Feminized seeds - good/bad? What's your experience?

[WhiteRaptor]

I want to start a couple select strains from seeds because their availability as clones is nonexistent. I would prefer regular ol' seeds, but I can't find anything but feminized seeds. In years past I know they were prone to becoming hermi but don't know if recent practices have changed. Ideally I'd like to keep one as a mother plant.

What's everybody else's experience been with feminized seeds?

 

[Jedthedog]

I only purchase feminized seeds and have had great luck..It just is not worth me growing males ..

 

[WhiteRaptor]

I only purchase feminized seeds and have had great luck..It just is not worth me growing males ..

Jed, you've never had 1 go hermi on you? How many seeds have you propagated? Do you know if the seed companies have developed/refined their methods for feminization?

 

[Antics]

I have grown a few Feminized, and had zero hermy. I had one bolt though.

Hermies are typically the product of environment. Light leaks seems to be the most common cause. Eliminate light leaks, and minimize your risk.

Personally, I believe if you were growing regular deeds vs/ Feminized, you'll see a shitload more males than you'll see hermies, assuming you have no light leaks, or extreme stress on the plant.

 

[WhiteRaptor]

I have grown a few Feminized, and had zero hermy. I had one bolt though.

Bolt? Light leaks are not a problem. My room is completely sealed. I haven't grown seeds in years, but I just wanted to make sure they were legitimate. I remember when they first started doing feminized seeds, they had all sorts of problems.

 

[Auggie]

I use nothing but fem seeds for my mothers. Have had no problem with them at all. Can't tell the difference once they sprout. Who needs the extra aggravation and work associated with growing and sexing out the males.

Fem seeds are the way to go. IMHO.

~ Auggie ~

 

[WhiteRaptor]

I use nothing but fem seeds for my mothers. Have had no problem with them at all. Can't tell the difference once they sprout. Who needs the extra aggravation and work associated with growing and sexing out the males.

Fem seeds are the way to go. IMHO.

~ Auggie ~

Thanks for the reply Auggie. Sounds like the fem process has made some serious progress in the last decade.

WR

 

[Jedthedog]

Jed, you've never had 1 go hermi on you? How many seeds have you propagated? Do you know if the seed companies have developed/refined their methods for feminization?

I did have 1 seed go hermie but then it was grown outdoors.. All of my seedbank seeds are feminized and I really have had good luck with buying seeds.... I have been growing since 1969 and buying from a seedbank for 8-10 years ..

 

[WhiteRaptor]

I did have 1 seed go hermie but then it was grown outdoors.. All of my seedbank seeds are feminized and I really have had good luck with buying seeds.... I have been growing since 1969 and buying from a seedbank for 8-10 years ..

Jed - this is exactly the kind of reassurance I've been looking for. Much appreciated.

 

[MassMedMan]

I have a hermie right now that was a fem seed. Not blaming the seed, I've done a lot with these two girls. And, the breeder did warn there was a 5% herm rate. Which means it's probably higher.

That being said, I'd get them again. Just pay closer attention to the little details...

Good luck, in theory fem seeds are a no brainer.

 

[BlaccSmoke]

IMO feminized seeds is the worst thing to happen to Marijuana since prohibition, it's all about the $$ now.
Mo Money Mo Problems

 

[Antics]

Bolt? Light leaks are not a problem. My room is completely sealed. I haven't grown seeds in years, but I just wanted to make sure they were legitimate. I remember when they first started doing feminized seeds, they had all sorts of problems.

Bolting is when a female plant produces female pollen sacs to fertilize itself. Any resulting seeds are viable, and should also end up feminized.

 

[BlaccSmoke]

Sorry only just realised I never really answered your question, just buy more then what you need. People say 50/50% chance of M/F plants, therfore Feminized seeds must have at a mininum 50/50% Hermie rate (both numbers are only for theory). So in theory if you buy as many Feminized seeds as you would Regular seeds you should have similar results (in theory).

