coconutcurry
High
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Best seeds for new growers
- Thread starter Stoner Jay
- Start date
bigbadbiddy
Active member
No offense coconut but you have it the wrong way around.
The AK47 sold today has very little in common with the AK47 that won all those cups in the 90ies/early 2000s. It has been confirmed that one parent was lost and The Chronic was bred into AK47.
There are countless threads and forum posts of people complaining that they were sold AK47 under the promise of it being the cup winner only to find out it's basically The Chronic (which few regard as a top shelf strain).
White Widow on the other hand is available in its "old form". From Mr. Nice Seeds as the Black Widow.
Unlike Serious Seeds, many sources will confirm that Mr. Nice knows how to preserve a strain.
Shantibaba (their head breeder and a breeding legend) claims to have preserved clones of all his parent plants across several continents (i.e. there is are backup clones of the Black Widow in Europe and Latin America and Asia or sth like that) throughout the years.
Growers experiences and what is coming out of the seeds to this day confirm this claim.
While Serious Seeds is a good example of a seed company failing to preserve their strains properly.
The AK47 sold today has very little in common with the AK47 that won all those cups in the 90ies/early 2000s. It has been confirmed that one parent was lost and The Chronic was bred into AK47.
There are countless threads and forum posts of people complaining that they were sold AK47 under the promise of it being the cup winner only to find out it's basically The Chronic (which few regard as a top shelf strain).
White Widow on the other hand is available in its "old form". From Mr. Nice Seeds as the Black Widow.
Unlike Serious Seeds, many sources will confirm that Mr. Nice knows how to preserve a strain.
Shantibaba (their head breeder and a breeding legend) claims to have preserved clones of all his parent plants across several continents (i.e. there is are backup clones of the Black Widow in Europe and Latin America and Asia or sth like that) throughout the years.
Growers experiences and what is coming out of the seeds to this day confirm this claim.
While Serious Seeds is a good example of a seed company failing to preserve their strains properly.
coconutcurry
High
You are right. The AK47 isn't what it was in the 90th. It's more indica today. But the question was, what is a good strain for beginners and I find the AK47 still is. I grew the modern version of the AK47 just some years ago I still find this is an easy to grow plant, with good yield and strong weed, although it's not what is was 20 years ago. And when growing from seed it is important to have a stable strain and it is stabel. There will be no hay weed plants
I don't know what Serious Seeds changed concerning the AK47. But I can't find any threads here when I search for 'AK-47 Chronic' in the titlesearch. So if there are 'countless threads and forum posts of people complaining that they were sold AK47 under the promise of it being the cup winner only to find out it's basically The Chronic', like you say, show me please.
I personally doubt that Serious Seeds used the Chronic. I grew both, the AK-47 and the Chronic and I can't find any signs of the Chronic in the AK-47, nor the smell, nor the big buds. And the turn is completly different. The AK-47 is also much stronger than the Chronic. Beside the very good flavour, I found the Chronic rather instable and partly very disappointing concerning strenght.
If there are people who claim their AK-47 was different and showed signs of the Chronic, I would ask first where they bought their seeds. I bought mine in person in Amsterdam at Serious Seeds. I live two and a half hour distant by car to Amsterdam. To buy in Amsterdam is the most easy and most sure way for me to get good seeds.
I don't know what Serious Seeds changed concerning the AK47. But I can't find any threads here when I search for 'AK-47 Chronic' in the titlesearch. So if there are 'countless threads and forum posts of people complaining that they were sold AK47 under the promise of it being the cup winner only to find out it's basically The Chronic', like you say, show me please.
I personally doubt that Serious Seeds used the Chronic. I grew both, the AK-47 and the Chronic and I can't find any signs of the Chronic in the AK-47, nor the smell, nor the big buds. And the turn is completly different. The AK-47 is also much stronger than the Chronic. Beside the very good flavour, I found the Chronic rather instable and partly very disappointing concerning strenght.
If there are people who claim their AK-47 was different and showed signs of the Chronic, I would ask first where they bought their seeds. I bought mine in person in Amsterdam at Serious Seeds. I live two and a half hour distant by car to Amsterdam. To buy in Amsterdam is the most easy and most sure way for me to get good seeds.
G
Guest
Glad to see PeakSeedsBC has already been mentioned.
can i ask you where you was able to score the seeds directly @ serious in amsterdam?
bless
coconutcurry
High
In the first place I thought what an easy question to answer, because one could find the Serious Shop easily on Google Maps, but... it seems the shop is closed. :-(
I bought mine in 2009 or 2010. And the shop was located in Haarlemmerstraat, where also Barney's and the Dampkring is located. It seems meanwhile Serious itself does only sell online. Under the Serious Seeds adress I find in Holland, I see a private accomodation on Google Streetview. What a pity.
