While most growers prefer to work with feminized seeds, some breeders and experienced growers may also choose to use regular seed for specific purposes.
Regular seeds produce an approximately 50/50 male to female ratio, so they are a good choice for breeders.
They’re also cheaper and easier to grow than feminized varieties since they are less likely to turn into hermaphrodites (developing both male and female flowers) when stressed.
It’s cheaper
Regular seeds are cheaper than feminized and autoflowering varieties, but they also offer many advantages that you can’t find in other types of seed. For starters, they’re much easier to breed and germinate.
The first evidence that a seed has germinated is when a root or radicle breaks through the seed coat, allowing the plant to start growing (Figure 8). After that, the first leaf emerges.
Generally, regular seeds grow on a photoperiod schedule. They shift from vegetative to flowering depending on the amount of light hours they receive, and some are autoflowering, which means they automatically go from vegetative to flowering without reducing light.
In addition, regular seeds have a natural proportion of female plants and males. This makes them a good choice for beginners and commercial growers alike, as they minimise the risk of wasting time raising males, which can make the difference between a high yield and low yield.
It’s easier to breed
Regular seed is much easier to breed than feminized or autoflowering varieties, and it’s a good option for growers who are looking to create their own strains. They can cross a male and female plant to create new generations that display the traits they’re after, such as high THC or CBD levels.
The other benefit of using regular seed is that it’s more stable in terms of plant genetics. This means that they’re more likely to produce robust descendants than feminized seeds, which are subject to genetic tampering and are less stable.
The other major advantage of regular seed is that they’re much cheaper than feminized or autoflowering seeds. Feminized seeds are more expensive because they’ll produce male plants 99% of the time, which is why growers generally don’t want them in their stash.
It’s easier to germinate
Regular seed is easier to germinate than other types of seed. This is because regular seeds contain both male and female genetics.
The germination process is the first step in plant growth and development. This process involves water, temperature, and light, among other things.
Despite the best conditions, some seeds may not germinate due to physical seed dormancy or poor seedling vigor. This can be triggered by factors such as a hard seed coat or internal mechanisms that inhibit seed growth.
In addition, seed germination is also affected by other factors such as disease and soil quality. This is why it’s important to make sure you buy high-quality seeds.
Whether you’re growing your own seeds or buying them from the store, you need to ensure they’re properly stored and kept away from extreme temperatures. This can help avoid rotting and mold, which can interfere with the germination process.
It’s easier to grow
Regular seeds are a lot easier to grow than feminized and autoflowering seed varieties. They’re also cheaper, and they’re ideal for those who don’t have a lot of space.
They’re also much better suited for cloning than feminized seeds. The clones will be much more stable and possess stronger genetics, which means that they’ll produce more buds and be able to yield more resin.
The only downside is that they can be a bit of a gamble as to whether they’ll end up male or female. But for those who are interested in breeding, it’s a worthwhile risk to take.
Moreover, it’s a way to preserve the diversity of cannabis genetics and help keep it alive. It’s also a way to encourage people to experiment with new strains and cultivars, which is always exciting. Plus, it’s a great way to get better at growing in the long run.
