The 5 Best Canadian Seed Banks That Ship to Canada & the US

On October 17, 2018, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana. For many, this legalization has been an opportunity to nurture a green thumb. In addition to the recreational use of marijuana and marijuana products, growing cannabis from licensed seed or seedling is legal with a limit of four plants per residence for personal use in most places.

Getting started with growing your own cannabis begins with finding the best Canadian seed bank. That can prove difficult, as there’s a vast and growing market of seed banks across the country that vary in quality. To help you out, we did the research to identify some of the best Canadian seed banks out there.

The 5 Best Canadian Seed Banks that Ship to Canada

1. Crop King Seeds – Editor’s Choice
2. I Love Growing Marijuana Seed Bank – Most Reliable
3. Quebec Cannabis Seeds – Best CBD Selection
4. Rocket Seeds – Best Value
5. Sonoma Seeds – Fastest Shipping

Following our list of the best Canadian seed banks we will break down how to avoid scams and ensure that your cannabis seeds are real and of great quality.

Here is everything you need to know about the best Canadian seed banks:

• Germination guarantee on all strains
• All seeds are inspected, tested and handpicked to be mature and viable
• Free shipping for orders over $200
• Safe and secure shipping
• Customer service available 24/7

Why Crop King Seeds is Our Top Pick

There’s a reason Crop King Seeds is at the top of our Best Canadian Seed Banks list. Based out of BC, Crop King Seeds has been a top quality seed distributor for over 15 years. The CKS team’s goal has always been to help growers optimize their results in harvest size and THC levels by perfecting the genetics of the cannabis plant.

Ideal for both advanced growers and beginners, Crop King Seeds searches far beyond Vancouver for the highest quality breeders and strains all over the world. Because of this legwork, they are able to offer a strain selection featuring new age hybrids and classics side by side, with variety in shape, size, and color.

Click here to check out the Crop King Seeds selection of cannabis seeds.

They have also cultivated more than 30 unique in-house strains over time they feature for sale. Despite offering over 40 strains, Crop King Seeds is investing in developing new strains and continuously expanding their line. Thanks to all 30+ of Crop King Seeds’s in-house strains, which cannot be found anywhere else, there are some higher-end, exclusive options that you can only get here, including medicinal varieties, high CBD strains, and regular, feminized, and autoflowering seeds.

Looking for a best seller? Try Blue Cookies, a high-end hybrid of Blueberry and Girl Scout Cookies GSC. Or if you’re looking for a great medical marijuana strain, try CBD White Widow or CB Diesel, a high CBD version of Sour Diesel.

What else makes Crop King such a great seed bank?

CKS guarantee a germination rate of at least 80%, standing by their seeds. If your package doesn’t get there they will also replace it for free—in fact, they’ll do that even if you don’t like the order you did receive.

Crop King Seeds makes it easy and quick to order cannabis seeds online. Search the site using the filters, including strain type (indica, sativa, hybrid), seed type (feminized, auto-flowering, regular), and THC level, and just follow the prompts.

CKS cares a lot about privacy, and they ship even Canadian orders in unmarked envelopes. Crop King Seeds basically ships in “stealth” mode to the rest of the world, encasing seeds inside DVD cases, pens, and other hidden places to conceal them in shipping. Crop King Seeds also does not save your payment details.

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Payments can be made with Bitcoin, US or Canadian dollars, Visa or Mastercard.

Pros:

• Germination guarantee on all strains
• All seeds are inspected, tested and handpicked to be mature and viable
• Free shipping for orders over $200
• Safe and secure shipping
• Customer service available 24/7

Cons:

• No free shipping on smaller orders
• Limited selection of strains

Extra perk: You’ll get ten free cannabis seeds that come from Canada with orders over $420.

Check out our favorite strains at CKS

Today, I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM) is among the most trusted sources of cannabis growing, breed, and seed knowledge online, but it began as the passion project of one guy. Expert cannabis grower Robert Bergman founded ILGM after growing and experimenting with his own strain development. After he founded ILGM in the Netherlands in 2012, it quickly grew into one of the most popular online seed banks in the world.

