Cannabis genetics can be maintained for many years

Strains like Blueberry could very easily go the way of the super Sativas of the Seventies, unless measures are taken to preserve these genetics. Until the legal status of our favourite plant is changed, this responsibility lies on the shoulders of the underground cultivator. Preserving our future The main reason for the current Indica-ized status of today's popular strains is quite simple: legal implications for both personal and commercial growers dictate that they must produce the maximum amount of bud in the minimum amount of space.

Once cannabis seeds finally achieves full legalization many growers will likely reconsider their choice of strains, both to fill niche markets as well as personal taste. We must plan so that when legalization happens, the few strains that have been bred with quality as a primary concern are still with us. For outdoor growers, strains that have been acclimated for years in their locale are indispensible. Many of these growers have spent decades perfecting a strain for their exact climate, yet all of this work can be lost instantly as a result of a bust or simply not having anyone to pass them down to.

Cannabis genetics can be maintained for many years simply by keeping a clone alive, however this doesn't do much for preserving the genetic diversity of a strain. Ideally, seedlines should be both preserved through long term storage and being grown out and seeded each year. Inbreeding depression Much myth and misinformation is spread in marijuana literature regarding inbreeding depression in cannabis populations. As a result, much of the genetics on the market today is merely a collection of cross after cross of different varieties with little effort towards stabilizing unique traits. Proof that marijuana can be successfully inbred lies in examples of inbred lines like Skunk #1 or Northern Lights, which have shown no signs of inbreeding depression after decades of incestuous crosses.

Understanding how marijuana has evolved helps to explain this. In countries where marijuana originates it has evolved alongside humans, often being maintained in small family gardens amongst other food and medicine crops. Much of today's gene pool originated in Afghanistan, where cannabis was grown like this in small family plots for generations, until the advent of large fields in the 70's and 80's. Plant phenotypes varied slightly from one valley to the next, and the pollen carried by wind from the slightly different gene pool of cannabis in the next valley maintained population vigour and prevented inbreeding depression. We can reproduce this scenario easily ourselves by maintaining several lines of the same strain, crossing them into each other every few years. For example, when you grow out a pack of ten true breeding seeds pick the nicest female and seed it with two or more different males (marking which branch was pollinated by which male).

Seed from each cross must be kept separate, and future generations kept from crossing with other lines. Every third or fourth generation these lines are crossed together and new lines brought out of the resulting seeds. Some of the seeds from each generation should be saved for long-term storage in case of accidental cross-pollination or crop loss down the road. Isolation distances Whether growing indoors or out, isolation distances are something that you should always be aware of. Marijuana is a wind pollinated plant, meaning that pollen is carried by wind from the male to the female recipient, sometimes over very long distances. The recent legalization of hemp, although a major step forward, has caused some concern for marijuana growers. These fields consist of thousands of plants which generate an immense amount of pollen, which will seed marijuana just as easily as it will hemp. Other growers in your area and other strains which you yourself may be trying to keep pure are also possible contaminators to breeding projects.

Isolation distances will vary depending on geography, wind currents and vegetation coverage. However a safe rule of thumb is to isolate outdoor crops from each other and hemp fields by at least a half mile. Indoors this is not as much of a concern, as males can be watched carefully and covered with a paper enclosure to prevent pollen from drifting to other plants. A question of latitude The most popular theory of the evolution of cannabis is that all cannabis originated in the Himalayas and spread gradually throughout the world. Under varying human and environmental pressures cannabis has evolved into all ends of the spectrum from low THC long fibered hemp strains to couch-locking Indicas. Latitude has definitely played a key role in this matter, influencing THC levels as well as ratios of THC to CBD. Most drug strains originate between 37° North and 35° South of the equator, with some of the highest quality strains coming from very near the equator (most notable Southeast Asia at 10-20° North). As you get up into the more Northern latitudes (like Russia), cultivated and feral cannabis leans more towards the hemp end of the spectrum, with low THC and high CBD. This makes the job of maintaining marijuana varieties outdoors at common North American latitudes of 44-50° North a little more complicated.

