the past must have made a fast-flowering Blueberry auto cross!

A lot fast autoflower strains have Blueberry genetics in their history.

What About Photoperiod Strains?

When growing outdoors, photoperiod plants grow buds in the summer and are ready to harvest in the Fall. But even in ideal conditions, the fastest photoperiod strains are usually slower than almost any autoflower strain.

That means if you’re looking for the fastest outdoor harvest, autoflower strains are the best option.

But what about the fastest photoperiod harvest? There are “fast version” photoperiod strains that are ready to harvest a few weeks earlier outdoors, typically in early-to-mid Fall.

Most photoperiod plants (like this Larry Lemon) are not ready to harvest until mid-to-late Fall. “Fast version” strains may be ready in early Fall.

See Recommended Strains for a Fast Outdoor Photoperiod Harvest.

These 10 Autoflower Strains Are Ready to Harvest Outdoors in 2-3 Months

The fastest strains to harvest are autoflower strains. Autoflower strains start making flowers (buds) about a month from germination, and are typically ready to harvest just a month or two after that. The exact amount of time needed depends on the strain.

Most of the following autoflowering strains are ready to harvest 8-10 weeks from germination. 2 months is about as fast as you can harvest with autoflower strains and still get good yields and bud quality.

Note: A little extra time increases bud size and potency. Even with these ultra-fast strains (which do produce great buds in 2 months), you can increase your yields and bud potency further by giving them an extra week or two over the minimum recommended time.

When time is of the essence, the following outdoor autoflower strains serve you well!

Black Cream Auto by Sweet Seeds

Ready to harvest in 60 days from germination, this strain stays on the shorter side. Plants tend to grow one main big bud, and a few smaller side branches. Bud color ranges from regular purple to almost black purple, depending on the particular plant. The smell is sweet and fruity, with earthy notes. Once they’re dried, the dark purple nugs are a unique sight to behold.

Buds have a unique smooth effect that I love from Sweet Seeds strains (whether auto-flowering or photoperiod). Their genetics are originally from Spain and leave you relaxed and floating on a cloud.

Dark purple buds like from some Black Cream Auto are delightful to see on the plant and after harvest!

Here are all the colors of buds you can expect from Black Cream Auto. These plants are extra hardy and can handle some mistakes yet still produce a great harvest. Grown by Santacabrera.

Skunk #1 Auto by White Label

Skunk #1 Auto plants make that old school skunk smell that takes me back to when I first started smoking. Great yields, easy to grow, and ready to harvest in under 60 days. A relaxing strain that is not too intense, making it perfect for social situations or long smoking sessions.

Two Skunk #1 Auto plants grown outdoors (orange cat for protection)

Skunk #1 autos produce big buds outdoors, fast!

Girl Scout Cookies Auto by FastBuds Seeds

I love this autoflower strain for a bunch of reasons. For one, this strain is true-to-its-roots and gives you Girl Scout Cookies buds with the effects you would find in a photoperiod version of the strain. Buds look gorgeous, and feel stronger than the 20% THC. The apparent strength may have to do with the entourage effect and higher levels of d-Limonene in this strain’s buds. Note: D-Limonene is a lemon-smelling terpene that adds to the entourage effect and may make buds feel more relaxing and social.

Plants can get surprisingly tall in a short amount of time. Ready to harvest about 65 days from germination. Prefers higher-than-average nutrient levels in the flowering stage (a plant needs lots of nutrients to grow those huge buds!). Otherwise, plants are hardy and easy to grow.

LSD-25 Auto by FastBuds Seeds

A lot of the fastest autoflower strains are bred by FastBuds, or descended from FastBuds genetics. That’s because this breeder has continuously focused on making strains to produce fast harvests. LSD-25 Auto is a popular choice for growing outdoors because it’s ready to harvest in 60 days from germination, stays small, is easy to grow, and most plants produce bright purple buds.

Outdoor-grown LSD-25 Auto plants typically make bright purple buds. This one was grown by BigBeardy Grows.

Blueberry Auto by Seedsman

I have had consistently great results with most autoflower strains by Seedsman. The seeds germinate well, plants are easy to grow, and bud size and quality are above-average. Their Blueberry Auto is no exception!

These Blueberry Auto plants were grown in a DIY greenhouse (mainly to keep them out of sight), and thrived outdoors.

Blue Cheese Auto by Seed Supreme

This strain tends to grow one main bud, and it can get THICK! Blue Cheese Auto is specifically resistant to mold or bud rot, so it can handle higher humidity levels than many other strains. Great if you tend to have a lot of wet days or high humidity where you live. Ready to harvest in about 70 days from germination.

Blue Cheese Auto plants grow well outdoors, even if the environment isn’t perfect.

Blue Dream Auto by Seed Supreme

Needing 70 days from seed to harvest, Blue Dream plants tend to be easy to grow with excellent yields and bud effects.

Blue Dream Auto plants tend to grow themselves.

Some of these strains take a little longer, but are still very fast and reward you with bigger yields than the fastest autoflower strains.

