The decision to grow feminized or regular seed often comes down to cultivation experience and primary harvest goals. Cultivators who prioritize efficiency and small indoor spaces may choose feminized seeds while those with plenty of space and a passion for breeding will prefer regular photoperiod strains.
Those who are just starting out on their cannabis journey should consider regular seed. They offer many advantages that feminized seed cannot.
Untampered Genetics
A favourite with old-school growers, regular seed offers unadulterated, pure genetics. These seeds are formed through crossing male and female plants and produce approx. 50/50 male and female offspring, allowing growers to cultivate both sexes for their breeding experiments.
We used a QTL mapping approach to identify genes responsible for variation in seed size and number in natural accessions of A. thaliana. Although a seed size–seed number trade-off was observed, the low correlation between these traits (r2 = 0.06) suggests that variation in both traits is controlled by separate genetic factors. Furthermore, the fact that QTL for seed size and number do not overlap and that distinct allelic effects are found at each of these QTL indicates that they are likely to be pleiotropic.
Feminized seed, on the other hand, is much more expensive as it takes time and money to develop and test feminized technology. It also runs the risk of hermaphrodite plants – which can be a real hassle for growers who use techniques like topping, fimming, and lollypopping.
Strong Yields
Unlike feminized seeds, regulars operate how nature intended. They have a 50% chance of emerging as either male or female plants. Whether you’re eliminating males or breeding them with your favourite pheno, you’ll get strong yields of smokable buds and new seeds.
Regular seeds are also the best choice for growers who enjoy producing their own marijuana seeds. They’ll get a natural balance of male and female plants, so you can use them to produce more seeds for next year’s crop.
Whether you’re trying your hand at growing or looking to improve your cultivation techniques, regular seeds offer a great starting point for all growers. Our catalogue features a wide selection of high-quality regular strains that are sure to suit any taste. Choose the ones you like best and start your adventure today! Only available to adults over 18 years old. Check local laws for details. Germination times and plant to harvest time vary by genetics.
Unparalleled Genetic Stability
While feminized seeds have gained in popularity in recent years, many growers still prefer regular seed. This is primarily due to the natural ratio of male and female plants that regular seed produces. The ratio is a result of the fact that cannabis is a dioecious plant (like willow and yew). This means it has both male and female plants. During cultivation, the females will naturally pollinate the males. This results in seeds that are ready to be planted.
This process of natural reproduction is incredibly stable and allows for a wide variety of phenotypes. Feminized seed, on the other hand, has to undergo a lot of genetic tampering. Breeders typically spray the females with unpleasant-sounding chemicals in order to make them produce male pollen sacs. This makes the resulting seeds much more unstable, and as such, less capable of producing robust descendants. This can make feminized seeds more of a gamble for growers. Especially for those that plan on breeding their cannabis.
Breeding Experiments
For growers who wish to replicate clones in seed form regular seeds are essential. They can be backcrossed with the cloned parent as many times as required to produce offspring that closely mirrors the original genetics. This technique is known as ‘selective backcrossing’ and produces what is known as S1 seeds.
As they are free from human tampering, regular seeds have a 50% chance of germinating as either a male or a female cannabis plant. This makes them ideal for breeders who want to create their own cultivars.
Alternatively, they can be used to pollinate feminized seeds to produce the ultimate hybrids such as our award winning AK-47. This powerful indica is the result of crossing Afghanica and Skunk and is a popular choice for experienced cannabis smokers who enjoy deep relaxation. It is also an excellent choice for first-time growers who may not have perfected the art of sexing plants and risk ending up with a large number of male plants which will waste their precious growing space, time and nutrients.
