8 tips from Silent Seeds to recognize a quality seed

With the exception of clones, all cannabis plants begin their lives as tiny seeds. Under the right conditions (legal ones, in particular)—and with a little love and care—these tiny packets of genetic material grow into beautiful, mature, aromatic, and sticky plants.

The main benefits of choosing high-quality cannabis seeds: a higher germination rate, better genetics, and a higher yield.

If you’re going to rely on a seed bank, it’s also important to know how to recognize high-quality cannabis seeds. The experts at Silent Seeds help us understand how to separate the wheat from the chaff.

What do good cannabis seeds look like?

You can already learn a lot about a cannabis seed just by looking at it, if only because of the color. The husks of cannabis seeds can range in color from light gray to dark brown, most often with a striped pattern and streaks on the surface. These streaks may fade over time and become lighter depending on storage and shipping conditions.

They also feature a variety of shapes and sizes, with some specimens being small and more spherical, while others are large and pointed.

Cannabis seeds have different characteristics depending on the strain. Critical, for example, produces small, light gray—almost whitish—seeds. In contrast, American strains such as Gelato, Zkittlez, or OG generally produce large, dark seeds.

The shape and size of the seeds also change slightly depending on the variety. The shape of the seeds is not always uniform, and very often, when the ovality is not perfect, polyhybridization is the cause. The various genetic mixtures do, in fact, disrupt seed production, which is why it is important to have «stabilized» varieties.

Why do some seeds perform less well?

An «abnormal» seed shape may therefore be caused by problems with the parent plant, which affect the seed’s stability, vigor, and the general characteristics of the resulting plant.

That's not the only factor that can lead to lower-performing seeds. If, during cultivation, the mother plant is exposed to excessive amounts of calcium or magnesium, the seed coats will be too thick, which will reduce the seeds' ability to germinate.

Similarly, the crop hygiene requirements Parental care is very important. Poor hygiene can lead to the transmission of diseases to offspring, such as Pythium, which causes damping-off—a root disease that affects growth—or damping off.
Also, a plant that has grown too much heat is more likely to produce hermaphrodites or genetic mutations.

How should you store your cannabis seeds?

Cannabis seeds can be stored for many years, as long as you take care to preservation method.

Therefore, they should never be stored in a vacuum, as seeds always need a minimum amount of air. They should be stored at a temperature between 6 and 8°C, with low humidity—for example, in a refrigerator. Seeds stored for more than 10 years under the right conditions will still be able to germinate afterward.

The key is often to avoid temperature fluctuations, excessive heat, and exposure to humidity. Placing Boveda-type humidifiers with your seeds is one way to regulate humidity.

Young cannabis seeds are, of course, the best option in terms of viability, germination rates, and healthy plants. But how do you determine a seed’s age?

Just use your fingers. Place the seed between your thumb and index finger and squeeze it. Young, healthy seeds are firm and do not give in to pressure. Older seeds may be slightly spongy, and old, dry seeds may even crumble or crack, since they lack the moisture and nutrients found in younger seeds.

Do your cannabis seeds float or sink?

Once you've examined the seeds you have on hand, you can perform a final check to determine their quality.

The floatation test allows growers to distinguish high-quality seeds from questionable ones. Simply fill a glass with water and place your seeds in it. Repeat the test one or two hours later. Seeds that sink are healthy and ready to germinate. Floating seeds are often considered unhealthy, and some growers refuse to use them.

In conclusion

Finally, cannabis seeds from the same plant—or even the same flower—can also have different visual characteristics. Just as two human siblings have different hair and eye colors, heights, and personalities, each cannabis seed has its own genetic variation, ranging from the most subtle to the most obvious.