Without selection for high THC parents, pure strain marijuana can drift towards phenotypes of its hempen cousins. Put simply, as the latitude is not exerting pressure on the gene pool to uphold its high THC traits, human influence must step in by diligently selecting the most potent plants as parents for future generations. Legendary strains like Matanuska Thunderfuck (bred outdoors in Alaska) and Friesland Indica (outdoors for Northern Holland) are living proof that this high THC trait can be maintained at Northern latitudes. Common vegetable seed saving techniques, like open pollination and collecting seeds from many different plants then mixing them together, must be avoided. This could likely be the reason for the low THC nature of many of the strains coming from large Swiss fields in past years. Up until recently these fields were grown out and seeded freely with little goal in mind other than acclimatization. Long term storage As seeds are living things they have a life span and decline in vigour as they age. For medium term storage an air-tight container in the refrigerator works well. Long term storage is the best way to preserve these special strains for tomorrows growers, and for this freezers work great, provided a few rules are carefully followed.

Most important is that the seed be dried below the 8% moisture level, as above this the water in the seed will expand upon freezing and burst the cell walls. This drying is done with the use of silica gel and an airtight container. The gel can be obtained from any vegetable seed company and many gardening stores. The seeds and gel are sealed in the same container and the gel will change color, indicating the moisture that it has absorbed from the seed. Seeds should be wrapped in tissue paper and sealed in an airtight container before being put into the freezer, as frozen seeds are very fragile and the paper will protect the seed from shattering if bumped. Seeds stored like this will retain vigour and high germination ratios for long periods of time. When thawing seeds for use, allow them to fully adjust to room temperature before opening the container. This will prevent unwanted condensation from forming on the seed surface. Allow the seeds to regain most of their original moisture level by sitting open for a few days before being germinated.

Stand Tall Once a cross has reached the F5 or F6 generation it can be considered an inbred line and can be relatively easily maintained using the above techniques. Many of the strains listed in catalogues are inbred lines and may or may not be indicated as such. If this is a strain that a seed company has put years of time and work into bringing to this point it is considered unfair to reproduce their work and sell it yourself, but there is nothing wrong with preserving their genetics for yourself or to pass on to future generations should it no longer be commercially available. Preserving cannabis genetics under the current legal climate is as honourable a pastime as there is.

Cannabis seeds are sold for souvenir/novelty purposes only

These Cannabis seeds are sold for souvenir/novelty purposes only. Although in the UK it is legal to purchase and posses Cannabis seeds as it is in many countries, it is against the law in some (including in the UK) to germinate Cannabis seeds. If you are not from the UK, please be sure to check your local laws as Skunk.co.uk Ltd cannot be held responsible for people coming into conflict with their local laws.

All Cannabis seeds are sent out in plain packaging, and if you pay electronically, the payment will register on your bank statement as Imetrics Ltd.

marijuana seeds

This site is all about
marijuana seeds
and marijuana growing, choosing the right strain for personal needs, abilities and location, getting free marijuana seeds or buying marijuana seeds at good online shop. Great free collection of marijuana growing guides and tips. But really, "share" is the first thing that comes to me when I think why we run 1stMarijuanaGrowersPage. Because best moments in my life are while I am sharing with people, nature, my girlfriend or my friends.
Everyone gets some talent at birth ! Everyone ! What I got is empathy - I can easily feel what others beings feel. It is a fascinating feeling, a way to be close to friends and strangers, plants and animals, stars moon and sun(my beloved friend), to be open and help others to open. There are things that stop this way of unity with everything(fear, stress, constant rush, pain and many others, you know them as I do), and there is something - a being that helps to destroy the wall and opens You like a little child is open to exchange energy of life, curiosity with World. It's Marijuana.
For some of you, my friends, its a dangerous drug, for some a way to have fun and relax, for some a cure to ease the pain, for some(like me) a help to get open and united. This place is for everyone, nevertheless a friend or foe. If you treat marijuana as a kid eating a sweet for a moment of pleasure, or you are looking for much deeper experience for your soul, 1stMarijuanaGrowersPage is for You. Marijuana Seeds and Seedbank Guide, Over 50 guides on "How to grow marijuana", grow equipment and lot more.
[NEW] There is no way to put it in words, how it feels to be high after sharing a good joint with friends. It is always different, especially when I let myself go and open to anything that can happen. There is one thing I would like to share with all marijuana lovers. It is a movie that expresses the way I feel about life, destiny and being a thread in the fabric of life as well as how to fight for happiness. Here You can download my favourite joint smoking scene (divx50mb) and english subtitles (original movie is in german) from the movie "Im Juli".

