One of the most important items to consider when growing cannabis is the genetics that you will be starting off with. Beginning your grow with solid genetics will give you a much more satisfying and productive experience. Due to the legality and required discretion of growing cannabis, obtaining good DNA to start with can be one of the most challenging factors. While we could write about growing cannabis all day, I want to take a minute and focus on selecting and obtaining your cannabis seeds.

Lights, nutrients, and other growing supplies are legal and can be obtained at local brick-and-mortar stores that accept anonymous cash. However, even in states where cannabis has been legalized, it is still federally illegal to import seeds. Even in places where cannabis growing is legal, you will most likely still want to be discreet as to avoid crop theft. Obtaining clones from a fellow grower can be a great way to jump start your grow, and to know exactly what to expect from your plants. Clones are taken as cuttings from already established plants and will basically be  exact copies of their mothers. The downside is that more people will know about your operation. Remember the first rule of growing cannabis, tell nobody. Also remember the second rule, tell nobody! If this is the route you want to take, and you have a situation you feel allows it, that’s spectacular, just be sure to use good judgment.

There are many different types and strains of cannabis with different growing characteristics. Different strains also have different chemical ratios which produce varying effects. Lets start with the different types of cannabis. This can be most easily broken down into three types:

-Sativa

-Indica

-Ruderalis

Sativa varieties originate from warmer, more temperate regions with a longer growing season. The plants tend to grow larger, with a flowering period that can take up to 14 weeks. They are more heat tolerant than indicas. Sativas produce a more alert, and cerebral high.

Indica varieties originated in mountainous regions with shorter growing seasons. The plants tend to be more compact and have a shorter flowering time, sometimes less than eight weeks. They do better with cooler weather than a sativa might. The high is more narcotic, and provides more of a “couch-lock” experience than a sativa.

Ruderalis is a variety that used to be relatively unknown but is becoming more useful after decades of selective breeding. Ruderalis, like indica originates from mountainous regions, but with even shorter growing seasons. They are not photosensitive like other varieties, which means that they are not affected by the change in day length. These varieties (also known as auto-flowering) automatically enter the flowering stage after growing only a short while. As an example, many strains of auto-flowers are ready only nine or ten weeks after planting the seed. These can be good varieties to consider if you are working in a small space, and don’t want to worry about taking clones and having two separate growing areas. Of course, you will need a supply of seeds. A downside to auto-flowers is that they aren’t known for having the best taste and smell compared to other varieties. An upside is that they tend to have more CBD than regular strains, so if you’re looking for something a little more medicinal, it can be a good way to go.

Most of the strains you will come across will be a hybrid of sativa/indica. Usually breeders will list the history of the genetics of a particular strain, and give you a ratio (for example, 30% indica/70% sativa). In this example, we could deduce that the plant will have a little longer flowering time, be a little lanky, and have a bit of a cerebral high. Good seed banks and breeders will tell you with relative accuracy what to expect from your plants. Take your time, read up, and be sure to order a few different varieties in case one doesn’t work out.

The strains that you order will be unique to your needs, but I recommend ordering a variety of seeds. Its nice to have backups and options available; in case you have trouble growing a particular strain or you get bored with what you have, you can always start a new one. Seeds will stay good for several years if stored properly, I recommend a sealed bag or jar in the fridge to keep them fresh and viable.

One more thing to consider when shopping for seeds are “feminized” varieties. While regular cannabis seeds are about a 50/50 ratio male-to-female, feminized seeds are all female. Usually feminized seeds are the best way to go, they make getting started much easier. However, if you wish to breed cannabis you will need male plants to make pollen, so you may want to at least get one pack of “regular” (non-feminized) seeds to give you the option of making many many more seeds in the future. You could also try your hand at breeding your own unique strain!

“Can’t I just use seeds I find in a bag to get started?”

Just like so many things in life that can be answered, short answer, yes… While it is certainly possible to take a random seed you find and grow it out, be warned that you may not know what to expect from it, if its male or female, or that it may (and likely will) be sub par when it comes to yield and effect. Although using random seeds is better than nothing, I highly recommend getting seeds from a reputable seed bank, or a clone from a friendly local source. Just to reiterate…Clones are great, however this requires communication among growers, which breaks the first two rules of growing: Don’t tell anybody!! Good seeds/clones give you a better, more predictable product.

“Ok, so how do I get seeds from a seed bank?”

Getting seeds shipped from a seed bank can make you a little nervous, but don’t worry, its not a big deal. Most seed banks are in the UK or Amsterdam, places where possession and sale of seeds is allowed. These banks offer discrete worldwide shipping. Be sure to pick a reputable bank; there are reviews and forums available to help you make your pick. Many banks offer guarantees, so check out their policies. It is illegal to ship seeds to the US so usually they are shipped discreetly. It is totally worth it to pay a few extra bucks for super stealth shipping. Usually they will be hidden inside a gift or article of clothing, etc.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: if shipping the seeds is illegal, how worried should I be of them being intercepted and me getting busted? The answer is: not very. In the unlikely event that the seeds are intercepted in customs, usually the seeds will be confiscated and the rest of your package will arrive, minus the seeds, plus a love note from customs informing you the seeds have been confiscated. That is it…you can’t control who ships what to you and they don’t seem to bother going after people who are receiving seeds from outside of the country. However, shipping seeds within the US can get you in a lot of trouble, so be warned. Check out some growing forums and you will see that many people have had their packages intercepted, however I have personally never heard of someone having legal action brought against them because of it.

“How should I pay for them?”

The simplest way to pay for your seeds is with a credit card, and many, if not most people, safely do it this way. I don’t necessarily recommend doing this however, as its just too obvious and traceable. While grabbing a pre-paid debit card may seem like a simple solution, be warned that most pre-paid cards will not work for international purchases. You can however, in most cases pay for your seeds with cryptocurrency! Not only can this help you remain a little more covert, it is often far easier, cheaper, and safer than other methods for international payments. Many seed banks also offer special discounts or extra seeds for cryptocurrency payments, so why not? If they don’t list your favorite crypto as one they take, feel free to send them an email and ask, they will often times work with you.

Even though you are at little risk of being busted by ordering seeds, some precautions should be taken. If possible have the seeds shipped to a location other than the grow site, a friend or relative, your job, whatever works for you. My official stance is that you should never order seeds to the site that you plan to grow. However, this is honestly somewhere where you should use your best judgment. Customs doesn’t seem to make much of finding seeds, the concern would be that they may make the info available to local authorities. It doesn’t appear as though they make habit of that, although who really knows, and I wouldn’t put anything past them. If you live in a state where growing cannabis is legal and you only plan on having a small grow, I would imagine you don’t have much to worry about. On the other hand, if you live in a state where cannabis is highly illegal, and/or you plan on doing a large commercial grow, I would certainly find a different and safe address to ship to.

With a good bit of research, and a healthy measure of care, you will be able to get started growing with killer genetics in no time. The war on drugs has been one of the most cruel and ineffective tasks ever undertaken by the state. In the time of prohibition, while peaceful people are serving life sentences for possessing a plant, growing your own medicine is a revolutionary act, and paying for the seeds with cryptocurrency is extra based.

Lets keep making regulation obsolete…free the Agora.