Month: June 2023

In the age of feminized seeds and autoflowering, you may wonder why a seedbank would carry regular cannabis seeds at all.

The answer lies in the history of marijuana cultivation.

Professional weed breeders regularly produce crops with a high percentage of female plants and select the best to become ‘mothers’, producing further batches of 100% female clones.

F1 Hybrid Seeds

F1 hybrid seeds are a great choice for commercial growers and provide the genetics that larger growing operations need to optimise terpene levels, yields and other plant characteristics. For home growers, however, the higher price point often isn’t worth it.

Creating F1s takes years and requires two parent plants with the exact same traits. These plants are then crossed each year to produce the next generation of F1 seed (also known as ‘F2’).

This process can be extremely time-consuming, particularly when the breeder is trying to achieve a specific result, such as high THC content or convenient size for stealthy indoor growing. As a result, F1 seeds are typically more expensive than open pollinated or heirloom varieties. This is despite the fact that they can be competitive in providing certain traits such as resistance to diseases and pests and high trichome density. However, they tend to be less robust than their heirloom counterparts due to the limited and forced gene pool they’re created from.

Female Seeds

A feminized cannabis strain produces only female plants due to special breeding techniques. They produce a higher yield than standard photoperiod cannabis plants and require less space to grow.

Feminized seeds are a great choice for first-time growers and experienced growers alike. They are easy to manage, and the predominance of female plants helps prevent problems like male plant pollination that ruin an entire crop.

The feminization process is simple: Breeders cross regular cannabis seeds with Ruderalis or another species that has similar characteristics to the parent plant. Then they select only the female seeds for the next generation.

The resulting feminized seeds will produce all female plants and have a lower chance of turning hermaphrodites. This allows growers to harvest their buds at any time of the year, and also means there are no male plants in the crop that could attract pests or spread diseases. This makes the use of feminized cannabis seeds very beneficial for commercial marijuana producers.

Autoflowering Seeds

With the right knowledge, experience, and space, growers can achieve bountiful harvests from photoperiod and autoflowering strains. However, there are some differences between the two, and deciding which type of seed to choose depends on your specific needs.

One of the most significant differences is that autoflower seeds do not need to be kept in a 12/12 light cycle to trigger flowering. This allows growers to grow them in places where the summer days are short and can often be interrupted by rain or frost.

Additionally, since they have the robust genetics from ruderalis, autoflowering seeds are more resilient and can withstand a variety of climate conditions. These factors make them ideal for growers with limited time, space, and knowledge. A great example of an autoflowering strain is Gorilla Glue, which has high THC levels and delivers a powerful cerebral buzz that’s best for seasoned users (beware – it may cause couch-lock). This strain has a punchy coffee flavor with notes of earth and fruit and can deliver up to 15oz per plant.

Seed Banks

Seed banks are designed to preserve the genetic diversity of wild or cultivated plants for future use. They can be useful in a number of ways, including providing crop varieties that are resistant to pests or drought. They can also help in the development of crops that are tolerant to harsh environments, and they can contribute to the global food supply.

The storage environment for seed samples consists of low temperatures and minimal moisture levels. This helps prevent metabolic activity, allowing the seeds to remain dormant for long periods of time. Seed samples are stored in airtight vials to reduce the risk of contamination.

The best place to purchase cannabis seeds is at a reputable marijuana seed bank. Many of these companies offer a variety of strains, including Animal Cookies seeds. They also offer fast shipping and great customer service. Their selection of high quality seeds and customer service make them a top choice for marijuana growers.

If you are looking to grow marijuana as naturally as possible then regular seed is the way to go. Feminized seeds are more predictable as they only produce female plants, but they come with a premium price tag.

With the relatively recent developments of feminized seeds, it is easy to overlook the advantages of regular seed. Read on to learn more about the benefits of growing with regular cannabis seeds.

Unaltered Genetics

Regular seeds are the natural offspring of a male cannabis plant pollinating a female. Depending on environmental conditions, this can result in either 50% male plants or 100% female plants when they mature.

Because they haven’t undergone any genetic tinkering like feminized or autoflowering seeds, they grow as naturally as the plants that originally came from them. This can make them easier for growers to cultivate.

As a result, many seasoned cannabis growers prefer to use regular seeds when developing new strains or creating crossbreeds. They are also often recommended for beginners because they allow for mistakes during the learning process. As a consequence, they help novices develop a thorough understanding of the full growing cycle and plant care. This can lead to better, more consistent results.

Better Genetic Stability

As they have not been subject to any genetic manipulation, regular seeds operate as nature intended. Using them, growers have an even chance of growing male and female plants, and can make crossings to develop new cultivars or improve existing ones.

During the breeding process, breeders must work over multiple generations to produce stable offspring with desirable traits, and ensure that any offspring that are females will be fertile. This process takes a lot of time and effort, especially in the first few generations when there is a high chance that hermaphrodite specimens will emerge, which can degrade the quality of the entire crop.

With a predominately female crop, growers don’t have to worry about dealing with male plants, making the cultivation process much easier. This is especially helpful when trying to achieve a specific harvest time frame.

