The 3 Types of Cannabis Seeds You Should Know

When it comes to home-growing, it all begins with getting the right cannabis seeds – that is, assuming you’re not planning on propagating from a cutting of a mature plant.  The success of your yield is hugely dependent on the seeds you end up choosing, which is why you want to be cautious when purchasing them.  Not only does it matter that you buy the right strain based on your climate (indoor or outdoor), your growing experience, and your personal preferences, but you also need to know you’re buying high-quality, fresh seeds that are more likely to germinate properly.

Then, there is another interesting factor you need to consider wisely: which kind of seeds you’re going to buy.  As you will soon find out, there are a few types of cannabis seeds, and each type has its distinctive advantages and disadvantages.

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Some Quick Basics on Cannabis Seeds

Cannabis seeds are created by the female cannabis plant, either belonging to the hemp or marijuana species.  They are created when the male plant’s pollen fertilizes the female plant, and this process signals the female to create seeds, which go through a maturation process before they can be collected.

Germination is the first step in growing a cannabis plant from seed.  It involves moisturizing the seeds until they sprout a root.  This can be done in various ways, including the paper towel method, directly planting in soil, or using starter plugs.  After germination, seedlings require proper light, nutrients, and water to grow.

Currently, most cannabis seeds available on the market come from careful breeding practices by expert cannabis geneticists.  This is why we have countless cannabis strains to choose from in seed form.  Also, cannabis seeds carry the genetic information of their parent plants, including traits like size, climate adaptability, growth time, and THC/CBD ratios.

What Types of Cannabis Seeds Should You Be on the Lookout For?

The world of cannabis cultivation has evolved a lot over the years, especially as the industry has become more and more profitable – not to mention legal in many parts of the country and the world.  With this has come a number of developments aimed at making the process of growing cannabis more efficient, beginning with the seeds that are available.  With that being said, let’s take a closer look at a few types of cannabis seeds you can purchase as a home grower.

Regular Cannabis Seeds

First, we have “regular” cannabis seeds.  These are the seeds that you will find in the depths of nature, where cannabis grows wildly.  And, many top-notch breeders offer regular seeds as well.  Regular cannabis seeds are the simple product of the male plant fertilizing the female plant, and with regular seeds, you won’t know what each plant’s gender is until the flowering process of the plant, weeks after the seeds have been germinated.  

This matters, because only female plants produce flowering buds that contain cannabinoids.  Male cannabis plants are effectively useless, at least in terms of harvest, but are otherwise valuable in their natural role in fertilizing female plants and continuing the reproductive cycle of cannabis.  

How are Regular Genetics Made?

Regular cannabis seeds are created through the natural pollination process of cannabis plants.  Again, this process involves both male and female cannabis plants.  Here’s a general overview of how regular cannabis seed genetics are made:

1. Male and Female Plants: Cannabis is a dioecious plant, meaning it produces separate male and female plants.  The male plants produce pollen, while the female plants produce the flowers or buds that are commonly consumed.
2. Pollination: For regular cannabis seeds to be produced, pollination must occur. This happens when pollen from the male plant comes into contact with the stigma of a female plant’s flower:

• In nature, this can occur through wind or insect activity.
• In controlled breeding environments, breeders often manually collect pollen from male plants and apply it to the females to ensure specific genetic crosses.

3. Seed Development: Once a female plant is pollinated, it starts producing seeds within its flowers.  These seeds contain genetics from both the male and female parent plants.  The seeds are genetically regular, meaning they have not been manipulated to be feminized and can grow into either male or female plants.
4. Genetic Selection: Breeders select male and female plants based on desirable traits such as potency, aroma, yield, and resistance to pests and diseases.  By carefully choosing the plants for pollination, breeders can develop new strains with specific characteristics.
5. Harvesting Seeds: After pollination, the seeds mature within the female plant’s flowers.  Once ready, the seeds can be collected.  This usually involves allowing the flowers to dry and then gently breaking them apart to release the seeds.
6. Testing and Stabilization: The first generation of seeds (F1) from a new cross may exhibit a wide range of traits from both parent plants.  Breeders often grow several generations, selecting plants that consistently show desired traits to stabilize the strain.  This process ensures that the seeds produce plants with predictable characteristics.

Are Regular Genetics for You?

Whether regular cannabis seed genetics are for you depends on several factors, including your cultivation experience, goals, legal regulations in your area, and personal preferences.  Below are some considerations to help you decide if regular cannabis seed genetics are suitable for you.

Consideration #1: Breeding Purposes

If you’re interested in cannabis breeding, regular seeds are essential.  They allow for the combination of different genetics to create new strains or to enhance specific traits like potency, flavor, or resistance to pests and diseases.  However, breeding requires more knowledge, space, and time since you’ll need to identify and separate male plants to prevent them from pollinating females unless that’s your goal.

Consideration #2: Experience Level

Growing from regular seeds can be a valuable learning experience.  It allows cultivators to see the full lifecycle of the cannabis plant, understand the differences between male and female plants, and select the best phenotypes for cloning or breeding.  Still, it can be more challenging for beginners. Identifying and removing male plants to avoid pollination requires vigilance and timing.

