How to Obtain Seeds Get seeds from a grower who developed them. This is an excellent option because the grower usually knows the strain he is growing well and can tell you many details about growing it. Most such growers can also tell you about the qualities of the plant-taste, aroma, and high.
Find seeds in a bag of buds. Bag-seeds are okay because you will know more or less what the taste, aroma, and high of the final product will be like. However, you will not know the growth characteristics of the plant, and the plant will not be genetically stable. Often the seed will grow into a plant that has only some traits of the parents. It could also have intersex (hermaphro- dite) tendencies.
Order seeds via mail order or Internet. Also check cannabis web site forums for more information and recommendations.
Before you buy anything, send the seed company an e-mail with some questions and see how long it takes them to respond. A good seed company will respond in one to two business days with good answers to your questions. Ifyou do not get a response, do not order!
You may prefer to order from a company you can contact by telephone. Speak to a qualified representative who will provide good answers to your questions. Companies with an e-mail address and web site are usually okay to order from, but make sure they answer your e-mails promptly. Always call several companies and ask them specific questions about the strains they sell.
Packaging is important. Seeds are easily crushed, and packaging must protect them from damage. Many seed companies place seeds inside the channels of corrugated plastic (see photo left offilling seed packages at Dutch Passion). The corrugated plastic is then placed inside an envelope and mailed. The volume offirst class mail is great, and all sorting is done mechanically.
Letters under one ounce (28 grams) are not opened. Occasionally the Postal service will find such a seed shipment. When they do, they send a letter to the recipient stating they have confis- cated the seeds. No further action is taken.
Caution! Some seed merchants do not tell the truth about their seed stock. They sell you seeds that are not what they advertise them to be. Other companies take your money and do not ship the seeds. It is easy to overcome such problems with a little homework. Always check Greenman's site, www.seedbankupdate.com. for current information on seed banks. The site also lists seedbanks that do not advertise in catalogs.
Seed sellers are rated with one to four stars, depending on the quality and services they offer. Greenman gives security, shipping, and payment terms as well as a rating for customer complaints including an "X" rating for rip-offs as well as many other grievances.
Purchase seeds personally at a shop. Seeds are available at shops in many countries. Stores in Canada, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and several Central European countries sell seeds publicly. You can walk right in and buy them. Find such seed stores at the web sites listed by the magazines and cannabis fair guides on the following page. When you talk personally with a seed merchant, you get exact information and can ask as many questions as you want. Often the salesperson has personal stories about favorite strains.