Mint Jelly Auto by Humboldt Seed Company

This strain is an autoflowering version of the popular Mint Cake strain, but it may have turned out even better than the original. It has a THC level of up to 27% and a peppermint and cake flavor. It grows well outdoors, and is ready to harvest about 70-80 days after germination.

Mint Jelly Auto produces up to 27% THC – one of the most potent outdoor autoflowering strains available!

Cream Cookies Auto by Fastbuds Seeds

This strain is considered to be an Indica-dominant strain (its “body high” is greater than its “head high”) with high resin production. It has a THC level of a little over 20% and buds have a caramel and creamy flavor. It grows well outdoors and is ready about 10 weeks from germination.

Most autoflower cannabis plants, including Cream Cookies Auto, tend to stay on the smaller side, unless marked as XL

Planet of the Grapes Auto by Ethos Genetics

Easy to grow, good yields, smells great, STRONG bud effects. May be even stronger than Mint Jelly Auto in some cases. Tends to take a bit longer than most autos (up to 90 days) and gets bigger (up to 2-3 feet tall) but will reward you for your patience with amazing yields of top-quality buds. When growing outdoors, you want to plant this strain a full 3 months before it gets cold or rainy outside where you live.

Planet of the Grapes Auto grows with a natural bushy structure and buds are amazing.

Kushberry Moonrocks Auto by MSNL 

Easy to grow, hardy enough to grow in hot or arid climates, and great yields make this a gem in the outdoor autoflowering strain world. Ready to harvest about 2.5 months from germination. I absolutely love the photoperiod version of this strain, and the autoflowering strain lives up to the same standard of bud quality. Truly an example of getting photoperiod buds in autoflowering form.

Kushberry Moonrocks Auto cannabis bud quality is in a league of its own.

Grease Gun Auto by Atlas Seed

This strain produces the best bud quality, resin production, and potency if you allow buds to continue to mature until a full 12 weeks from germination, though it can be harvested a week or two earlier in a pinch.

Here’s an outdoor Grease Gun Auto grown by SkunkSquatch: “Plant is grown in a 7 gallon grow bag about 22 inches tall.”

Grease Gun Auto by Atlas Seed does well in outdoor conditions and grows sparkly buds dripping in resin.

Zkittlez Auto by Seedsman

Extremely easy to grow indoors or out, this strain does take a bit longer than most others on this list, needing almost 90 days from seed to harvest. Yet still faster than any photoperiod strain. For your patience, Zkittlez Auto plants reward you with huge yields of sweet-smelling buds covered in trichomes.

Zkittlez Auto buds produce lovely “chill” effects, and smell delicious.

Auto Duck by Dutch Passion

“Duck” strains (also called “Ducksfoot” strains) look different from other cannabis plants. Unlike typical cannabis leaves, the leaves of these strains are the shape of a duck’s foot. This is due to a natural mutation that an enterprising cannabis grower noticed and bred into a strain. As a result, these plants don’t look as much like cannabis plants to most eyes even after buds start growing. That makes these strains a coveted choice for outdoor growers looking for a little extra stealth.

This strain takes a full 3 months outdoors from seed to harvest, but rewards you with excellent buds. This particular version of Duck has been crossed with a high quality White Widow, giving you White Widow buds from a duck leaf cannabis plant.

Auto Duck by Dutch Passion is a cannabis strain that grows unique duck’s foot-shaped leaves. Stealthy!

Check out those leaves up close.

A Ducksfoot strain has less of an overall “cannabis” aesthetic.

What About Photoperiod Strains?

If you’re pressed for time before cold weather arrives, or just want the fastest outdoor harvest possible, then photoperiod strains aren’t your best bet. Even the fastest photoperiod strains aren’t ready to harvest as fast as almost any auto-flowering strain.

Most photoperiod strains are ready to harvest in mid-to-late Fall

While autoflower plants are ready to harvest based on their age, photoperiod plants go through their life cycle based on the season. They start producing buds in response to long nights, which means photoperiod strains typically start making buds in mid-to-late summer. Buds continue to mature until plants are ready to harvest in Fall.

Think of it as if a photoperiod cannabis plant is “trying” to finish making buds before winter comes.

Most photoperiod plants (like this Larry Lemon) are not ready to harvest until mid-to-late Fall. Notice how the leaves in the background have changed color.

“Fast” photoperiod strains are ready to harvest in early-to-mid Fall

When a photoperiod strain is “fast” that means it tends to be ready to harvest a bit earlier in the Fall season. However, there is no photoperiod strain that is naturally ready to harvest in summer. Photoperiod plants are “trying” to time their harvest to happen right before winter. If you want an outdoor summer harvest, you need to choose auto-flowering strains.

You need an auto-flowering strain, like this Bloody Skunk Auto, to achieve a harvest in summer.

Photoperiod plants are very sensitive to time of year

An odd quirk is that if you plant photoperiod seeds outside too early in the spring, the nights will be long enough to cause them to start making buds immediately. However, since the days are getting shorter at that time of year, the plants quickly revert back to the vegetative stage, buds die, and the plant then goes through its regular life cycle, becoming ready to harvest in the Fall.

