Feminized and Autoflowering – What Sort of Seeds Are Best for You?

The cannabis trend, which is rapidly spreading across the globe, has resulted in changes in the law that encompass them. Federal laws regarding commercial growing and cultivation of marijuana are going through tremendous changes. The demand for cannabis and its infused products for both recreational as well as medicinal use encourages marijuana cultivation across the world. Apart from this commercial interest, individuals from everywhere are excited to grow their marijuana gardens indoors to explore this amazing plant.

If you decide to grow marijuana and start looking around before you begin, you will find that there is a pool of choice when it comes to the seeds. There are different kinds of seeds, which include feminized seeds and auto-flowering seeds. These options could lead to a dilemma for a beginner. People are often confused about which of these seeds will give the best yield, and what is the difference between these different varieties. Here we explore the comparison between auto-flowering seeds and feminized seeds in detail to know which one would suit you better.

Why not regular seeds?

The first question we answer is, why not use regular seeds for marijuana growth? Regular marijuana seeds are the easiest to come across. Their growth and yield would be like the natural capability of the plant, and the seeds have not gone through any genetic modifications. Hence the characteristics of the plant are intact. Few experienced growers suggest that regular seeds are the best place to start as a novice in marijuana cultivation. The primary reason for this is that the seeds are inexpensive, and you can afford to make mistakes and take risks while you learn using these seeds. Also, for a first-time grower getting a sense of the entire growth cycle will help them appreciate the plant better and gives them a glimpse of the different ways to care for the plant properly.

But in a practical situation, regular seeds might not be the right choice for beginners, as it requires a lot more work than genetically modified seeds. Also, the yield in the case of regular seeds is 60% of female plants, over 40% male plants. Male plants are undesirable in cannabis, and one needs to discard them as you cannot utilize the flower. Also, the 60:40 ratio is a best-case scenario. There is a chance of getting 100% male plants in some cases that would make your entire yield unusable. And hence, the choice of feminized and auto-flowering seeds tops regular seeds for practical viability.

Why prefer females over males?

The main reason for the preference of female over male plants is that cannabis buds from female plants are most appropriate for consumption. Also, female plants develop better levels of cannabidiol such as THC and CBD and terpenes, which are responsible for the various health benefits associated with marijuana. Smokable buds form female plants grow under special conditions such as low sunlight. Hence marijuana plants have varying photoperiod requirements that one needs to cater to have healthy growth and yield.

Digging deeper into feminized seeds

As discussed above, female plants are the preferred type for consumption, and hence genetic modification to reduce or eliminate the male counterparts during harvest is the best option to obtain the maximum yield. Feminized seeds, as the name suggests, is an upgrade to the regular seeds in a way that it reduces or discards the 40% male plants and gives a 100% female yield scenario. Other than this advantage, feminized seeds do not pose much difference from regular seeds concerning plant care. They require the same amount of care and conditions as plants from regular seeds. Given the male counterparts are eliminated, female cannabis plants, in this case, will produce seedless flowers which are preferred by growers. Although the parent itself is genetically modified, the seeds are produced through natural pollination and are safe to use.

Feminized seeds are the best choice for cloning, where the plant will retain the genetic makeup of the mother plant. Also, feminized seeds such as super lemon haze feminized seeds help deliver the amazing benefits of the strains. It helps transfer characteristics such as smell and flavor in the best possible way to its offsprings.

Feminized seeds have variable and programmable cycles which you can control based on the photoperiod you offer to your indoor gardens. You can control the environment with 18-hour sunlight and 6 hours of darkness to witness steady growth. This timing shifts to 12 hours of light and darkness to start the flowering period for the plant.

The hermaphrodite ratio of the plant yield determines the quality of feminized seeds. Having a 100% free from hermaphrodite seed variety is the best possible choice for your cannabis cultivation.

What is the deal with auto flower cannabis?

Auto-flowering seeds are yet another choice of starting point for beginners. The process of growing cannabis using auto-flowering seeds is significantly simple, and even with minimum effort, you can achieve maximum yield. Auto-flowering is the best choice for commercial cultivation as, unlike other seeds, the plants do not require photoperiods to go from germination to harvest stage. It means you get two harvests from the plants in summer. Flowering starts based on age rather than photoperiod, making it ideal for growing in northern parts of the world with shorter summers.

Auto-flowering seeds are also ideal for indoor growth, as these plants grow shorter than in the case of other seeds. With such amazing advantages, more breeders are merging the auto-flowering varieties with Sativa and Indica, which will flower based on age and deliver outstanding health benefits.

So, which one should you choose?

Exploring the two main varieties of cannabis seeds you find on the market, we see that each of them poses their advantages for growing both indoors and outdoors. But even though auto flower seeds represent a huge potential for cannabis growth in the future, there are plenty more reasons for growers to choose feminized seeds. 

Feminized seeds are the right choice if you wish to modify and grow mother plants to match your expected choice of characteristics or benefits. But this means that you must be patient to reap the rewards of cultivating these seeds until it fully develops. On the other hand, if you would just multiple harvests in a year or to get your hand on the buds sooner, then auto-flowering seeds are the best choice to go. Auto-flowering would also be the best choice in case the legal requirements of your region have size restrictions as it is difficult to maintain size in case of feminized seeds.

Neither of these seeds can be considered superior to each other. But they deliver different benefits, offering you the option to choose the one that best suits your requirements. Always ensure you pick the best quality of seeds of any variety you choose to achieve good yield and quality buds. Consult local breeders to know more about strains and seeds.

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