Usually you could get them also at Amsterdam Seed Center, but the AK is sold out. For a good reason. ;-) Ask them when the AK is in stock again:
https://www.amsterdamseedcenter.com/en/
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bigbadbiddy
Active member
There are countless threads on the AK having lost a parrent, not being what it was and people going through 3 plus packs not finding one satisfying pheno.
Threads on what exactly happened (police raid or what) and which parent was actually lost (male or female) and what it was replaced with (Chronic) are not as numerous.
Serious has tried to claim that the "formula" or genetic makeup of the AK47 has not changed at all.
If you look in their subforum section here and at the AK47 strain thread, towards the end there is some discussion on it as well.
After being confronted about it by people who remember their history, they basically confirmed that the Chronic was used to replace the lost AK47 parent.
For 1 person claiming "it's still good", there are 9 complaining that it is shit and far removed from the special thing it used to be. Mediocre at best.
Threads on what exactly happened (police raid or what) and which parent was actually lost (male or female) and what it was replaced with (Chronic) are not as numerous.
Serious has tried to claim that the "formula" or genetic makeup of the AK47 has not changed at all.
If you look in their subforum section here and at the AK47 strain thread, towards the end there is some discussion on it as well.
After being confronted about it by people who remember their history, they basically confirmed that the Chronic was used to replace the lost AK47 parent.
For 1 person claiming "it's still good", there are 9 complaining that it is shit and far removed from the special thing it used to be. Mediocre at best.
coconutcurry
High
At the end of the subforum I find:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=232939&page=15
"What to say about her? Shes amazing, definitely the stronger smelling weed i have grown. The flowery smell mixed wuth a pungency is incredible, it takes my mind to exotics places everytime i smell it. The Bud is very frosty, beautifull. I'm about to cut her off in the 68 day. Theres two main colas, one seems just ready, full of milky resin, almost non Amber, the other one will make a few more days. This plant is definitely a keeper for me. "
The people complaining are people who grew the original AK47 decades ago and are now pissed off because its not what they expected. The original was even more sativa. But this doesn't mean its a bad strain now. And if people say 20 years back the weed was better, often they just don't want to realize what high THC tolerance they developed over the decades. ;-)
It has a reason the AK is sold out at Amsterdamseedcenter. And it got very much ratings compared to other strains and this is what I find everywhere.
coconutcurry
High
One day later the AK is in stock again at Amsterdamseedcenter. At least the regulars I would prefer anyway.
G
Green Love
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OranguTrump
Crotchety Old Crotch
New grower - buy inexpensive seeds (SeedBay, Nirvana, etc.). Female Seeds are also reasonable. Indicas for size/harvest time. NL is good choice.
Keep it simple, basic dirt or basic hydro.
Keep it simple, basic dirt or basic hydro.
chronosync
Well-stoned member
I didn't have much to add that hasn't been said but this sparks a question of my own. Sorry OP, but any that you all think would NOT be recommended for a beginner?
bigbadbiddy
Active member
I think that's a good question, probably the better one to ask.
I would throw OG Kush variants into the mix for their viney growth patterns and likely necessity of supporting branches. That could catch a newbie off guard I suppose.
Sativas in general maybe for the same reasoning. The stretch can be massive depending on the variety and a newb might find that hard to deal with if unprepared.
Feminized seeds and genetics carrying hermy traits (think chemdawg) might also be something to avoid during the first go arounds.
chronosync
Well-stoned member
Ahh yeah, thanks man. True, by what I've seen and heard on these forums a pure sativa is quite a different thing, and lots of people bitch about OG being picky and low yeild....
One thing I'm not sure was mentioned or not. If you grow a bunch of different strains all together its trickier, especially for someone learning how to grow ONE plant
Being a new grower myself I'm finding it hard to stick with one strain/cut and dial it, even though I know I should.
One thing I'm not sure was mentioned or not. If you grow a bunch of different strains all together its trickier, especially for someone learning how to grow ONE plant
Being a new grower myself I'm finding it hard to stick with one strain/cut and dial it, even though I know I should.bigbadbiddy
Active member
It's a constant back and forth, both arguments have merit.
If you concentrate on one strain per grow, you can improve in terms of environment control and overall improve your growing habits more easily. As you are only concerned with what you do and provide for the plants vs. how each strain reacts.
On the other hand, you might go that rout only to realize after 2 years that you wasted your time with strains that don't hold a candle for you personally, to the one strain you finally tried after the 2 years.
Obviously, if you grow 10 strains each round, you will get a better idea of what strains you prefer personally. But you will know way less about each particular strain and might miss the special pheno the line offers.
