Seed Bank Australia Guide - 2023 UPDATE

Best Seed Bank to Use in Australia in 2023

Australian cannabis lovers and growers have it a bit more difficult than those in other countries, since Australian seed banks are not allowed to sell seeds for growth purposes – yes, it’s as weird as it sounds. But there’s a way around this. In this article, you will find all the information you need to find a reliable seed bank that ships to Australia.

Tip > Want to buy weed seeds? Check our feminized seeds and autoflower seeds. 

Seed banks that ship to Australia: Advantages

If you live in Australia and would like to start growing your own weed seeds, you will need to consider the options available carefully to avoid wasting time and money. We understand that becoming a beginner growing is a plan filled with excitement, and we would like you to avoid disappointment.

Our first recommendation is not to get carried away by a large catalog, by rare strains, or by cheaper seeds sold by private hobbyists. Think practical first: you can place your dream order but if the seller isn’t reputable or experienced, you may never get to harvest, or even worse, your seeds may never reach you.

So the first piece of advice is, buy from a reputable seed bank that ships to Australia. Here are some advantages of doing this:

1. Genetic quality
2. Guarantees
3. Customer support

1. Genetic quality

Seed quality should take precedence over all other considerations. This can make or break your experience and enjoyment of your journey as a grower. Although factors like soil type, weather, and lighting affect the growth of a plant, ensuring your seeds are of top genetic quality provides a good starting point for plentiful yields.

Quality is not determined by seed uniformity. In other words, cannabis seeds can look different from each other in size or shape. It’s the seed shell what tells you if a seed is mature or not. Look for striped, dark or light grey shells that feel flexible. If you’re buying from a professional seed bank, quality tests are done before the seeds are shipped to you.

2. Guarantees

A seller that is confident in their process will be able to offer guarantees in terms of their shipping and how fast orders are processed. There are many shipping methods out there, but cutting corners will not be an option for a reputable seed bank. Instead, they will guarantee delivery. For example, at Weed Seed Express we have a comprehensive delivery guarantee that you can read here.

As a customer, you get peace of mind knowing that the seeds will arrive, and you can track and trace the package while it’s in transit.

3. Customer support

This is another area where reputable seed banks shine. Check how responsive their customer support department is. Are they available to answer questions before and after you buy? What happens if there’s a mistake in the order? What’s their return policy? Can you contact them on social media?

Remember that the point of customer support is precisely that: being supported when you need it. It’s a real dealbreaker for every business, no matter what they’re selling.

What is the best seed bank to use in Australia? 

Below is an overview of reputable seed banks that ship to Australia. For each seed bank you will see the main points of interest and important information.

Update: Unfortunately, our dear fellow seed bank ILGM is not shipping seeds to Australia at this time.

Seed Bank Australia Checklist

There are many seed banks that do not succeed in getting their seeds into Australia. The Aussie Department of Agriculture has a reputation for being among the most strict in the world, so unfortunately many weed seeds never make it past customs. To make things even more complicated, rules on importing and growing vary from state to state, and not all seed banks are knowledgeable about the latest regulations.

Therefore, it is important that as a customer, you make a solid choice between the different seed banks by doing research before buying. That can be done using the following checklist.

• Reviews and customer experiences
• Guarantees & Policies
• Customer service
• Payment methods
• Delivery time
• Stealth shipping

Let’s look at these areas in detail.

Reviews and customer experiences

Reviews and customer experience ratings play a determining role for many buyers. Testimonials have become so important that many people will check them first and won’t go ahead with a purchase if the reviews aren’t stellar.

Our recommendation is having a look at the seed bank’s website to find real reviews from real people. If you live in Australia, it’s a good idea to look for customers who are also in that country and who have already had a good experience. Even better, try to look for reviews from customers who are in the same state you’re in.

And don’t forget to check third-party sites for reviews. That means going outside a seed bank’s website and checking other sites to see what customers are saying. Some suggestions include Trustpilot, general review or comparison websites, and online forums.

Guarantees & Policies

Guarantees and policies can are another factor that can help you decide from which seed bank to buy seeds.