On the other hand, with an auto-flowering plant, this is not a consideration. Just put the plants outside when you know you have 2-3 months of good weather.

Photoperiod plants may “re-veg” if you put them outside too early.

Remember: Whether you plant photoperiod seeds outside in the Spring or Summer, the buds will be ready to harvest in the Fall.

Photoperiod strains aren’t the best choice for late planting

Photoperiod strains grow best outdoors when placed outside in late Spring. If you plant photoperiod seeds too late, the buds might not be ready to harvest in time, even if you’re growing a Fast Photoperiod strain. Why? Let’s look at the life of a photoperiod plant to see why they need more time than you might think.

A photoperiod seedling needs a certain amount of maturity before it can start flowering (making buds). Typically, most photoperiod plants do not start flowering until at least 3-4 weeks old (later for some strains), even if you plant it later in the season when normally a plant would start flowering. So let’s say you’ve only got 3 months left before it gets cold or rainy in your climate. That means you need a photoperiod strain with a 2 month flowering period or shorter, because your plant won’t start flowering for the first month. And that’s if everything goes as planned.

Start seedlings indoors to help give them a fast start.

That’s why it’s recommended to get a photoperiod strain with the absolute shortest flowering period when planting later in the season. This just helps speed everything up and ensure your buds are mature and ready to harvest before it gets cold.

There are several “Fast” photoperiod strains, which have 6-8 week flowering periods in good conditions. These can shave off a few weeks from the flowering stage, but you’re still looking at a 3+ month grow from start to finish outdoors. If you’ve got less time than that, I highly recommend going with autoflowering strains!

“Fast” strains are your best bet for photoperiods with late outdoor planting.

Another tip for growing outdoors is to make sure to start your seeds indoors, so they get a headstart and are strong enough to start growing fast and healthy as soon as they’re put outdoors. Take great care of these seedlings and pay close attention to them from the beginning. Be careful not to overwater them. And when you put them outside, ensure they get lots of sun.

Outdoor Late-Planting Photoperiod Tips

• Grow a “Fast” Photoperiod Strain – Get a strain with a 6-8 week flowering period (as fast as it gets for photoperiod strains).
• Start Indoors – Give your photoperiod seedlings a head start by giving them perfect conditions for the first few weeks of life.
• Lots of Sun – It’s especially important to make sure your late-planted cannabis plants get a lot of light. Light is food for plants!
• Don’t Overwater – Overwatering is one of the most common ways to slow down a cannabis plant.

Learn how to grow great cannabis outdoors.

“Fast” Photoperiod Strains – Ready to harvest in early-to-mid Fall. For an earlier harvest, grow an autoflowering strain!

Note: Even if you plant these strains outdoors very late in the season, fast photoperiod strains need at least 3 months from germination before buds are ready to harvest.

Bruce Banner Fast Version by Seed Supreme

Bruce Banner is an epic strain, and this is the faster flowering version. The quality of buds is the same, though with a shorter flowering period it tends to have slightly lower yields than if you grew the non-fast version. Extremely potent (over 25% THC) so these buds are not for the faint-hearted.

Bruce Banner Fast by Seed Supreme does well in outdoor conditions and grows sparkly buds dripping in resin.

Northern Lights Fast Version by Seed Supreme

This strain is a good choice for a stealth grow because it tends to grow more short and bushy (won’t grow over your fence), and doesn’t stink up a storm like many other photoperiod strains. Tends to be a relatively hardy and forgiving plant, and can handle colder climates better than most strains on this list. The reward is sparkly buds with a nice smooth smoke.

Northern Lights Fast by Seed Supreme does well in outdoor conditions and grows sparkly buds that smell fresh with a touch of incense.

Blue Princess Fast Version by Homegrown Cannabis Co.

This is a Blueberry crossed with a Cinderella strain (hence “Blue Princess”), and the fast version has proven to perform well outdoors and still reward you with an ultra-fast harvest. A great strain for those who suffer from anxiety, as the higher CBD levels help provide a relaxing soothing effect, and overall is known as a “smiley” strain.

Blue Princess Fast by Homegrown Cannabis Co. is well-suited to outdoors and grow dense, professional looking buds.

Frisian Dew by Dutch Passion

Although not a “fast type” strain, any list of great outdoor cannabis strains has to include Frisian Dew. It is the quintessential outdoor strain, being developed specifically to thrive in non-ideal outdoor environments (especially colder climates), yet still produce a great harvest. Buds are typically purple, plants are resistant to pests, cold, high humidity, and other common stresses.

A great choice for growers at northern latitudes. It tends to be ready to harvest earlier than most other photoperiod strains.

Frisian Dew was specifically bred to thrive outdoors in northern climates.

A closeup of Frisian Dew buds. Beautiful!

Ready to Plant for a Late Summer Cannabis Harvest?

