Regular seed is a great choice for growers who want to create their own strains and experiment with crossing different genetics. However, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of using regular seeds.
Regular seeds produce a mix of male and female plants, so growers have to identify and remove the males from their crop. This can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it’s well worth the effort.
Stable genetics
Stable genetics are vital for cultivators because they determine the overall quality of a cannabis plant. These genes define the cannabinoid content, harvest yields, and other essential aspects of the plant. They also determine how big the plant can grow and which phenotypes will dominate.
However, creating stable seeds is a long process that requires rigorous breeding and time. The best way to create stable seed is to cross plants with desirable traits over multiple generations. This is called plant breeding, and it can take up to twelve generations of marijuana plants to produce a stable crop.
Unlike feminized seeds, regular seeds promote breeding and are the only seeds that can produce both male and female plants. This makes them better suited to growers who want to produce their own clones. However, they can also reduce yields by producing up to 50% of male plants, which must be identified and removed before the next harvest.
Better yields
Unlike feminized seeds, regular landrace cultivars remain unaltered and are suitable for growers seeking a more organic cultivation experience. They do not need the female plant to trigger flowering and are therefore able to produce a higher yield for each harvest.
However, it is important to note that a growing garden will also produce male plants and these must be removed before harvesting. This can be a laborious task and many growers opt to use feminized seeds instead of regular varieties.
Feminized seeds are bred to ensure that each plant is a female and will not cross-pollinate with male plants. This eliminates the need to identify and remove male plants, which can cause a lower yield for each harvest.
Alternatively, some growers choose to collect and cool-store pollen from the male plants, before brushing it onto the females. This process is called hand pollination and is a popular practice among serious breeders. However, it is still a more labour-intensive process than using feminized seeds.
Less risk of sexing males
Unlike feminized seeds which produce only female specimens, regular seeds will typically include on average 50% male plants. This is because hermaphrodite plants develop bare stamens without sepals within their female flowers, which will drop pollen to ensure that self-fertilization takes place.
The ability to spot male plants and discard them from the grow is crucial for any cultivator pursuing high-quality buds. Even a single male plant can prompt all of your females to bloom, resulting in lower yields and a smaller crop of sinsemilla flowers.
Thankfully, the males can be easily distinguished from the females by their early signs of maturity. Male plants reveal key characteristics two weeks earlier than their female counterparts, allowing attentive cultivators to remove them from the garden before flowering is induced. This will prevent any accidental cross-pollination and maintain the purity of the phenotypes in your garden. Moreover, it will reduce the amount of wasted light, nutrients and growing medium.
Less expensive
For those who enjoy making their own seed stock, regular seeds are a great choice. By separating male plants from females and applying pollen to the desired females, gardeners can cultivate their own hybrids. However, this is a time-consuming process and requires the right growing conditions.
Despite the hassle of sexing, regular seeds are less expensive than feminized seeds. Even after accounting for the expected 50% loss rate, weed growers can expect to spend less money on their cultivation efforts with regular seeds.
While feminized seeds can be a good option for growers who want to focus on flower production, regular seeds offer several advantages for breeders and growers seeking genetic stability and variety. With proper selection and cultivation, regular seeds can yield high-quality cannabis buds and open up new possibilities for cultivated species. Just make sure to choose high-quality seeds and provide the best possible growing conditions. You’ll be rewarded with exceptional results. This is the best choice for discerning growers and breeders looking to explore their potential and create unique strains.