Guarantees are there to make sure a customer is satisfied even if something goes wrong. In fact, it’s when things go wrong that companies can shine and gain a customer instead of losing it. What we suggest is to look for specific guarantees or policies on important things like shipment, delivery, missing shipments, germination guarantees, refunds and re-shipments.

This information should be easy to find and readily available on the seed bank’s website. It should be a confirmation that the seed bank is trustworthy, and they have nothing to hide. Usually, you can find this information as Terms & Conditions or Refund Policy links at the bottom of a website. Yes, this is the dreaded small print that nobody enjoys reading, but as a first time buyer this is for your own protection and peace of mind.

Customer service

Great customer care should not be optional. Customer service options should be clearly displayed on the seed bank’s website, and the company should respond to queries quickly.

There’s another important aspect of customer care: how well their seed expertise is reflected in their website or social media accounts. You can usually tell if a company is just selling seeds as if they were one more product, and when they’re really passionate about cannabis seeds. So, customer care and support also comes in the form of detailed product descriptions, useful blog posts, free tips and advice, FAQs, etc.

Payment methods

The different payment methods offered by a seed bank may not be the first thing that people look at when comparing different options. But this factor plays an important role in determining from which seed bank to buy seeds.

For example, some payment methods take longer to process than others. A seed bank can’t start preparing your order for shipping until payment has cleared, so choosing the right payment matters to the overall waiting time.

Fees are another issue to consider. Some seed banks charge a processing fee regardless of the method used. In other cases, it will be your bank that charges you for the transaction or for conversion fees. This is especially important in international payments where different currencies are involved. This information should be clearly explained in the relevant website section.

Generally speaking, you want to have a wide range of payment methods available.

Delivery time

If you live in Australia, you probably know that international deliveries can take a while. A reliable seed bank will make an effort to stay up to date on the latest information about international shipments and delivery times. Remember that fewer flights and restrictions mean that most international packages are taking longer than usual to arrive to their destination.

So do your research and find out if the seed bank has experience shipping to Australia. If they do, they’ll know how to avoid problems in transit and once the seeds arrive and go through customs.

Another recommendation is to only should buy from seed banks that offer tracked shipments. And if you are in a rush, ask the seed bank if they offer express shipments.

Stealth shipping

Never underestimate the importance of stealth shipping. This can really can make all the difference on whether your seeds arrive or not. You want to buy from a seed bank that mails your order in discreet packaging. If the seeds package is too obvious, they will be retained and destroyed by over-zealous Australian customs.

So double check that when your seeds are mailed there’s no mention of a seed bank or a description of the content, they’re sent in a generic envelope, without labels, invoices, logos, or anything that can tip off customs.

Tips and things to consider when buying from a seed bank that ships to Australia

1. Plan ahead
2. Purchase small quantity
3. Spread your purchases

1. Plan ahead

As a grower, you want to plan ahead to make sure you don’t miss the growing season. Our advice is to get some variety in your order, for example getting a mix of feminized seeds and autoflowering seeds if you’re coming close to the end of the planting season and need to harvest fast.

Also, take into account standard delivery times. It’s always wise to add some extra time now that many postal systems and courier companies have important delays due to the pandemic.

2. Purchase small quantities

Yes, it’s very tempting to keep adding seeds to your shopping cart and end up placing a big order, but if this is your first time buying from a seed bank, do a test run first. This will allow you to see 1) If the seeds arrive safely, and 2) Give you some time to plant them and see how well they do.

Once you’re satisfied with this, you can place a larger order since the quality and shipping times are likely to stay reliable.

3. Spread your purchases

As a tip, you can choose to buy from at least 2 seed banks to spread your purchases. If for some unlucky reason, one of the packages ends up being confiscated, you will still have another package of seeds coming in. Moreover, buying from different seed banks also allows you to try the process by yourself and then decide which company you want to keep ordering from.

Looking for the most reliable seed bank that ships to Australia? Weedseedsexpress delivers!

We know exactly what you’re keen on and how to make sure you receive it no matter where in Australia you are. Our shipments are guaranteed, as is the genetic quality of our cannabis seeds. And whenever you have a question, our customer support team is here to help.

Have a look at the amazing range of seeds you can buy from us and get shipped to Australia!