What does it take to start a small seed company?

[BeAn]

Is there any breeders/seed-banks out there that want to share the secrets of success?

I mean, obviously you need seeds, customers and somewhere to sell beans, are there any tips that you the pro can pass on to your fellow IC'ers?

C'mon people don't be scared, share your tips with us all.....

 

[8cyril8]

There is a thread about Breeder/seedbank history.

I guess you need a lot of time, space, and technique .
and work....
peace

 

[mmm420socal]

But mostly TIME... takes what 65-70 days per cycle to breed each cross....

Get ready for a couple years work


M

 

[BeAn]

cheers for the response people.

cheers for the response people.

A few specific questions:

How do you get your product to the customers?

More importantly what does the market want at the moment?

How do you protect yourself against the criminal justice systems of other countries?

 

[fjällhöga]

A few specific questions:



More importantly what does the market want at the moment?

Clone only strains available in bean form and rare breeds
Fj

 

[DocLeaf]

hi BeAn,

As you know, I'm a home-breeder (fritillary seed are never for sale, just given out to fellow homegrowers), but Im sure you won't mind my two stalks on this interesting subject:

IMO the present market is open to a fair bit of abuse,,, seems as follows -

people are shifting poly-hybrids as hybrids, and hybrids as IBL's... seed are being made quickly from clone, with little to know thought about future procreation and the preservation of genetic lineage (making fresh seed the same later), people buy in famous named clones, poly-hybrid them and dish them out at %+ mark up (on the price of the original hybrids) (?), many seedlines are co-oped out, old established seed-lines are re-worked by amateurs not pros, so many strains have been lost or half-heartedly re-arranged, little client contact, ... you really want me to continue... lol

Alas try to work in contrast to the above (?) take a leaf from Growdoc's book (not that he has a book, but he's a Viking, from Nordic stock,,, he reap what he sows (!)

hey this isn't to say that all dem breeders out there aren't busting a gut to get the pips into the hands of the growers... we must thank them all if we grow their cultivars, this is called 'respect'... but corners get cut in places, from time to time, you know what go on (?) when corners get cut, you get squares, not gnikcuf< circles (or is that circles not squares),,, see what I'm sayin? this is why I personally stay clear of breeders with poly-hybrid stock.

Note: the best seed "companies" are the ones that sell-out of seedlines the quickest, and then insist on several years to make new stock! (?) this runs to logic and most sound horticultural practise... makes ya think perhaps

just my 2 stalks... an all that
peace dLeaf

 

[DocLeaf]

oh yeah I n I forgot... don't keep all ya eggs in one basket!

The most important thing is holding "seed stock"! [growdoc 2005]

I'm with you all the way buddy... anything I can do to help... when ya strain is ready for the cup... I will enter a herbal wine...

peace n knowledge
DocLeaf

 

[Guest]

you can sell your beans on seedbay, but you have to know what your doing or else no one will buy them from some random guy.

 

[BeAn]

I'm not looking to sell seeds...lol.

I'm not looking to sell seeds...lol.

I was just wondering how the pros work their shit so to speak, I don't want my hobby to turn into a business. It would not be therapeutic, but what i do want is to create something that will bring others like myself some wicked bud and some good times growing it. That's all i want out of my beans, nothing to do with money or the commercial market.

The commercial market demands scrutiny and in some cases higher standards just like DocLeaf said, if it were the sale of furniture for example you'd want to get a well made table for your £££, and not one that was just thrown together in five minutes with sticks and shit.

Thanks for your input guys, its much appreciated.

The other day I was just sitting there toking on some cheese, and i thought to myself..."How does the cannabis seed market work?" i just want some of your opinions, so keep em coming....

DocLeaf, Nice one man. You are indeed a scholar and a gentleman, talk soon. :friends:

 

[suzycremecheese]

but you have to know what your doing or else no one will buy them from some random guy.

Not entirely true. Over the last 6 years I've seen lots of "breeders" come and go that managed to sell some seeds. There are lots of pollinators out there.

