Year: 2023

Until feminized seeds came along, most growers used regular seeds to cultivate cannabis. They have a 50/50 chance of producing male or female plants and require the cultivation of extra seedlings to offset the number of male plants discarded during the early flowering stage.

But for many growers, the advantages of using regular seeds outweigh the disadvantages. These include:

They are cheaper

Regular seeds are cheaper than feminized seeds because they do not require stressing the female plants to produce only females. This makes them more cost-effective, especially for growers who are aiming to save money on growing materials and electricity. They also offer a variety of phenotypes that are not available in feminized seeds.

For growers who enjoy breeding their own strains, regular seeds are an excellent choice. They produce both male and female plants, making it easy to select the best females for breeding. This allows them to create unique, high-yielding crops.

Another advantage of regular seeds is that they are photoperiodic, meaning that the plants will flower according to their natural cycles. This eliminates the need to change the light cycle of indoor growers. The sexed plants are also much easier to remove than feminized plants, saving growers valuable space and time. This is especially important for smaller grows, where every inch of space counts.

They are more stable

Regular seeds are the most popular type of cannabis seeds. They can produce either male or female marijuana plants. They also offer a higher yield than feminized seeds and are better for breeding as they allow for the possibility of producing hermaphrodites (plants that produce both male and female pollen). These seeds can be used by growers who want to take clones, but should always choose a reputable seed company.

While feminized seeds are popular among growers who want to focus on the harvest, they do not provide the same genetic stability as regular seeds. This can cause problems for novice growers, who may not be able to distinguish male from female plants and cull them properly. Furthermore, feminized seeds can be more difficult to plant as they require light cycle adjustment. This is why regular seeds are recommended for growers who are new to the industry. This way, they will be able to avoid the problems associated with feminized seeds.

They are easier to grow

Regular seeds are easier to grow than feminized ones, because you do not need to identify and remove male plants. However, it is recommended to germinate twice as many seeds as desired, in order to account for the possibility of a few males. Otherwise, you may need to waste time and resources removing the male plants.

Feminized seeds have a higher yield potential because they eliminate the risk of producing male plants, which can reduce the crop. But they do come with a higher cost and are less resilient to environmental factors than their non-feminized counterparts.

Another advantage of feminized seeds is that they will not produce any male flowers or pollen sacs, and can concentrate all their energy on growing dense, resinous buds. This can result in a much higher return on investment for the grower. But it should be noted that a higher return does not necessarily mean that a bigger harvest is guaranteed.

They are more versatile

Regular seeds offer a range of benefits for growers who want to produce their own cannabis. For those who are looking to experiment with hybridisation, they provide the best option for producing different strains. They also allow you to distinguish between male and female plants by sexing your crops early in flowering.

The germination rate for regular seeds is higher than for feminized varieties. However, this depends on the type of seed and cultivation methods. Typically, regular seeds have a 50/50 chance of growing into male or female marijuana plants. This makes them the preferred choice for breeders who require male marijuana plants to make hybrids.

For the casual gardener, regular seeds are a good option if you are looking to preserve traditional cultivation practices. They can produce both male and female marijuana plants, but you can prevent them from pollinating your other crops by sexing and isolating them early in flowering. They also offer the best option for novice growers, as they are more forgiving of rookie errors and setup experiments.

Seeds are like tiny just-add-water kits for new life. They contain an embryo and starchy food, all kept safe inside a protective shell. Some seeds need special light or temperature conditions or a period of dormancy to spring into action.

Cecilia Zumajo and her colleagues are studying how seeds take that first step from dormancy to seedling. Their research is helping us understand gene networks that control seed development and evolution.

What is a seed?

A seed is a miniature plant in a state of arrested growth (called dormancy) with stored food for its future development. Its food is contained within a nutrient reserve called endosperm that can be made of starch, carbohydrates or proteins. It is protected by a seed coat and its outer shell.

A seed can also have a tiny hole, called the micropyle, through which water and nutrients enter the embryo. This allows for the process of imbibition, which reactivates enzymes in the seed that converts storage compounds into usable nutrients. This process is important to the plant’s germination. After germination, the seed can grow into a mature, reproducing plant that will produce more seeds and continue the cycle of life. Seeds vary in size, shape and color. They are often able to remain dormant, or inactive, for years until conditions are right for them to grow. This is one of the reasons gardeners can plant heirloom varieties, which tend to “grow true” or produce offspring that resemble the parent plants.

What are the parts of a seed?

A seed contains an embryo and food reserve enclosed in a protective outer covering. Under favorable conditions seeds give rise to a new plant. There are three main parts of a seed; the seed coat, the endosperm and the embryo.

The seed coat is typically hard, thick and brown in color. It consists of two layers; the outer layer is known as the testa and the inner layer as tegmen. The hard seed coats prevent germination of the embryo in unfavorable environmental conditions.