When and how to Harvesting Your Marijuana or Cannabis plant

There are several important points to consider when choosing the optimum time to harvest your Cannabis crop. There are different factors to consider between indoor and outdoor marijuana plants. There is the difference between Sativas and Indicas in bloom duration and final effect.
There is the difference between early and late harvest to encourage head to body high respectively. There is the issue of chemistry because what we are really considering in terms of the ripeness relates directly to the chemical nature and state of the plant at harvest. Last, but not least, is the concept of the window for marijuana harvest, where I will begin.

Window For Harvesting Your Marijuana Crop
This term indicates the period during which the plant is at its optimum state of ripeness. The window opens when the plant is first ripe. Somewhere along the line the plant becomes over-ripe which signifies the closing of the window of harvest.
For most Indicas grown indoors, the window of harvest is about two weeks long give or take a couple of days for various strains. Indoors, if going directly from an 18/6 hour vegetative light cycle to a 12/12 hour bud cycle, most indicas take about eight weeks to fully mature.
As to outdoors I can only speak from experience at the 45th parallel and the bloom times there. At the 45th parallel I've found most Indicas to be at peak harvest starting at the beginning of October, sometimes very late September, and running until the end of October, sometimes running into November during mild years or in a greenhouse. My favorite time to harvest a nice Blueberry Indica outdoors is in the second to third week of October.
For Sativa grown either indoors or outdoors, the window may be open much longer. Some Sativas take up to thirteen weeks to mature indoors. Outdoors many will go well into November and even December, if conditions are right (again, this is near or at the 45th parallel). Head High or Body Stone?
An important consideration has to do with one's preference for a head high or more of a body high. A good head high can positively influence one's mental state much like a psychedelic; whereas a good body high is more similar to a narcotic effect. Generally, head highs tend to be more up and body highs tend to be more down. Suffice it to say that a good healthy mix of the two is a fine goal to achieve.
Sativas and early window harvests tend to be more of a head high, whereas Indicas and late window harvests tend to be more of a body high. Given this rule of thumb you can pretty much come up with what you want. That is, if you prefer a very psychedelic head high, then an early harvested Sativa might do best.
If a very narcotic body high is desired, then a late harvest indicas would probably do best. For that best-of-both worlds high, experimentation with late harvested sativas and early-to-mid harvested indicas usually proves interesting.

Magnify Your Buds
When we speak of various highs experienced by different products, we are noting variations in plant chemistry. The chemicals we enjoy are produced within the glandular stalked trichomes, along the surfaces of the bud flowers (calyxes), bracts, leaves and stems, starting in or around the fourth week of the bud cycle. More and more of these trichomes develop as the plant matures.
I highly recommend that the serious cannabis student acquire a 30X power, illuminated magnifier. These can be found at most local electronics stores, often for under fifteen dollars. With the aid of the magnifier one can learn more about the detail of trichome development and ripeness.
As far as trichomes are concerned, the tall ones with swollen, clear, bulbous heads are what to shoot for. The denser the concentration, the greater the potency.

