Growing cannabis can be an incredibly rewarding experience, whether you’re cultivating for personal use, medicinal purposes, or even breeding your own strains. When it comes to cannabis seeds, you’ll typically encounter three main types: feminized, autoflowering, and regular. While feminized seeds are often the go-to choice for many growers due to their predictable female plants, regular marijuana seeds are an exciting option for those who want to experience the traditional, natural growth cycle of cannabis.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the benefits and challenges of growing regular marijuana seeds, exploring why this option might be the right choice for some growers, and why it may not be the best for others.
What Are Regular Marijuana Seeds?
Regular marijuana seeds are the original type of cannabis seeds that produce both male and female plants. When you grow regular seeds, there’s an equal chance (roughly 50/50) of getting either a male or a female plant. This is in contrast to feminized seeds, which are specifically bred to produce only female plants, and autoflowering seeds, which transition to the flowering stage based on age rather than light cycles.
Regular seeds are a product of traditional breeding methods and are typically used by breeders who want to create new strains or maintain genetic diversity. They’re also the preferred choice for some cultivators because they offer the possibility of male plants, which are required for breeding.
Now that you have a basic understanding of regular marijuana seeds, let’s explore their benefits and challenges.
Benefits of Growing Regular Marijuana Seeds
- Genetic Diversity
One of the biggest advantages of growing regular marijuana seeds is the genetic diversity they offer. Since regular seeds come from natural pollination between male and female plants, they retain a broader gene pool than feminized or autoflowering seeds. This diversity is crucial for breeders looking to create new hybrids or improve certain characteristics in their crops, such as potency, flavor, or resistance to pests.
For home growers, this genetic variation can result in plants with unique traits, including subtle differences in cannabinoid profiles, flavors, and even growing patterns. If you value variety in your harvest, regular seeds are an excellent choice.
- More Robust Plants
Because regular seeds come from naturally pollinated plants, they tend to be more resilient and adaptable than their feminized counterparts. The diverse genetic mix often leads to stronger plants that can better withstand environmental stressors such as temperature fluctuations, pests, and diseases. This makes regular seeds a great choice for outdoor growers who face unpredictable weather or growing conditions.
Additionally, because male plants are often less susceptible to certain stresses (they’re built to withstand harsher conditions to ensure reproduction), regular seed plants can be hardier overall, which can improve your chances of a successful harvest.
- Breeding Potential
Regular seeds are essential for anyone interested in breeding cannabis. If you want to create your own unique strain or crossbreed different varieties, you need both male and female plants to produce seeds. Female plants will produce the buds, while male plants are used to pollinate the females, leading to the creation of new seeds with varying genetic traits.
This opens the door for home breeders to experiment with hybridization, select for specific traits, and create unique strains that can suit their needs, whether for potency, flavor, or medicinal benefits. This is a major draw for serious cannabis cultivators who want more control over their crops’ genetic makeup.
- Lower Cost
Regular seeds are typically less expensive than feminized seeds. This makes them a more budget-friendly option for growers who don’t mind dealing with the uncertainty of male plants. If you’re growing for personal use and don’t mind removing any male plants that may show up, regular seeds can offer significant savings without sacrificing quality.
For large-scale growers or those who are looking to cultivate multiple plants on a budget, regular seeds can be a more affordable option, especially if you plan to produce your own seeds for future crops.
Challenges of Growing Regular Marijuana Seeds
- Male Plants Must Be Managed
The primary challenge of growing regular marijuana seeds is the presence of male plants. When growing from regular seeds, there’s a 50% chance of ending up with a male plant. While male plants are essential for breeding, they don’t produce the coveted buds that female plants do. If you’re growing cannabis for the flowers (and not for breeding), you’ll need to identify and remove male plants before they can pollinate your females.
Male plants are typically easy to spot once they begin to flower, as they produce small sacs of pollen rather than the resinous buds females are known for. If left unchecked, male plants will pollinate female plants, resulting in seeded buds, which lowers the quality and potency of your harvest.
This process of sexing your plants and removing the males can be time-consuming and requires attention to detail. For growers with limited experience, this may present a bit of a learning curve.
- Longer Growing Time
Because regular seeds come from natural breeding methods, they tend to have a longer growing cycle than feminized or autoflowering seeds. This means that you may have to wait longer before your plants begin to flower and produce buds, especially since you’ll need to monitor them for male plants before letting them flower.
While this longer growth time can result in more robust plants and better yields, it also requires more patience. For growers who want a quicker turnaround, feminized or autoflowering seeds might be a better choice.
- Unpredictable Outcomes
With regular seeds, you can’t be entirely sure of what you’re going to get. While the plants will generally resemble their parents in terms of traits like height, flavor, and potency, the unpredictability of male vs. female plants introduces an element of uncertainty. You might end up with a crop where only a small percentage of the plants are female, which can limit your yield if you’re growing for flower production.
Additionally, there’s always the possibility that your plants could develop hermaphroditic traits (male and female organs on the same plant) due to stress factors such as temperature changes, light leaks, or nutrient imbalances. This is more common in regular seeds compared to feminized seeds, which are bred specifically to reduce the chances of hermaphroditism.
- Space and Resource Management
Since regular cannabis plants can grow larger and more vigorously than feminized or autoflowering strains, you’ll need ample space and resources to grow them. Regular plants can require more attention, especially if you’re growing a mix of male and female plants. You’ll need to ensure your setup can accommodate these larger, sometimes taller plants without overcrowding, as this can impact air circulation and light penetration, ultimately affecting yield and plant health.
Is Growing Regular Marijuana Seeds Right for You?
Growing regular marijuana seeds is a rewarding option for those who want to experience the natural process of cannabis cultivation. If you’re interested in breeding, increasing genetic diversity, or growing robust plants that can handle different environmental factors, regular seeds may be a great fit. Additionally, they are often more cost-effective than feminized seeds, making them a good choice for budget-conscious growers.
However, growing regular seeds requires careful management of male plants and potentially longer growing times. If you’re looking for a faster, more predictable harvest or are growing in a small space, feminized or autoflowering seeds might be more suitable.
Ultimately, the decision to grow regular marijuana seeds boils down to your goals as a cultivator. Whether you’re interested in breeding, creating unique strains, or just cultivating high-quality cannabis, regular seeds offer a level of control and diversity that’s hard to match.
Conclusion
Growing regular marijuana seeds is an excellent way to embrace the traditional cannabis cultivation experience. While they come with certain challenges, such as the need to manage male plants and the potential for unpredictable results, they offer distinct benefits like genetic diversity, robust plant health, and the ability to breed your own strains. If you’re ready to take on the challenge and enjoy the rewards, regular marijuana seeds can be a fantastic choice for your next grow.
Source: The Benefits and Challenges of Growing Regular Marijuana Seeds
