The cannabis industry would not be possible without the hard work of cannabis nurseries. These businesses are responsible for finding new and interesting strains of cannabis, growing and selling high-quality seeds, and preserving the genetics of this valuable plant. Without their dedication, the cannabis industry would not be the thriving sector it is today.

As the demand for cannabis seeds and clones grows in Canada, an increasing number of nurseries are appearing to meet this demand.

Cannabis nurseries, though relatively small in number, play a big role in supplying genetics to licensed producers.

What is a cannabis nursery?

Many nurseries focus primarily on supplying starting genetics for other growers, usually in the form of clones or tissue culture samples. An increasing number of nurseries are also selling seeds directly to retail customers.

Cannabis cultivation licences in Canada are divided into three categories: micro cultivators with a 200 m2 canopy limit, standard cultivators with no canopy limit, and cannabis nurseries. This system ensures that businesses have the appropriate licence for their size and production needs.

Cannabis nurseries can have an unlimited number of non-flowering cannabis plants, but are limited to a 50 m2 canopy for flowering material used for seed production.

Unlike cultivation licences, nurseries can only grow flowers for seeds and must destroy the flowers after the seeds are harvested.

Although most licensed nurseries are located in British Columbia, there are a few in other provinces as well. Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick each have one.

The cloning of plants, the culturing of tissue, and the planting of seeds are all methods of modern plant husbandry that can produce healthier, more robust plants.

If you’re looking for high-quality cannabis seeds, you can’t go wrong with Progeny Bio, Weathered Islands Craft Cannabis, or NRC Cannabis. These nurseries are located in some of the best cannabis-producing provinces in Canada, so you can be sure you’re getting top-notch product.

Other nurseries that focus on supplying clones and tissue cultures to commercial growers include Segra, Mother Labs, Klonetics, and Greenway.

This provides commercial growers with a source of new and unique genetics, as well as a way to more efficiently use canopy space for flowering. This is especially beneficial for micro cultivators, who can use the space saved for clone production and vegging.

Pre-flower clones are a popular choice for growers who want to start plants from nurseries or other cultivators that can be quickly transferred to an indoor setting.

Tissue cultures and ‘clean’ cannabis

Tissue culture is the practice of growing plant cells in a sterile, controlled environment. This is the best way to ensure that clones are healthy and free of disease and pests, and that they will have consistent growth characteristics.

Klonetics, a newly licensed nursery in British Columbia, offers tissue culture services that are beneficial for commercial growers. Their pheno-hunting process selects the best version of a strain, and then they create tissue culture samples for sale. This provides a reliable and consistent product for growers.

Our focus is on what we call “ready-to-flower” plants. These are 12-inch plants that enable licensed producers to reclaim their mother, clone, and veg space and turn it all into flowering space. This increases yield and makes it much more efficient.

Our ready-to-flower plants are all started from tissue culture, which guarantees that they will be mildew-free and mould-free. Our full-time Ph.D. virologist also removes any viruses, ensuring that our plants are of the highest quality.

Cannabis that is free of pests and viruses is not only more aesthetically pleasing, but also healthier and more effective.

Cannabis nurseries offer tissue culture services that can store a producer’s genetics and clean them of potential diseases or impurities. ProgynyBio in British Columbia is one such nursery. This service is beneficial for producers who want to maintain their genetics and ensure their plants are healthy.

We strongly believe that testing for viruses and keeping plant material clean in tissue culture systems is vital to the success of the industry, much like our Certified Stock. This is according to Geoff White, the CEO and Founder of ProgenyBio and CanGenX BioTech Inc.

We offer a range of services to licensed cultivators, including molecular virus/viroid analysis, plant material sanitation, maintenance and storage, and low-mid volume propagation. Our tissue culture system does not use plant growth regulators or antibiotics, in order to comply with Health Canada standards.

Seed sales and exclusive genetics

Given that cannabis cultivation is currently legal in most Canadian provinces, there should be greater support for legal starting materials. This would improve the supply of legal cannabis and make it more accessible to those who want to grow their own.

Although there are many illicit suppliers of cannabis seeds online, Klonetics is working to distinguish itself from its competitors by partnering with licensed breeders and seed producers. This allows them to offer a unique and high-quality product that is not available from other sources.

Brough emphasizes that they only work with reputable breeders to ensure that the genetics they are selling are of the highest quality.

Our company has exclusive licensing agreements with some of the biggest seed companies in the world. This gives us the rights to use their names, brands, and cultivars. We have agreements with eleven of the biggest names in the seed and cultivar business.

Seed sales are good for small businesses

A small number of cannabis growers are selling seeds on the retail market, rather than for commercial purposes. This gives consumers the opportunity to access high-quality genetics and grow their own legally sourced cannabis. It is also a relatively easy way for small businesses to break into the industry.

Micro cultivators like ANC and Parkland Flower have found a niche market in focusing on seed production rather than flower production, with seeds in several provinces and territories like Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Yukon, and others.

Kieley Beaudry of Parkland Flower believes that seed production is a good way to enter the market immediately, as it is less complicated than the flower market.

Cannabis products like flower, edibles, beverages, extracts, and topicals must be packaged by a processor, but anyone with a cultivation licence can sell seeds and clones into the provincially managed retail channels, with provincial approval.

Although the flower market can be quite competitive, she believes that seeds provide a good entry point for a small business like hers.

Beaudry explains that growing hemp is a good way to get started in the industry with a low-risk product. By getting into each distribution channel and figuring it out, growers can gain valuable experience before putting other products on the market.

Ms. Beaudry has been successful in working with some provinces to lower their insurance requirements for seeds sellers. This has helped small growers like Parkland Farms to be able to use this product category as an entry into an otherwise complex and costly provincial supply chain.

Is there consumer demand for seeds in retail markets?

Although seed sales are still a small part of the overall cannabis market, many nurseries are still finding success supplying a variety of seeds to consumers in nearly every province. Those curious to grow their own weed at home might consider starting with seeds, with the exception of Manitoba and Quebec, where growing cannabis at home is banned.

Pure Sunfarms Corporation is committed to providing quality products that will help connect consumers with the plant-growing community.

In the end, it all comes down to consumer demand. We see varying degrees of interest depending on the province.

We are committed to supplying provincial boards with seeds, even though they only make up a small percentage of our overall sales. This is because we have found that there is strong demand for them.

We’re excited to be a part of the growing industry of sustainable energy sources. Even though it’s not a huge part of the market yet, we believe in its importance and are happy to contribute to its growth.