The Cycle Of Marijuana Plant Maturity
Starting in the third or fourth week of the flowering light cycle, glandular stalked trichomes will begin to form along the surfaces of leaves, flowers, bracts and stems. At the same time, more and more flowers (also called calyxes) develop into densely-packed floral clusters.
The pistils of the young flowers are bright white and turn reddish brown with age. The pistils and flowers develop from the bottom of the bud to the top. The older, lower pistils are the first to turn reddish brown. For most basic indicas this usually happens by the sixth week in the flowering cycle. It is about this time that the calyxes begin to swell.
Calyx swelling is a major indicator of peak maturity. The lowest, oldest calyxes swell first and the swelling works its way up to the highest, youngest flowers on each bud. At peak maturity about 90% of the calyxes will almost look seeded, they are so fat.
Three quarters to 90% of the pistils will have turned reddish brown as well. For a basic Indica this takes well into the seventh week of the flowering cycle.
By the end of the eighth week most of the calyxes will have swollen and a surge of trichome development has coated most of the buds. It is now that the development of a very discerning palate comes into play to determine the finest harvest time. Remember - patience is a virtue and often a discipline.
The ripening signs for most Sativas are highly similar, except extended over a longer period of time. Occasionally, some Sativas have windows of peak harvest that actually open and close. That is, for a week or so the plant may exhibit signs of peak ripeness.
However, a week later the plant may have a growth spurt, which lowers the trichome-to-fibre ratio and overall potency for a little while. Usually a fibrous growth spurt is accompanied by a corresponding trichome increase. Again, time and experience are the key elements in this regard.

Changes In Marijuana Seeds Chemistry
As the plant matures through its window of harvest its chemistry changes. As the window closes, the more desirable compounds begin breaking down into less desirable ones. Primarily it is THC breaking down in CBNs and CBDs.
Which particular combination of chemicals is the most desirable is purely a matter of taste and choice, developed over time and with experience. Set and setting also play an important role in determining which type of product is best appreciated.
Pleasant head highs are often desirable for social occasions, whereas a narcotic late-window Indica may work better as an evening medicinal herb. The main point is that these differences are chemical in nature and more research is needed to more fully understand this phenomenon.
Another important point is that much can be done to further enhance the chemical process, especially in regard to bouquet, aroma and flavour, given the proper curing process.

Graines de cannabis: mâles ou femelles graines

Les graines de cannabis (ou chanvre) est une graine très adorée
par les canaris, elle est difficilement décortiquée, de ce fait,
il est préférable de la faire broyer à 1 ou 2 tours de moulin.
Cette graine est très énergétique et favorise l’accouplement.
Donc, elle est très conseillé lors de la période de préparation
à la reproduction et au cours de reproduction.
Le chènevis peut être donné au canaris et surtout aux petits
sous d’autres formes :
1- bouillir les graines de chènevis pendant 5 minutes.
2- Sous forme de graines germées.
Il ya une très grande confusion et un dilemme au sujet de
chènevis et la graine des cannabis. Pour ma part je pense
qu’elles sont identiques. D’ailleurs je me débrouille chaque
année pour assurer à mes canaris quelques kilos de graines
de cannabis et je peux vous assurer que mes canaris l’adorent
et qu’elle est très similaire aux graines de chènevis

indoor cannabis

In addition HID lamps are considered easier to work with in the garden and produce a better crop than fluorescents. The successful gardens I have observed use a minimum of 1000 lumens per sq. ft during vegetative growth and 1500 lumens during flowering. These figures are bare minimums, the more light the better. Gardens with 1500-2500 lumens during vegetative growth and 2000-3500 during flowering seem to do best.The most efficient light source is a HPS lamp in a horizontal reflector (indoor cannabis growing). No other light source is needed. An HPS lamp supplies all the spectrums of light needed by the plant for normal growth.

Germination of cannabis seeds

When the medium is cool, germination slows and the cannabis seeds may be attacked by fungi or other organisms. With high temperatures, seedlings grow thin and spindly, especially under low light conditions not good to grow a strain like the female seeds . This occurs because their growth rate is sped up by the heat, but the seedlings are not photosynthesizing enough sugar for use as building material. Light Once the seedling breaks ground and comes in contact with light, it starts to photosynthesize, thus producing its own food for growth. When the light is dim, the plant stretches to reach it. In the wild the seedling is in competition with other plants which may be shading it.