They are numerous types of marijuana seeds available in the market, and the selection process can be quite intimidating. If you are a beginner in growing cannabis plants, you may lack sufficient knowledge to select the appropriate seeds. Most sellers use dubious methods to grade their seeds and may sell you low-quality seeds at a very high cost.
What are cannabis seeds?
There are two main types of cannabis seeds; female or male types. Both of the seeds have genetic information that is responsible for the primary characteristics of the cannabis plants. The most predominant seeds are the female seeds as they produce beautiful buds.
They are different types of marijuana seeds, and they include:
The feminized cannabis seeds
The feminized cannabis seeds are engineered to have only the female characteristics. The advantage of opting for these types of seeds is that the buds have high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). For those who want plants with both essential compounds, these seeds are the best options.
The plants have photoperiod characteristics, which means that the farmer can manipulate the flowering stage. There is a need to reduce the plant’s exposure to light at the vegetative stage to reach the flowering stage. The farmer has the freedom to either shorten or lengthen the vegetative stage of the cannabis plants.
Characteristics of the feminized cannabis seeds
- Contain very high levels of the cannabinoids, the THC, and CBD.
- The seeds are female, and the final plants will produce only female parts.
- The female characteristics are pronounced, and the chances of males parts are low.
- The plants are dependent on the light cycle; the flowering stage will only be possible if light duration is reduced.
Autoflowering seeds
The auto-flowering seeds are non-photoperiod marijuana seeds. It merely means that the plants are not dependent on the light cycle. The auto-flowering plants will flower at a certain age, and external factors such as hours exposed to light don’t affect the plant. Most of these plants flower after 2 to 3 weeks after germination and mature within 10-13 weeks.
The plants have short stature, and it is possible to grow them secretly by concealing them in other plantations. The short stature does not necessarily mean that cannabis plants have deprived quality or lower cannabinoid content.
Advantages of the auto-flowering cannabis seeds
- Shorter life cycle
The auto-flowering seeds breed crops that have a short vegetative phase and flowering phase. The overall period the plant takes to mature from the germination is 10-13 weeks. It means the farmer can harvest cannabis after 13 weeks, making them the best for commercial purposes. The feminized seeds take more time to mature, and the flowering stage alone will take an average of 10 weeks.
- Discreet plants
The cannabis plants will not grow beyond 100 cm long. The plants are not mostly noticeable, especially if you plant near a large plantation. You can also grow them on your balcony and garden. You can opt for the discreet plants for those areas where the cannabis plants are on high demand, and thieves target the plants.
- Lower lighting demands
The plants only require light for 18 hours a day and will still proceed to the flowering stage despite the light intensity. It helps the farmers cut costs on the light bills.
- Resilient plants
The plants can survive in areas of harsh weather conditions and still flourish. They flourish well in cold areas. The sturdy nature of the auto-flowering seeds makes them suitable for every farmer.
- High levels of CBD
The auto-flowering tend to have high levels of the CBD and lower levels of the THC. The seeds are useful for those farmers who want to grow cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Regular cannabis seeds
The regular cannabis seeds have both the male and female parts. The grower will not have any control over the sex of the plant. In the growing phase, you will have to discard the male parts to prevent them from affecting the female parts’ potency.
High-CBD cannabis seeds
CBD is derived from either the cannabis or hemp plant. The component is believed to have numerous health benefits. Most seeds manufacturers produce strains of the cannabis seeds with high CBD levels and significantly low THC levels.
Selecting the best cannabis seeds
Your selection criteria will be based on the following factors:
Cannabidiols
The cannabidiols mainly include either the CBD or THC. If you are looking for seeds with high levels of both cannabidiols, feminized seeds should be your option. Simultaneously, those who want higher CBD, the auto-flowering, and high-CBD cannabis seeds should be an option.
Cost
The feminized seeds require high light intensity and regulation. It means you need to pay more attention to the seeds. Such seeds are more costly to grow than other cannabis seeds.
Height
If you are growing the cannabis plants in an indoor environment, you would prefer short stature plants. The auto-flowering plants don’t grow tall, and you can adequately grow them in a secretive environment.
Growth phase
If you are a commercial farmer, you want cannabis plants that mature faster. Autoflowering plants have a shorter growth phase, and you can harvest several times within a single season.
Sex
Marijuana seeds have both male and female sex. When you purchase the seeds in most times, the sex of the seeds is unknown. In the growth process, you will have to eradicate the male plants as the female plants are more potent.
If you don’t want to go through the tedious male identification and elimination process, you can opt for engineered female seeds. The feminized seeds are manipulated to have only the female genes, and a seed has a 99.9% chance of sprouting female plants.
Bottom Line
They are different types of cannabis seeds available at the Homegrown Cannabis Company. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages. In the selection process, you need to determine which seeds have your preferred growth phase, cannabidiols, sex, and adapt to the environment.
