There are many advantages of regular cannabis seeds over feminized or autoflower varieties. Their importance and why they should be given more attention lies in the genetic makeup of these seeds. Even if there is a standard, the seeds are different from each other.
Since they are not sister plants, the selection of genes that can be made is very varied, giving way to the possibility of choosing the genetic traits that you like or suit you (colors, flavors, smells, etc.) and turn them into common characteristics of a newly established variety. Other advantages include:
1. The plants tend to be less sensitive to stress
Female cannabis plants usually grow tougher after the removal of their male counterparts on a regular field. They become more resistant to drought, stress, photoperiodic fluctuations, and other growth issues. In the long run, regular seeds have a higher chance of survival. One of the benefits of these cannabis seeds is that, once the male plants have been discarded, the remaining females become sturdy and highly stress-resistant. If what you’re looking for are more vigorous cannabis plants, then those grown from regular seeds are usually hardy enough to withstand any changes in the growing environment (a sudden photoperiod change, lack of water, excessive fertilization, etc.) without exhibiting any male characteristics (hermaphroditism). Regular seeds can be easy for novice growers to work with as they generally tend to be more forgiving.
2. They’re ideal for producing mother plants and taking cuttings
Working through a bunch of seeds and narrowing down the best female plants to one keeper will reward you with the ultimate mother plant, and can often soften the blow of paying three figures for a pack of seeds in some cases. If you truly want to find the best of the best, using regular seeds will allow for the most genetic diversity.
With regular seeds, you can always secure cuttings for asexual reproduction towards the next planting season. Regular cuttings can handle stress and would perform better than feminized plant cuttings. Regular cannabis seeds are particularly favored by cannabis breeders.
3. It ensures that the plant expresses its entire lineage
When feminized seeds are produced, a phenotype is chosen and its ‘reversed’ pollen is used to preserve the new generation of plants. With regular seeds, a genetically intact phenotype can be found: a completely different pheno worth keeping in your grow room. Every plant will have its own characteristics, growth pattern, leaf and stem development, aroma, yield, resistance to pests, terpene profile, THC/CBD ratio, etc. The grower will decide on which ones to keep in a vegetative state (mother plants) and can take clones to retain the features that they like the most.
4. They have an immense variety of pure phenotypes
The phenotype refers to the set of characteristics that each strain has. This means that the regular seeds generate greater variety and possibilities of crosses. A very important advantage for expert growers looking to create their own strains.
Working with a large number of plants to select from will allow you to access the best looking plants, based on height, structure, internodal spacing, aroma, leaf pattern, and overall vigor.
In addition, these types of seeds have pure phenotypes that have not been genetically modified. One of the benefits most celebrated by expert growers.
5. You can combine the best strains and create hybrids
For those who have the desire to make custom genetic crosses, starting your own breeding project is easily achievable. For this you will need to invest in regular seeds that will allow you to grow male and female plants. It is a good idea to start with at least 10 seeds to allow for a wider variation. Some seedlings may underperform and be discarded early on, however with 10 seedlings, there is a good potential desired ratio. Labeling your pots with numbers and strain names, will make life much easier when sorting through the different plants, especially when taking cuttings before flowering for preservation purposes.
With regular seeds, you can experiment by breeding hybrid generations. You could develop never-seen-before varieties and strains that wouldn’t be possible with already modified seeds. Also, as a newbie, it’s easier to purchase, grow and maintain regular cannabis plants.
6. They give you access to the old genetics
Some of the best old-school varieties never made it into the feminized market. Many strains that existed during the last 50 years have often been kept only in their regular form. Therefore, growing regular seeds also allows you to go back in time and grow unprecedented genetics.
And remember: experimenting with regular cannabis seeds can be particularly gratifying. It is also the best way to learn the differences between the sexes of cannabis plants, the basic concepts of hybridization, etc. It all comes down to what you expect from the experience, but in any case don’t make the mistake of overlooking the benefits of regular seeds!