 

[SpacemanSpliff]

More importantly what does the market want at the moment?

The market wants a strain that has good bag appeal, consistantly turns purple, has nice resin production, is potent, yields well, and finishes in under 8 weeks. good luck. Oh, it should have a catchy name, too.

 

[Guest423]

basically just come up with a wicked name and say some cool things about it and most people will buy it.....to many times have i seen someone say how they got these killer seeds with some killer name and description just for it to be a disappointment. a few come to mind but i won't say what they are.

peace

 

[Guest]

It;s true, what is tuff on the small grower is the amount of time it takes to dial in a plant. A few grows at least learning it's nute tolerance, stretch etc. only to find it is okay or not suitable to your personal taste.

The breeders descriptions are vague and make everything seem fantastic...

So far I am 1 for 2. My bagseed indica from Bolinas,CA. blew away Nirvanas NL x Big Bud.

So you just have to keep growing until you find what you like...

Breeding seems like you need an outdoor plot or several grow rooms and several years to cross and back cross and stabalize...

 

[Guest]

The proof is always in the End Results.
They don't lie.

 

[Cuzin_Dave]

BeAn you pose an interesting question given the general conditions of what is happening these days. Certainly a small seed company would bear most of the financial and legal risks without necessarily receiving any corresponding pecuniary rewards.
Probably the easiest method would be to obtain a few well known clones grown in sea of green of fashion and one male plant to pollinate the girls. That would guarantee you a minimum of 10 "strains" and provide palpable "proof" of years of dedicated effort in the buying public's mind.
The slightest knowledge of genetics, while desirable, is not essential to industry success. Paid advertising and a captive help desk are more valuable assets than spending years of one's time pouring over some dreary textbook genetics.
It might be advisable to post on as many Internet sites as frequently as possible, and use your digital camera to post your best pictures of nugs which should be rock hard and have a blue hue.
Keep your start up costs low and make sure that your breeding stock comes from mysterious bag seed or unknown sources.
Don't be afraid to make random unsystematic crosses, no one will think less of you for doing so, and by no means should you sell your seeds at rock bottom or even reasonable prices. Make sure any octahybrids produced have a novel name.

 

[BeAn]

Some very cool opinions...keep em coming!

Some very cool opinions...keep em coming!

Rezdog, thanks for dropping by...i totally agree, the proof is in the pudding..

kmarpa, Large populations are the main hurdles faced by home-growers like myself, i simply don't have the time, space money ETC to grow the populations and number of plants most pro breeders use, and I'm sure I'm not the only grower without the necessary shizzle to truly develop a strain to its full potential.


Cuzin_Dave, Lol.... Nice one...


Keep the posts coming, speak your mind on the current seed market.

 

[Guest]

....I love what I do,and that's All That Matters,to me.
This is my life.


edit: sometimes,I say too much....

 

[BeAn]

Nice one Rez, cheers for the input. Its breeders like you, and some others that really set the standards for modern cannabis breeding. Im looking forward to trying your Sour Diesel IBL in the near future, all i have seen/read are good things.

Got any tips for any wannabe pros/stash breeders?

 

[Cuzin_Dave]

BeAn on a more serious note, small seed companies and breeders come and go like the winds these days. Most, if not all of them, offer reheated versions of Dutch genetics or crossed versions of the more expensive lines. Making seeds is relatively simple, but creating stable breeding lines with desirable phenotypes is difficult. The only real option is to create stable breeding lines on your own which does take considerable work, (approximately 5-10 years) working maybe only one strain during that period. Unraveling and disarticulating most of the hybrid junk available today would probably take much longer.

 

[Guest]

hey Bean to learn about the actual nuts and bolts of breeding I highly recommend you grab a copy of "Breeding Your Own Vegetable Varieties" by Carol Deppe
http://www.chelseagreen.com/2000/items/361

So ya do your homework, and find some "strains" that you find desirable with known lineage and play around with them. Best way to figger out this whole breeding thing is by doing it.