Is it true that small seeds are bad?

[kona gold]

When it comes to small seeds, the bigger issue is their size relative to the other seeds from the same batch. If you have a bunch of seeds from the same cross, the smallest seeds have a higher chance of not being viable.

You can’t really compare the size of seeds from unrelated crosses, since a lot of natural variation in seed sizes exist.



The biggest issue with bagseed is that they’re almost guaranteed to come with herming issues, since bagseed is nearly always pollinated by a plant that hermed unintentionally.

Yeah, lots of elite genetics came from bagseed. But these strains also originated back in the day when prosecution, lack of knowledge about breeding, and lack of access meant that bagseed was often the only way to obtain new stock.

We don’t live in those times anymore. Much of the USA can legally grow marijuana, we have dozens of seed banks IN the country with elite genetics. You could play the lottery and hope your bagseed has the one in a million chance that it’s got something elite. Or you could buy something from any of the dozens of well-respected breeders that bred their elite stock with intention, and have tested their crosses to ensure their quality and stability. For those in more restrictive countries, bagseed may be the only viable option. It’s certainly better than nothing. Thankfully, many of us don’t need to rely on that anymore.

I have more herm issues with today's seeds that are for sale, than I ever had from based in the past. So don't buy that theory.
Never noticed a difference in seeds cracking from same strain that were of different size. Maybe you have, but not me.
Almost all the top breeder strains I have run had some sort of hermaphrodite issue's. From balls to banana's!!
Too Dawg, Bodhi, Snow High, Rare Dankness.........

 

[Nugachino]

“Bagseed” is not “more prone” to herming. There are some solid breeders, but most are just bagging up “bagseed” to sell.

Bagseed from some fire is definitely worth popping, no way that they’re getting tossed. You’d have to pry them from my cold dead fingers.

Hell yeah! If I get smoke that was really good. I try and keep the seeds (if any) separated into their own bags. Average ones get dumped into one bag. And the good stuff gets its own, with a small info tag saying about the high and smell. And maybe bud shape too.

 

[jayblaze710]

“Bagseed” is not “more prone” to herming. There are some solid breeders, but most are just bagging up “bagseed” to sell.

Bagseed from some fire is definitely worth popping, no way that they’re getting tossed. You’d have to pry them from my cold dead fingers.

Bagseed is DEFINITELY more prone to herming issues, because most bagseed is produced from a female that threw herm pollen into the room. The pollen donor's genetic propensity to herm is being passed on to their offspring. Hence, herming issues.

I find it so ironic that people still have a problem with feminized seeds, which are made by forcing a plant to herm through chemical means, but think bagseed is perfectly fine.

At least not the good breeders are just selling bagseed *cough*GDP*cough*.

I have more herm issues with today's seeds that are for sale, than I ever had from based in the past. So don't buy that theory.
Never noticed a difference in seeds cracking from same strain that were of different size. Maybe you have, but not me.
Almost all the top breeder strains I have run had some sort of hermaphrodite issue's. From balls to banana's!!
Too Dawg, Bodhi, Snow High, Rare Dankness.........

We likely see more herm issues today because so much of today's popular breeding concentrates on genetics known to have herm issues. Cherry Pie, GG4, GSC, Chemdogs, OGs, Trainwreck.... I'm not saying people shouldn't breed with these strains, they're popular for a reason. Just the potential for herming is something you gotta live with if you're working with this stuff. The gene pool has gotten smaller, and herming is being inadvertently selected for because these herm-prone strains are so popular.

Ideally, even with working with herm-prone strains, the breeder has done enough testing to know that the herm potential is minimal. With bagseed, you know that the offspring has the potential to herm because they were sired by inadvertent herm pollen.

 

[GranolaCornhola]

I remember the first time I grew c99 from seed. I was like wtf, te assholes sent me some highly underdeveloped, non striped, miniturized grey seeds.

Then I grew them out and of course they were awesome.
Dont think I've ever seen large striped c99 seeds ever.

 

[voodoosdaddy]

So I read something a while back where Neville was saying that the smaller seeds on one of his strains were usually the most potent. I think it just comes down to the breed. I remember getting Blue Hawaiian and skunk seeds back in the 80's that had "POPCORN SEEDS". They were fucking huge and the weed was some of the most fire bud I've ever had. The Hawaiian only had a few seeds and the skunk had many seeds. On the other hand my Neville's Haze and Blueberry back in the day were tiny. The smaller seeds seem to take longer to sprout in my experience. The BB took 2 weeks in some cases but they produced great plants that were very potent.

 

[Peaceful Smoker Of Weed]

“Bagseed” is not “more prone” to herming. There are some solid breeders, but most are just bagging up “bagseed” to sell.

Bagseed from some fire is definitely worth popping, no way that they’re getting tossed. You’d have to pry them from my cold dead fingers.

Mine too!

 

[BigHornBuds]

I remember the first time I grew c99 from seed. I was like wtf, te assholes sent me some highly underdeveloped, non striped, miniturized grey seeds.

