Regular seeds are a firm favourite of old-school growers and newbies alike. These cannabis seeds are pure and stable, containing the genetics formed through breeding both male & female parents.
With regular seed, you can expect an approximate 50/50 ratio of male to female plants, providing you with enough samples for a successful breeding project.
Stable Genetics
Plant breeding is a painstaking process that involves selecting a healthy mother and father and crossing them together multiple times until the desired traits are imparted. The results of this process are known as stable seeds or strains.
Stable genetics enable the breeder to consistently produce the plants they want. This includes desirable traits such as colour, leaf size, root length, disease resistance, or different biochemical profiles.
However, undesirable traits can also become dominant in the gene pool over time. These unwanted phenotypes can be eliminated from the breeding program by back-crossing plants to previous generations, a technique called stabilization.
Stable seed is a crucial element of the cultivation process and can be found in both feminized and regular seed varieties. Feminized seeds can be more expensive and require additional work to weed out males, but they are generally considered superior in terms of the quality of their genetics.
Better Flower Production
Many growers choose regular seed over feminized seeds because of better flower production. With regular seed, you have to be extra careful to make sure you eliminate male plants before pollinating your females. Failing to do this can result in fewer buds, since the energy from male plants is used up making new seeds rather than growing them.
Feminized seeds, on the other hand, are designed to produce only female plants. This makes them ideal for commercial growers, who are looking to increase yields and improve crop quality.
However, they do come with some disadvantages. One of the biggest is that they run a higher risk of producing hermaphrodites, or male flowers, than regular seeds do.
Another advantage to using regular seeds is that they’re less expensive. Since they’ll produce 50% male plants and 50% females, they’re cheaper than feminized seed varieties. In addition, they’re also more stable genetically – meaning that if you breed them, you can expect to have the same plant genetics for future generations.
Less Expensive
In general, the cost of weed seeds can vary quite a bit depending on their type, quality, supply and demand, THC levels and more. However, there are many seed banks that offer great deals that can significantly lower the average cost of cannabis seeds.
Some seed banks offer free seeds with each order, or a bulk discount to save you money. This can be an excellent way to save money and grow high-quality marijuana seeds.
For example, Herbies Seeds offers a wide selection of cheap seeds and strains with high THC levels. Their cheapest seeds are a great option for beginners looking to get started with growing cannabis.
Quebec Seed Bank is another great place to find low-cost cannabis seeds. They have a variety of regular and autoflowering seeds for beginner and advanced growers alike, with prices 10-15% lower than the average. They also regularly run sales and promotions for their most popular seeds. Plus, they have a good germination guarantee and free shipping in the US with no minimum order value.
More Variety
Despite the popularity of feminized seeds in recent years, growers continue to value the vigour, variety, and purity offered by regular seed. Among these benefits are the ability to breed new cultivars, which is essential for any cannabis enthusiast.
Regular cannabis seeds operate exactly how nature intended them to. They have a 50% chance of emerging as either males or females, and this makes them an excellent choice for breeding.
They’re also ideal for cloning, which allows growers to replicate the genetics of a particular plant. You can use regular seeds to create a copy of your favorite strains, whether you want to achieve extreme potency, a specific flavour profile, or a certain colour.
As long as you’re willing to risk a few fewer THC-rich flowers, regular seeds are a great option for anyone looking for a more natural experience. But as with all types of cannabis, it’s important to understand your needs before you buy.