If you’re going to grow outdoors and it’s already getting late in the season, then you need to grow a fast autoflowering strain. These strains need as little as 2 months from seed to harvest. If you’ve got more than 3 months, then an early-finishing photoperiod strain can also work.

What this means to you: As long as you have decent weather for the next few months, you have enough time to plant one of the recommended cannabis seeds outdoors and still get a good summer harvest.

Remember, with outdoor plants, give them as much direct light as possible every day, and pay attention to the weather. If it’s going to be bad weather, do what you can to protect your plants from the elements. Here’s a full guide on how to grow cannabis outdoors.

About the Author: Nebula Haze

Nebula Haze is a dedicated cannabis enthusiast and co-creator of GrowWeedEasy.com, your resource for every aspect of cannabis cultivation. With years of hands-on experience growing cannabis at home, Nebula uses her passion to simplify the grow process so anyone can achieve amazing yields and bud quality at home. Her in-depth yet simple tutorials make learning to grow weed easy and fun, the way it should be!

Nebula Haze wishing you many abundant harvests!

Make sure to use the search bar to search for any cannabis growing questions you may have, and our free plant doctor tool to diagnose your sick cannabis plants.

Don’t miss out on the latest tips, tricks, and expert advice from Nebula Haze! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get the best cannabis cultivation tactics delivered straight to you every Sunday morning at 4:20 am.

The post Fast Outdoor Strains for a Quicker Cannabis Harvest (Short Summer, Late Planting…) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

“Lemon” Scented Cannabis Strains May Be More Relaxing

Current research shows that a lemon-smelling terpene known as d-Limonene may reduce THC-induced anxiety effects for some people. D-Limonene is one of the most common terpenes in nature. But you find the highest amounts of d-Limonene in citrus fruits, especially in rind oil from lemons, oranges, and limes.  D-Limonene is only found in a smaller subset of cannabis strains. For growers looking to maximize relaxation and reduce paranoia, we compiled a list of strains that test extra high in d-limonene, including one superstar strain.

Surprising Result: Interestingly, although d-Limonene is considered to smell like lemons, upon lab testing, a lot of the highest levels we found were in “Mandarin”, “Sour”, “Diesel”, “Cookies”, and “Gorilla Glue” cannabis strains. When we examined all our lab results from over the years, we were surprised to learn that many “Lemon” strains did not necessarily have the highest levels of this terpene compared to others, though of course there are exceptions. Keep reading for specific strain “Lemon” scented suggestions.

Strain names that tend to have higher amounts of d-Limonene often include these words (of course, not always):

• Mandarin
• Sour
• Diesel
• Cookies
• Gorilla Glue

The Power of Lemon in Terpenes Like d-Limonene

Have you ever noticed that you may feel different effects from different strains of weed? When it comes to cannabis, it’s not just THC that affects the “high” or how you feel. Cannabis contains other compounds, including terpenes like d-Limonene, that alter the overall experience from smoking or vaporizing.

Did You Know? The “entourage effect” is how different compounds work together to change how you feel from different strains. Just like a celebrity with an entourage of bodyguards and assistants, THC has an entourage of chemical compounds in weed. The most studied are CBD and terpenes like d-Limonene.

Why is cannabis-based d-Limonene special?

D-limonene is a terpene that affects the experience of weed. Terpenes are smelly compounds found in plants, which often give them their distinct odor. For example pine trees get their smell from pinene. And Linalool is responsible for the unique floral scent of lavender, also contributing to the smells of coriander and mint.

Cannabis buds contain an array of different terpenes that create a bouquet of smells for each strain. However, only some strains contain d-Limonene.

Each cannabis strain has different levels of terpenes and cannabinoids.

How does d-Limonene reduce anxiety and enhance relaxation?

In this study, it was found that higher amounts of limonene while vaporizing weed reduced the likelihood of cannabis enthusiasts or patients experiencing the “paranoia” effect.

Anecdotally, citrus-scented strains are often noted for their relaxing effects. Here is one last anecdote from when we went through our data for this article. After we determined which strains contained the highest levels of d-Limonene, we noted that many of these strains had been described subjectively as being specifically relaxing and anti-anxiety.

Those two anecdotes plus a small study doesn’t prove anything, but if you’re looking for relaxing weed it seems worth giving d-Limonene strains a try to see if it works for you.

My 7 Favorite “Lemon” Scented Strains with High d-Limonene

In celebration of d-Limonene, I wanted to share 7 strains that contain relatively higher amounts of this terpene. These strains often tend to have hints of citrus smell in the buds, but sometimes you don’t actually smell the citrus smell, especially if it has strong other smells. For example, many “Cookies” strains (like Platinum Cookies), or “Sour” strains (like Sour Diesel) have significant amounts of d-Limonene, but the “lemon” smell doesn’t come through except perhaps as a note of citrus.

How did we make this list? Some of these strains were lab tested by others, but many were lab tested ourselves, as stated in each description.

