Ultimately the choice between feminized and regular seeds comes down to cultivation experience and goal. Growers with small indoor operations or those legally capped at a certain number of plants might prefer feminized seed.
However, many growers choose to breed with regular seeds. Here are a few reasons why:.
Stable Genetics
Regular cannabis seeds are more unstable than their feminized counterparts. When you grow regular varieties, there’s a 50% chance of male plants pollinating your females and cutting your yields by up to 90%.
Breeders will work over several generations to stabilise a strain, starting with stable mothers and fathers. Then they cross brothers and sisters, selecting for desirable traits in the offspring. Over time, desired traits become dominant and consistent, while undesirable traits are gradually eliminated from the genetic pool. Breeders may also use back-crossing to speed up the stabilization process and reinforce preferred dominant traits. This is a lengthy and labour-intensive process that often requires a large number of plants to be bred. As such, it’s not a great option for novice growers. However, it does produce hardy plants that can resist pests and survive harsh environments. This makes them better suited to outdoor cultivation. In addition, the seeds are easier to clone, which can improve yields even more.
Better Yields
If you are looking to grow the biggest harvest possible for your growing experience then regular seeds are a smart choice. Since you don’t have to worry about the male plants producing pollen, every nutrient and drop of water can be used on helping your females become the biggest, strongest, most potent plants they can possibly be.
Of course, this also means that you can save a lot of money on the cost of growing, as you will not be wasting any of your resources and supplies.
To germinate your seeds, simply place them in a paper towel with some bottled water and leave them to soak up the moisture until they sprout and are ready to be transplanted into soil. Keep in mind that the germination process may take a few days, so be patient! Keep checking the seedlings for hydration, as they can dry out quickly. If this happens, you can try rehydrating them by placing them in some warm water.
Easier to Breed
Whether you are an old-school grower or just starting out, regular seed is the way to go if you are interested in breeding your own strains. They will produce a mix of male and female plants, giving you the opportunity to create your own custom genetic crosses.
With non-feminized seeds, it is up to the grower to weed out all of the male plants before they bloom and pollinate the females. This can be a very time consuming process and can limit your yields.
Feminized seeds remove this hassle from the cultivation process by producing a predominately female crop. This allows the grower to focus all of their resources on the growth of the bud-producing plants, which leads to higher quality and yields. The feminized seeds also make it easier to clone your desired plants. This allows you to repeat the same successful growing experience for multiple harvests. This is a huge benefit for those who want to perfect their craft and make the strains of their dreams.
Lower Price
Unlike feminized seeds, which require significant chemical processing to produce, regular seed will grow into both male and female plants. This ratio can vary a bit, but most batches contain an average of 50/50 male and female cannabis plants. This allows for a much easier cultivation process as you do not have to cull the male plants from your crop.
Regular seeds are also the preferred choice for many breeders. This is because the genetics in a strain can be influenced by a number of different genes that are present in both the male and female plants.
Dutch Passion’s collection of regular seeds features some of the finest old-school strains to date. These classics were left behind in the weed rush of the 90’s and have been restored back to their original, pure form with our careful breeding techniques. These legends include White Widow, Orange Bud, Blueberry and Mazar. Their enduring popularity is due to their stable genetics and deeply enjoyable effects.