Cheaper to Buy

Aside from the fact that they do not require any special agronomic techniques to produce, regular seeds are far cheaper than their feminized counterparts. As a result, they’re the ideal choice for beginning growers to explore different strains and build up their experience without breaking the bank.

Feminized seeds are a bit more expensive to produce, so they’re often viewed as the more premium option when it comes to buying cannabis seeds. However, experienced growers with a decent amount of growing knowledge can still breed plants from regular seed and create their own unique cultivars.

If you’re looking for a reliable source of quality regular seed, look no further than the Herbies catalog. Here you’ll find strains from renowned seed banks that are backed by years of research and expertise.

Higher Yields

One of the biggest reasons many growers choose regular seed is because it usually yields significantly higher than feminized seeds. When using feminized seeds you’ll typically get roughly half male plants, which are not only undesirable because they do not produce buds but can also cause other problems with your growing process, like blocking light or competing for nutrients.

In contrast, when using regular seed you’ll almost always get a greater percentage of female plants which allows you to spend all your time, energy and resources on your desired strain and will lead to high harvests.

It is also easier to breed a plant with regular seeds, something that many home growers love to do as it gives them the freedom to create unique strains of their own.

Easier to Breed

While it may seem like a big hassle to deal with the male plants that grow from regular seeds, they are actually great for breeders. They can use the male plants to produce new seeds, and they’ll have a natural proportion of female plants too.

This allows them to produce a crop that is perfect for their needs. They can then select their favourite specimens and cross them to create a brand new strain. This is a great way to find specimens with the optimum levels of potency, flavour profiles and colours.

This can also help growers to manage their crop more easily. It means that they don’t have to spend time eliminating male plants or worrying about their flowers being pollinated by neighbouring plants.

Regular seeds produce a mix of male and female plants, so growers must spend time removing the males. This results in a lower yield than feminized seed, but it can be worth the extra effort for some growers.

Those who are new to growing marijuana may wonder why seedbanks still stock regular seeds. They offer several advantages over feminized strains:

They are easy to find

Regular seeds are easier to find than their feminized counterparts and are often recommended by seasoned growers as a starting point for beginners. They are also cheaper and easier to breed, as they have a natural 50/50 split between male and female plants. However, it’s worth pointing out that this ratio can vary depending on environmental conditions.

If you’re a fan of old school strains with a high THC content and unique flavour profiles, you’ll want to try Dutch Passion’s collection of regular cannabis seeds. These varieties have been around since before feminized and autoflowering seeds were invented.

Regular seeds are usually easy to germinate, which means that the chances of a good crop are very high. It’s also easy to create a stable garden by taking cuttings of the best specimens and then planting them again. This method is particularly effective for preserving the flavour of a particular cultivar. However, this method requires more effort than using clones.

They are cheaper

It’s a common misconception that regular seeds are less potent than feminized ones. However, this is not the case, as many factors influence a strain’s potency, including genetics and growing conditions. Regular seeds also offer breeders greater genetic diversity and flexibility. They have a 50/50 chance of producing male or female plants, which allows breeders to select for specific traits.

This can result in new strains with enhanced terpene levels and unique flavor profiles. Furthermore, growers can use regular seeds to cross their own cultivars to produce new hybrids.

Another advantage of using regular seeds is that they are cheaper to purchase than feminized ones. This is because feminized seeds are designed to produce only female plants, so they can be more expensive than regular seeds. Furthermore, sexing regular seeds can be a time-consuming process and can lead to significant losses. This can add up to a significant amount of money spent on sexing medium, nutrients, and light.

They are more stable

If you’re planning on breeding your own strains, then regular seeds are the best option. They provide breeders with a wider range of genetics than feminized or autoflowering seeds and are also cheaper. They will, however, produce more male plants than female plants. Weeding out the males is a bit of a pain, but it’s worth it for the benefits that come with having a wide selection of plants.

Feminized seeds are more predictable because they only produce female plants, but there’s no guarantee that all of them will germinate. This makes them ideal for commercial growers who want to achieve a specific percentage of female plants.

In addition to allowing you to create your own strains, regular seed is more stable than feminized or autoflowering seed. They also grow more slowly, so they’re easier to harvest and consume at the end of their growth cycle. They’re also a good choice for gardeners who want to avoid chemical treatments like pesticides and fungicides.

They are easier to breed

Regular seeds are a great choice for growers who want to experiment with different genetics. They allow you to produce a wide variety of male and female plants, which can then be crossed with other strains. The result is a unique hybrid with the characteristics of its parents.

This is especially helpful if you want to create a strain that is adapted to your growing environment. In addition, regular seeds are more affordable than feminized ones, since you don’t have to waste any of the male plants that grow.

SSSC regular seeds are also a popular choice among old-school growers, who prefer to work with natural, non-feminized cannabis plants. These seeds are bred from the finest original 1980’s varieties, and will produce equal numbers of male and female plants. Unlike feminized seeds, regular seeds can produce male plants that will be used to pollinate other female plants. Therefore, many growers plant a few regular seeds along with their feminized ones to account for this and prevent the production of hermaphrodites.