ILGM has now blossomed into a cannabis knowledge center for sharing growing information—both a source of expert knowledge and a beginner-friendly seed bank.

Compared to some of the gigantic seed banks out there, ILGM doesn’t actually have a huge selection, choosing to focus on quality over quantity. If you’re looking for a selection of hundreds strains you’ve never heard of before, you may have to supplement your buying elsewhere for this reason. However, ILGM still features an impressive range of popular strains, with dozens of the most loved and most popular strains on offer.

ILGM offers fast flowering, feminized, and autoflowering strains as well as regular cannabis seeds, from some exciting new hybrids to all of standards you’re used to and love. For example, ILGM offers top shelf Cheese, Bergman’s Gold Leaf, Jack Herer, Durban Poison, OG Kush, Northern Lights, Trainwreck, Purple Haze, White Widow, White Dream, and its own in-house Gorilla Glue and Gelato cultivars.

What do we love about ILGM?

First and foremost, the quality of the seeds. If you follow their guide, ILGM guarantees that your seeds will germinate. They will refund your money if they don’t.

We also love the ILGM knowledge base, a massive strain database and selection of guides that allows you to determine which cannabis seeds will work best for your grow. You can also get expert growing advice in the active forum.

ILGM offers excellent customer service, going way beyond the germination guarantee. They put the energy and time into responding to customer problems, both online and offline, as you can confirm via their Trustpilot reviews. ILGM will even replace what customs confiscates for free.

Bonus tips for ILGM:

Use the free ILGM Grow Bible, geared to help growers of all skill and experience levels. To learn all about the various growing techniques and cannabis strains, check out the ILGM YouTube channel.

ILGM ships to the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and the EU. Shipping to the US and the EU is free. Shipping to Australia and New Zealand is free for orders over US $150. ILGM offers a germination guarantee on all seeds and they’ll replace seeds that don’t work if you follow their germination guide.

The ILGM seed banks accepts bitcoin, credit cards, cash, and bank transfers. For a 10 percent discount buy your seeds with Bitcoin.

Pros:

• Germination guarantee on all strains
• Free shipping
• Stealth delivery available
• Great customer service

Cons:

• Smaller selection
• Selling unbranded seeds

Check out ILGM’s strains for sale.

Quebec Cannabis Seeds is a consistent performer on most lists of the Best Canadian Seed Banks. For over 15 years, Quebec Cannabis Seeds has been creating great new varieties out of Quebec, with the aim of offering higher quality cannabis and more choice.

Why do we love Quebec Cannabis Seeds?

Among the top providers of cannabis seeds, Quebec Cannabis Seeds works with any grower’s budget, offering a huge range of different seed varieties, including auto-flowering seeds, high CBD seeds, feminized varieties, and regular cannabis seeds—all the things you’d expect one of the best seed banks to carry. Quebec is also one of the few seed banks out there that actually focuses on breeding cannabis and improving genetics for well-being and medical use.

You can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth with QCS. The CBD and THC levels of these seeds is high and consistent, and their germination rate guarantee of at least 80 percent gives you further peace of mind.

You’ll also like the special promotions and offers they’re often carrying. At least a few popular varieties of seeds will typically be marked down each time you visit. Or just opt for a mixed pack of high-quality feminized seeds—or maybe the fast version.

Want a specialty seed that will grow outside—in Canada? Quebec Cannabis Seeds has you covered. Looking for something that grows fast but produces strong results and good cannabinoid levels? They’ve got that too.

Looking for a best seller? Quebec Cannabis Black Gold feminized seeds is an in-house favorite, or try Auto Bruce Banner feminized seeds, AK-47 feminized seeds, or that heavy-hitting Gorilla Glue—another best seller.

It’s fast and easy to order cannabis seeds online from Quebec Cannabis Seeds. The site is user-friendly and well-organized, and you can search by seed type (feminized, auto-flowering, regular), strain type (indica, sativa, hybrid), and cannabinoid levels.

QCS stealth ships even Canadian orders, which are usually delivered in 5 to 7 days. Payments can be made with Visa or Mastercard.

