Growing cannabis plants starts with choosing the type of seeds. In general, it could be either regular, feminized, or autoflowering. Each offers unique advantages for different growers’ varying needs. However, feminized seeds are by far the most popular as it is considered the “industry standard” for either personal or commercial cannabis production.

About Feminized Seeds

Feminized seeds are specially bred to eliminate male chromosomes, so it produces only female plants. Growers cultivating cannabis for smokeable buds favor females because only these plants produce the cannabinoid-rich flowers that consumers enjoy. Males, on the other hand, are discarded to prevent accidental pollination as this turns buds to seeds. With Homegrown Cannabis Co.’s authentic feminized seeds sourced from stable mothers, the sprouts are guaranteed to be females 99% of the time. Hence, promising fruitful yields of the coveted buds.

How Feminized Seeds Are Produced

This type of seed is created by putting the female plants under stressful situations to trigger a stress response called hermaphroditism. It forces the female to produce pollen sacs, which are used to fertilize another female plant. With no male chromosome in its genome, the resulting plants turn out to be always female. There are two ways of inducing this phenomenon - by rhodelization or by spraying it with silver solutions.

• Silver solutions. This works by spraying the plant with a solution of colloidal silver (thiosulphate solution) or gibberellic acid. Both are a blend of water and microscopic silver particles which impede the production of ethylene, a hormone involved in flowering. The result is a female plant bearing pollen sacs. Reputable seedbanks such as Homegrown Cannabis Co. use this way of feminizing seeds as it produces stable sensimillas.
• Rhodelization. This method is not always used because it is a slow, less efficient, and less reliable approach. It involves purposefully not harvesting the buds after blooming to force it to turn into a hermaphrodite naturally. Rhodelization produces mostly female seeds, but there are higher chances of it being a hermie even without triggers. This results in seedy buds and an increased risk of pollination.

No Hermaphroditic Tendency

Hermies are cannabis plants that possess both male and female reproductive parts. It can produce pollens and self-pollinate. Bud growers avoid hermies at all cost because it causes seedy buds which are unpleasant to smoke. Moreover, it diminishes the overall yields. One of the concerns with feminized seeds is that it can sometimes sprout hermaphroditic plants but under strict conditions only. Since these seeds are made by forcing one of the female parents to produce pollens, it has a hermaphroditic predecessor in its genetic history. However, this does not mean that feminized seeds are hermaphroditic by default. It only becomes susceptible to hermaphroditism when exposed to the same stressful conditions that made the hermie parent produce pollens. Another plausible reason is when the seeds came from parents with bad genetics. These are plants that are more prone to naturally turn into a hermie even without intervention. Trustworthy cannabis seed breeders like Homegrown Cannabis Co. create feminized seeds from stabilized mothers with no hermaphroditic tendencies unless intentionally triggered through chemical means. This results in feminized seeds with a slim chance of producing hermies.

Why Choose Feminized Seeds

One of the main selling points of feminized is that it guarantees female sprouts. Hence, removing the guesswork in sorting males from females. It streamlines the growing process, thereby saving precious space, time, effort, and resources. This makes cultivation more efficient and beginner-friendly. Aside from that, though, there are several other benefits that feminized seeds offer.

• More prolific yields. When all the plants are female, all will inevitably produce the coveted buds come harvest time. Without seeds to worry about, these plants devote all its energy to nurturing dense, highly potent buds brimming with cannabinoids. Therefore, feminized seeds allow growers to get the most out of their grow, especially if the law in their region sets limits on the number of cannabis plants each adult is allowed to grow.
  
  
• No accidental pollination. With an all-female batch, there is no need to constantly worry about males causing unwanted fertilization that turns buds into seeds.
  
  
• Less work. Cultivating feminized seeds eliminates the unnecessary work of maintaining male plants that ultimately has to be discarded.
  
  
• Viable mother plants. Feminized seeds are ideal mother plants because it gives rise to stable offspring with uniform traits and better genetics. For instance, feminized seed creation at Homegrown Cannabis Co. involves careful planning and selection before breeding the parent strains. This is done to ensure that the offspring will exhibit enhanced desirable characteristics.

