How to make the most of spare cannabis seeds

1. How do you end up with extra cannabis seeds?
2. 5 ways to make the most of leftover cannabis seeds
2a. Experiment with different growing setups
2b. Turn spare seeds into a tasty snack
2c. Animals love them too
2d. Sell them, or pass them on to friends
2e. Start your own private seed bank

Dear cannabis grower, if you find yourself with leftover seeds, whatever the reason, please do not throw them away! Instead, read this article on how to make the most out of spare or accidental cannabis seeds. We’ve collated 5 interesting things you can do with them that are definitely worth checking out.

HOW DO YOU END UP WITH EXTRA CANNABIS SEEDS?

If your goal is to grow sinsemilla—the kind of cannabinoid-rich cannabis you smoke, vape, eat, etc., you are unlikely to do anything but raise all your seeds to maturity. But, it could be that you ended up with some extra seeds, either because your starting point was bagseed and you spared some, or because some developed throughout your grow. Speaking about the latter, if your plants experience significant stress during the vegetative stage and/or throughout the flowering period, you may face some problems with hermaphroditism. This in turn can cause accidental pollination of female flowers, which will force them to start producing seeds instead of buds.

The same can happen if you allow male plants to fertilise females. This is why regular seeds must be vigilantly observed for sex characteristics as they develop into flowering plants—before males have a chance to release pollen and thwart your entire operation.

Hermaphroditism happens because cannabis plants have the capacity to produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. Unless you chose feminized seeds (which ensures a great deal of success in growing female plants only), you could end up with a hermaphrodite in your batch if plants undergo one or more of the following forms of stress:

• Light stress: Caused by unwanted or poorly thought-out changes in photoperiod, poor functioning of your timer, hot spots in lighting.

• Water stress: Caused by poor water quality, excess or lack of water, incorrect pH, incorrect water temperature.

• Environmental stress: Caused by adverse temperature and humidity levels in your growing environment, or by pests or fungi targeting your babies.

• Nutritional stress: Caused by excessively high or low concentrations, incorrect pH, wrong nutrients for the growing stage.

5 WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF LEFTOVER CANNABIS SEEDS

Whatever the reason you ended up with some leftover cannabis seeds after your harvest, here are 5 alternative ways to make the most of them, rather than just throwing them out.

EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT GROWING SETUPS

You forgot to take into account those few extra bullets in the barrel; well, now you got them, so you’d better make good use of them! Take this chance to experiment with a different growing setup than what you’re used to. For example, you could try a budget hydroponics setup, or a guerrilla grow, or something else. Go budget, but dare to try some different techniques! The seeds you’re using are “spare” anyways. This will give you a unique chance to learn by experimenting, without the fear of wasting precious and expensive seeds if something goes wrong. It's a nothing-to-lose seed, so why not use it to learn a new grow technique? The additional benefit: If it goes well, you just grew an extra plant—get ready to harvest!

TURN SPARE SEEDS INTO A TASTY SNACK

Hemp and cannabis seeds are arguably among the most nutritious seeds available. In fact, they are rich in protein, fibre, healthy unsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), and vitamins A, E, D, and B. Plus, they contain an impressive array of minerals like sodium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. You can eat them raw (shelled or unshelled) or roast them. You can have a handful of them just like that, or add them as a garnish. Neither hemp nor cannabis seeds have any measurable THC in them, so you can eat them without worrying about getting high.

ANIMALS ALSO LOVE THE TASTE

Guess what? Cannabis seeds are not only good for humans, but animals too. Your furry or feathered friend will benefit from all the nutrients we just mentioned. Mix the seeds in with their usual food and let their digestive system do the rest. Don’t have any pets? Well, leaving them available for wild birds or rodents in an outdoor feeder will make a lot of passing animals very happy!

SELL THEM, OR PASS THEM ON TO FRIENDS

Sourcing certified seeds from a reputable seed bank is by far the best option, and if you turn to the street to buy and sell seeds, it’s pretty much a no man’s land in terms of quality and legality. Local regulations may vary, and one should always exercise caution herein. Another—possibly safer—option is to pass your leftover seeds on to your friends, without involving money in the matter. This, alongside transparency about where you sourced your seeds, can make for a great way to inspire someone to start their own cannabis growing journey.

START YOUR OWN PRIVATE SEED BANK

This is perhaps the most ambitious pursuit you can try with your spare seeds: breeding. It involves patience and precision in noting the characteristics of different cannabis strains and their associated seeds. With time, you will have a great collection of genetics that you can cross, keep as mother plants, etc. And if you start with mystery seeds, well, go back to our first suggestion: Use them to experiment and expand your repertoire as a grower!

Here they are, our five suggestions on what to do with your spare cannabis seeds! Instead of throwing them away, put your leftover seeds to good use. In a time when recycling and upcycling are so important, weed lovers shall also do their share!