Then I grew them out and of course they were awesome.
Dont think I've ever seen large striped c99 seeds ever.

Mine where normal , dark & striped
I don’t have a pic tho.

 

[Odin*]

Bagseed is DEFINITELY more prone to herming issues, because most bagseed is produced from a female that threw herm pollen into the room. The pollen donor's genetic propensity to herm is being passed on to their offspring. Hence, herming issues.

No. Throwing bananas is an innate genetic trait that guarantees the survival of the species under “harsh conditions”. In regards to “genetic viability”, any strain that responds to adverse conditions with “banana tossing” is far more likely to survive than a “tank” strain that refuses to toss bananas, regardless of how harsh the conditions are. Survival of the fittest, don’t throw bananas and the strain could succumb to “the Wild” (this is all referring to natural outdoor survival, of course).

So, no, bagseed is not more prone to “herming”. A given strain can be more “sensitive” and respond with bananas, but all cannabis can throw bananas dependent on one/many factors, and the level of “deviation”, minute VS extreme. Bagseed can come out of the most stone cold, rock hard, stable strain, or from a habitual banana tosser. All that this means is “get your grow on point”. No “fuckups”/“mishaps”/“wild swings”/“rollercoasters”/newbie expirements/brain farts/etc, ... no bananas.

 

[Odin*]

Again, some of the best strains in my stable are “bagseed”. Stable af.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

I was reading an article that said if seeds are small that's bad. I always thought seeds varied in size due to strain. I also thought that color is what determined maturity... Any input would be appreciated.

No it is complete garbage info. Most of the time from people whom think they are experienced but probably only popped less than 100 beans. Train Wreck, DJ Short True Blueberry, and Williams Wonder had some of the tiniest seeds I had ever seen. Chemdog and Sour Diesel beans can often look pale and have no striations like they are not ripe. I've popped thousands now and color and size mean nothing as far as quality. Pale can tend to possibly mean they are not ripe, but it is definitely not definitive at all.

Pale as ghost or simply just pale light brown? Do they float or sink? Do they pass the pinch test?

Those are the important questions.

 

[Peaceful Smoker Of Weed]

No it is complete garbage info. Most of the time from people whom think they are experienced but probably only popped less than 100 beans. Train Wreck, DJ Short True Blueberry, and Williams Wonder had some of the tiniest seeds I had ever seen. Chemdog and Sour Diesel beans can often look pale and have no striations like they are not ripe. I've popped thousands now and color and size mean nothing as far as quality. Pale can tend to possibly mean they are not ripe, but it is definitely not definitive at all.

Pale as ghost or simply just pale light brown? Do they float or sink? Do they pass the pinch test?

Those are the important questions.

Is it safe to pinch a good bean tho? I'd hate to squeeze to hard and pop a perfectly good bean...

 

[BigHornBuds]

Is it safe to pinch a good bean tho? I'd hate to squeeze to hard and pop a perfectly good bean...

Your not popping a zit.
Just put some pressure between your thumb n pointer , a good seed will feel hard. A shit seed will have give .

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

Is it safe to pinch a good bean tho? I'd hate to squeeze to hard and pop a perfectly good bean...

Yup nearly every line and every seed I have released for sale was pinch tested if it looked a little pale...You don't need to squeeze hard just use a little common sense. Put it between your index finger and thumb and lightly squeeze. Use some garbage seeds to try to pinch too hard and see if you can crack healthy ones. I have never broken a seed doing a pinch test that was healthy and good for distribution.

 

[bobqp]

I've noticed that in "some" instances the smaller seeds tend to be sativa's but that's a general observation.

Yeah I've found the more pure sativa a strain is the smaller the seed. Biggest seeds I've ever seen was from syrup auto. Giant seeds

 

[Swamp Thing]

Not at all. Seeds come in all shapes and colors. The Diego’s Fuego cross I made (JJ’s NYCD x Sakura) has tiny beans while the Purple Praline (GirlScoutCookies-ThinMints x Sakura) have been pretty pale looking. Great germ rates on both!

 

[hillbill]

Not at all. Seeds come in all shapes and colors. The Diego’s Fuego cross I made (JJ’s NYCD x Sakura) has tiny beans while the Purple Praline (GirlScoutCookies-ThinMints x Sakura) have been pretty pale looking. Great germ rates on both!

100% CORRECT!

 

[hillbill]

The only thing that is really true is that small seeds are little.

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Not at all. Seeds come in all shapes and colors. The Diego’s Fuego cross I made (JJ’s NYCD x Sakura) has tiny beans while the Purple Praline (GirlScoutCookies-ThinMints x Sakura) have been pretty pale looking. Great germ rates on both!

What I've found is that strains that produce especially small seeds tend to have especially small calyxes and are more likely to produce the extra rock hard furry buds from those tiny calyxes being clustered especially tight.

The strangest seed I've seen was one from a local breeder in Southern Oregon who used Thai, an indica, and ruderalis to make a non auto outdoor strain. When the seeds were ripe they were white with green stripes.

 

[xtsho]

No