Inside the seed coat lies a soft, water-absorbent tissue called the endosperm. It stores carbohydrates, proteins and other nutrients for the embryo. The cotyledons, which can resemble tiny leaves or be fleshy, provide nourishment to different parts of the embryo during germination. There is a single cotyledon in monocots and two in dicots. The embryo contains the genetic instructions for the new plant. It is surrounded by the cotyledons and the endosperm.

How do seeds grow?

Seeds need a lot to grow into a plant: Water, the right temperature, and sunlight. They also need a food store–which most seeds have inside them, called endosperm. The food stores all the carbohydrates and protein the embryo needs to start growing.

Once a seed has the right conditions it can grow roots and become a tiny seedling. The process is called germination.

The seed coat lets water into the embryo, which then swells up and splits open. The embryo grows into a tiny plant, with one or more leaf-like parts, called cotyledons.

The cotyledons give the seedling nourishment until it can make its own food, using sunlight and water, through photosynthesis. The seed also has a food reserve, stored in the embryo, that it can use until its leaves are large enough to get food from outside the seed.

How do seeds disperse?

Seeds can’t move themselves, so they rely on external entities to hitchhike them around the landscape—wind, water and animals. Seeds dispersed further away from the parent plant are more likely to survive, as they have less competition with siblings and parents, better access to light conditions and avoidance of predators and pathogens.

Wind dispersal (anemochory) is the most common method of seed transport. For example, the feathery pappus that opens and catches the wind on a dandelion can transport its seeds far from its parent plant. Similarly, maples use winged fruits (samaras) that flutter to the ground on winds.

Some plants also make their seeds a bit more attractive to potential dispersers by enclosing them in fleshy fruit that is appealing to animals, such as squirrels. The seeds may have hooks or burs that catch on fur or feathers, or they might have structures designed to break open under the force of a bird’s beak.

As the popularity of feminized seeds grows, some growers are asking why Sensi Seeds still carries regular cannabis seeds. The simple answer is that we believe there are certain situations where regular seed will prove more advantageous than feminized.

Regular seed produces male and female plants in a natural ratio of 50/50. For breeders this is ideal because it preserves genetic stability and allows for phenotype variation.

Stability

Regular seeds preserve genetic stability, making them an ideal choice for breeders who want to explore new strains or maintain consistency in existing ones. Unlike feminized seeds, which are produced by forcing a female plant to produce male plants through artificial means, regular seeds allow the grower to select only the desired female plants for breeding.

The ability to select only female plants can lead to a higher yield than a typical feminized crop, as the grower will not have to cull the majority of her plants due to being male. This can be a major benefit to growers who wish to maximize the amount of buds they can harvest and recoup their growing costs.

However, because regular seeds can produce both male and female plants, growers must be sure to sex their crops promptly and remove any male plants. Failure to do so can result in cross-pollination, reducing the yield and quality of your crop.

Breeding

Regular cannabis seeds operate just as Mother Nature intended. They have a 50% chance of emerging as either male or female plants, which allows growers and breeders to create new cultivars and produce superior clones. During cultivation, growers can take advantage of hermaphroditism by brushing pollen from a male plant onto a female plant to fertilize it and create hybrids.

This method of breeding can yield great results. For example, growing a male plant with a female can accelerate flowering and increase the crop’s potency. You can also experiment with blending strains to create unique cultivars. For instance, mixing an indica and sativa can result in a balanced strain with unique terpene profiles. This can be a great way to explore the potential of a new strain or add extra flavor and aroma to an existing one. However, be careful not to overdo the breeding or you could end up with hermaphrodites or other undesirable traits.

Phenotype Variation

Regular seeds are a great option for experienced growers who want to preserve the genetics of their preferred strain. They offer a lot of flexibility in terms of plant size and flowering time, and can produce both male and female plants. However, they do have a higher chance of producing hermaphroditic plants, which can cause unwanted pollination and a decrease in overall crop quality. Therefore, careful monitoring is required to identify and remove hermaphroditic plants.

Variation in seed size and number is a key trait for crop fitness, but genetic factors influencing these traits remain largely unknown (Sadras 2007). The natural variation observed in both seed size and seed number in wild accessions of A. thaliana provides an ideal model for studying the genetic architecture of these traits. However, to date, most studies of gene-by-gene variation in seed traits have focused on mutant screens. In this study, we use a QTL mapping approach to explore genetic variation in both seed weight and seed number and their interaction with other life-history traits.

Cost

Unlike feminized seeds, regular seeds operate exactly how nature intended. This means every seed has a 50% chance of emerging as a male or female plant. The advantage of this is that cultivators can use the male plants for breeding.

Male plants are valuable because they contain pollen sacks that can fertilize the female colas and produce seeds. This process produces new cultivars and helps maintain the genetic integrity of a strain.

From a financial perspective, regular seeds are cheaper to produce than feminized ones. This makes them a popular choice for growers who prefer the challenge of culling male plants from their crop.

With a wide selection of high-quality regular cannabis seeds, you’ll find the perfect cultivar to suit your needs. Whether you’re looking for a citrusy sativa like Amnesia Lemon or a therapeutic indica such as Harlequin x Bubba Kush, our collection has something to suit every taste.