Pros:

• Breeder focus on medical cannabis and strains for well-being
• Strains selected to do well in North American climates
• Germination guaranteed to 80 percent
• Safe and secure shipping
• Check out the fast version strains

Cons:

• No free shipping, flat $10 fee
• Great customer service, but not always available

See the latest strains QCS has in stock.

4. Rocket Seeds – Biggest Seed Selection

Rocket Seeds is a site that carries seeds from multiple different brands—including Crop King Seeds—so it offers a much bigger variety than most other seed banks. Rocket Seeds promises fair prices and top quality products with a wide range to offer.

So, what do we love about Rocket Seeds?

Variety is high. Rocket Seeds has excellent selection, offering everything each one of their brands carries. In fact, you can choose among hundreds of varieties of cannabis seeds online on the Rocket Seeds site.

Rocket often carries limited edition strains and new hybrids that you won’t find anywhere else, and both auto-flowering seeds and photoperiodic versions of the same strain. They also carry a lot of the most well-known strains, like Acapulco Gold and White Widow.

Strains sold by Rocket Seeds are also all over the place, from many strains that are perfect for first-time growers and beginner-friendly, to many that are tougher to cultivate and rare. The site also features sections for high THC seeds and high CBD strains and information for medical marijuana growers.

Rocket Seeds does offer a germination guarantee for growers who follow their instructions, so you can have confidence in what you’re buying.

The Rocket Seeds site is user-friendly and easy to navigate. They lay out their extensive range in an organized way, which makes it easier to wade through the amazing assortment of choices. Sort to find what you need by strain type, growth characteristic, or based on other factors.

Rocket Seeds cares about your privacy, with unmarked, stealth shipping options to countries other than Canada being the default.

In Canada, you’ll receive your seeds from Rocket Seeds in unique strain packaging and it takes 5-7 business days in North America. Free shipping is only applied to orders over $200. Rocket Seeds accepts multiple payment methods including credit cards, bitcoin, and Paypal.

Pros:

• Sells huge variety of brands and strains
• World wide shipping
• Good customer support
  

Cons:

• No free shipping on smaller orders
• Buying through a middle man can raise the price—sometimes, not always!

Check out Rocket Seeds’s huge collection.

Last but not least on our list of best Canadian seed banks is Sonoma Seeds. Sonoma Seeds is based on the West Coast and guarantees truly high-quality products.

What do we love about Sonoma Seeds?

The Sonoma Seeds site delivers a user-friendly experience. The range they offer is extensive and has the potential to be overwhelming, but they have it organized on easy-to-navigate pages in a user-friendly way. This means your job as a grower shopping is more about eliminating great options based on your specific goals, not just figuring out what will work.

We also like the fact that Sonoma Seeds gives you choices across the board. They offer many payment options, including credit cards, cash, money transfers, Interac e-transfer, and different types of cryptocurrencies. Sonoma Seeds ships to you in unmarked packages, and the seeds themselves are sent outside of retail packages.

Focus on organic growing. Sonoma Seeds emphasizes organic growing and offers relevant tips.

Although their selection is not what we would call extensive, Sonoma seeds offers a range of indica, sativa, and hybrid seeds. Their strains range from harder to cultivate and rarer to many beginner-friendly strains that are ideal for first-time growers. You will also find high THC and high CBD seeds.

The company promises safe and secure shipping, and for orders over $200 USD, that shipping is free. It takes 3 to 5 days in Canada and 7 to 14 days in the US, although you do have to pay $20 for express tracking information. Sonoma Seeds accepts money transfer, credit card, bitcoin, Interac and cash for payments.

Pros:

• Guaranteed 80% germination rate
• Free shipping for orders $200 and over
• Multiple payment options available

Cons:

• Extra fee for tracking
• No guarantee of resending if seeds don’t germinate
• Not as much selection
  

Check out Sonoma Seeds here.

What Makes a Marijuana Seed High Quality?