Consideration #3: Cost-Effectiveness

Regular seeds are often less expensive than feminized or auto-flowering seeds. They can be a more cost-effective option if you have the space and don’t mind the extra work of identifying and culling male plants.  Keep in mind, there’s a risk of investing resources in plants that must be removed if they turn out to be male, which does not contribute to the final yield of consumable cannabis flowers.

Consideration #4: Legality

Check the legal regulations regarding cannabis cultivation in your area. Some states may have restrictions on the number of plants you can grow or may require permits. These rules might influence your decision on which type of seeds to use.

Consideration #5: Personal Preferences and Goals

For personal use or small-scale cultivation, feminized seeds might be more practical since they guarantee that almost all plants will be female and produce buds.  But for large-scale or commercial cultivation, regular seeds might be chosen for breeding programs, phenotype selection, or as a cost-saving measure if the grower is prepared to handle the males.

Regular Key Pros & Cons to Remember

Pros:

• Non-genetically altered and pure.
• Produces both male and female plants, so that male plants can continue to fertilize female plants and produce new seeds.
• Often more inexpensive.

Cons:

• Produces male and female plants, with male plants eventually discarded due to a lack of cannabinoid-containing flower buds – this means added effort, time, and space for male plants that will only be discarded later.

Feminized Cannabis Seeds

Feminized cannabis seeds solve the issue of ending up with a bunch of male cannabis plants that aren’t going to be used for harvest.  By choosing feminized seeds, you’re only attributing physical space, time, and effort toward plants that will deliver flower buds high in cannabinoids and terpenes.  Essentially, feminized seeds were created to increase the chances of germinating female plants.  To be precise, the chances of a female emerging are around 99.9%.  Basically, the odds are in your favor if you’re seeking flowers over pollen sacs.

How are Feminized Genetics Made?

Of course, feminized seeds have been genetically altered, and they are altered to become hermaphroditic – that is, capable of fertilizing themselves.  This requires that the plants are forced to stop producing a chemical called ethylene, which leads to female plants producing their own pollen sacs that can fertilize their own seeds.  The most common way to achieve this is by exposing the plants to colloidal silver, which is a relatively safe chemical agent.  Other chemicals may be used as well, that are not as highly regarded for their safety.

The other method is to prevent female plants from getting fertilized by male plants, in which case, they may fertilize themselves in an act of “desperation” – something that we see in nature.  But, this is unreliable, as there is no guarantee unfertilized female plants will eventually take matters into their own hands.

Are Feminized Genetics for You?

Pretty much, if you want strictly resinous flowers from your grow, then feminized seeds are for you. This is especially beneficial for beginners or those looking for a straightforward cultivation process without the hassle of sexing plants and removing males.

Feminized Key Pros & Cons to Remember

Pros:

• Yields only female plants, which means that your yield will only have cannabinoid-rich flower buds.
• Saves you time, space, and effort as you’re not wasting any of these things on male plants.
• No need to learn how to determine the sex of each plant, which can be time-consuming.

Cons:

• Ultimately, the seeds have been genetically altered.
• Not ideal for those who want to get into breeding.

Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds

Autoflowering cannabis seeds are considered the most beginner-friendly option.  That’s because they develop into plants that require far less sunlight than other plants, and it will flower at about the 10-week point.  What this does is take away the pressure for growers to constantly monitor and adjust light exposure in an effort to have a good harvest.

How are Autoflowing Genetics Made?

Autoflowering seeds come from strains that naturally require less sunlight than others.  These strains have developed naturally over time, as they are cultivated in areas of the world that do not get a high amount of sun throughout certain times of the year.  These plants have adapted to flower with less light exposure, and most autoflowering seeds can be traced back to Russia.

Autoflowering seeds also yield plants that can typically survive mold and insect infestations better than non-autoflowering seeds, as they have evolved to become very sturdy due to their lack of high sun exposure.

Are Autoflowering Genetics for You?

Autoflowering cannabis seeds might be a great choice for certain growers, depending on their specific goals, environment, and level of experience.  If you’re a beginner or looking for a more straightforward growing experience, autoflowering strains can be a great option. Not only that, but if you’ve limited space indoors or a short outdoor growing season, autoflowers can maximize your growing potential. Plus, if you prioritize quick turnaround and multiple harvests over maximizing yield per plant, autoflowering seeds could be beneficial.

Autoflowering Key Pros & Cons to Remember

Pros:

• Requires less daylight, so that’s one less thing new growers have to worry about.
• Reliable flowering time.
• Sturdier, stronger, and more resilient plants.

Cons:

• With autoflowering seeds, your strain selection is fairly limited.
• You may not need autoflowering seeds if your growing environment gets plenty of light to begin with.

Pick the Right Cannabis Seeds for Your Needs 

Anyone who wants to become a home cultivator needs to decide which of these 3 seeds they’re going to buy before making any other decisions.  And as you can see, each type of seed serves a clear purpose in supporting you through your new hobby.  Compare the pros and cons for yourself, and then decide which type of seed makes the most sense for your home cultivation goals when shopping at STRNG Seeds.

TO BUY CANNABIS SEEDS CLICK HERE