Feminized seeds or 'fems' are specially-developed hemp seeds engineered to sprout female plants only. Cultivating feminized seeds ensures the you grow will produce cannabinoid-rich buds suitable for consumption.
Your growing adventure starts with choosing the type of seed you want to cultivate. Broadly, seeds fall into three main categories: regular seeds, feminized seeds and autoflowering seeds.
But how to choose? Well, what you want out of your grow and how you go about it will dictate the type of seed you go for.
That said, there is one type of seed that enjoys top s as the most popular among growers of all kinds. plants grown from feminized seeds are considered the industry standard among amateur, professional and commercial cultivators as they are guaranteed to yield the coveted, cannabinoid-packed flowers. In contrast, male seeds are often viewed as an unwanted by-product of growing and end up being discarded to avoid unwanted pollination that could spoil a crop.
Wouldn't it be great if you could avoid the lottery of growing male or female seeds? Opting for feminized seeds does just that. All our authentic female seeds are sourced from stable mothers that sprout offspring guaranteed to be fems 99% of the time.
Feminized seeds from United Strains of America guarantee bountiful yields from high-quality, well-established strains.
Feminized seeds are created by inducing a stressful reaction in a female plant to trigger a biological response called 'hermaphroditism' - in which it assumes the reproductive features of both a male and female plant.
In its hermaphrodite form the plant grows male pollen sacs. Now here's the really clever bit... the sacs are filled with pollen that only generate female (feminized) seeds when used to fertilise another female plant lacking a male chromosome.
Two methods can be used by growers to generate feminized seeds:
plants that possess both male and female characteristics are called hermaphrodites, or 'hermies'. While hermies can self-pollinate they are not popular with growers because of their low yield rate and tendency to produce low-quality, seedy buds that are nasty to smoke.
Sometimes growers get an unwelcome surprise when feminized seeds sprout hermaphroditic offspring. This can be disappointing and even costly, especially when you've spent time and effort bringing on your plants. But how does it happen? Well, if a plant has a hermaphroditic relative and it experiences a stressful situation it can trigger the transformation into a hermie.
Therefore, it's really important to know the provenance of your seeds. Whether it's bad genetics or an unstable parent plant, most growers don't want or need hermies. Feminized seeds from United Strains of America all originate from stable mothers with established family trees and no tendency to turn hermaphroditic (unless deliberately induced).
There are many reasons why growers should buy feminized seeds from United Strains of America. These are just a few:
Less effort: cultivating a batch you know to be all-female takes away some of the work involved in growing plants of unconfirmed sex. No more discarding a bunch of male plants!
Female sprouts guaranteed: in all but a few cases, germinating female seeds guarantees female sprouts; this means you can grow with confidence. By taking the guesswork out of growing, you will save time, effort and money - great for both beginner and established growers!
No risk of pollination: confidently cultivating an all-female batch takes the worry out of your grow too. With no male plants present to pollinate, there's no risk of your grow going to seed.
Abundant yield: more female plants equals more beautiful buds at harvest time! Without pollination to worry about, feminized plants focus all their energy on nurturing buds that are rich and dense with cannabinoids. Getting the most out of your grow is always a bonus, expecially in areas that limit the number of plants an individual can cultivate.
Good mothers: plants grown from feminized seeds make great moms. Here at United Strains of America we involve ourselves closely with the planning, selection and breeding of parent strains. This ensures our growers get stable, high-quality offspring with great genetics.
Here at United Strains of America we know there are some best practices to get the most out of your feminized seeds.
You can apply the same principles to growing feminized seeds as to regular seeds, the only difference being there's no need to identify and separate out male and female plants. Feminized seeds are 99% certain to produce female sprouts.
Here's a few top tips to get you started:
1. Feminized seeds can be grown in indoor or outdoor environments. If growing indoors, select a suitable lighting setup (HPS or LED being good choices). If growing outdoors, position plants to enjoy optimal sunlight.
2. Use the paper towel method to germinate your seeds and, when popped, carefully sow seedlings in 2-inch s.
3. Keep soil moist but not wet - using a spray bottle is useful here. Over- or underwatering at this stage in a plant's development can lead to issues later on.
4. More doesn't always mean more, especially where nutrients are concerned. Feed your plants according to the recommended guidelines and resist the temptation to overfeed or risk nutrient burn.
5. Do some research on your chosen strains and apply the appropriate training techniques. For example, some strains do well under high-stress conditions, while others excel in low-stress environments.
Want to know more? Visit the United Strains of America grow advice site and access our comprehensive growing guide. With step-by-step guidance on getting the best out of your grow - from germination to post-processing - it's the essential growing guide.
You can buy seeds from walk-in stores or online; both methods come with advantages and disadvantages.
Buying online offers convenience, choice and accessibility - most notably the ability to shop a wide range of retailers in one place when it suits you. But buying seeds online comes with a risk; there's no way to guarantee the goods you receive are the goods you purchased. Especially in the case of feminized seeds, there's no way of knowing until it's too late!
That's why, when it comes to buying seeds, it's really important to only shop with a reputable online retailer like United Strains of America. We pride ourselves on offering the very best seeds, sourced from stable mother plants with great strain traits and first class genetics. Working with carefully-selected, professional breeders who carry out the feminization process to strict scientific standards, United Strains of America can sell with confidence feminized seeds with little probability of turning into hermaphrodites.
As a trusted online retailer United Strains of America places a wide selection of feminized seeds at your fingertips - we like to think we have a strain to suit every type of grower. With a clear and simple buying process and comprehensive aftercare, helping you with your growing adventure is our top priority.
Buying online from United Strains of America couldn't be easier. To place an order, all you need is a US postal address and access to one of our payment methods.
Growers can choose from a variety of strains in packs of 5, 10, 15 and 25 seeds. We're constantly updating our catalogue but if you can't find a strain, get in touch and we'll be happy to help.
Bulk or wholesale feminized seed order? No problem. Simply complete the wholesale inquiry form to order up to 50,000 seeds of any strain from available stock.
Still have questions about your purchase? Reach out to our team here on +1 (619) 374-9001 or by using the ticket submission section in the bottom right of your screen.
