Best Regular Seeds Blog

Cannabis seeds are a great source of nutrients and contain the plant’s genetic code. They grow from pollinated flowers on female plants and can be eaten or used in smoking, but they don’t have any of the psychoactive or medicinal properties that we associate with weed.

Spontaneous hermaphroditism occurs frequently in cannabis plants. The stigmas of hermaphroditic flowers develop receptive papillae and collapse around a central core (anther).

Germination

Cannabis seeds require warm, dark and humid conditions to sprout. The best time to germinate them is during the Spring equinox if you’re growing outdoors. Using an indoor growing setup though allows you to germinate them whenever you want, as long as the environment is a good match for their natural growth conditions.

Soaking seeds in water works well, especially for the older seeds with harder shells that may need a wake up call. Soak the seeds in a glass of room-temperature water for 12 hours and store them in a dark place.

The main drawback to this method is the risk of damage to the seeds as you move them from one container to another, and the seeds can dry out and die if not kept in a damp towel or between two plates. If you use jiffy pellets or seedling cubes, they already come moistened so there’s less of a risk of damage when moving the seeds.

Soil

Using soil that is rich in nutrients and beneficial microorganisms is the foundation of growing cannabis. The nutrient pool of the soil enables plants to grow from cute little seedlings to healthy, productive adult plants with a canopy of dank buds.

Use sterilized potting soil, organic compost or a mix of organic topsoil and non-peat potting soil. Add perlite to any mix you choose – these light airy “rocks” increase drainage and oxygen levels.

Do not buy soil that has a lot of big visible wood chip fragments in it – the chips keep water and nutrients from reaching the plant, so the plants struggle.

There are a few brands of potting soils that are specifically formulated to work well for plants like cannabis. These “super” soils contain mycorrhizae, kelp, fish bone meal, worm castings and lobster compost that provide slow-release organic nutrients that see the plant through its entire growth cycle – no need for additional chemical nutrient supplements.

Water

During the flowering phase of cannabis, plant growth can require a lot of water. For this reason it’s important for the grower to have a good idea of how much water they are using. A hygrometer can help to give an accurate reading of the moisture in the soil or growing medium.

Generally speaking, cannabis seeds like to be kept in moderately dry conditions. Too much water can cause the seeds to rot and die.

When it comes to purchasing cannabis seed, it’s always best to choose a trustworthy seed bank with a great reputation. ILGM, Beaver Seeds, and Crop King Seeds are some of our top picks for their customer service, high germination rates, and reasonable prices.

When it comes to watering cannabis plants, distilled or filtered water is ideal. Bottled water often contains added minerals and nutrient levels which can stunt plant growth. A pH level of 7.0 is ideal for cannabis root zones, and it’s also recommended to use a hygrometer to ensure the right amount of water is being used.

Stone Wool Blocks

Stone wool (rockwool) is a popular hydroponic substrate used by cannabis growers. It’s made from molten rock spun into cotton candy-like fibers that are then compressed into a variety of shapes and sizes – from plugs to blocks to slabs, all tailored to different plant stages and cultivation methods.

Unlike peat and coco coir, which can be contaminated by fungal spores, pests and other carbon-based organic material, Grodan stone wool is highly consistent and inert. It also has a higher water uptake capacity than soil and a more uniform texture that allows for better root zone management during vegetative growth.

Cultivators using Grodan Grow-Cubes and Grow-Slabs for clonal propagation find that their consistency from planting to transplanting supports precise root zone management and tightly choreographed vegetative growth. They can also count on consistent size and structure for a smooth integration with automation systems to reduce labor costs and facilitate data collection that maximizes facility productivity.

Like all seed type options, regular seed has its pros and cons. It’s a good choice for experienced growers that have some cultivating cycles under their belt.

Essentially, regular seeds produce both male and female plants (hermaphrodite) in the growing process. Typically, it’s up to the grower to identify and remove any male plants throughout the growing cycle.

Unaltered Genetics

Like all plants in nature, regular seeds produce both male and female cannabis crops. Generally, the ratio of male to female plants is approximately 50/50. This is great for breeders and growers who want to preserve the genetic diversity of a particular strain.

Blueberry regular seeds give birth to a robust family tree that smells just like ripe blueberries and produces traditional indica effects of deep relaxation and munchies. Regular seeds are a good choice for anyone interested in growing natural, stable marijuana that isn’t tampered with by human hands.

However, unlike feminized seeds, regular seed has an equal chance of producing male cannabis plants, which will pollinate your crop and lower your yields. The process of identifying and removing male plants requires patience and a certain amount of cultivation experience.

More Genetic Variation

Seed size and number are major contributors to the reproductive output of plants, yet their genetic architecture and interaction with life-history traits remain largely unknown. Although the theory that a trade-off between seed number and seed weight is inevitable has been broadly accepted, empirical tests of this hypothesis have yielded mixed results.

The QTL analysis of average seed weight and number identified eight QTL, located on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, and 5. The largest one is located on chromosome 1 (21.6 Mb) and explained 15% of the variation.

The QTL analysis of seed coat glossiness also identified several significant markers, but the segregation pattern is dominated by the Asp gene and only moderately influenced by the J locus. This suggests that natural selection has not been shaped by a trade-off between these traits.