I personally went the rout of growing 6 strains in my first round, trying to compare them to each other and getting a feel for what I prefer. I just made sure they all have similar flowering times. But I have no ambitions towards breeding or preservation etc. etc. for these 6 strains, they are basically my "testers".
For my next round I will go 2 strains and then go either 1 or 2 strains per round until I honed in on my 4-6 favorites and then only grow those strains, play with them, dial in the environment and maximizing their potential. Then go into crossbreeding.
But everyone gotta figure that out for themselves, there is no right or wrong here only preference.
If you concentrate on one strain per grow, you can improve in terms of environment control and overall improve your growing habits more easily. As you are only concerned with what you do and provide for the plants vs. how each strain reacts.
On the other hand, you might go that rout only to realize after 2 years that you wasted your time with strains that don't hold a candle for you personally, to the one strain you finally tried after the 2 years.
Obviously, if you grow 10 strains each round, you will get a better idea of what strains you prefer personally. But you will know way less about each particular strain and might miss the special pheno the line offers.
I personally went the rout of growing 6 strains in my first round, trying to compare them to each other and getting a feel for what I prefer. I just made sure they all have similar flowering times. But I have no ambitions towards breeding or preservation etc. etc. for these 6 strains, they are basically my "testers".
For my next round I will go 2 strains and then go either 1 or 2 strains per round until I honed in on my 4-6 favorites and then only grow those strains, play with them, dial in the environment and maximizing their potential. Then go into crossbreeding.
But everyone gotta figure that out for themselves, there is no right or wrong here only preference.
grow a few different ones comrade. get a feel for the ones you like. that work well with what you have and of course the effects your after. personally I found 'female' seeds from the overly hyped strains to hermie. I second the peak seeds. Just got some northern berry, looks killer.
i went with what kind of 'effect' i was after and hunted for the correct strain. Initially got sucked into the marketing and got hermies. Found ACE and have been really happy. Oh, also running some Bodhi which has been great. Solid genes.
i went with what kind of 'effect' i was after and hunted for the correct strain. Initially got sucked into the marketing and got hermies. Found ACE and have been really happy. Oh, also running some Bodhi which has been great. Solid genes.
bigbadbiddy
Active member
I just have too many seeds man... first world problems and all
Started with 5 skunk related varieties from MRN and c99 from peak. They have similar flowering times and so far grow alongside each other well.
The idea was, as you said, to get a feel for the different strains.
The result was that I just popped 5 of each strain as I expected the first go around things will go wrong and I will loose a few of them.
In the end I can flower about 20 at a time and this time was left over with 16 healthy plants.
They all go into flower (although I ran out of soil, doh.... just mixed a fresh batch now it has to cook for at least a week).
But the end result will be that I will get 1, maybe 2 females out of each strain. While some strains are known to have more than 2 noteworthy phenotypes.
Just by the numbers, I won't be able to discover all each strain has to offer and I am worried that I end up with 1 or 2 suboptimal phenos and write a strain (or even seedbank) off just based on that and move on to the next.
Not sure if that is the right way to go about it.
I decided to first test out different seedbanks I have in my stable. I had 25 MRN seeds and was very pleasantly surprised by the growth pattern of the Critical Mass so far. But I only popped 5 of peaks C99 and only have 2 of them left over.
The MRN strains looked way better in terms of growth structure than the 2 C99s. But the least stellar MRN plants looked worse than the c99 as well...
I think ultimately you have to pop a fair number of seeds to be able to judge a strain right.
I feel, personally, that 5 seeds is not enough for that.
So I am looking to pop at least 10 of each strain I grow from now on, even during the "get a feel for the strain" phase.
As a result, my next rounds won't be 6+ multi strain grows but will be with 1 or 2 strains only.
But I will make sure the strains are from changing seedbanks.
I popped 25 MRN now and only 5 peakseeds.
Next I will pop some Ace and more peakseeds and after that more Ace and some of Karma.
After that I only have testers from other seedbanks left over, might make another multi strain grow by then to pop all the seeds where I only have <5 beans.
Not sure if this is the best way to go about it but I feel if I would just do one more grow with 6 strains and pop 5 each to compare all 4 seedbanks and assorted strains, I would miss out on too much each strain.
Many breeders say to get "that one pheno the strain is famous for" you should pop at least 15 or 30 beans.
10 is still on the low side, 5 is too low for me personally.
Started with 5 skunk related varieties from MRN and c99 from peak. They have similar flowering times and so far grow alongside each other well.
The idea was, as you said, to get a feel for the different strains.
The result was that I just popped 5 of each strain as I expected the first go around things will go wrong and I will loose a few of them.
In the end I can flower about 20 at a time and this time was left over with 16 healthy plants.