The most important seed quality factor is good genetics. This matters as you shop, because less ethical breeders may cross strains randomly and sell whatever seeds they produce doing that without taking all the steps you need to ensure a reliable, stable seed.

A reputable breeder will invest their time in crossing and backcrossing plants to generate many different phenotypes. It takes much more than simply crossing female and male plants to stabilize the most desirable traits of a cannabis cultivar.

It is also critical to store and use seeds as they are intended to ensure seed quality. To avoid mold and other pathogens, store cannabis seeds frozen, or in a cool, dark place for up to 16 months. Cannabis seeds must completely mature before harvest.

How to Check Quality of Marijuana Seeds

Growing cannabis is time-consuming and expensive, so no one wants to go through the entire planting process with seeds that don’t work. In the long run, it’s much easier to learn to tell the difference between bad cannabis seeds and high quality marijuana seeds.

Always inspect how your cannabis seeds look and feel. Some quality issues are easy to detect, although others demand more experience to perceive.

Genetically superior, healthier, mature marijuana seeds have outer shells with darker, grayish colors. Cannabis seeds that are green or pale may germinate slowly, if at all, as they are still immature.

Gently feel the seeds. They should feel firm when you handle them. Ensure they don’t crack, bend, or fold under pressure when you gently squeeze the seeds between your thumb and finger—being buried in soil is similar.

Finally, always opt for fresh, mature cannabis seeds with high-quality, stable, proven genetics.

Whenever you receive a new shipment of cannabis seeds, inspect them using this checklist:

• Color, Appearance: Avoid immature seeds that are lighter colors such as light green, yellow, and white, and choose viable brown or even black seeds instead.
• Shape and size: Teardrop and round seeds tend to be the best quality.
• Toughness: Look for smooth, non-cracked outer shells.
• Age: Remember, under 16 months in proper cool, dark storage conditions is best, and avoid mold and rot.
• Do the Float Test: Place your seeds in just enough distilled water to see whether they sink after a couple of hours. If they have sufficient bulk to sink, they usually have a better chance of germinating.

Best Cannabis Seeds Banks to Buy From Online: What Should You Look For?

Cannabis Seeds by Gender

Cannabis seeds can be either male or female. Female cannabis plants produce the seeds you need to grow, while the male plants provide fertilization. Cannabis seeds may be feminized seeds or regular seeds.

Regular seeds include both males and females, in about even numbers. This is the best choice if you want more seeds, or for cannabis breeders. But if you just want more blooming plants without the hassle, regular seeds might not be your best option.

Feminized seeds should contain only female cannabis seeds—although a few male seeds can stay behind. This is the best option if you do not like seed reproduction and you just want your seeds to grow, because the majority of the seeds are females so these types of seeds are also easier to germinate.

Cannabis Seeds by Genetics

There are several types of cannabis seeds from a genetic perspective: Indica seeds, Sativa seeds, and Hybrid seeds. Any of these types may be auto-flowering seeds, which are also a bit different genetically.

Indica seeds produce cannabis plants with thick stems, fat leaves, and shorter heights that live well in temperate zones. The buds of these plants contain high THC and CBD levels, making these strains ideal for relaxation.

Sativa seeds grow tall and big, originating in subtropical and tropical climates. Sativa cannabis strains are an excellent option for people who need a boost of energy thanks to their terpenes and high THC and THCV levels.

Hybrid seeds blend of sativa and indica genetics to produce unique cannabis strains that bring the best of both worlds together.

Auto-flowering seeds produce cannabis plants that are non-photoperiod growers. This is possible because they were created in part with Ruderalis genetics, the Cannabis Ruderalis plant demanding less light to flower.

Seed Bank Payment Options

Since the entire world has gone online, buying cannabis seeds is no different. Seed banks use various payment methods:

• PayPal
• Online Bank Transfers
• Payment through cash
• Credit Cards
• Cryptocurrency
• Debit Cards

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are the most popular payment option for buying cannabis seeds. Some seed banks even offer a bitcoin discount.

People also use other payment options including cash, although sending cash in the mail can be dangerous if you don’t use a reputable seed bank.

Can You Legally Ship Cannabis Seeds to the United States?

