There are two possible ways you can grow a cannabis plant. First, you can grow them from marijuana seeds or clones. While both methods have their advantages, most growers prefer using seeds over clones. The possible reason for this nature is that seeds pass the genetic traits of the parent plants to the next generation, allowing them to have desirable traits from both parents. This way, you can achieve cannabis plants with good and desirable features, such as fast growth and disease resistance, among other features.
But, how do you determine how many seeds you require to grow weed? The first step you need to determine the number of marijuana plants you want to grow. You'll then proceed to look for high-quality seeds with desirable traits.
Fortunately, if weed is legal in your country, you can find their seeds locally or at online seed banks. Read through to learn all you need to know about cannabis seeds, their benefits over clones, how to grow them, and how many you'll need to grow weed plants.
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How Many Seeds Do You Need to Grow Weed - Direct Answer
In normal life circumstances, you need one seed per plant. The same case applies to marijuana plants. However, due because weed seeds are natural products, just like other seeds, there is a tendency for some to fail to germinate. If this is the case, you'll need an extra or extra seeds when growing weed.
Factors like cannabis seed strain and germination rate are significant when determining the number of seeds you need to grow the weed plant. We have discussed them in detail below.
Factors That Determine the Number of Seeds
Several factors affect the number of seeds you'll need to grow weed. Below, we discuss the top two factors.
Type of Cannabis Seeds
Before you buy marijuana seeds, you must determine what type it is, as it will determine the number of seeds you'll need and the final results. Therefore, you can choose between regular seeds and feminized seeds.
Regular Seeds
Regular cannabis seeds are those seeds whose genus hasn't yet been determined. The chances of these seeds developing into female plants are two in every three seeds. This ratio means that these seeds have a 40% chance of developing into a female plant, which is lower than expected.
The ideal weed plant growers need the female marijuana plant. With a 40% chance of getting female plants, you'll need more seeds to increase the chances of growing female plants. One thing never to forget is to eliminate the male plants from their female counterparts, especially at the flowering stage, to avoid fertilizing the female marijuana plants. This practice ensures you get female cannabis plants with high potency.
Feminized Seeds
Feminized seeds are those seeds whose genus has been determined. These seeds have a higher chance of developing into female marijuana plants. For every feminized seed, the chance of getting a female plant is 99.9%.
To get feminized seeds, you need to treat the weed plant with a silver solution. This solution deters ethylene production, a sex determinant in weed plants. This process results in the weed plant producing anthers dominated by female genes.
Therefore, you'll need far less feminized weed seeds when growing cannabis. The only downside to this type of seed is its price; it is more expensive than regular seeds.
Germination Rate
Besides the type of seed, the germination rate of your cannabis seeds will also determine the number of seeds you'll need. But, again, nature plays a significant role in determining the rate at which the seeds will grow because these seeds are natural products and subject to the surrounding natural influence.
You should expect approximately 93% of the seeds to germinate and grow into plants when growing marijuana using seeds. Although this rate is a high success, it doesn't depict that all the seeds will germinate. So, you'll need extra seeds to achieve your target.
Number of Marijuana plants you need
The number of marijuana plants you want to grow will eventually determine the number of seeds. For example, you can not plant 50 seeds, yet you have a target of 100 plants. In this case, a target of 100 plants will need you to plant 100 seeds or extra, but of course, keep in mind the first two factors. That is the rate of germination and the type of seeds.
Pot Weed Growing - Single Seed Vs. Multiple Seeds
When growing marijuana using the pot system, you can grow a single cannabis seed per pot or more than one seed per pot.
Single Seed
Growing one seed per pot is the ideal method when growing marijuana plants. The cannabis plants, just like other annual plants, need enough space for healthy breeding. Planting a single seed per pot gives the plant enough room to grow healthy.
This method has both benefits and downsides. Let's discuss them below.
Benefits of Growing weed indoors using the single-pot system
Downsides
Multiple Seeds
You can choose to grow more than one seed per pot. This method will save you space, among other benefits, as discussed below.
Benefits
Downsides
Feminized Cannabis Seeds - The Best Alternative!
Feminized cannabis seeds are the best alternatives when considering the best seeds for growing marijuana. This is because they have a higher chance of developing into the desired female marijuana plant. Thus, you'll need fewer seeds to achieve your target. Besides, you'll have to give minimal attention to follow-up activities, as you don't have to eliminate too many male plants.
Feminized seeds result from subjecting the female plants to monoecious conditions. This condition ensures only one type of gene is transmitted to the next weed generation, causing the new weed to look similar to the mother plant.
You can get feminized seeds in several ways, as shown below.
- Using colloidal silver. Spray your female marijuana plants with this solution to get feminized seeds.
- Rodelization. This method involves a past maturity female plant pollinating another female marijuana plant.
- Gibberellic acid. This acid is a hormone that initiates germination. You can spray it on your seeds to increase the chances of growing into female marijuana plants.
Note that you should use feminized seeds for bud production only. However, you should never use it for breeding purposes as they only have one set of genes.
Best Feminized Cannabis Plants to Consider
The following list shows the best-feminized cannabis families.
- Skunk
- Afghan
- OG Kush
- Gelato
- GSC (Cookies)
- Haze
- Cheese
How to Germinate Marijuana Seeds
Water, air, and heat play a significant role in cannabis seeds' germination. These conditions must be met for the marijuana seeds to grow, no matter your method. But, first, let's see the various methods of germinating marijuana seeds.
Propagation Kits
Using propagation kits to germinate weed seeds is a straightforward method. You can mold it or buy it from a supermarket; they are inexpensive. When you buy them, you'll get a guide on using them. But, first, you need to put your seeds in the small pots, mix in the germination hormone and place it in a conducive environment.
Paper Towel Method
You'll need water, two paper towels, and two dishes for this method. Follow the steps below.
- Boil a little amount of water.
- Rinse the two dishes with warm water to remove germs.
- Dip the paper towels in hot water and squeeze them, dampening them.
- Cover the base of one dish with one paper towel and put seeds on it.
- Cover the seeds with the remaining paper towel.
- Cover the seeds and the dish with the second dish.
The weed seeds will take between two days and five days to germinate. Note that you need to transplant your seedlings immediately after they germinate.
Using a Peat Briquette
Use the guide below.
- Soak your peat briquette in water. Give it time to swell.
- Put your seed or seeds into the peat briquette holes.
- Configure the temperature of the surroundings to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ensure the condition is moist, as the seeds need water to germinate.
FAQs
Can You Grow 2 Weed Plants Together?
Yes, you can grow two marijuana plants together. This practice helps you save space and achieve easy monitoring. However, the weed plants will compete for nutrients, which may affect their health.
What Are the Chances of a Weed Seed Being Female?
The chance of a weed seed being female or male depends on the type of seed. A feminized seed has a 99.9% of being a female plant, while a regular seed has a 40% chance of being female.
How Many Hours of Light Do Weed Seeds Need?
Weed seeds don't need light to germinate. However, you should introduce light after the seeds sprout, which can take up to 18 hours per day.
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