They all go into flower (although I ran out of soil, doh.... just mixed a fresh batch now it has to cook for at least a week).
But the end result will be that I will get 1, maybe 2 females out of each strain. While some strains are known to have more than 2 noteworthy phenotypes.
Just by the numbers, I won't be able to discover all each strain has to offer and I am worried that I end up with 1 or 2 suboptimal phenos and write a strain (or even seedbank) off just based on that and move on to the next.
Not sure if that is the right way to go about it.
I decided to first test out different seedbanks I have in my stable. I had 25 MRN seeds and was very pleasantly surprised by the growth pattern of the Critical Mass so far. But I only popped 5 of peaks C99 and only have 2 of them left over.
The MRN strains looked way better in terms of growth structure than the 2 C99s. But the least stellar MRN plants looked worse than the c99 as well...
I think ultimately you have to pop a fair number of seeds to be able to judge a strain right.
I feel, personally, that 5 seeds is not enough for that.
So I am looking to pop at least 10 of each strain I grow from now on, even during the "get a feel for the strain" phase.
As a result, my next rounds won't be 6+ multi strain grows but will be with 1 or 2 strains only.
But I will make sure the strains are from changing seedbanks.
I popped 25 MRN now and only 5 peakseeds.
Next I will pop some Ace and more peakseeds and after that more Ace and some of Karma.
After that I only have testers from other seedbanks left over, might make another multi strain grow by then to pop all the seeds where I only have <5 beans.
Not sure if this is the best way to go about it but I feel if I would just do one more grow with 6 strains and pop 5 each to compare all 4 seedbanks and assorted strains, I would miss out on too much each strain.
Many breeders say to get "that one pheno the strain is famous for" you should pop at least 15 or 30 beans.
10 is still on the low side, 5 is too low for me personally.
M
meowmeowmeow
All depending on your level of expectation I started with regular seeds.
Got 2 males. Learned about them and killed them.
I view all seeds as lottery tickets....some$1 some even $30 a piece.
Echoed many times throughout this forum many people have had great luck with many varieties.
Tried some feminized seeds last go around for giggles and ended up with an OOKB leaning plant.
What a ride. Slow veg, but amazing outcome. Had to torch it due to mites. Oooh well.
Just try to always have fun and learn I say.
Got 2 males. Learned about them and killed them.
I view all seeds as lottery tickets....some$1 some even $30 a piece.
Echoed many times throughout this forum many people have had great luck with many varieties.
Tried some feminized seeds last go around for giggles and ended up with an OOKB leaning plant.
What a ride. Slow veg, but amazing outcome. Had to torch it due to mites. Oooh well.
Just try to always have fun and learn I say.
Stoner Jay
Member
Greetings all.
Wow, this thread has gotten quite a few replies. . Thanks to each one of you for putting in the effort to reply !
Right. So my current grow with bagseeds is still going..out of 6 plants, 5 died. Got this weird bright yellow new foliage growing from them, and the next day. They where all super sad. Decided to end their struggles.
On the bright side, the one that is still alive is looking amazing. Nice dark green, but what's words without pictures ?
Found a local seedbank. Have put in my order for the following. They have all been brought over from Dinafem.
List :
Blue widow
Blue kush
Bubba kush (shitty yield bud apparently nice smoke )
Critical + 2.0
Critical Jack
Will be getting the deeds next week sometime, but going to hold onto them till the time comes. First want to flower my girl that's going now, and then have amother run with some more bagseed. After that it will be all steam ahead.
Question. How would one usually keep nice seeds fresh ? With my bagseeds, I have literally have them all lying around in tubs/empty bankies, and have 100 success rate in germing to date. Would need the same success when the time comes for the above seeds.
Thanks all once again for all the help, suggestions and patience
Wow, this thread has gotten quite a few replies. . Thanks to each one of you for putting in the effort to reply !
Right. So my current grow with bagseeds is still going..out of 6 plants, 5 died. Got this weird bright yellow new foliage growing from them, and the next day. They where all super sad. Decided to end their struggles.
On the bright side, the one that is still alive is looking amazing. Nice dark green, but what's words without pictures ?
Found a local seedbank. Have put in my order for the following. They have all been brought over from Dinafem.
List :
Blue widow
Blue kush
Bubba kush (shitty yield bud apparently nice smoke )
Critical + 2.0
Critical Jack
Will be getting the deeds next week sometime, but going to hold onto them till the time comes. First want to flower my girl that's going now, and then have amother run with some more bagseed. After that it will be all steam ahead.
Question. How would one usually keep nice seeds fresh ? With my bagseeds, I have literally have them all lying around in tubs/empty bankies, and have 100 success rate in germing to date. Would need the same success when the time comes for the above seeds.
Thanks all once again for all the help, suggestions and patience
