Jackalope
Well-Known Member
Lots of new people here all the time. Plus tons of new breeders making seeds. Seedbanks are even based in the US now. Lots of things have changed with Legalization. I figured with the vast knowledge I think I have LOL. I would try and break it down so it might be easier to understand.
We will start with seeds. In most case's these days feminized seeds is the best option. Auto's for some photo's for others. Regular strains are great and probably the best way to go but they take more room to weed out males. Most new growers don't have that room. One of the biggest thing with seeds is you normally get what you pay for. You should start with inexpensive seeds to learn with. No reason to waste good genetics practicing. There are quality strains that work great for new growers they will mention it if that is the case. These are a good option to start with also. After that buy the best genetics you can afford then save money for another month and go from there. Plus when you find a strain you think is really cool sounding. Research it. Look for strain reviews and any other info you can get on the strain before buying. If now one is smoking it anywhere you may want to wait on that strain.
Breeders are where there is the most mystery. I have only tried a small percentage of them so I won't quote names. Here are things to look at when deciding on one. First off. How long have they been around. New breeders are popping up all the time some good some bad. Next up. What do the work and breed with. Most will only have a couple of strains they breed with. Plus some hybrids of their hybrids. As they go along they will cross any new strain into what they already have. If a breeder has lots of strains from lots of different genetics. They may not have been working with "great" pheno's. Plus if they have 5 pages of strains that may be a indicator they are trying to do too much. Some breeders just cross one plant with lots of others and let the growers find out which ones work. I found one place that would cross a male from one strain to 10 or so clones then do it again with another male from another strain. Yes there may be some true winners in there. Finding them is another story. Great breeders do their testing first and only release what works. Plus if they are selling seeds from a clone only strain that is rare. You need to decide if they had the chance to actually have the real deal. Clone only means just that. Not many people get the real clone.
Seedbanks is another mystery in ways. The main thing with them is reliability and costumer service. How fast they can get the seeds to you does matter. It is not a big deal if you know the seeds will get there. Mostly for me how many breeders they carry is the main thing. This is when more is better. Always nice to get all your seeds from the same place.The more breeders they have the better choices you will have. Make sure they sell breeder packs. After you know you can trust them. Then you can do later orders that they take the seeds out of packs to sell. Some stealth shipping requires that they take the seeds out of the breeder packs. Be sure you can trust them before letting them do this to you. Some breeders have become seed banks also. They sell other breeders along with their own strains. That can be helpful. Other seed banks just sell other people's gear. More and more these days Seedbanks carry their own line of strains. Most are distributors not breeders. The seeds they sell are made buy someone else for them to sell or give away. Basically generic seeds. Anyone that remembers generic food will remember that only a small percentage was as good as the real deal. Don't get fooled buy the low prices. Start with them fine. After you have have completed a grow or 2 with success move up to quality seeds.
I am sure I left some stuff out and others may add more to what I mentioned. Those are the basics. I hope this is helpful to someone.
We will start with seeds. In most case's these days feminized seeds is the best option. Auto's for some photo's for others. Regular strains are great and probably the best way to go but they take more room to weed out males. Most new growers don't have that room. One of the biggest thing with seeds is you normally get what you pay for. You should start with inexpensive seeds to learn with. No reason to waste good genetics practicing. There are quality strains that work great for new growers they will mention it if that is the case. These are a good option to start with also. After that buy the best genetics you can afford then save money for another month and go from there. Plus when you find a strain you think is really cool sounding. Research it. Look for strain reviews and any other info you can get on the strain before buying. If now one is smoking it anywhere you may want to wait on that strain.
Breeders are where there is the most mystery. I have only tried a small percentage of them so I won't quote names. Here are things to look at when deciding on one. First off. How long have they been around. New breeders are popping up all the time some good some bad. Next up. What do the work and breed with. Most will only have a couple of strains they breed with. Plus some hybrids of their hybrids. As they go along they will cross any new strain into what they already have. If a breeder has lots of strains from lots of different genetics. They may not have been working with "great" pheno's. Plus if they have 5 pages of strains that may be a indicator they are trying to do too much. Some breeders just cross one plant with lots of others and let the growers find out which ones work. I found one place that would cross a male from one strain to 10 or so clones then do it again with another male from another strain. Yes there may be some true winners in there. Finding them is another story. Great breeders do their testing first and only release what works. Plus if they are selling seeds from a clone only strain that is rare. You need to decide if they had the chance to actually have the real deal. Clone only means just that. Not many people get the real clone.
Seedbanks is another mystery in ways. The main thing with them is reliability and costumer service. How fast they can get the seeds to you does matter. It is not a big deal if you know the seeds will get there. Mostly for me how many breeders they carry is the main thing. This is when more is better. Always nice to get all your seeds from the same place.The more breeders they have the better choices you will have. Make sure they sell breeder packs. After you know you can trust them. Then you can do later orders that they take the seeds out of packs to sell. Some stealth shipping requires that they take the seeds out of the breeder packs. Be sure you can trust them before letting them do this to you. Some breeders have become seed banks also. They sell other breeders along with their own strains. That can be helpful. Other seed banks just sell other people's gear. More and more these days Seedbanks carry their own line of strains. Most are distributors not breeders. The seeds they sell are made buy someone else for them to sell or give away. Basically generic seeds. Anyone that remembers generic food will remember that only a small percentage was as good as the real deal. Don't get fooled buy the low prices. Start with them fine. After you have have completed a grow or 2 with success move up to quality seeds.
I am sure I left some stuff out and others may add more to what I mentioned. Those are the basics. I hope this is helpful to someone.
I decided to focus on the seeds I have now and spend the money on a decent light to assist these seedlings when they sprout. I think that will allow me some time to do more research and save up for great genetics as you already mentioned. Thanks for the wisdom!
