Don't believe the bullshit about it being you/your environment/the nutrients you use/etc..etc.etc. If it hermies it's in the SEED/the genetics. Period. Same with "do this and get more females"...."if you use 24/0 you will get more males"....etc.etc.etc. bullshit some talkers talk. That's all right up there in my book with "if the seeds has a dent on it it's a male" blahblahblah. I've been goin at this thing for 3 decades....and have been growing strictly clones, fems, or S-1's for about 15 of those 30...and never had any real herm issues until the last few years. (or very early on in the 80's/etc. when there was nothing but bagseed to grow...anywhere) Bottom line......folks are simply moving too fast now and testing has gone out the window. I shudder everytime I see a strain descrition that says something like "Should produce nice, frosty nugs of dank perfection". Should? You didn't take the time to find out?
Dunno what is going on with the CVS gear. Time will tell. Seems like most of the reports are on the newer stuff via the website. (?) Until yesterday.....I was fool enough to believe that nobody would purposely breed (and then SELL) shit that hermed....and if they did....they would have enough integrity to say so upfront. (I have seen this...but not enough)
Case in point....I'm running some Dusted Bud "California Cherries" S-1's in my tester tent (still looking for a good cherry strain)... and yesterday found multiple sacks/dried flowers on the undersides of buds on 3 of 4 plants. Granted...I'm 7+ weeks into flower....so they will likely not pollenate themselves....but when I informed the guy that this had happened...he admitted that this strain (also used in his crosses) will hermie late. I mean...at least he IS familar with his strains.....but come the fuck on.....$100 for a pack of "S-1" seeds that you knew had a hermie trait? Fuck my ass. You should never sell such shit/toss shit out there! It just perpetuates crap genetics. There was for sure NO mention of such a trait in the seed sale description....
Pisses me off...but also makes me glad I am taking the time to go through these before leaving everything to chance this summer. If this isn't over-the-top pot...and from the minimal smell coming off em...that's doubtful...these are heading for the trash. Just not worth taking the chance.
There are a couple (OK...so it's more than a couple) more strains I really want that I'm going to go ahead and purchase.....and then I think I'm done and am going to head back into doing some S-1's/etc again myself. Far cheaper...still fun.....and I'll only have myself to blame if things fuck up.
I'll agree with you that herms come from genetics but sometimes, not always, and definitely not just with CVS gear; a grower can coax them into showing the trait.
I've grown some of these strains other people have had tons of issues with, nothing other than the occasional nanner week 8 or later and my mutant issues are limited to prk. I'm personally very happy with what I've grown from CVS and honestly I'm a very patient man so I'm also good with the customer service I've received.
I'm ready to deal with whatever issues the trainwreck will add to the crosses as that's been the cost of doing business with seeds over the past 5-8 years. Not saying this is the way it should be but I'm not saying I'm gonna go back to growing Dutch stuff either.
Making your own seeds nowadays is almost a necessity to cover your own ass in the future. I'm not sure what's coming but I have a feeling if you're loaded up on self made beans using top notch stuff it could be invaluable in a few years.
Also check out solseeds. Better prices than anyone else on many breeders, I paid $60 for my packs from dusted bud. Bummer to hear about the cherries being dud, I have a couple cherry crosses from them. You do a full pack?