When Is the Best Time to Use Regular Cannabis Seeds?

As a cannabis home grower, you will have the options of growing from seed or using clones. For those who prefer using cannabis seeds, they will have the choice of either regular or feminized. In this article, I will explain everything you need to know about regular sexed cannabis seeds, when the best time to use them is, cover the pros and cons, and list all the benefits of using regular seeds to help you decide if they are the right choice for you.

What Are Regular Seeds and How Are They Different from Feminized Seeds?

At least 95% of home growers buy feminized seeds, and have never thought twice about using regular seeds. When people think of regular cannabis seeds, they immediately get thrown off by the fact that their final plant count will not be known until the flowering period. Below is a list of the pros and cons of using regular sexed cannabis seeds.

The Pros of Using Regular Seeds

• Plants from regular seeds will be strong and sturdy
• They produce male and female plants for breeding
• They are cheaper compared to fems
• Many old school genetics are in regular form
• They offer a greater range of genetic diversity
• Less prone to stress compared to female seeds

The Cons of Using Regular Seeds

• Male plants need to be thrown out
• The final plant count may be lower using regular seeds
• They are not as space-efficient as female seeds
• Many new modern-day varieties are only made feminized
• Larger plant counts are needed compared to female seeds

The Benefits of Regulars

Way before female seeds hit the market around 2000, the only choice home growers really had was to use regular seeds, or, if they were lucky, grow out clones. Every old school grower will tell you the only type of seeds you could get your hands on were regular sexed.

Germinating seeds and throwing out male plants and potentially losing 50% of your crop was necessary. Below are all the benefits of using regular seeds and why you should consider giving them a go in the near future.

Regular Seeds Are Cheaper

Regular seeds are cheaper compared to feminized seeds, and you will also get 10 regulars for the price of 5 feminized. If you are working on a limited budget, do not mind planting 10 seeds, and hope to end up with 4-6 female plants and keep a clone of the keeper, then regular seeds will be a good choice.

Ideal for Pheno Hunting

If you are serious about phenohunting, you will find that regular seeds are much better suited than growing out a large population of females. Don’t get me wrong, you can still find some phenomenal stand-out keepers from feminized seed pheno hunts; however, the regulars will display a greater level of variation compared to feminized seeds.

Best for Breeding Projects

Making your own seed line at home with the intention of making something special is an exciting hobby for a home grower. If you are planning to produce regular seeds and focus on line breeding or outbreeding, then regular seeds will allow you to obtain male and female plants. You can find 3-5 good males from a pack of 20 regular seeds.

More Phenotypical Expression

If your goal is to find a keeper female plant that is resilient and robust, then phenohunting a pack of regular seeds will be the best way. Out of 50 seeds, you should be able to select 3-5 potential keeper female plants that all have different desirable traits that are specific to you.

Less Prone to Stress and Hermaphroditism

The only downside to using feminized cannabis seeds is that they are more prone to stress and potentially becoming hermaphrodites. 420seeds advises that a single hermie can pollinate an entire grow room or garden, and can do so remarkably quickly. Regular seeds will produce stress-resistant plants with far less risk of expressing hermaphroditism during bloom.

Old School Lines

If you want to get hold of the old school classic strains, then you will find most of them will be available to buy in regular sex form. This is a significant advantage for breeders who use only regular seeds when selecting parents.  

My Final Thoughts

You will find that most breeders do not offer regular seeds and focus only on producing female seeds from the latest and greatest crosses. European breeders, especially the old-school Dutch guys, will have an enormous library of genetics at a low, affordable price. All you have to know when using regular seeds is that you will need to throw out male plants unless you are breeding.

If you are prepared to lower your final plant count while also taking the time and effort to keep a clone of the best females, then it is well worth it. Female plants sourced from regular sexed

cannabis seeds will always be superior to feminized seeds from my experience. 

Feature photo: A regular seed ready to be transplanted. Photo credit: Stoney Tark.