Growing Feminized Seeds Best Practices

These seeds can be grown in either indoor or outdoor environments. In essence, it applies the same principles in growing cannabis from regular seeds. However, the main difference is that with feminized seeds, there is no need to identify the plant’s gender as it is guaranteed to be female. Weeding out males is also no longer a problem.

To make the most out of feminized seeds, it pays well to heed the following recommendations:

• Germinate the seeds properly using the paper towel method.
• Once popped, take special care in transplanting the seedlings to 2-inch pots.
• Spray it with adequate amounts of water to keep the soil moist, but not dripping wet. Be careful not to over or underwater it as this could lead to numerous problems later on.
• Give the plants a standard regimen of nutrients. Giving them nutrients well above the necessary levels will not result in more vigorous growth. In fact, it can cause a nutrient burn.
• If growing indoors, choose the appropriate lighting setup. HPS and LED are excellent choices in general. Meanwhile, if growing outdoors, ensure that the plants are exposed to plenty of sunlight.
• Apply the appropriate training techniques. Some strains do well with high-stress training while others perform best with low-stress techniques. Be careful not to expose the plants to too much stress to avoid triggering hermaphroditism.

For a more detailed and comprehensive grow guide, visit Homegrown Cannabis Co.’s site, which offers extensive knowledge about cannabis horticulture. It guides growers in every step of the way - from germination even up to post-processing.

Where to Buy Feminized Seeds

Cannabis seeds can be obtained either through walk-in stores or online shopping. The latter offers several advantages - convenience and accessibility being the most compelling ones. However, it also entails the risk of purchasing subpar seeds, mainly because there is no sure way of telling apart feminized seeds from those that are not. That is why choosing only reputable sources is crucial in getting top-quality seeds. Homegrown Cannabis Co. is the prime example of a trustworthy shop offering nothing but the best authentic feminized seeds. Because these kernels are sourced from stable mothers with the best traits, the offsprings are guaranteed to be healthy females donning superior genetics. Moreover, since professional breeders ensure that the feminization process gets carried out correctly, Homegrown Cannabis Co. assures that the seeds have little to no chance of turning into hermies.

Most Popular Feminized Seeds

The booming industry of cannabis has produced thousands of marijuana strains to choose from. However, not all are created equal. This is where Homegrown Cannabis Co. comes in handy - it offers the cream of the crop that suits varying needs and preferences.

• Neville’s Haze: A descendant of Northern Lights #5 and Haze, this Sativa-dominant hybrid boasts of up to 21% THC. Neville’s Haze is sought after for its out-of-this-world cerebral high. It flowers in 10 to 14 weeks and bears up to 700 grams of incredibly resinous buds. This coveted strain is best suited for veteran smokers and growers.

• Bubba Kush: Indica lovers will surely love Bubba Kush’s relaxing buzz that soothes the mind and body in an instant. With THC levels reaching 22%, it is couch-locking, especially in high doses. It produces impressive yields of up to 800 grams and flowers in about 8 to 9 weeks.

• Big Bud: If whopping amounts of returns are desired, look no further for Big Bud more than satisfies this criterion. This three-way cross between Afghani, Northern Lights, and Skunk #1 boasts of THC levels amounting to 18%, which induces a profoundly soporific high. It flowers in 7 to 9 weeks and under optimal conditions, it produces up to 900 grams of colossal buds.

• Northern Lights #10: A perfect choice for budding cultivators, the classic Northern Lights #10 is incredibly easy to cultivate. This hardy strain grants above average yields of potent buds (up to 500 grams) in exchange for little effort and attention.

• CBD Cream & Cheese: CBD Cream & Cheese is perfect for those seeking a holistic therapeutic experience. With 22% THC and 18% CBD, it offers profoundly soothing physical effects with a potent but never overwhelming cerebral high. Such combination alleviates discomforts of all sorts - be it physical or psychological in nature. The flowering period lasts for 8 to 10 weeks, with yields averaging at 800 grams per plant.