Blom Basics : Week 1
Discover the basics of germination and cultivation of hemp seeds. Whichever your end goal, getting the basics down should always remain your first priority! Follow this series as we discuss the basics over the next few weeks.
Feel free to share your own personal experiences in the comments!
1. Genetics- How to choose your seed:
Finding the right genetics can be a bit overwhelming for beginners looking to grow. Seeds are expensive and there are a vast amount of strains to choose from. Blom have a few tips to help you decide.
Regular, feminized, auto…
Personal preference, breeding and space play a big role here. Regular seed will give you both male and female plants, which is great for breeding and future seed production, whereas feminized seed will only provide female plants of that strain. Auto flower seeds automatically switch from vegetative growth to the flowering stage based on age. The last option is planting “bag seed”, seed you have collected from buds or friends. The best part of bag seed is that they are free and gives the beginner the opportunity to hone their skills without the risk of losing money by buying cannabis seeds and botching your grow.
Indica, Hybrid, Sativa
Each cannabis strain has a different concentration of the cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), as well as other compounds. They also have different terpene profiles and flavours. Some strains give you energy while others help you with sleep. Sativa strains are generally much bigger plants and have a longer life and flower cycle than indicas.
These are all things to consider when choosing a specific strain to grow.
Genetics for your area
If you are looking at and outdoor or greenhouse grow setup, your area and climate will have a huge influence on the growth of your plants. Finding the right strain for your environment is essential to getting the best result and most out of your plant. Certain kush strains prefer colder weather while the Sativa dominant strains are prone to a more tropical climate.
Do your research
Try and find out as much as possible either online or from fellow growers about the strains you are interested in.
2. Germination – First step to start growing
We have decided to plant a Blue Dream feminized seed from Humboldt Seed Organization. A sativa dominant hybrid, she will adapt well to our current climate and our greenhouse grow area is large enough to accommodate the plant. We have had experience with growing her before so we have a general idea of what to expect from the different growth stages of the plant.
There are various germination methods one can choose from with different results. We like to soak our seeds overnight in a glass room temperature water to help trigger hormones that signal the cells to start to germinate. Do not leave seeds in the water for more than 24 hours, as this will cause the seeds to become deprived of oxygen. After soaking the seed, we will then remove seed from the glass of water and place them in a presoaked Jiffy pellet (peat moss grow medium). Also ensure that wherever you plan on germinating, the temperature should be between 21 – 32°C, and that the growing medium is moist, not soggy wet. The seed should sprout between 2 – 7 days.
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