More Vigorous Plants

Unless you’re after extreme potency or specific terpenes, your best chance of creating your dream strain is by working with regular seeds. They perform exactly how nature intends and offer an equal chance of sprouting as male or female cannabis plants. This makes them ideal for growers who are keen on breeding, as they allow you to make superior clones and cultivars that produce fantastic growth and yields.

Many old school cultivars, such as Thin Mints and Chemdawg, were originally grown from regular seed. They are also perfect for breeders and experienced growers who want to highlight particular genetic traits through breeding, such as high THC content. Growing from regular seeds also allows you to take cuttings for making new plants, something that feminized seeds simply cannot do.

More Stable Genetics

Regular seeds are what you’d find in nature before feminized and autoflower varieties stole the spotlight. They go through their life cycle based on the amount of light they receive, and develop into male or female plants with a 50/50 split (barring rookie errors that turn your plants into hermaphrodites).

If you breed two F1 marijuana strains together to produce regular seeds, their offspring will contain all possible phenotypes, thanks to the genetic variation in their parent plants. To stabilize a strain, breeders must select and cross them over multiple generations until they can reliably predict the characteristics of offspring.

For this reason, it can take years for breeders to perfect a strain. Once they do, however, growers can reap the benefits of stable plants.

Easier to Breed

Regular seeds have a 50% chance of producing male or female plants after germination. This means that a grower might have to cull male plants from their crop, which can cut down on the potential yield of a harvest.

However, this is often a good thing as the male plants can be used to produce clones. This makes a strain more stable and can help to maintain important traits like resistance to pests or high THC potency.

This also gives growers access to a wider genetic pool when breeding, and can help them discover new phenotypes with unique flavor and aroma that might not be possible with feminized seeds. This is a key reason why many experienced cultivators prefer to work with regular seed.

Seed is the food supply that enables a new plant to grow. It contains all the nutrients that it will need until it is able to make its own food through photosynthesis.

Seeds are found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but they all have the same basic structure. They have a protective outer coating that encloses an embryo and food reserves.

Definition

Seed is the fertilized ovule of a plant with stored food materials and enclosed within a protective seed coat. It is a means of reproduction for vascular plants, including gymnosperms and angiosperms.

An embryo is a miniature undeveloped plant and the food reserves are in the endosperm of the seed. The seed coat is usually a thick, toughened covering that can retain moisture and protect the embryo during storage. It also acts as a barrier to dehydration. Seeds are the primary source of grains, fruits and legumes. Seeds from plants like soybeans, cotton, sunflower and coconut provide cooking oil.

Open pollinated seeds, such as heirloom varieties of vegetables, will grow true to type if another variety does not cross-pollinate them. Hybrid seeds, however, will produce a plant with the genetic characteristics of both parents. The term seed is also used figuratively, as in the idea of a person or thing being ranked and spread out across early tournament rounds.

Origin

Until seed plants evolved, most land plants reproduced by throwing out single-celled spores into the air to be dispersed and grow into new plants. The advantage of seeds over this method of reproduction is that the reserve food materials accumulated in the endosperm give the emerging plant an excellent start.

The structure of a seed is complex. It consists of an embryo, a storage tissue (endosperm) and a seed coat. The embryo consists of an immature root (the radicle) and an embryonic shoot (the plumule or epicotyl). The cotyledons—one in monocotyledons, two in dicotyledons, and two to several in gymnosperms—are attached to the epicotyl.

The evolutionary origin of the seed is difficult to determine. Some authors have suggested that seed ferns—Bennettitales and Gnetales—are angiosperm ancestors because of their flower-like structures, but fossils have not proved this hypothesis. Furthermore, if molecular analyses are correct, Gnetales should be more closely related to conifers than Bennettitales, and the Gnetales ovules would be better homologous with the cupule of angiosperms.

Function

The primary function of seed is to store a reserve supply of food that supports the embryo plant until it develops roots and can make its own food. The outer seed coat protects the embryo from damage and helps to retain moisture. The seed coat also contains a layer of food storage called endosperm.

A seed’s multicellular structure provides an advantage over single-celled spores for dispersal. The nutrient material stored in the seed enables the new plant to grow quickly and establish itself in a new environment.

The three parts of a seed include the radicle, cotyledons, and epicotyl. The cotyledons are the first leaves of the seedling. The epicotyl is the stem that grows above the cotyledons. Many seeds have a hard outer seed coat that is impervious to water. This condition, called physiological dormancy, is usually broken by a period of moist chilling or stratification. Other seeds, such as soybeans (a dicot), are able to break down their own dormancy with the help of enzymes that facilitate DNA repair.

Dispersal

Many plants depend on seed dispersal to survive. As seeds spread out over a region they can avoid overcrowding and competition for water, sunlight and space for growth.

Some seeds, such as those of dandelions, have feathery bristles that float away on the wind (anemochory). Others like maples have wings that flutter when the fruits open and fall from the tree (epiphyte).

Other seeds, primarily those of gymnosperms such as ginkgo and spruce, have hard coatings adapted to stick to fur, feathers or even animal dung. Still others have fleshy appendages that entice animals to eat them and then carry the seeds along, or have hooks and barbs that allow them to pass through the digestive tract without being digested.

Hydrochory is the seed dispersal method used by plants that live in or near the water, such as lilies, palm trees and many aquatic and freshwater plants. This type of dispersal sends seeds out into the waters where they can be carried by ocean currents over long distances, allowing them to land at other locations.