We lab-test our homegrown buds to help track what does and doesn’t work. We’ve experimented with growing techniques, grow light direct comparisons, soil vs coco, and more. Check out our side-by-side grow experiments to see some of the tests we’ve conducted. We’ve tested just under a hundred different homegrown buds. It was exciting to realize we could use that data to run a little “mini-study” on d-Limonene based on results in the field over several years. Let us know if you’d like to see any particular experiments with lab tests.

Here are our best picks for d-Limonene.

#1 Strain for d-Limonene: Mandarin Cookies by Ethos Genetics

This strain beat all others on the list. When we got our Mandarin Cookies buds tested at the lab, all the samples were at least around 1% d-Limonene. One sample was even 1.4% d-Limonene. That means 1.4% of all the dried mass of the buds was the terpene d-Limonene. On top of that it measured 26.9% THC under an HID grow light, and 28.3% THC when grown under an HLG LED grow light. That means almost 1/3 of the buds of this strain (by dry weight) were either THC or d-Limonene. That easily puts Mandarin Cookies at that top of the list!

Our Mandarin Cookies not only had great effects, but buds are super photogenic.

Our lab results:

• Mandarin Cookies Lab Result #1 (PDF) – Grown with 315W ceramic metal halide light)
• Mandarin Cookies Lab Result #2 (PDF) – Grown with 350W HLG LED grow light. As a side note, this grow light produces the highest THC and terpenes of any grow lights we’ve tried so far.

At that time, there wasn’t any scientific studies on d-Limenine, but I can anecdotally attest that everyone found the Mandarin Cookies buds to be particularly relaxing and gave everyone good vibes. This seems to go along with the idea that this terpene may increase relaxing effects.

Get Mandarin Cookies seeds by Ethos.

One of the Mandarin Cookies plants we grew. Buds were incredibly sparkly.

Of the two plants, the Mandarin Cookies grown under the HLG 350W LED grow light (here’s the full setup) produced the highest amounts of THC and d-Limonene.

Mandarin Cookies just before harvest.

Those Mandarin Cookies buds after harvest.

7 More Awesome Strains with Abundant Limonene

Surprising Result: Interestingly, although d-Limonene is considered to smell like lemons, upon lab testing, a lot of the highest levels were found in “Mandarin”, “Sour”, “Orange”, “Diesel”, “Cookies”, and “Gorilla Glue” strains. When we examined all our lab results from over the years, we were surprised to learn that many “Lemon” strains did not necessarily have the highest levels of this terpene compared to others, though of course there are exceptions.

Here are examples of other strains we’ve tested (or have been tested by other growers or breeders) and found to have above-average levels of d-Limonene.

1.) Zoap by MSNL (Rainbow Sherbet x Pink Guava)

I thought this was kind of a strange name for such a fruity strain, but as they say “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. In addition to high amounts of d-Limonene, Zoap buds have a sweet berry citrus smell that’s pleasant and fruity. Buds produce over 25% THC, so the potency is very high. Another reason home growers love this strain is it tends to produce big yields, yet is forgiving and beginner-friendly.

Get Zoap by MSNL.

2.) Strawberry Sorbet by DNA Genetics

This strain has indica-leaning genetics and it naturally grows in a Christmas tree shape with just one main bud. But unusually for an indica strain, it grows a bit tall and stretchy, making these plants great candidates for plant training. You can make it grow bushy with many buds by topping it (cutting of the top) when the young plant has 5-6 full sets of leaves. Then gently spread out the branches (down and away from the center of the plant) as it grows so plants grow wide and flat. This results in excellent yields with lots of big main buds all over the plant.

Get Strawberry Sorbet by DNA Genetics.

Try to spread this plant out wide as it grows, or it will get tall.

Strawberry Sorbet effects have been described as giving you fresh energy.

3.) GG Lemon by Seed Supreme

We found in our tests that many Gorilla Glue (“GG”) strains have surprisingly high amounts of d-Limonene. This Gorilla Glue strain in particular has honed in on the lemon scent.

Get GG Lemon seeds by Seed Supreme.

Strains with Gorilla Glue (“GG”) ancestry like GG Lemon often produce more d-Limonene.

4.) Candy Games #38 by Happy Valley Genetics

Candy Games #38 is a fruity strain by a relatively new breeder known as Happy Valley Genetics. I’ve been really impressed by this breeder so far and their Candy strains are prized for giving energetic effects without being overwhelming. This particular strain makes purple-tinted buds that are tight and sparkly. Check out their homepage for more information.

Get Candy Games #38 by Happy Valley Genetics.

“Candy Games” is right!

5.) Platinum Cookies by Seed Supreme

This is just an all around easy-to-grow strain with amazing bud results. The Platinum Cookies plants were by far the favorite strain from that grow, and coincidentally have higher amounts of d-Limonene.

The one thing about this strain is it does tend to get a bit tall, and has a slightly longer flowering stage than average (about 10-12 weeks), due to its Sativa-leaning genetics. That being said, the yields and bud quality are outstanding and I highly recommend it for any grower. Check out my full strain review of Platinum Cookies.

Get Platinum Cookies by Seed Supreme.

One of the Platinum Cookies we grew.

