Confidentiality and discretion are key qualities when choosing a top UK seed bank.
There are now more strains of cannabis seed available than ever before. This is great if you decide to buy some but it is easy to get stuck when there are so many players in the UK market. To get the right guidance and the best deal, while staying on the right side of the law, it is crucial to find a good seed bank.
If you make this first choice wisely it will make everything that follows smoother. Don’t be tempted to go with an unproven supplier for discounted seeds. This could compromise your security or the quality of the product.
The best seed banks should provide you with secure transactions, quick delivery and a range of other benefits such as a great variety of choices and of course some free seeds.
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Contents
Best UK Seed Banks
If you want to skip the reading this table acts as a quick reference to what I consider the best seed banks currently operating in the UL:
| Seed Type | Strains | Freebies? | Visit Store | |
| The Vault | Regs, fems, autos | 3500 | Yes | Visit Store |
| Grizzly Seeds | Fems, autos | 800 | Yes | Visit Store |
| Seed City | Regs, fems, autos | 3000 | Yes | Visit Store |
| Seedsman | Regs, fems, autos | 4000 | Yes | Visit Store |
| 420 Seeds | Regs, fems, autos | 1000 | Yes | Visit Store |
Buying Cannabis Seeds in the UK
The law surrounding cannabis seeds in the UK is very clear: It is legal to buy and sell them but they are illegal to germinate. Germination is the process of introducing a seed to warmth, light and moisture to begin the growing process.
Seeds may be purchased as memorabilia, souvenirs, bird food, or even fish bait. However, if you make a purchase and indicate that you intend to germinate them, the seller is obligated to report it to the police. Equally, a seller must not indicate that seeds are being sold for germination.
If you do intend to purchase seeds for germination you must be aware that you may be caught and risk fines or time in prison. As you’re buying them for storage and preservation purposes this won’t be an issue for you.
What Should I Consider When Purchasing?
When selecting a seed bank to make your purchase it is always worth doing your research. Don’t get sucked in by attractive websites or cheap deals, get a bit deeper under the surface first. To get the best product and to make the right choices there are lots of things to consider:
Value for Money
Different seed banks sell at different prices and in different quantities but there may also be different deals available. Remember you are only getting a good deal if the seeds you have bought are good quality and you get the strains that you have paid for.
Range of Cannabis Seeds Available
Most seed banks have a huge range of seeds available so look carefully at the information that is provided for each strain. Look out for a detailed description of the product and customer reviews showing that they have a responsive customer service team. Don’t wait until you’ve got a problem to realise that there is no way to directly contact the suppliers. A seed bank that offers a good variety and communicates clearly about its product will often earn a good reputation.
Another thing to look out for is white-label seed sellers, these are numerous. They buy white-label seeds that are a close approximation of popular strains you will already know and love but are not genuine. They usually put them into their own packaging and claim them as the real McCoy. People who grow them out (in legal countries of course) usually find they are weak growers, do not look or smell like the real thing, and in some cases are just low-quality bag seeds.
Seed Bank Reputation
This is important to know and can be discovered from a range of sources. Look at product reviews on the seed bank sites and other review sites. Visit forums and discussion boards and question-and-answer sites such as Reddit. Until the recent purge of seed banks, Trustpilot was a good source of reviews. So, get as many different opinions as you can. Finally, ask friends who have bought seeds and listen to their product and user experience.
Delivery Options
In the days of Amazon Prime and the next-day delivery of so many products, it has become more relevant than ever for companies to offer a competitive delivery service. In addition, some seed banks also offer an extra layer of discretion with ‘stealth shipping’. This is when your seeds are packed inside another product. It is an excellent option but don’t forget that you have chosen ‘stealth’ when you can’t work out why someone has sent you a packet of pens.
Online vs Shop
In the UK, seeds are available from some shops as well as online. Shops can be a good choice if you don’t have to travel far, you want to talk to a salesperson and you don’t want to wait for your seeds to be delivered. However, for the majority of people buying online is a more attractive option. With an online store, your purchase is discrete, they always stock a much wider range of strains and finally, an online seller will often add some free seeds to sweeten the deal.
Our Top 5 UK Seed Banks of 2024
The 2020s have seen a rapid change in the availability of seeds in the UK. Brexit saw shipping from the EU become more expensive and more difficult with the removal of the customs union. As a result, some of my favourite stores have moved offshore and are now shipping from Spain and the US rather than having a base in the UK. But we still have some good seed banks available if you want to avoid all this hassle and order from the UK.
1 – The Vault Seed Bank
Their strain selection is enormous, stocking strains from over 100 of the world’s most renowned breeders. You can choose from regs, fems and autos plus their awesome range of old-school landraces. If you consider yourself a bit of a connoisseur you will also find enough modern hybrids to satisfy evening the most discerning collector. If you are not sure where to begin, check out their offers page to see what special breeder giveaways are available.
I feel it is also important to note that they now ship from both Spain and the UK. So there is the possibility that the strain you order is only in their Spanish warehouse and may have increased shipping times.
2 – Grizzly Seed Bank
The website is clean and easy to navigate and Grizzly Seed Bank offers numerous payment options including card, crypto (no Bitcoin) and bank transfer. Their collection has increased in size to around 800 strains from over 50 breeders. If you want to buy regular seeds they have a very limited collection. Their range of auto flowers is much larger than it was but still has some catching up to do compared to their feminised seeds.
If you seek high-quality fems, shipped quickly and discreetly Grizzly Seed Bank is the place for you. Like many seed banks, they also offer free seeds with each order. it is also important to note that they ship all their orders from the UK, so no chance of customs peeking inside your package.
3 – Seed City
They have a massive selection of strains with over 7000 listed on their site including regular, feminised and auto-flowering varieties. One of their strengths is their constant offers on popular breeders which change every month and usually give 15% off.
Of course, they offer free seeds with every order, the more you spend the more you get. The only major downside is that the website can sometimes be slow and looks rather dated. But get past this and you are sure to find a great selection of strains to add to your seed collection.
4 – Seedsman
Seedsman is trusted by many because when available they have an enormous selection of regular, feminised and auto-flowering strains from over 150 of the world’s best Breeders. This is alongside their range of exclusive strains.
As a wholesaler, they also have deals with breeders to offer more free seeds than almost any other seed bank. Payment options are varied and you can receive sizeable discounts if you buy using cryptocurrency.
5 – 420 Seeds
One of the main reasons to choose 420 Seeds is they have some great discounts on top-notch breeders and strains. Whilst they aren’t yet my go-to, these offers make them a great proposition if you cannot find what you are looking for at one of our other recommendations.