Before feminized seeds came along, regular cannabis seeds were the preferred choice of many growers. They are a good option for beginners because they produce a theoretical 50% male to female ratio and go through all phases of cultivation, from germination to vegetative growth to flowering and harvest.
Choose a reputable online store like ILGM or Crop King, who offer a variety of premium seeds and good germination rates. These vendors also use stealth shipping methods and offer replacements if your shipment gets intercepted by customs.
Male and Female Plants
When growers use regular seeds, there is a 50% chance that they will produce male plants in addition to females. That can be a big deal for many cultivators, as male plants will pollinate the flowers and reduce yields and quality.
Alternatively, you can choose to cultivate the males and save them for breeding or cloning purposes. Since they have their full set of chromosomes, regular plants can be used to create offspring that are true to the parent strains – including specific morphologies and colours.
Once you’ve got your males sorted, you can start the process of germinating your cannabis seeds. Take a plate or mug, and place some distilled water on it, creating a moist environment for your seeds. Place your seeds on the plate and tuck them in, leaving an inch or two between each seed. Leave them in a dark place for up to 120 hours, checking regularly until they sprout a taproot.
High Yields
While feminized seeds have been rising in popularity, it is worth noting that regular seeds produce ideal yields when treated well. On average, half of the seeds in a pack will grow into female plants that produce viable buds for consumption.
If you choose to grow your own marijuana from regular seeds, it is important to know how to identify male plants. The best way to do this is to look for small growths on the base of the plant. These growths are called nodes, and they will display pollen sacks or stigmas. Once you have identified a male plant, it is necessary to isolate it from the female plants to prevent unwanted pollination.
Germinating cannabis seeds is easy when using a tried and tested method. Place your seeds on a paper towel and add a small amount of bottled water. Allow the seed to absorb the water before planting it in a container with good drainage.
Easy to Grow
Many experienced growers still prefer to buy regular cannabis seeds, despite the fact that they require a little more work than feminized varieties. This is because you have to sex out male plants and remove them from the crop, which can be time-consuming.
The best way to germinate regular marijuana seeds is to place them on a plate, then fold a paper towel over and add some bottled water until the seeds are moistened. Tuck the plate into a warm dark spot until the seeds sprout, then check them daily and move them to a larger container once they have grown a taproot.
Some breeders use regular seeds to start breeding projects because of their ability to produce fertile clones. Cloning is a process where a cutting is taken from a parent plant and used to cultivate new, genetically identical plants. This is an efficient way to increase the yield of a strain and maintain its potency.
Variety
Unlike feminized seeds that guarantee the production of female plants, regular cannabis seeds have a 50% chance to produce either male or female plants. This makes them a good choice for growers who prefer to avoid any sexual manipulation and want to preserve genetics in their gardens.
They also come in handy for breeders as they provide the best genetic material for creating new cultivars. Regular strains have a wider range of physical variations called phenotypes. These phenotypes can differ in terms of potency, effect, flavour, and terpene profile.
Before feminized seeds came to the market, growers used regular seeds to create their own strains by crossing different specimens. They chose their favourites based on their morphology and colour. Once the chosen specimens were bred, they created offspring that displayed the most desirable traits such as extreme potency, a distinct flavour profile, or specific colours.