 

[Auggie]

IMO feminized seeds is the worst thing to happen to Marijuana since prohibition, it's all about the $$ now.
Mo Money Mo Problems

Really? the worst thing? Why?
How does fem seeds relate to 'all about the money'?
And ... what's wrong with money? You a commie or something?

And, how did you come up with a 50% hermie rate?
Is this personal experience, or results of some study?

Please, do tell ...

~ Auggie ~

 

[BlaccSmoke]

Really? the worst thing? Why?
How does fem seeds relate to 'all about the money'?
And ... what's wrong with money? You a commie or something?

And, how did you come up with a 50% hermie rate?
Is this personal experience, or results of some study?

Please, do tell ...

~ Auggie ~

Yes I am a Communist, I hope that's not a problem. However I don't see how my political alignment is relevant, nor do I see what not liking money has to do with Communism. Then again I don't read American/Westernized history books.

The 50/50 was simply a theoretical number, as stated. A lot has to do with environment as well as genetics. Fem seeds are all about money.. That's pretty obvious.

As for what do I have against money, ever been to Sierra Leone?

Anyway to the OP sorry this went political.. wasn't my intention, Auggie if you want to argue/talk politics can we at least take it to pm so as not to throw this thread off topic.

P.S. Your own government is notorious for enslaving, murdering, torturing, improsoning, raping, lying to it's own... Ain't Democracy swell.

 

[Auggie]

Governments are evil. I admit it. I was just curious as what form of evil you subscribed to. And my government, since it is one of the most powerful on the planet, is one of the most evil. I agree. And communism is just as evil. I was in East Germany and parts of the Soviet Union from 1969 till about 1975 - people suffered under communism there. I was in Macon Alabama in 1966 - and people suffered under capitalism there.

No, nothing 'wrong' with being communist. I was just checking. I thought I detected some of 'the hive' mentality in there. Money is not, in and of itself evil. It's the things that people do with it that make it evil, or good. It is a tool. Like a car, a handgun, a typewriter ... they can all be used for good or evil.

The whole point of feminized seeds is not money. The people who make and sell them are seeking profit - yes. Of course. They have a business to run, taxes to pay, food and rent and clothing and their kids need to go to college. I wouldn't be able to do what I do if people didn't pay me for it. That's capitalism. At the same time I give away as much as I sell. I help people (here and elsewhere) whenever I can. It's not ALL about money. I have turned down jobs that paid well. Fem seeds save me a lot of time and money; I am willing to pay someone two dollars more per seed to save me hours and hours of time and work. Lighting and feeding and caring for what turns out to be a male is a waste of resources. But, hey, if you want to 'stick it to the man' and not pay that $2 - that's up to you. Grow males.

~ Auggie ~

 

[WhiteRaptor]

OK, WOW...this thread got horribly off topic. My only quarrel with fem seeds is that the plant originator has played God with the seeds genetic make-up. I would prefer unadulterated seeds and take my chances. After all, I want to use them as mother plants, so I just need 1 really kick a$$ female. I would also like to do a breeding project eventually and with fem seeds, that'll never happen.

 

[MassMedMan]

I'm with Auggie, on a lot of angles. But, to the point. Growing males is a waste of time and resources. I've done that -- most of us have. I'd rather focus my time and energy on something that probably will be what I want. Grow smarter, not harder.

I don't watch black n white TV anymore either, cause times have changed, technology evolved, and it's more enjoyable in color

Cheers

 

[WhiteRaptor]

True...however I feel like the genetic material has been tainted by forcing a specific sex. I just feel like when people play God, things go wrong. I have plenty of space to "waste" so I don't feel like growing males is a waste considering I want to keep a couple to pollenate.

 

[BlaccSmoke]

But, hey, if you want to 'stick it to the man' and not pay that $2 - that's up to you. Grow males.

~ Auggie ~

I don't mind paying $30 a seed for the right genetics and don't get me wrong fems are better for some people but I'm personally yet to come across a stable feminized strain and the only ones I've found that are well bred come in reg also. It seems like the majority have as little work put in as possible.