It is technically legal to buy cannabis seeds online and ship them to the United States if they are legal in the state or country where you’re buying them. However, importing seeds into your home state can be tricky. Be aware of your own state’s law, as the rules vary considerably.

Cannabis seeds cannot cross state lines in the US because marijuana remains illegal under federal law. This means that, although it is rare, people who transport cannabis across state lines can still get federal criminal charges against them—even when they buy and live in legal states.

If you buy cannabis seeds online and they are discovered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), they will just discard them and not deliver them to you. This highlights the importance of stealth shipping and guarantees; most good seed banks will replace orders that customs discards.

The same is true of reentering the US with cannabis seeds. Even if you fly from, say, Amsterdam, or the recreational cannabis state of Oregon, CBP will seize any cannabis seeds they find because marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

How are Feminized Cannabis Seeds Different from Regular Seeds?

Because cannabis seeds have both male and female parents, any given seed might turn out to be male or female. There is no good way to tell from just inspecting a seed whether it will produce a male or female cannabis plant. In fact, the ideal time to predict a cannabis plant’s future sex is just as it starts flowering.

In general, there is a 66 percent female to male growth ratio among regular marijuana seeds, so it is safe to assume you’ll grow about half and half, male and female plants with regular cannabis seeds.

Feminized cannabis seeds effectively guarantee that each germinated seed becomes a female because they are specifically bred to eliminate male chromosomes. Growers feminize seeds by treating them with colloidal silver solution, or with a germination hormone, or via rodelization, a method of fertilizing a female plant with another female past maturity.

Feminized seeds are shaped like teardrops and have a calyx structure, unlike male seeds. Many growers like feminized seeds because they don’t want to worry about pollination, and they do want to simplify the process and save space and time. Space is a concern for both hobby growers and medical marijuana growers, because most cannabis regulations limit how many plants you can grow.

Although feminized seeds guarantee a no hassle, no seed, all bud harvest every time, more experienced growers often avoid them. This is because they are less useful for breeding, containing just one set of genes.

Remember, if you are growing both males and females, aim to identify them visually early on in the flowering stage—don’t wait too long. The entire crop will be seedy once the males produce pollen. to avoid cross-pollination, retain breeding males in sealed-off places within or near the grow area.

Auto-flowering Seeds Briefly Explained (And why they are the best seeds for beginners)

Growers hoping for speed or beginners often look for autoflowering seeds. This is because they typically deliver excellent results with no light cycle management in only 10 weeks from seed to flower. This makes growing all year long possible, even for new growers.

As the seasons change in autumn the light in the sky drops to around 12 hours a day. This is when most varieties of cannabis start to flower, and why even the indoors light cycle looks like it does.

The species Cannabis ruderalis evolved in regions with far less sunlight. This native of the northern climates flowers once the plant reaches a certain age automatically, and is therefore auto-flowering. Cannabis breeders crossed certain ruderalis varieties with other strains of cannabis to develop auto-flowering seeds.

Obviously, autoflower strains start to flower right when they reach maturity. They are smaller plants overall, and they are far easier to grow, particularly outdoors. They also maximize available summer light naturally, so even after continuous light exposure, they will flower.

Autoflowering seeds are the obvious choice if speed is your goal as a grower. Throw all of these advantages together and you can push multiple auto-flowering crop harvests into the time of one typical cannabis harvest.

However, the drawback of using autoflowering seeds is that their yields are often smaller and less potent. This can be a deal-breaker, particularly for medical growers. And even if you’re just a hobby grower, potency and yield matter if you need to maximize space, and who doesn’t?

What are the laws around growing cannabis in Canada?

You may not sell the cannabis you grow at home to others.

The Cannabis Act permits adults to grow up to 4 cannabis plants per household (not each). The Act also provides security and safety measures for growing cannabis plants that are recommended, not required.

To grow cannabis for sale, you must be licensed by Health Canada. In some cases, a license from the Canada Revenue Agency may also be required. Legal cannabis “products must carry an excise stamp, except those products with less than 0.3% THC or no THC.”

