AMS: Amsterdam Seed Bank since 1996

Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds (AMS) in short

AMS is a cannabis seed bank in Amsterdam. We sell feminized, autoflower and regular seeds and ship them worldwide in discreet packaging. Every order is packed by hand in Amsterdam, standard shipping is free, and if your seeds do not germinate you get free replacement seeds under our germination guarantee.

That is the short answer. The rest of this page explains who is behind AMS, where the genetics come from, how ordering and delivery work, and how to pick a first strain without guessing.

Who runs AMS

AMS was started in 1996 by three people. They prefer to stay anonymous, which is common in this trade, so you will not find names or portraits here. What we can tell you is what kind of people they are: growers, breeders and smokers. The same goes for the breeders and staff who work with them. Some of the team have been growing for close to 40 years.

That background shapes how we answer questions. When someone writes in about yellow leaves or a plant that stopped stretching, the reply comes from people who have seen that problem in their own rooms and gardens, not from a script.

Powered by Mother Nature

Our old slogan was "Powered by Mother Nature". In practice it means something plain: good genetics, a healthy plant and a grower who pays attention will do most of the work. No seed can make up for a bad environment, and we would rather tell you that up front than sell you a promise.

Where the genetics come from

AMS grew its base genetics in-house and keeps them in-house. Every strain in our range has been grown by AMS at least once. That matters for you in one practical way: when we describe how a strain grows, how tall it gets or how it smells in flower, we are describing a plant we have had in front of us.

It does not mean every plant from a pack will look the same. Seeds are living things. Two plants from the same pack can differ in height, smell and finish time, and your light, pot size, feeding and climate will change the outcome more than most growers expect. If a strain page says a plant is "easy", read that as easy compared with other strains, in decent conditions.

If you want to know more about how we think about breeding and quality, our article on Amsterdam cannabis genetics and seed quality goes deeper.

What you can buy

The range covers three seed types:

• Feminized seeds grow almost only female plants, the ones that make buds. They follow the light schedule, so indoors you decide when they flower, and outdoors they flower as the days get shorter.
• Autoflower seeds start flowering by age, not by day length. They stay smaller and finish faster. In the north, with short summers, autoflowers often do better than most photoperiod plants because they can finish before the cold and wet autumn sets in.
• Regular seeds give male and female plants. They are mainly for growers who want to make their own seeds or select mother plants.

Strain names like White Widow and Northern Lights are the classics most people know, and both are in the range. Each product page lists the strain's details, such as flowering time and difficulty, taken from our own catalog.

Ordering, shipping and the guarantee

A few things people ask before their first order:

• Packaging. Seeds are packed by hand in Amsterdam and shipped in discreet packaging, with nothing on the outside that says what is inside.
• Shipping cost and tracking. Standard shipping is free worldwide. Track and Trace is optional at checkout. Only tracked parcels are covered if they get lost, so if delivery to your country is unreliable, tracking is worth the small extra cost.
• If seeds do not germinate. Tell us within 90 days of the shipping date, with your order number, photos of the seeds and setup, the method you used and how many seeds failed out of how many you planted. You get free replacement seeds of the same strain. Problems after germination, such as pests, climate or grower errors, are not covered. The full rules are on the germination and delivery guarantee page.
• Payment and delivery times. Payment methods and delivery times per region are on the payments and shipping page.

One thing we cannot do for you is check the law where you live. Rules on buying, owning and germinating cannabis seeds differ per country and change over time. Check your local law before you order.

Choosing your first strain

Many first-time growers pick on THC and yield. We would turn that around and start with your situation:

• Where will it grow? A tent, a balcony or a garden. Outdoors in a northern climate, an autoflower or a fast-finishing feminized strain is the safer bet.
• How much space and height do you have? A tall sativa-leaning plant in a low tent is a struggle from week one.
• How much time will you spend on it? If you can only check the plants a few times a week, pick a strain marked as easy.

Our beginner seeds are a good place to start. Before the seeds arrive, read our guide on how to germinate marijuana seeds, because many of the failed starts we hear about come down to too much water or heat in the first days. The grow guide covers the rest, from soil and light to harvest.

Our advice: grow with passion

The owners give one piece of advice more than any other: grow with passion, not for the money. People who grow because they enjoy it tend to look at their plants every day, notice small problems early and learn from each run. That attention often does more for your harvest than another nutrient or gadget.

Questions about a strain or your grow? Contact us and the team will help. If you know what you want, have a look at the classics: White Widow as a feminized plant, or Northern Lights as an autoflower. Or browse the full Amsterdam Seed Bank range.