6.) Nitro Lemon Haze by MSNL

Another strain by MSNL that is relatively heavy in d-Limonene. This is a great option for those who don’t like a a “heavy” or debilitating stone. This is perfect if you instead seek a “Sativa” high that is more psychedelic and energetic.

Unlike other similar Haze strains, this strain has a normal flowering time that only needs about 10 weeks before buds are ready to harvest. That also means it can be a good choice for growing outdoors in a climate that has a shorter summer.

Get Nitro Lemon Haze by MSNL.

This was our Lemon Haze plant from MSNL. Big ol’ buds!

7.) Tropicana Cookies Purple by Seed Supreme

This is one of those strains that is just a pleasure to grow, buds look gorgeous, and the bud effects are outstanding.

5 Special Mentions

Besides the Sour Diesel, these haven’t been specifically tested for d-Limonene by me, but are delicious strains with relaxing effects:

1. San Fernando Lemon Kush by Sweet Seeds
2. Super Lemon Haze by Seed Supreme
3. Sour Diesel by Royal Queen Seeds (this one tested high in d-Limonene, though it didn’t smell much like lemons)
4. Amnesia Fast by Seedsman (very quick to harvest compared to most strains)
5. Northern Tropic by Elev8 Seeds

Auto-flowering Strains with High d-Limonene

Auto-flowering strains are your ticket to a speedy harvest. Most strains are ready to harvest 2-3 months from germination. Learn about auto-flowering strains compared to typical photoperiod strains..

1. CheMACal Romance Auto by DNA Genetics – Primary terpene is limonene in tests, beautiful buds, fast to harvest.
2. Cream Mandarine Autoflower by Seed Supreme – Citrusy with an underlying “sweet cream” flavor make this one special! Reminiscent of a creamsicle.
3. Gorilla Glue Auto by Fast Buds – This isn’t listed as having a lemon scent (though it does say it has a fruity sour smell). However, when we got these tested at the lab the buds were almost 0.5% d-Limonene.

These Gorilla Glue Auto buds tested at 0.5% d-Limonene at the lab.

Gorilla Glue Auto by Fast Buds bud up close. Sparkly!

5 Grow Tips to Maximize d-Limonene

Besides growing a high d-Limonene strain, here are grow tactics to maximize terpenes like d-Limonene in your buds after harvest.

1. Not Hot – Avoid letting grow space get over 80°F / 27°F if possible. Learn how to keep the grow space cool and breezy.
2. Not Humid – Avoid letting humidity get over 60% if possible. High humidity is a bud killer. It results in airy buds, slower growth, smaller yields, lower potency, and less smell overall. Plus high humidity can cause bud rot if buds get too fat. Learn all about humidity when growing cannabis.
3. Harvest at the Right Time – Cannabis buds have peak potency and terpenes when buds are mature. Harvesting buds too early gives you buds with lower potency and smell. Give buds enough time to create all the good stuff! See pictures of ready-to-harvest cannabis buds.
4. Dry Buds Properly – Slow drying buds over several day helps keep all your terpenes including d-Limonene. Most important, avoid air-drying buds in a place that gets hot or humid. Learn how to dry your cannabis buds like a pro.
5. “Cure” Your Buds – Cure buds in jars for at least 2 weeks before smoking – Both the smell and potency/effects of cannabis buds improve and intensify during the curing process. Learn how to cure your buds perfectly every time.

Bonus Tip: I have not tried this, but some growers swear by Sweet Citrus by Botanicare.

The Botanicare Sweet line is a unique set of organic cannabis grow supplements that claim to “provides aroma and flavor” via “bioactive esters” that enhance bud fragrance and produces a specific smell in cannabis plants. Besides Citrus they also have an unflavored Raw Sugar Sweet supplement that seems to be the most popular from this line.

The Sweet Citrus supplement claims to enhance citrus smell in cannabis buds.

Follow the above grow tips to maximize terpenes and d-Limonene.

Conclusion: Embrace Lemon Strains!

Here is a summary of today’s article.

New research shows that a lemon-smelling terpene known as d-Limonene may reduce THC-induced anxiety effects for some people. D-Limonene is only found in a smaller subset of cannabis strains.

For growers looking to maximize relaxation and reduce paranoia, we compiled a list of strains that test extra high in d-limonene.

In our lab tests, we found that these strain names often have higher amounts of d-Limonene compared to others, though of course this is not foolproof:

Look out for these words in strain names.

• Mandarin
• Sour
• Diesel
• Cookies
• Gorilla Glue

Did you enjoy this article? If so, contact us and let us know! Also don’t hesitate to share your favorite strains or pictures.

About the Author: Nebula Haze

Nebula Haze is a dedicated cannabis enthusiast and co-creator of GrowWeedEasy.com, the go-to resource for every aspect of cannabis cultivation. With years of hands-on experience growing cannabis at home, Nebula has used her passion for simplifying the grow process to help countless growers transform their grows and achieve amazing yields and bud quality at home. She uses her in-depth knowledge to create simple, easy-to-follow tutorials that make learning to grow weed easy and fun.