Is it legal to buy Cannabis seeds in Canada? Are there specific laws around seeds?

Yes, it is legal to buy cannabis seeds in Canada, because with the passage of 2018’s Cannabis Act, Canada became the first G7 and G20 nation to legalize cannabis. The Act specifically allows each household to cultivate up to four cannabis plants from “licensed seed or seedlings.”

So, what does it mean to be “licensed seed or seedlings”?

It means they come from a provincially or territorially regulated retailer, and you can tell because the package has a stamp on it.

Realistically, can anyone tell where a seed came from once a plant is growing? Maybe not, but they can demand proof of where you got the seeds, so it’s worth noting.

Remember, Manitoba and Quebec are not included in this part of the act and you cannot grow cannabis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are High CBD Marijuana Seeds?

A: Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the many cannabinoids, natural plant compounds, that occurs in cannabis. Many growers choose cannabis strains that offer high-THC content, but today high CBD strains are more and more popular too due to the medical benefits users believe they have.

Q: Is There a Difference Between Medical Cannabis and Recreational Cannabis?

A: Technically there is no real difference between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis when it comes to marijuana seeds, although some seeds may be bred, intended, or marketed that way. Those kinds of distinctions have to do with THC and CBD levels, user intent, and the law, which varies from place to place.

Q: What’s the Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor-Grown Cannabis?

A: You can choose strains of cannabis seeds for indoor and outdoor cultivation depending on your available space.

Outdoor strands thrive best in a natural habitat, and typically are very robust, and grow large. Ideal outdoor cannabis strains to grow from seed should be more resistant to environmental changes and extreme weather issues. Some of our favorite outdoor strains include Northern Lights, Critical Kush, and Blueberry.

If you have less space for growing or you have more ability to manage temperature, humidity levels, and lighting times, indoor marijuana seeds may be your best option. Certain strains are fragile and require more weather control. Overall, these strains do much better inside with lots of TLC. Among indoor strains we love White Widow, Big Bud, and Amnesia.

Can inside strains move outside, and vice versa? No. Outdoor cannabis strains can usually survive inside after making the switch, but it doesn’t work both ways. Cannabis strains that require indoor conditions typically needs to stay inside. And really, so long as your growing area is safe from major fluctuations in environmental conditions and under your control, you should be able to grow any type of cannabis seed.

Q: How Much Do Cannabis Seeds Cost?

A: Typically, cannabis seeds come in packs of 3, 5, 10, or 12 seeds, or sometimes in multiple packs of 5 or 10 seeds. Expect to start at around $4 a seed, although there is a lot of range here.

It can cost hundreds of dollars for a package of seeds with specialty or high-end genetics. Auto-flowering seeds and feminized seed also typically cost more, because they produce more reliably and quickly, and because it demands more work to produce them.

Q: What seed bank has the best genetics?

A: Seed banks offer cannabis with different genetics, so there is no definitive answer to this question. However, our top recommended seed bank that ships to Canada is Crop Kings Seeds.

Q: Are seed banks legit?

A: Seed banks are definitely legit—you just need to know which ones to use and be aware of scams. All of the online seed banks we recommend in this article are legit.

Q: Are there any seed banks in the United States?

A: Yes. And many seed banks outside the US ship here.

Q: Is it legal to buy cannabis seeds?

A: Probably—but that depends on where you are. Check your local laws before ordering.

Final Thoughts on How to Buy Marijuana Seeds

Whether you need to improve the genetics of what you are already growing or you are hoping to grow from the very best fine cannabis seeds, buying quality cannabis seeds is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Growing your own amazing crop exactly how you want it to be is an amazing accomplishment that pays you back big time.

Many online cannabis seed banks can be disappointing or even fraudulent, so it is essential to start in the right place. The ones on this list are all high-quality, legit seed banks that ship to Canada.

It isn’t easy to weed through bad businesses and outright scams to identify great service and quality products. Guide your search in the right direction with this list of the best Canadian seed banks. All of the Canadian seed banks we recommended offer high quality products, and the best Canadian seed bank is Crop King Seeds.