There are numerous reasons that a grower might want to use regular seed, despite its numerous practical benefits in terms of limited room, limited nutrients and short time for seed preparation. For those who already have the passion to create your very own custom genetic cross, starting your very own breeding project from home is very easily achievable. However, if you’re new to marijuana growing, it can be a bit overwhelming to consider all of the various options available. For this reason, we’ve put together a quick guide to explain the differences between marijuana’s three most popular varieties and help you pick the best kind to plant.
Regular vs. Feminized Regular seeds, as their name suggests, are just like any other regular seed except that they are normally feminized before flowering. Typically, a regular seed will produce a normal amount of buds; however, when it has been exposed to the air for too long (due to high humidity or lack of sunlight) the regular seed will start to show signs of appearing. Because of this, most feminized seeds will flower in three weeks or less.
Regular vs. Feminized X-Chromosome Regular seeds are actually the same type of thing as regular seeds but the way they are classified is different because they are crossbred between male and female plants. The result produces a flower with both male and female characteristics. Because of this, these plants are considered “feminized,” which means they are crossbred with a male plant to produce a plant that possesses both male and female characteristics. As with regular seed, there are two ways to harvest these plants, either through budding or later by cutting off the top of the flower. Feminized seeds will also produce flowers in three weeks. While these seeds are less expensive than regular seeds, they are not as common as regular seed due to the fact that they are more difficult to find.
Regular vs. Feminized Flower bud from Marijuana seed company All of the feminized plants that you see on the market have actually been crossbred with regular marijuana plants. In many cases, the company will use only the female plants, resulting in feminized flowers, but they will only use pollen from one of the males on the plant. Because the pollen from a male plant is smaller than the pollen from a female plant, it can pass through the female flowers to the male plants without harm. This means that all of the females available through marijuana seed companies have actually been crossed with regular marijuana plants, ensuring a high yield of feminized marijuana buds.
How Do feminized seeds work? When plants are crossed with a male plant, it ensures that the female plant will grow with male plants pollen. Since females only need to produce one pollen drop during the whole growing period, this provides a greater opportunity to get the pollen it needs to trigger the formation of seeds for future generations. The process is very simple and natural, producing feminized seeds that are indistinguishable from regular seed. This makes it an environmentally friendly way to go when producing products that people want with assurance of pure marijuana. When the feminized seeds are planted, they will begin to grow along with the male plant.
What about clones? Some companies offer clone seeds, or plants that are exactly like the parent plant. Clones allow a grower to start out small and grow his or her crop using the same plant’s genetics and traits, allowing the grower to avoid costly buying new seeds each year.
How do I get started with growing cannabis seeds? Anybody can purchase seeds and start their own small growing process. The basic guidelines for the growing process are the same whether the grower is using regular or feminized seeds. The important thing is that the grower follows a simple growing process that allows them to control the amount of water, sunlight and nutrients they give to the plants for optimal results.
How do I harvest my crops? Harvesting is the final step in the growing process. Most seeds are harvested by cutting the plant into regular pieces. This process is usually done to control the amount of time the seeds can be stored. Some growers prefer to use knives to cut their plants because they believe it makes the end product smoother and reduces stress during transport.