In this article, Nebula dives into the fascinating world of terpenes, especially d-Limonene, and its potential to enhance relaxation and reduce anxiety via the entourage effect. Through her detailed guides, practical tips, and personal insights, Nebula’s approach to empower growers of all levels to cultivate the best cannabis possible. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your results, Nebula’s expertise and enthusiasm are here at GrowWeedEasy.com to guide you every step of the way.

Nebula Haze wishing you abundant harvests!

Don’t miss out on the latest tips, tricks, and expert advice from Nebula Haze! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get the best cannabis cultivation tactics delivered straight to you every Sunday morning at 4:20 am.

The post Lemon-Scented Cannabis Strains: Grow Weed with Relaxing d-Limonene appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

I recently received this email about a stunted, tiny autoflowering cannabis plant. Why does this happen? Stunted autos are a common problem, especially for auto-flowering strains with a very short vegetative stage. Keep reading to learn what causes autos to stay too small, and how to prevent it!

“This picture was taken last Fall. This my Purple Kush CBD Auto plant, quite pretty…

…until you see the actual size of it!

This came from an auto-flowering feminized cannabis seed that I dutifully planted outside in the Spring. Maturity was supposed to be 63 days but when I saw how little it had grown, I left it in as an experiment to see how tall it would end up. It didn’t grow even another cm taller. I ended up harvesting it at 113 days.

Any idea of what’s happened? Why did this autoflowering plant stay so small and stunted?

~Carmen

Why did this autoflowering plant stay so small and stunted?

Auto-flowering cannabis plants are on a tight schedule. Once they germinate, it’s essentially a “race” to the end of their life. That’s because their ancestors (“Ruderalis” wild cannabis  plants) originated in Siberia where summers are just 2-3 months long. As a result, most auto-flowering strains start making buds at around 1 month from germination, and are ready to harvest when they’re just 2-3 months old.

What does this have to do with an auto-flowering plant staying small?

An autoflowering plant stops getting taller when it’s about 6 weeks old for most strains, and even earlier for faster-flowering auto cannabis strains like Purple Kush CBD Auto (which can be ready just 9 weeks from germination). That means that if your auto-flowering plant has a slow start for whatever reason (overwatered, cold, not enough light, other stress, etc.), it might not get very big before it stops growing taller.

• Short vegetative stage – Most autoflowering strains automatically start making buds (they start “flowering”) around 4-5 weeks old.
• Plants stop growing in the flowering stage – Auto-flowering plants typically stop getting bigger not long after they start flowering.
• Small plants that start flowering stay small – If an auto-flowering plant is still small when it starts flowering, it won’t get any bigger.

This Purple Kush CBD Auto must have had a slow start, and started flowering before it had a chance to get very big. As a result, the final size was really small.

Here’s another example from our reader Hypermx, who experienced the same thing with his autoflowering plant.

I’ve had it happen as well. This auto-flowering plant went through stress at the beginning of its life (a person fell on it… okay it was me), and as a result never got big before it started flowering.

Just to give you an idea of how much an effect stunting can have, these are both the same autoflowering strain. You can see how much smaller the plant was that got stressed at a young age compared to the auto-flowering plant that was given good conditions from the beginning.

You want to avoid stunting to get the best yields from auto-flowering strains. Small plants can’t make big buds.

Unlike autoflowering strains, photoperiod plants have the luxury of being able to stay in the vegetative stage for as long as you want. That means you can recover from stress or problems and still get plants big enough to produce good yields. But with auto-flowering strains, you need to think about your grow as if you’re in a race to the finish line, and start strong.

I hope that helps reveal the mystery of why an auto-flowering plant can stay so small. Whenever growing autos (or any cannabis plants, really), I highly recommend germinated an extra seed or two, just in case something happens when they’re young or some plants grow better than others.

Bonus: Recommended Autos to Prevent Stunting

These auto-flowering cannabis strains were chosen because they are extra stress-resistant and easy to grow, yet produce good yields and outstanding bud quality.

• GG 4 Autoflower – This version of Gorilla Glue #4 is easy to grow and tends to grow fast. It is a forgiving strain that can handle a bit of stress and is ready to harvest at 70 days from germination.
• Cinderella Jack Auto – When I grew this strain, it produced the densest and most potent buds of that entire auto-flowering grow. It responded well to plant training, and produced good yields even though it was in a crowded tent with 7 other autoflowering plants. Harvest at 80 days from germination.
• Planet of the Grapes Auto – Delicious grapes smell, high potency, medium height, and super easy to grow. This strain is something special! Harvest at 80 days from germination.

The GG 4 Autoflower I grew in the very front (right behind the green bar) thrived in a tiny grow tent (copy this setup).

The Cinderella Jack Auto I grew produced ultra-dense buds.

Planet of the Grapes Auto produced outstanding bud quality.

About the Author: Nebula Haze

I started growing weed in 2008. To be honest, in the beginning, I struggled. There just wasn’t great information available for cannabis cultivation. I had to find my own way through trial and error. After I had figured out how easy it could be, I decided to create GrowWeedEasy.com in 2010 with my partner Sirius to make cannabis-growing information easily available to everyone who wants to grow at home.

