or Hybrid. Such terms and phrases include Pheno-hunting, F1, Land- Race genetics, Autoflower, Feminized, Photo, Crop-Yield, Flower Time, etc., etc., Full-stop— Take a Deep Breath!
Don’ t get caught up in all the hype! Your trusted local grow store can help you navigate these waters.
Let me( super) simplify some terms that are thrown around quite frequently: F1 Genetics and Pheno-hunting.
F1 Genetics are first-generation offspring of two separate( cannabis) plant varietals. F1 seeds are derived from two distinctly different parent plants; hence the name F1 hybrid. F is short for finial, which means son / daughter( offspring). Those seeds will all exhibit the dominant characteristics of the parent plants, should they result from true bred heterozygous( same dominant or recessive traits) lineages. These dominant traits and varied genetic blends result in many new hybrid varietals of cannabis plants that can only be reproduced by that same parentage. If you take males and females of the same F1 stock and breed( respectively, inbreed) them, this will result in F2 generation and so on. The subsequent generations will have varied combinations of dominant and recessive traits from the previous generation.
You can continue this with the plants in each generation exhibiting qualities you desire to pinpoint and enhance these characteristics. This gets deeper and far more complex as you delve into the process.
Deep-diving into the science of seeds is appropriate— if you are trying to“ Breed Cannabis,” but as a recreational consumer grower, that is generally not the case.
Pheno-hunting is just a fancy term for“ Picking the Best.”
Simply put, plant several seeds and select the ones you like for further breeding— it’ s not a complicated idea! Phenotypes are the visible characteristics of a plant determined by the genotype. If you start growing a handful of seeds from the same bag, you selectively choose the varieties you like to either keep as Mothers for clones or use for future breeding based on look, taste, yield, structure, etc.
Okay, let’ s get back to Picking Seeds:
I recommend that you concentrate mainly on the terpene profile when purchasing your first seeds. I don’ t mention THC strength because, when you are growing good cannabis, it will get you“ High.” However, the heaviness( generally referred to as Indica) or energizing( commonly called Sativa) qualities are almost completely guided by the terpenes.
If you are unfamiliar with the term“ terpene,” Just think of them as the essential plant oils that account for the smell and taste, and most heavily guide the effects of your bud. If you have smoked a very citrus-smelling variety and it made you feel great, go after seeds whose flower will express that characteristic.
For most people, the uplifting, energetic“ Sativa” varieties will exhibit floral, sweet, fruity, citrus, and pine smells and tastes. The heavier, tiring“ Indica” varieties tend to have more earthy, skunky, gassy, lavender-style smells and tastes.
If you are looking for low-strength or cannabinoid-specific varieties( CBD, THCV), those are available as well.
Aside from flavor profile, there are two more important decisions to make: feminized or regular, and Photoperiod or Autoflower.
Feminized Seeds will, nearly without fail, produce female plants. There are multiple ways to achieve“ feminized” seeds if you are going to delve into breeding. Regular, non-feminized seeds will produce both male and female offspring. With feminized seeds, you do not have to wait to determine if a seedling is male or female. However, regular seeds, often referred to as the most natural, give you the opportunity to have a male for potential breeding.
Photoperiod and Autoflower Seeds
Keep in Mind: Both Photo and Auto seeds can come“ regular” or“ feminized.” Autoflowers are a unique little animal— they are modern Hybrids of the cannabis Sativa and the cannabis Ruderalis plants( yet another deep-dive topic to be left for another day)! The most important characteristics of Autos are that they flower based on time period, not photoperiod( light cycle). They have a quick seedto-harvest turnaround and are not available to be kept as Mothers for cloning.
Photoperiod seeds, also referred to as“ Regular,” grow based on“ Light Cycle.” Cannabis has a vegetative growth cycle( veg stage) and a flowering cycle. The length of the light period signals the plant which life stage to be in.( Think Summer Solstice— long days leading up to and shorter days after.) Growing indoors under a light allows you to control the light cycle. Keep a photoperiod plant in 18-plus hours of light, and it will stay in the veg stage— shorten the light to 14 hours or less, and it will start producing buds. Photoperiod seeds give us the ability to have consistency in our product by keeping Mothers and taking clones.( Stay tuned for next month’ s Mother’ s Day article.)
Long-standing seed companies and those with breeders who really care about cannabis will have genetic transparency. They are focused on breeding for certain qualities, such as yield, terpene profile, and cannabinoid content, and they are true to this. Your local grow store should have a selection of sound, carefully picked genetics so the grower can know they are receiving a quality seed.
Get lots of different seeds. Once you achieve consistency with your grows, try different varieties and keep Mothers. Eventually, you will come across the type( s) that suit your cannabis needs, and those are the best genetics for you.
Grab any seed, a random bag seed, one from a friend, or something you find at a store— you never know, it might just be the best cannabis ever! I love the variety cannabis offers and enjoy the different effects from the ever-many types, so I try to grow as many varietals as possible!
Gerry Donovan( on left), the owner of Emerald Garden Grow Supply, Raytown, MO, says,“ I am not a plant Biologist nor a Chemist. I do not have any formal cannabis plant education, as that was a non-existent thing before today’ s world. I do, however, have a passion for cannabis, which words fail to describe. I’ ve traveled throughout Europe, including
Amsterdam, Spain, and Canada, where I not only ventured into the world of seeds and genetics but also continued my quest to learn as much as I could about Growing the Plant, the many ways to utilize the plant, and observed the industry blossom as we know it today. I continue to expand my knowledge via grow seminars and cultivators’ conferences and, most importantly, through simple discussions with other growers. Over the last 22 years, I’ ve developed my own Grow Methodology through trial and error with love and passion. I hope to guide you on the pathway to enjoying the best cannabis you have ever consumed— your own homegrown!” Cannabis – Education – Wellness.
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