Pay attention that growing marijuana may be subject to special restrictions and regulation in your country or state. Please contact your attorney to obtain advice before cultivating cannabis.
Disclaimer
Pay attention that growing marijuana may be subject to special restrictions and regulation in your country or state. Please contact your attorney to obtain advice before cultivating cannabis.
Many inexperienced people may think that weed terminology is the same as botany. Indeed, you can find a large number of terms that will seem complex and incomprehensible to an unknowing person: phenotypes, genotypes, strains, and so on.
In fact, there is nothing particularly complicated in this, and at least the basic terms are definitely worth the grower to know. Many growers face important questions when choosing cannabis seeds to grow. Which seeds to buy - pure-bred or hybrid? What is the difference between them and what is more profitable to grow? So, in this article, we will understand the key concepts that exist among growers and breeders and compare pure strains with hybrids.
Basics
A cannabis strain or marijuana strain is a collection of plants belonging to the same species. The varieties are artificially bred by humans to provide them with better quality properties than the original varieties. Varieties, as a rule, have hereditary traits that are passed on to a new plant from "ancestors". Any variety can also be used to create a new one. Today, there are very few cannabis strains that are 100% Indica or Sativa genes. One of the few is the renowned Dutch Passion Power Plant, which is a pure Sativa with its characteristic energy, flavor and aroma.
A cannabis hybrid is a plant organism that is obtained by crossing varieties and species that are genetically different from each other. The main challenge when creating a cannabis hybrid is to use the positive characteristics of the parent varieties to get a different, new trait. If we talk about cannabis, then hybrids are obtained by crossing different types of it. A distinctive feature of working with hybrids is great freedom of action. Today they combine Sativa and Indica, Sativa and Ruderalis, Indica and Ruderalis. Or all three "components" at once. In this case, the percentage in the genetic code can be very different depending on what result the breeders want to get.
Benefits
Some of them include:
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In order to get your own seeds of a certain strain and continue to cultivate it.
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To breed your own strain by crossing different varieties of plants.
But hybrid growing includes much more advantages. So, when to choose hybrid seeds?
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If you want to get a more early maturing and productive plant.
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If you want to grow cannabis in not very favorable conditions (in the same situations, hybrids are more tenacious than pure varieties).
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If you want to harvest a more abundant cannabis crop.
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If you need cannabis with stronger immunity.
Many of the most popular plants grown and smoked are hybrids because they do represent the best features of both worlds.
Pay attention to
But there are some points you need to consider if you are up for hybrid growing. When purchasing hybrid seeds, look for a hybrid generation. Its yield and basic properties depend on this. First-generation hybrids (often referred to as F1) are uniform, early maturing, high-yielding, and resilient cannabis that can adapt to a wide variety of environmental conditions. It is known that in extreme cases, F1 hybrids grow faster and more productively than pure varieties.
There are, however, and second-generation hybrids (F2) - these are plants obtained from the seeds of the first-generation hybrids. All the benefits of F1 should be halved as second-generation hybrids are less productive, less resistant, and have much less potential. Although many of them, even in the second, third, and later generations, are distinguished by excellent effect and vitality. It all depends on the hybrid itself and the correct care by the grower.
Also, there are plenty of hybrids and you may have some problems with choosing. Different hybrids may be Sativa or Indica dominant, often having up to 80% of their genetics from one side or the other. For example, White Russian is 80% Indica yet gives a clear, almost trippy high while Northern Lights #5, also 80% Indica, delivers such a huge, narcotic body stone that she is usually categorized as Indica rather than a hybrid.
When you grow hybrids, consider the genetics that went into creating them. If the hybrid leans heavily to the Sativa side, you should expect the plant to behave quite a bit like pure Sativa.
Likewise, if you’re growing an Indica-dominant hybrid, expect it to behave somewhat like an Indica.
You can also consider the concept of "auto-flowering". This is the result of hybridization, which significantly shortens the time from seed germination to harvest. Cannabis autoflowers begin to bloom on their own without the need for photoperiod changes after 10-11 weeks. This could be an ideal choice for northern regions with short summers.
It's up to you whether to choose a pure variety or a hybrid. The decision depends on the goals you are pursuing, the cultivation of marijuana, and the conditions in which you plan to grow it.
