In the cannabis world, there are two main seed types: regular and feminized. Choosing which one to use is an important decision that will depend on cultivation experience, your primary goal for the harvest and time or space constraints.
Unlike feminized seeds, regular seed varieties are naturally produced by the plant itself. They have an equal chance of producing female or male plants.
Breeding
Regular seed offers a natural and untampered growing experience; consisting of pure cannabis genetics, not chemically altered or modified in any way. They’re a firm favourite among old-school growers, but they’re also a great choice for beginners and newbies.
They offer a relatively low cost, but still provide a more consistent plant. Typically, they produce more vigorous plants that can tolerate stress better than feminized seeds.
To breed with regular seeds, you simply need to select the best male and female plants, then cross them to produce offspring with the desired phenotypes. This is a process that requires more patience and attention than working with feminized seeds.
Cloning
Clones are genetically identical copies of the mother plant. They can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you plan to grow them.
They can also carry flaws in their DNA that may only become apparent months after flowering, exposing your crop to potential problems. For example, if the mother plant was genetically susceptible to pests or diseases, your clone is likely to have the same vulnerabilities.
Lastly, clones are a bit tricky to work with. They require special rooting mediums, which you’ll need to dip the tips of your cuttings in before introducing them to soil or hydroponic growing mediums.
It takes much more energy to encourage a clone to root than it does to grow seedlings, so be sure to treat your cuttings with care and don’t rush them into the garden. They’ll typically need a week or more to reach harvest time, and they can get sickly and weak if you handle them improperly.
Pollination
Pollination is a process that occurs when the anthers of flowers of different plants are exposed to a pollinator such as a bee. The pollen is then deposited onto the stigma of the flower of the other plant.
There are several reproductive processes that occur in a flowering plant that are essential to producing viable seed. These processes include germination, fertilization and pollination.
In addition, there are a number of environmental challenges that can negatively impact the reproduction of a flowering plant. Such challenges can result in poor seed set and reduce the quality and quantity of the seeds produced.
To help maintain a healthy and balanced flora, plants will respond to climate change by adjusting their flowering times. This can affect the availability of nectar and pollen in a given area. Some pollinators will also shift their ranges or develop new habits in response to such changes.
Storage
Regular seed needs to be stored in a suitable place to keep it viable for several years. Ideally, the seed will be tucked inside airtight containers with low temperatures and less than 10 percent humidity in a dark environment.
Storing your seeds in a refrigerator will prevent them from experiencing temperature swings which can affect their quality. If you have a second fridge you rarely use, you might want to store your seeds there instead of using the one in your kitchen.
Depending on the species, seeds can be stored for various periods of time under varying conditions. For example, some orthodox (non-dormant) seeds such as Neem and Carambola will usually germinate within a month under dry but not freezing conditions. Others, such as Onion (Allium cepa), are naturally short-lived. Other crops are intermediate between orthodox and recalcitrant storage behaviors, allowing their seeds to be stored for a longer period of time.
