Inhoudsopave

Table of contents

Table des matières

Índice

Inhaltsübersicht

Seasoned growers all have that one forgotten pack of cannabis seeds at the back of their storage containers. We had grandiose plans of turning those seeds into fabulous cannabis plants—however, with so many exciting new strains released by Amsterdam Genetics, years have gone by since you acquired those long-lost seeds. Don’t stress over aged cannabis seeds. Old cannabis seeds can still be germinated and produce healthy plants with hefty yields. The trick is getting them started! This guide will help you identify which of your cannabis seeds are old and how to give them a minor boost to sprout and begin the growth process.

Signs of old cannabis seeds

Smart cannabis cultivation includes keeping your personal seed bank organised in a safe storage area. Each pack of seeds should be organised by strain and marked with the year you got them. Proper storage can increase the shelf life of your cannabis seeds. They can last more than a decade in the right conditions. In case you can’t tell if a pack of seeds has been sitting around for a while, look for these signs:

• Dull appearance
• Faded colour
• Nonglossy shell
• Irregular shape

The good news is that you can still germinate old cannabis seeds.

Best methods for germinating old cannabis seeds

Germinating old cannabis seeds requires a slightly different process than fresh seeds. The reason is due to the properties of old seeds. The shell of older seeds tends to harden over time. Harder shells prevent the seed from absorbing water for germination and are too tough for the tap root to break through. The solution is to first soften the shell to kickstart germination, then continue the growing process as you would with a typical cannabis plant.

Softening the shell of old cannabis seeds requires a pre-soak process. You’ll need:

• 3% hydrogen peroxide (found at any grocery or convenience store)
• Distilled water (clean water is preferred over tap water, which can contain elements that can harm old, weak seeds)
• Sugar (optional)

To create the solution, use a 9:1 water-to-hydrogen peroxide ratio. For a handful of seeds, you can use these measurements:

• Pour 10ml of hydrogen peroxide into a clean container
• Pour 90ml of distilled water into the same container
• Sugar is optional and can be helpful for very old seeds. The above solution only requires 1g of sugar.

Drop your old cannabis seeds into the solution and let them soak for 24 hours in a dark, room-temperature area. At first, old cannabis seeds will float in the water solution. However, over time, they should sink to the bottom of the container, signalling that they have successfully absorbed water. Some seeds may need a light tap to sink if they’re still floating after the 24-hour soak period.

After the seeds have properly soaked, you can proceed to your favourite germination method. Some seeds may even already have sprouted their taproot after the initial soak!

Improving the success of germinating old cannabis seeds

One of the best ways to improve your success with germinating old cannabis seeds is storing them properly. Our guide to cannabis seed storage provides insight to keeping seeds fresh for years! Being proactive with storage—especially if you don’t plan to use the seeds for a while—will help preserve them and keep them “like new” when you’re ready to plant them.

Pros and Cons of Using Old Cannabis Seeds

Although old cannabis seeds can still germinate, it’s not always worth the effort it takes to get them to grow. If you’re thinking about growing old cannabis seeds, consider these pros and cons before getting started:

Pros:

• 1. Great for resurrecting an old school cannabis strain that may be unavailable from your favourite seed bank.
• 2. Cannabis seeds can be expensive, and using old seeds saves money from purchasing new ones.
• 3. Take advantage of cannabis seed deals and store excess seeds for growing later. The seeds can last for years with proper storage and still germinate.

Cons:

• 1. It takes the same effort to grow new cannabis seeds. Newer strains may have better genetics and are a better use of your resources than older strains.
• 2. If your seeds aren’t properly labelled, you can quickly forget where they came from and what strain they contain. You don’t want to waste months growing a bad strain.
• 3. They have a lower success rate than fresh seeds. Not all old cannabis seeds will germinate, even when using the above process.

Get Fresh Cannabis Seeds

Amsterdam Genetics continues to provide growers with top-quality cannabis seeds. Seed genetics evolve over time, and we remain at the cutting edge of it. To ensure you’re getting the best quality, we recommend growing fresh cannabis seeds rather than old ones. And when stored properly, new cannabis seeds will remain fresh for years! Browse our shop for the latest strains in our seed bank.