As technology changes, we move on to new advancements. The same has happened with developments made in cannabis seeds with feminized and autoflowering seeds that may be making you overlook regular cannabis seeds, but, not the case. Regular seeds also have many possibilities to explore.
Exploring the nuances between feminized vs regular cannabis seeds reveals essential factors in yield, genetic stability, and cultivation practices, guiding growers towards informed decisions tailored to their preferences and objectives.
At Farmking, we make sure that there is transparency in all our products. With the same view, we would like to tell you that a seed is a seed. Now we are calling it regular cannabis seed as we have made hybrids- feminized cannabis seeds and autoflowering cannabis seeds.
Both versions are updated versions of cannabis seeds made to cater to different climatic changes. But no one is less than any. So, let us unlock the details to know them better.
Understanding the Sex of Cannabis Plant
Understanding the sex of your cannabis plants is crucial for a successful harvest. Regular cannabis seeds, produced through natural pollination, will develop into male or female plants with a 50/50 chance. The key lies in identifying the males early, typically during the pre-flowering stage.
Female plants will show lean white hairs (pistils) at the nodes where branches meet the stem. Males, on the other hand, develop small round pollen sacs. Once you can differentiate these sex characteristics, it’s essential to remove the males before they pollinate the females and ruin bud production.
This sex identification process adds complexity to growing with regular seeds, but with feminized we know it will produce female plants. But It is a valuable skill for experienced growers who want more control over genetics and potentially higher quality harvests.
Also read: Identifying Male vs Female Cannabis: Characteristics, Similarities, and Differences
What Are Regular Cannabis Seeds?
Regular cannabis seeds are the original type of cannabis seed. Wait until the pre-flowering stage to see its sexes, when you will see small green flowers and pollen sacs. If you don’t remove them, they will pollinate female plants, resulting in low yields.
Natural pollination occurs when a female cannabis plant is pollinated by a male cannabis plant resulting in seeds that have a 50% chance of becoming either male or female plants.
Pros of Regular Cannabis Seeds
- Genetic diversity: Regular seeds allow for breeding your strains and creating new hybrids. It is sounder for breeders and experienced growers who want to experiment with genetics.
- Stronger female plants: Because you identify and remove the male plants, the remaining female plants will have focused all their energy on bud production, potentially resulting in a higher quality harvest.
- Lower cost: Regular seeds are typically cheaper than feminized seeds.
- No hermaphrodites: Regular seeds will never produce hermaphrodite plants. These can also ruin your harvest if they pollinate the females.
Cons of Regular Cannabis Seeds
- Identifying and removing males: You need to be able to identify the sex of your cannabis plants early on in the growing process. Male plants don’t produce the buds you want, and if they pollinate the females, it can ruin your harvest. It requires some knowledge and attention to detail.
- Less yield: Since you have to remove half the plants (the males), you will end up with fewer female plants to harvest from compared to using feminized seeds.
- Not ideal for beginners: The extra step of identifying and removing males adds complexity to the growing process. Feminized seeds are a simple option for new growers.
Also Refer to: Harvesting Cannabis Buds: Tips, Tricks, and Expert Advice
What Are Feminized Cannabis Seeds?
Regular cannabis seeds have a chance to produce male or female seeds, but Feminized cannabis seeds produce only female plants. It is achieved through a specific breeding process that tricks a female plant into producing pollen.
This pollen pollinate other female plants. Since feminized seeds come from two females, the resulting offspring inherit only XX chromosomes (female sex chromosomes) with 99% of female plants.
Pros of Feminized Cannabis Seeds
Higher Yields: Because you won’t have any male plants to remove, you can maximize your grow space with females, leading to potentially bigger harvests.
- Convenience: There’s no need to identify and remove males. It simplifies the growing process, especially for beginners.
- Consistent Potency: Female plants generally produce higher levels of cannabinoids (THC, CBD) than males. Feminized seeds ensure a crop of potent bud-producing plants.
- Reduced Risk of Pollination: Since there are no male around, there’s no chance of accidental pollination that can ruin your harvest with seeds.
- Ideal for Beginners: The ease of growing with feminized seeds makes them a popular choice for first-time cultivators.
Cons of Feminized Cannabis Seeds
- Limited Genetic Diversity: Feminized seeds are bred for specific traits, which can limit genetic diversity. It means less opportunity for breeders to experiment and create new strains.
- Slightly Higher Cost: Feminized seeds typically cost more than regular seeds due to the additional breeding process involved.
- Potential for Hermaphrodites: While uncommon, some feminized seeds can carry a slight risk of producing hermaphrodite plants under stress. These plants have both sex organs and can pollinate your females, reducing bud quality.
Also Read: What Cannabis Seeds Look Like?
Feminized vs Regular Cannabis Seeds: Which is Better?
