What's new
  • Please note members who been with us for more than 10 years have been upgraded to "Veteran" status and will receive exclusive benefits. If you wish to find out more about this or support IcMag and get same benefits, check this thread here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Proper amount of seeds for pheno hunt? How much is too much?

Proper amount of seeds for pheno hunt? How much is too much?
What number would render the search successful?

As we all know growing and getting the most out of every plant is very important these days, especially with unnecessary regulations against plant count. And the vast amount of new seed companies and new marijuana ventures, making finding the best pheno giving you a greater success rate.

to me the most important traits are Smell Effect and Potency, yield isn't a priority

how many seeds would you need to pop to find the pheno you are looking for? For any strain. Not just stable ones where the pheno is common.

How much is too much?

And when would be adding more to that number be unnecesary?

thanks for your opinions and i hope this thread can be educational
please lets keep this thread positive, Thank you
 

rolandomota

Well-known member
10 pack should have what's advertised if your running 40 seeds and can't find the smell and taste your after (blueberry) then your looking in the wrong place
 

MedResearcher

Member
Veteran
More numbers, more chance of seeing recessive traits pop up.

That being said, it can be hard to really judge individual phenos when you are working with 100's of plants at a time.

Slower, but possible more thorough. To grow more successive smaller batchs over time. Keeping clones, and running them again along side the next batch.

You may need to run a clone/pheno 3 or 4x before you dial it in, and really know it well.

Some traits are easier to select than others. You could look at 100 phenos and pick out for bag appeal or flower shape. Choosing for flavor or high though, that is quite the process multiplied by 100s of phenos you might miss a gem or two.

Mr^^
 

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
There's no such thing as too much. Do as many as you can. :tiphat:
Yeah, but I mean, you are a self labelled seed whore :biggrin: Maybe not the best person to ask about "how many seeds" :biggrin: Is like asking cookie monster if he has enough cookies. No. No he doesn't.
 

Crooked8

Well-known member
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Without considering luck at all, the more the merrier. I will say my favorite keeper of all time came from a 10 pack though. You could have one seed and have it be absurdly stable and goregous. Ive had that happen too.
 

Nico Farmer

Active member
According to DJ Short, between 20 and 50 seeds crossed professionally would suffice to find an elite.

but if I could 1000, I will do 1000 :biggrin:
 

mr.brunch

Well-known member
Veteran
Just keep popping, that’s my philosophy. If I find a stand out clone I’m usually bored of it within 6 months... back to the seeds!
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
As many as you have space for...


To see what a line has in it's entirety, you need to pop and grow about 10000 females.
 

Nico Farmer

Active member
That is awesome i didn't know he had anything to say on the subject



Dj Short :

Ideally, the more seeds one starts with the better. This is, after all, a numbers game. I will assume that any basic breeding project starts with at least 20 different plants, from 20 viable seeds of high quality, professionally stabilized varieties. This would give a minimum of 10 male and 10 female plants hopefully sexed by two weeks into a flowering light cycle (short day/long night).
 

Bob Green

Active member
Top 1%-5% is what we are looking for. What makes it a top 1%-5% plant is completely subjective and personal opinion. Elite status is proven through time and confirmed by many said opinions.
 
Top