Regular seeds are cannabis seeds that have not been feminized. They have an equal chance of becoming male or female plants, meaning that they can be valuable when it comes to breeding or cloning.
For this reason, it’s important to understand how regular seeds work and what they offer growers. Read on to learn more!
1. More Stable Genetics
Regular seed is a good choice for breeders who want to create new strains. They are a more reliable source of plant genetics than feminized seeds as they have not undergone any tampering that could make future generations less stable.
They also allow growers to create new hybrids that have never been seen before. These strains can be based on height, structure, internodal spacing, aroma, yield, terpene profile, and more.
During the last 50 years, many varieties were preserved in regular seed form and are now available to new growers as stable IBLs. This means that they can be back crossed with new genetics to produce even better plants that would not be possible with feminized seeds.
Moreover, growers can also take cuttings from regular cannabis plants and preserve them as mother plants to be used in breeding projects with a higher chance of success. This is because they can contain a natural proportion of male and female plants.
2. More Vigorous Plants
Regular seeds operate in exactly the same way as mother plants, producing both male and female flowers. Generally, this is an ideal 50/50 ratio.
But not always – sometimes the sex percentage can be much higher. In any case, the plants that emerge from non-feminized seeds are more sturdy and less likely to become hermaphrodites when stressed (a sudden photoperiod change, a lack of water or excessive fertilisation).
These benefits make them an excellent choice for beginner growers as they are more forgiving. They are also less susceptible to pests and diseases.
Regular seed can also be used to create clones from your favorite cannabis plant. This allows you to recreate the characteristics, growth pattern, leaf and stem development, aroma, yield, terpene profile and THC/CBD ratio of your favorite strain.
3. Less Expensive
While feminized seeds can be a good option for growers with space and who need predictable, rigorous growth, regular seed is still a viable choice. This is because they are considerably less expensive than feminized seeds.
A key benefit of regular seed is that they provide more stable plant genetics than feminized seeds. This is because they haven’t been cultivated with any genetic modifications that could make future generations less stable.
Furthermore, regular seeds are a great way to breed and create new strains. This is because they have the ability to produce a male and a female plant from one single batch of seeds.
This is a valuable trait for cultivators to have, as it can help them expand their horizons and develop a diverse range of marijuana strains. If you’re looking to try your hand at breeding, it’s worth investing in a few packs of regular seeds. Then you can explore a variety of genotypes and phenotypes to find the ones that suit your needs.
4. Easier to Breed
If you want to breed a new strain, regular seeds are the way to go. They are the most stable form of Cannabis genetics, and they will produce consistent clones every time you cross them.
Feminized seeds are also a good choice for breeding, but they have some disadvantages. First of all, they are more susceptible to unstable genetics, and the plants that grow from them won’t be as robust as those from regular seed.
They also run the risk of producing males a third of the time, which can be a problem for growers who are limited to a certain number of plants.
Luckily, it’s easy to avoid that problem by growing feminized seed. When you plant a feminized strain, you’ll get female plants 98% of the time. This means you’ll have double the yields compared to the same strain grown from regular seeds, and it’s much easier to eliminate males as you grow.