Weed companies charge way too much for subpar weed, and we want home growers to learn how easy it is to grow higher-quality buds than most weed you can buy. The secret doesn’t take a ton of money or require you to learn special tricks. You just need good genetics and the right information so you get the best results for the least amount of effort.

That’s why we’ve made all the tutorials on the website easy and straightforward to follow. If you follow our instructions like a recipe, your cupboards will soon be overflowing with weed. I hope you enjoyed this article about how to prevent stunted autoflowering plants. Don’t hesitate to contact us to share your experience or let us know your favorite auto-flowering strains. Also, we’d love to see your plant pictures so we can feature them in our weekly newsletter!

• Sign up for the weekly growing newsletter – delivered every Sunday at 4:20 am Eastern time
• 10-Minute Cannabis Grow Guide – 10 minutes from now you could be a weed-growing expert!
• Plant Doctor (to diagnose your sick plants) – Find the plant problem and get the solution

Nebula Haze says, “Thanks for reading, and happy growing!”

The post Why did my autoflowering plant stay so small? appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

How can you make sure your precious marijuana seeds last as long as possible? Today’s seed storage tutorial will show you exactly what to do. When stored properly, cannabis seeds remain viable for years or even decades. We’ve germinated 10-year-old seeds that were stored via this method!

So what’s the best way to keep your cannabis seeds fresh and viable? Here’s the long and the short of it:

How to Store Cannabis Seeds – 4 Important Factors

1. Dry (Most Important) – Moisture is the #1 enemy of seed storage, so keep seeds dry! In other words, don’t let seeds touch water or get exposed to high humidity.
2. Cool – Try to keep a cool, steady temperature. An ideal temperature is about 40°F (just above freezing temperature), but as long as it’s under 70°F you should be okay.
3. Dark – Protect your seeds from light! UV rays especially are not great for seed viability.
4. Airtight – Avoid letting your seeds be exposed to fresh air or oxygen. If possible, keep cannabis seeds in an airtight container.

Given what cannabis seeds need to stay healthy and viable, generally, these are the best places to store cannabis seeds.

Where to Store Cannabis Seeds

• Fridge – Keep seeds in a dry, airtight container in the back of the fridge or in the crisper drawer. These places tend to maintain a more steady temperature than the front of the fridge.
• Drawer or cupboard – Inside a cool drawer or cupboard can give a nice cool, dark, dry space.
• Any Cool, Dry Place – Any place that tends to stay cool, dark, and dry, without a lot of temperature fluctuations.

Ideal home cannabis seed storage storage: Seeds are still in the original breeder packs, in a freezer ziploc bag, in the crisper drawer in the fridge.

Tips to Store Cannabis Seeds Forever

• Steady temperature – Don’t let seeds get hot and cold. For example, although the ideal cannabis seed storage temperature is 40°F, it’s better for seeds to constantly be at 70°F vs fluctuating back and forth between 40 and 70°F.
• Keep in original packaging – Most trustworthy breeders have excellent packaging to keep seeds good as long as possible. So often your best best is to keep seeds in the breeder’s pack or vial it came in.
  • Alternative: Zip-lock bag (“Freezer” bags are best) – If your seeds didn’t come in a breeder pack, a great option is to store them in a ziplock bag. Make sure to squeeze out all the air before zipping the seal. If possible use a zip-lock bag that says it’s made for the freezer, as the freezer bags are much more airtight than a regular ziploc. If you don’t have freezer bags, then you can double or triple bag the seeds for the same effect. The goal is to help prevent any oxygen or humidity from getting to the cannabis seeds.
• Actively fight moisture – If you’ve got open seeds that aren’t in a protective breeder pack, for example you’re keeping seeds in a zip-lock bag, it can help to add some pieces of dry rice or a very small silica-gel desiccant pack with the seeds to absorb any extra moisture or humidity.

How to Tell If a Cannabis Seed is No Longer Viable

The best way to see if your cannabis seeds are still good is simply to germinate them and find out. Here’s our tutorial on how to germinate cannabis seeds to get the best germination rates.

If a cannabis seed sprouts, your seedling is good to go!

Examples of Cannabis Seed Banks 

We’ve had good seed germination rates with these cannabis seed sources so far, and heard good things from our readers. Let us know your experiences!

• Seed Supreme – San Diego, United States
• ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) – California, United States
• North Atlantic Seed Co. – Maine, United States
• Seedsman – Ships from US & Europe
• MSNL Seeds – Netherlands bank with shipping centers in the US, Canada, and UK.
• DNA Genetics – West Coast, USA

Keep reading…

• Bag Seed vs Hype Seed: Is it Worth it to Buy Cannabis Seeds?
• Why should growers start with feminized seeds?
• Where to Buy Cannabis Seeds Online (Our Personal Seed Sources)
• How to Germinate Cannabis Seeds Easily

The post How to Store Cannabis Seeds So They Last Forever appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.