10 Top Tips for Choosing the Right Cannabis Genetics

In this article, I provide 10 top tips to help you work out which strains are most practical to save you learning the hard way and produce the best crops possible in 2025!

Tip #1 – Choose Feminized Cannabis Seeds for Small Grow Spaces

When looking through a seed catalogue or browsing online, you will have seen the option to buy either regular or feminised cannabis seeds. Please note that regular seeds do not define the quality of the genetics; they indicate that these seeds will be either male or female, requiring sexing later on. 

Feminised seeds will produce only female cannabis plants, which are what you want if the goal is to grow buds to smoke. My tip is to buy feminised seeds if you want to maximise your grow space and not have to worry about removing male plants during the flowering period.

Tip #2 – Grow Hybrid Cannabis Strains for Maximum Yields

One thing I hear all the time when speaking to home growers is that they always want the biggest yielding varieties without compromising on quality. I have learnt over the years that when it comes to production, hybrid cannabis plants are your best candidates. 

Suppose you are unsure what a hybrid is. In that case, the genetics are a combination of both indica and sativa, typically producing the largest buds and yields possible with a flowering time of around 9 weeks. 

Tip #3 – Use Autoflowering Cannabis Plants for Easy Indoor Growing

One reason autos have become so popular among indoor growers is that they are easy to work with. An autoflowering cannabis plant will grow to a final height of around 75-100 cm. It will begin flowering automatically, regardless of the lighting hours. 

This means you can keep your timers set to 18-20 hours of light per day for the best results. 20 hours of light and 4 hours of dark work great, and the autos will stay low and squat; however, they will be full of buds from top to bottom. Autos are also an excellent way to grow indoors without worrying about the plants stretching too tall or competing for light.

Tip #4 – Pick Indica Strains for Limited Grow Height

For growers limited by the height of their grow space, the solution is to grow either auto-flowering or indica-dominant photoperiod plants. An indica will typically grow around 125 cm tall and have short internodal spacing. This means that when you switch your timers from 18/6 to 12/12, they will double in height, making life easier for growers with converted cupboards or small-sized grow tents that are 150 cm high.

Another great thing about working with indica cannabis plants is that when using plant training techniques such as LST and defoliation, you can grow wide and squat plants. The buds will be dense and golf ball-sized, and only take 50 - 56 days before they are ready to harvest.

Tip #5 – Regular Cannabis Seeds Need Sexing

I know many old-school growers who only want to use regular sexed genetics. They will say that feminised seeds are not as good as the old regular versions, which may be true in certain people's eyes; however, there are some downsides to using regular seeds.

The first step is to remove any male plants and retain only the female plants. If you are a beginner-level grower, you run the risk of throwing out up to 50% of your potential plant count. Imagine you have room for 6 plants and end up removing 2-3 of them, or in a worst-case scenario, even more! My tip here is to grow feminised seeds if you are a first-time grower and experiment with regular seeds once you have more experience under your belt, or plan to start a breeding project.

Tip #6  – Use the Sea of Green (SOG) Method for Bigger Harvests

One of my favourite ways to grow indoor cannabis is to use the Sea of Green method (SOG). This style of growing involves using small pots and a high volume of plants, and guarantees big yields in small grow spaces. 

My tip is to check if the strain you are considering growing is suited for a Sea of Green scenario, and also ensure that your ventilation and humidity levels are optimal.  AutoSeeds recommends that small tents with large lights can become hot and humid quickly. Don’t underestimate the importance of airflow and ventilation in keeping your plants happy and healthy. 

Tip #7 – Sativas Are Best for Big Grow Spaces

Sativa cannabis plants are easily the most challenging strains to grow indoors. This is due to their growth structure, excessively tall stretching phase, long flowering periods that can range from 11 to 13 weeks, and the time required for trimming during harvesting. I learnt the hard way when I first started growing sativa plants almost 20 years ago that, unless you have a large growing area, sativas can very quickly become overcrowded and grow tall and lanky. 

My advice is that only experienced growers who are well-versed in plant training techniques, such as topping or tying down, should grow sativas. Screens are also a superb way to tame a big and bushy sativa; however, they can be very demanding and will soon become a high-maintenance growing project regardless of experience and skill level.

Tip #8 – Grow Autoflower Cannabis Outdoors for a Discreet Harvest

Not everyone has the capacity to grow massive indoor or outdoor cannabis plants. Many growers want to keep a low profile, especially outside, and keep their crop hidden from their neighbours and the authorities. 

My tip in this instance is to grow autoflowering cannabis plants outside. The reasons are that autos tend to stay short and can be easily hidden. They are tough, resilient and adapt well to most climates, allowing growers in Northern Europe to achieve impressive results. Especially if the autoflowering variety you choose has a fruity and floral terpene profile, you will not need to worry about your plants emitting an unpleasant odour and attracting the wrong type of attention.

Tip #9 – Choose Modern-Day Cannabis Strains with High THC Levels

In the last 5 years, the potency levels of modern-day genetics have rocketed to as high as 30%+ THC, with most testing at least 25% THC and above. One of the reasons for this trend was the demand for high-potency cannabis strains. 

I think everyone likes a knock-out cannabis strain for smoking at home and unwinding after a busy day, so if you are one of those smokers, then I would advise buying either exotic American-made varieties such as Gelato cannabis strains or Gorilla Glue. My personal favourite old school strain to smoke is OG Kush, which can melt you and leave you glued to your couch or armchair.

Tip 10  – Fast Flowering Cannabis Strains for More Harvests per Year

If your goal is to produce as many harvests as possible in a year while minimising electricity costs, then my tip is to grow only fast-flowering cannabis plants. This means that the flowering time should be around 50 days. There are many fast-flowering genetics on the market these days, from Zkittles, Skunk hybrids and many quick-finish autos. When you can grow fast-flowering strains in a Sea of Green set-up, with a short vegetation time, you will find this is the most effective and efficient way to produce consistent yields.