When it comes to choosing your seeds, there are many things to consider. Depending on your level of experience, where you live or the purposes of your crop, one type may be better for you than another.
Regular seeds produce both male and female plants, which require growers to identify them and remove the males. This process isn’t ideal for new growers, and it can be very time-consuming.
They are cheaper
A lot of factors determine the price of seeds. For instance, a single regular seed can cost $9, but a pack of ten seeds could be much cheaper at $6.50 per seed. In addition, the type of seed you choose will also play a role in its price.
Regular seeds are often purchased by growers that enjoy the process of pheno hunting for upcoming breeding projects. This process involves separating male plants from female plants and collecting pollen from them. While this has some impracticalities such as wasted hydro system space, nutrient use and growing medium, it is a great way to develop new genetics.
The resulting seeds are then used to cultivate new strains. For those who love the craft of cannabis cultivation, this is a fun and rewarding process. And while you do not have to be an expert to breed your own strains, it is still a great hobby for the casual home grower.
They are easier to grow
Regular seeds are easier to grow than feminized seeds. Feminized seeds contain female chromosomes (XX), while regular seeds have both male and female chromosomes. Feminized seeds should produce 100% female specimens, but it is not uncommon to find male plants amongst a crop of regular seeds. This can waste growing space, nutrients, and water.
Regular seed can be bred to create new strains that have desirable traits, such as yield, terpene profile, and THC/CBD ratio. This can be an exciting process that requires time and effort to perfect.
Another advantage of regular seed is that it is easier to manage a large crop. Feminized seeds have a much smaller chance of producing male plants, so it’s less stressful to deal with a large crop of weed. This makes it more efficient to use the growing space, allowing growers to focus all of their energy on creating an ideal harvest. This leads to higher quality buds and bigger yields.
They are more stable
Many growers prefer regular seeds because they provide a 50/50 ratio of male and female plants. This is important for cultivators who want to know the sex of their crop before harvesting. This process can be difficult for novice growers, as it requires time and effort to identify male plants and cull them before they pollinate the females.
Although many new growers may choose to plant feminized seeds, experienced breeders often prefer regular seed. It allows them to select plants with the best traits and create unique, high-quality strains. In addition, it provides more genetic diversity than feminized seeds.
Moreover, it is more cost-effective for a breeder to use regular seeds for the breeding process. This is because the feminized seeds are more expensive to produce. The regular seeds also allow growers to keep their own mother plants for cuttings/clones. This is important for maintaining genetic stability and preserving homebred strains. In the end, the decision to go with a regular seed depends on personal preferences and cultivation goals.
They are easier to breed
For growers that like to breed their own cannabis strains, regular seeds are the preferred option. These seeds allow gardeners to separate the male and female plants to create their own unique genetics. This is a time-consuming process that requires skill and patience but it’s a great way for growers to create never-seen-before varieties.
Feminized seeds, on the other hand, produce only female plants by default. This can save growers a lot of money and time when growing cannabis, as it eliminates the need to weed out any male plants that could ruin the entire crop. The only disadvantage to using feminized seeds is that they don’t grow as vigorously, which can affect the quality of the final product. In addition, they may not be as resistant to pests. This can be a problem for those who like to make cuttings from their plants. They can still be used, however, for those who want to keep their mothers for later use.