THC Seeds
THC Seeds: Small grain with a big gift
The closer cannabis legalisation gets in Germany, the more interest in THC seeds grows. What distinguishes the seeds and what significant differences there are, we at Tom Hemp’s would like to explain to you.
What is THC?
THC is the psychoactive plant substance tetrahydrocannabinol. This is a natural component of the hemp plant and is largely responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis.
What are THC seeds?
THC seeds come from the hemp plant, more precisely from the female hemp plant. If this plant produces flowers, a male plant can fertilise the flowers. The fertilised flowers develop into hemp seeds.
Cannabis genetics determines the genetic characteristics of the plants that grow from the seeds. If the mother plant is rich in THC, it will pass on this characteristic to the offspring.
What are the different THC seeds?
In order to clarify the question of existing THC seeds, we must first start in a much more general way. Namely with the cannabis varieties. A distinction is made between Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Ruderalis. THC seeds can be obtained from all three varieties. However, they have different genetic material.
What is Cannabis Sativa?
Cannabis Sativa grows preferably in warmer climates, for example in Thailand, Mexico, Jamaica and Cambodia. The plant shoots from seed up to three metres high and flowers between 9 and 14 weeks.
The cannabis variety has a medium THC content, which is said to have an energetic effect on the human body. Cannabis Sativa is said to promote attention and concentration as well as reduce stress.
What is Cannabis Indica?
Cannabis Indica is primarily native to East Asia, but also grows in India, Pakistan or Nepal. Unlike the sativa plant, the indica plant remains quite small, which is why it can also thrive indoors. Its flowering time is around 8 weeks.
Indica varieties also have a medium to high THC content. However, with a different mode of action. While cannabis sativa is said to have a euphoric effect, cannabis indica is said to have a calming and relaxing effect.
What is Cannabis Ruderalis?
Cannabis Rudalis is probably the least known of the three cannabis strains. It has its roots in the Russian Urals, where it thrives in low temperatures. The plant usually does not grow taller than one metre and is characterised by its chronological ripening. Unlike Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica, it flowers after 21 to 30 days, regardless of the light cycle.
The THC content of Cannabis Ruderalis is naturally low. On the other hand, the strain has a comparatively high CBD content.
Why do cannabis fans prefer female plants?
The answer to this question is simple: male cannabis plants have a THC content that is hardly worth mentioning. Female plants, on the other hand, do. Female plants are therefore indispensable for cannabis production. Male plants are usually destroyed. Unless they are to be used for fertilisation and thus the production of new THC seeds.
What are feminised seeds?
Feminised THC seeds have only female XX chromosomes. They lack the male Y chromosome. Externally, they do not differ from other THC seeds. However, the big difference is noticeable in cultivation and yield.
Due to the exclusively female genetic material, it is almost 100% certain that female cannabis plants will grow from the seeds. Feminised THC seeds are therefore useful for all those growers who are interested in a rich flower harvest.
How are feminised THC seeds created?
To obtain feminised THC seeds, a female cannabis plant must pollinate another female plant. In this process, it is necessary to train one of the two female plants in advance to become a bisexual plant. This works by stressing the plant in a controlled way. For example, by changing the light cycle.
In this way, the growing cannabis plant develops male sexual characteristics – namely pollen – in addition to the female flower. It uses this pollen to fertilise itself and other female plants.
What are autoflowering seeds?
Autoflowering seeds are a cross between cannabis ruderalis and cannabis indica or cannabis sativa. In other words, the pollen of a male Ruderalis plant fertilises a female Indica or Sativa plant.
What are the advantages of autoflowering THC seeds?
If the genetics of Cannabis Ruderalis are crossed with those of Cannabis Indica or Cannabis Sativa, the pollinated main strain takes on some of the positive characteristics of the pollinator plant. In this case, it is the fast life cycle and the robustness of the Ruderalis cannabis strain.
The plants from autoflowering THC seeds usually grow no taller than one metre and flower independently of the light cycle. Often, growers do not have to wait 10 weeks before they can harvest the first flowers after sowing.
What are regular THC seeds?
Regular seeds are when a male cannabis plant is crossed with a female plant. The seeds produced by the female plant carry both male and female genetic material. Accordingly, the probability of producing a desirable female plant is 50%.
What influences the THC content in cannabis seeds?
How much THC is present in a cannabis plant is genetically determined in its genome. However, in order to achieve maximum THC results, the growing conditions must also be right. It is not only the plant phenotype that determines the THC content, but also the environment and care.
It is important that growers pay attention to a stable ambient temperature. If the plant is exposed to strong temperature fluctuations, this slows down its development. Likewise, too much humidity should be avoided, as this could cause bud rot. Meanwhile, an indoor LED grow light with added UVB light will increase the THC content.
What is the shelf life of THC seeds?
The cultivation of THC seeds in Germany is not permitted. Not yet. So until the government gives home growing the go-ahead, you need to store your THC seeds properly. Otherwise, the germination rate will drop or the seeds will become completely unusable.
THC seeds can be stored in a sealable container in the fridge for up to four years. The three most important conditions are cool, dark and dry. Temperatures above 10 °C should be avoided in any case to prevent premature germination of the seeds.
Are THC seeds grown in Germany?
In order to be legally cultivated and distributed in Germany, the hemp plant must contain less than 0.2 % THC. This is regulated by the Narcotics Act (BtMG). Accordingly, THC seeds are not eligible for commercial cultivation in Germany. Instead, low-THC varieties are specifically bred.
When will THC seeds become legal in Germany?
The German government around Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has set a deadline for the introduction of cannabis legalisation. The law is to be passed by 2025 at the latest. Whether THC seeds for private cultivation will then also be legal, however, has not yet been addressed.
Why is Luxembourg the EU pioneer for legal THC seeds?
In Luxembourg, cannabis legalisation is within reach. From 2023, not only commercial sales but also home growing using THC seeds will be completely legal. The few restrictions that growers will have to observe: a maximum of four plants per person will be allowed. And these must not be placed in a way that is visible to outsiders.
Photo: Yarygin / Shutterstock.com
