Seeds: Marijuana Strains

The term marijuana strain is used to indicate a group of marijuana plants that have developed characteristics that make them different, when compared to other marijuana strains. A strain is selected for a desirable attribute (or combination of attributes) that are clearly distinct, uniform, and stable.

The term strain has no legal status among plant breeders but it is commonly used by marijuana growers to refer to a cross, hybrid, subspecies, or variety of cannabis that is grown for its THC content.

In order to maximize the chances of raising a good crop, you have to start with the best seed strain you can get. If you are serious about producing quality marijuana, don't use a seed just because it is available, get the best type for your particular needs.

Most strains of marijuana are derived from two species of cannabis, they are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. Both species have certain characteristics that they impart to marijuana.

Cannabis indica has higher CBD and lower THC levels than Cannabis sativa. This means marijuana from a pure Cannabis indica strain will produce a heavy, sleepy type of stone. The yield of Cannabis indica plants is usually higher than Cannabis sativa plants, and they take less time to mature.

Cannabis indica strains are easier to grow and don't get as tall as Cannabis sativa strains but they are bushy and have to be grown further apart. A mainly Cannabis indica strain is best for beginners and those growing in an area where height is a consideration (like when being grown indoors).

Pros: higher yield, easier to grow, shorter in height, grows and matures faster.
Cons: less potent, usually doesn't taste as good.

An indica/sativa mix will yield a larger crop that is not as tall as a pure sativa, but THC level will be lower and CBD levels will be higher. Cannabinoids play an important part in the way you feel after consuming cannabis.

Cannabis sativa has higher THC and lower CBD levels than Cannabis indica. This means marijuana from a pure sativa strain produces a cerebral, soaring type of high that is more energetic when compared to Cannabis indica.

Yield is usually lower than Cannabis indica, but Cannabis sativa plants tend to be more potent. Cannabis sativa plants grow taller, take more time to mature, and are better suited for growing outdoors than indica plants.

There are strains of Cannabis sativa developed for growing indoors. If you decide on growing a sativa plant indoors, look for an average or high yield indoor strain (if quantity is important). Because Cannabis sativa plants are not as bushy as Cannabis indica plants, you can grow them closer together (allowing more plants to grow in a given area).

Pros: more potent, usually tastes better.
Cons: lower yield, harder to grow, taller in height, grows and matures slower.

As a general rule, first time indoor growers or those with limited experience (growing indoors either with hydroponics or soil) should choose a mainly indica seed strain that is easy to grow indoors and produces a large yield of good marijuana.

As you gain experience, you could move up to an indica/sativa mix. When you are confident in your growing ability, you may wish to experiment with growing a mainly sativa strain.

Outdoor growers in a cool climate should select a quick growing mainly indica strain that matures quickly. After you raise a few crops and gain some experience, you may wish to try growing an indica/sativa mix, or mainly sativa strain.

Frost will wipe out your crop, be sure to get a strain that grows fast for your first few crops. If there is still time left in the grow season after you harvest, you can use a seed that takes longer to mature for the next growing season.

Outdoor growers in a warm climate should select a strain that takes longer to mature because a strain that takes longer to grow will usually produce a larger quantity of marijuana. One pound of marijuana per plant can be harvested from most outdoor strains, a larger harvest is possible in a warmer climate with a longer growing period.

Keep in mind that a tall sativa strain can grow to a height of 20-25 feet. At that height, plants can draw attention to themselves. When security is a concern, be sure to choose a mainly indica outdoor strain. Indica plants will grow to a shorter height than a mainly sativa strain.

When growing marijuana plants (indoors or outdoors) for making rubbed, sieved, or water hashish, the most commonly used strains are primarily afgani (also spelled afghani or afghan). When afgani seeds are not available, alternate strains that are mainly indica are chosen because of the large yield.

Indoor growers making sieved or water hash choose an afgani strain because of the short height, large marijuana yield, and the fact they can be grown indoors. Outdoor growers producing rubbed hashish usually also choose a strain that is primarily afgani.

This is because afgani plants can be grown outdoors and they don't grow as tall as sativa plants. Producing hashish by rubbing requires access to as many of the flowers as possible. Tall sativa plants are not user friendly for this purpose. A short strain like afghan is a very good choice for growing marijuana indoors or outdoors to make rubbed, sieved, or water hashish.

Marijuana Seed Strain Names

The person or company that develops a strain can name the strain and copyright it, only in a country that allows marijuana seeds (and other plant products) to be covered by the copyright laws of that particular country.

But in countries where marijuana is illegal, enforcing marijuana copyright laws is a non-issue. For example, a person residing in the USA can sell any marijuana strain they want to, even if it was protected under the laws of another country.

If the police arrested the person selling marijuana seeds in the USA, they would be facing charges based on the fact that they were selling an illegal substance. The copyright issue would have to be enforced by a country that had marijuana seed copyright laws.

Prior to the 1980's the only seeds most people had access to were the ones found in the marijuana you got. You had no idea of the seeds origin, if it was a mainly indica, mainly sativa, or an indica/sativa mix.

Marijuana at that time was so bad that nearly all the stuff being sold was filled with seeds. Female plants that are pollinated will use energy producing seeds rather than THC. This results in lower potency marijuana.

Since the 1980's, (thanks to indoor hydroponic marijuana growers) the availability of high quality marijuana seeds has increased to growers all over the world with seeds. You can sometimes buy marijuana seeds for a good price.

In the past In the past I have ordered from Dutch seed banks. Unfortunately some people (like myself and other growers) are paying for seeds and not getting them. At the present time, instead of ordering from Holland (the Netherlands, Amsterdam, etcetera), it is safest to buy marijuana seeds through a seed bank that ships from Canada, especially if you are ordering from the United States or Canada.

The Cannabis Breeder's Bible:
The Definitive Guide to
Marijuana Genetics, Cannabis Botany
and Creating Strains for the Seed Market

Very good book for the marijuana grower that would like to produce their own premium seed variety for personal use, or to market and sell worldwide. Contains photographs, illustrations, and interviews with breeders and seed bank professionals.

Covers such topics as genetics and breeding, the science of cannabis (DNA, evolution, etc), developing your own strain, international seed law issues, protecting your new breeds or strains from being produced and sold by others, shipping seeds and clones, breeding lab designs, product testing, common mutations, and more.

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