Autoflowering Regular Seedlings
Regular seed is often used to describe a certain variety or type of marijuana. When talking about “regular seeds,” this typically means one that has been sitting on the shelf, un-shipped, for some length of time. While marijuana “regulars” is widely used, there is much more to this than meets the eye. The term can be used synonymously with “disposable,” as in, “a regular buyer cleans out his regular backpack to prepare for the next trip down the aisle.” This usage falls under a general heading of “recreational,” but can also encompass “social” marijuana.
Regular seeds are created when a marijuana plant is actually pollinated by a male marijuana plant. Male plants secrete male pollen from their flowers, which can then be picked up and carried by the wind or blown by a caretaker. These pollen packets, called “braches”, land in the canals of gardens and rivers all over the world where the wind and water flow. These pollen grains then germinate and grow into marijuana plants. Marijuana “growers” then extract these growth patterns and traits to breed more plants with similar traits. Often times, breeders will cross one marijuana crop with another to produce new varieties of the drug.
In most cases, growers will purchase female plants already feminized (which means that they have had the female plants “trained” to grow as males) and then breed the resulting crops with regular seeds. This is usually done to create new hybrid strains, as well as cross-breeding to increase the chance that one of the offspring will grow into a desirable plant. Some common traits of feminized seeds include having faster growth rates, having a lower tolerance to heat, and having greater resiliency to insects and heat. However, despite its high yield, the cost of producing feminized seeds can sometimes be much higher than the cost of regular seed.
There are a few different methods for cross-breeding between marijuana plants for use in feminizing them. The first method involves splitting the plant in half and allowing the female to grow from the male’s roots. This often occurs during the growing season when the plant’s light cycle is just right. Since the male plants’ roots are shorter than its female counterparts, it is easier for the female to take up most of the light during this time without requiring any special care.
After the plants begin to grow from both halves of the parent plant, it is important to isolate the plants and study them over a period of time. Growers may wish to isolate certain groups of plants, such as a particular type of hybrid and/or variety of marijuana strain. If a strain is consistently producing high yields, but producing lower quality buds, it may be due to an insufficient number of quality genes. In order to improve the genetics of these plants, breeders will remove portions of the plants that are not producing quality buds and replace the portions with new seeds and/or parents.
Autoflowering cannabis seeds can be purchased from many different sources, including local grow shops. However, some breeders will offer their plants at online retailers or even auction websites such as eBay. Since some seed vendors will only ship items within the United States, it is important to check that the vendor ships internationally before ordering. Buyers should be wary of companies that are not affiliated with any reputable grower associations, as some websites will use fake or non-genetic strains of marijuana.
Autoflowering cannabis seeds will not likely germinate unless they are contained in a small container that allows for good air circulation and has good drainage. Many buyers choose to culture their plants at home rather than purchasing them and planting them. Culturing at home allows potential growers to see their seeds develop at various stages of the flowering plant’s life cycle, which can help ensure that the plants are good fits for the intended environment. Buyers should look for well-developed and healthy plants in manageable amounts, rather than plants that are stunted or have dead or dying leaves.
After the flowering has occurred, the growing medium must be turned over every couple of weeks to encourage air circulation and to prevent the roots from drying out. If the growing medium is left in the same condition for too long, the trichomes will dry out and die. Once the trichomes begin to die, the buds will not bloom and therefore the crop will be considered a failure. Buyers who are unsure about what they want to grow should buy several kits to see what variety is desired and what is available. Some kits will offer all the needed pots and growing medium, but other kits will provide a few common plant foods and a trimmer to achieve the desired shape and size. The growing time for each variety can range from one week to a few months; the mature plants will reach harvest in a year or two.