The choice between regular and feminized cannabis seeds depends on sex predetermination. It impacts the growing process, harvest, and opportunities for genetic exploration. So, let us unlock them:
Regular Cannabis Seeds
- Sex: Regular seeds are nature’s creation, resulting from pollination between male and female cannabis plants. They carry fifty percent of becoming either male or female. It is ideal for breeders who want to search the full spectrum of cannabis genetics.
- Growing impact: It requires more hands-on management. Identifying male plants early in the pre-flowering stage is crucial. If not removed before pollinating the females, they can ruin your bud harvest by producing unwanted seeds.
- Yield: Due to removing the male plants, you have fewer females to harvest from, potentially leading to a lower overall yield.
- Breeding and Genetics: Many breeders love to do mutations. Regular seeds offer a wider range of genetics by crossing desired male and female plants, breeders can create new strains with specific characteristics. It is how the vast diversity of cannabis strains is continuously developed. That is why you are talking about feminized seeds, autoflowering seeds, hybrid seeds, and fast-version seeds.
- Cost: They are typically cheaper due to the simpler production process. If you are a novice, it will be a better option without digging a hole in your pocket.
- Hermaphrodites: These will never produce hermaphrodite plants, which have both male and female sex organs and can ruin your harvest through pollination.
Feminized Cannabis Seeds
- Sex: You are 99% sure from the beginning that you are getting female plants. This eliminates the need to identify and remove males, simplifying the growing process.
- Growing Impact: These offer a simpler and more beginner-friendly approach. Since they’re almost guaranteed to be female, there’s no need to worry about identifying and removing males.
- Yield: Since all the plants are likely to be female, you can maximize your grow space for bud production, potentially resulting in bigger harvests.
- Breeding and Genetics: Due to their origin from two females, they offer limited genetic diversity. This makes them less suitable for breeding new strains.
- Cost: The additional breeding techniques involved make them slightly more expensive.
- Hermaphrodites: While rare, there’s a slight risk of some feminized seeds producing hermaphrodites under stress conditions.
A Quick chart on the difference between regular and feminized cannabis seeds:
| Seed Type | Sex Ratio | Identifying Males | Yield Potential | Breeding Potential | Cost | Hermaphrodite Risk | Ideal for |
| Regular | 50% Male, 50% Female | Required (remove males) | Lower (fewer females) | High (create new strains) | Lower | None | Experienced Breeders, Higher Quality (potential) |
| Feminized | Almost 100% Female | Not Required | Higher (all females) | Low (limited options) | Slightly Higher | Slight Risk under Stress | Beginners, Simpler Process, Bigger Yields |
What is the Hermaphrodite Cannabis Plant?
A hermaphrodite plant, also known as hermie, is a bit of a revolutionary. Unlike most cannabis plants, which are typically dioecious (meaning they are strictly male or female), hermaphrodite cannabis plants develop both male and female sex organs on the same plant.
It is a problem for growers because the male flowers (pollen sacs) on a hermaphrodite can pollinate the female flowers (pistils), leading to seed production. Seeds are undesirable in most cases because they reduce the potency of the bud (THC and other cannabinoids).
Also Refer to: How Long Does it Take to Grow Cannabis?
How to Deal with Hermaphrodite Cannabis?
Unfortunately, there’s no way, but the best is to isolate and remove the hermaphrodite plant from your grow space to prevent it from pollinating any nearby females.
If you’re close to harvest and the hermaphrodite hasn’t shown many signs of pollen production, you might consider harvesting the unaffected females early. However, this comes with the potential for lower-quality buds.
How to prevent Hermaphrodites?
To minimize the risk of hermaphrodites, always pick high-quality seeds from reputed seed banks and provide optimal growing conditions like consistent light cycles, proper temperature and humidity levels, and address any nutrient deficiencies. Most importantly, handle your plants gently and avoid unnecessary disruptions to their environment.
FAQs
1. Can you see the difference between regular and feminized seeds?
No, you cannot physically see the difference between regular and feminized cannabis seeds. They look virtually identical, typically small, round, and brown. The difference lies in their genetics and how they develop. It becomes evident only as the plants mature and develop sex organs during the pre-flowering stage.
2. Do regular seeds and feminized seeds grow differently?
Regular and feminized cannabis seeds will grow differently in terms of sex predetermination but require similar cultivation methods. So, no worries as such.
3. Which seed type is better for beginners: feminized or regular?
Generally, Feminized seeds are a better choice for beginners because there is no need to identify and remove male plants, making it easier to manage your growth. It gives guaranteed female plants, maximizing your bud production potential.
4. Do female seeds turn into male seeds?
No, usually female seeds do not turn into male seeds. However, there is a 1% chance that it may turn into male plants. This case is super rare.
What Should I Buy and Why?
It’s clear till now that regular seeds are apt for experienced growers who want to experiment with breeding, potentially achieve higher quality crop, and are comfortable with identifying and removing male plants.
Conversely, Feminized seeds are beginner-friendly, guarantee female plants, potentially high yields, and consistent bud quality. They’re also ideal for growers with limited space.
But what matters is what you want. What is your experience level, goals, and priorities? So, choose sagely!
