It’s quite the budding industry, isn’t it?
Pardon the pun, but there’s a lot to be interested in when it comes to growing your own marijuana. If you’re just getting started, you have probably found yourself overwhelmed by the many seed banks and seed brokers out there. And as marijuana becomes legalized in more places, the list only gets longer.
Photo: Flickr (Esteban Lopez)
Most home growers produce their products from seed. As a result, there has been a rapid expansion of seed banks and brokers to meet the demand for commercial and home growers.
Today, Amsterdam is the most common source of seed banks – but most of their genetics originally came from the United States. Nevertheless, there are seed banks and brokers on both sides of the Atlantic, all of which serve the needs of American producers.
Lots of people think that these two terms are interchangeable, but that’s far from the truth. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s the Difference Between Brokers and Banks?
Seed companies, also referred to as seed banks, are companies that do their own breeding to create new marijuana strains. These are marketed in seed form and produced as the result of selective breeding and careful, finely strategized growing processes.
Through this regimented process – as well as some trial and error – companies are able to identify the best phenotypes and to stabilize the strains so that they are consistent among individual seeds. Seed banks sell their own seeds and distribute them through seed brokers.
Seed brokers do not develop or create their own seed. Instead, they market seeds produced by other companies and banks. As a result, brokers can have seed to choose from a diverse array of seed creators. Since these seed brokers have strength in volume, they are able to reach a larger audience of consumers.
Seed brokers typically mail seeds all around the world – seed banks generally only sell within the country of origin or to a handful of nearby countries.
Which One is Better?
Both offer similar quality and affordability – regardless which type of retailer you are purchasing from, price is not always connected to quality. Some seed banks and seed brokers sell top-performing seeds at reasonable prices.
In addition, both seed banks and seed brokers make it a habit to package and ship their orders in discreet packaging. Timeliness is comparable among the two types of producers, too.
There are seed banks and brokers all over the United States and Canada, and if you do a quick online search you will be able to find the companies that will ship directly to your location.
Top Seed Banks to Consider
Seed banks have been around for quite some time, and as a result have honed their art to produce consistent, high-quality products. You can click this link to see some of the top seed banks that ship to the USA, or consider these three top choices:
T.H. Seeds: owner of highly regarded strains like Bubblegum, S.A.G.E, and Heavy Duty Fruity.
Sensi Seeds: Sensi Seeds is a Dutch-based company with popular strains like Silver Haze, Marley’s Collie, Maple Leaf Indica, and Jack Herer.
DNA Genetics: a relatively new company that created strands like Chocolope, LA Confidential, and Lemon Skunk.
Top Seed Brokers to Consider
Seed brokers are able to offer larger inventories from a shockingly large amount of seed banks. Here are some you should think about.
Seed Supreme: this broker markets just about any kind of sativa, indica, or hybrid strand, including White Widow, Gorilla Glue, and more.
Lighthouse USA: this is one of the best brokers for American customers, as it markets a wide variety of cannabis genetics from Pyramid Seeds, Kaliman Seeds, and other top seed banks.
Seeds Here Now: this broker has a massive inventory and distributes for well-known breeders like Brothers Grimm and Humboldt Seed Company.
Not sure where to start looking? Head over to Seed Finder, where you will have access to a wide array of information about seed strains, breeders, and banks. This is a booming industry that’s sure to only grow as more states legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana – you’d be smart to get your seeds ordered ASAP.
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