Regular seeds are the best choice for growers who prefer to remain true to the cannabis plant’s original genetics. They are also the preferred option for growing old school cultivars that have remained unaltered for millennia.
Feminized seeds are designed to produce only female plants, but regular seeds have the potential to produce male and hermaphrodite plants as well. This can lead to issues with crop management, so it is important to cull the males from your harvest.
They are cheaper
The seeds of a regular cannabis plant can be used to cultivate future harvests. They can also be ‘fused’ with other strains to produce new hybrids. This can lead to higher yields with the same potency as the original strain.
For those who prefer a more organic cultivation experience, it is recommended to use regular seeds. These have not been treated with fungicide or pesticides. Moreover, they are less vulnerable to hermaphrodite development, and are easier to grow and deal with stress.
Many old-school varieties never made it into feminized seed form, and growing them with regular seeds allows you to go back in time and grow a classic cultivar.
They are more stable
While feminized seeds are more stable, regular seeds can also produce great strains. The choice ultimately depends on a grower’s goals, growing conditions, and resources. For example, if you want to experiment with breeding, it’s best to start with regular seeds so that half of them will be male plants that can pollinate the female ones.
However, if you are looking to avoid male plants and save time sexing them, then feminized seeds are the better option. Feminized plants are less prone to stress throughout the growing process because they don’t have hermaphrodite parents. They are also more stable than their regular counterparts, which are prone to hermaphrodite behavior as a result of techniques like topping, fimming, and lollypopping.
They are easier to breed
Regular seeds offer the advantage of turning into either male or female plants. Choosing between them is a matter of preference for many growers. However, sexing plants can be impractical and wastes a lot of hydro system space, nutrients, growing medium, and light.
Cultivators who prefer to breed their own strains find it easier to work with regular seeds. They can breed plants by brushing pollen from a male plant against a female one to achieve fertilisation. They can also keep the mother plants to take cuttings or clones later on. This is an option that’s popular with old-school growers who love to retain their genetics.
They are more resistant to pests
The use of regular seeds makes it possible to breed cannabis plants. This is a popular hobby among cannabis connoisseurs who seek out extreme potency, morphology and colour. With regular seeds, growers can reproduce a plant to produce identical clones that are more stable and resistant throughout the growing process.
Feminized seeds, on the other hand, are designed to ensure that every seed will germinate into a female plant. This can be a huge benefit for commercial growers who want to guarantee that they will get the ratio of male and female plants that they are looking for.
In addition, pest-resistant strains are also beneficial for environmental reasons. These strains help prevent the loss of crop yield from insect pests and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.
They are more resistant to diseases
Regular seeds are less genetically modified, so they are more resistant to diseases and pests. They are also more organic and contain fewer chemicals, which makes them healthier for consumption. Moreover, these seeds are less likely to be treated with fungicides and pesticides, which have adverse effects on the body like antibiotic resistance and toxicity.
Growers often choose regular seeds for their breeding potential. They are more versatile than feminized seeds and can produce hermaphrodite plants as well. This is ideal for growers who want to create their own strains. However, it is important to consider your growing environment and goals before choosing regular seeds.
They are more versatile
With all the focus on feminised seeds, it is easy to forget that regular seeds play a crucial role in cannabis cultivation. They are the perfect choice for those growers who want to take their breeding skills to the next level.
Regular seeds operate exactly as nature intended, with an equal chance of germinating into male or female plants. They allow breeders to create new cultivars and produce superior clones.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to buy a few more seeds than the number of plants you want to grow, to account for any male plants that need culling. This way, you can always have some spare plants for your future harvests.