phil le b
Well-Known Member
Strain Selection
Choosing the right marijuana strain for your garden can be tricky. There are many factors to consider. Are you growing marijuana indoors or outdoors, do you prefer an indica or a sativa, is the height of the plant important? What about the yield? And finally, what type of high do you prefer? All marijuana strains will produce different results. Some have been engineered to grow well indoors. Some strains are good in colder climates. Some have been made to deliver larger yields, some for a nicer taste. All these factors should be considered when choosing the right marijuana strain for your garden. To help choose the right one,
Following are the factors to consider in detail:
Indica and Sativa (Type)
When considering strains, there are really only two groups; Indicas and Sativas. Of course, now days, breeders will often mix the two to give properties of each. Therefore, a strain will often say 60/40 or mix of indica and sativa strains.
Indicas
Indica plants are usually short, bushy and dense plants with fat leaves. The leaves will grow dark green in color and be quite fat. Indica strains will often be smellier than sativas with a strong skunky or fruity smell. The Indica flowering period is often shorter than sativas lasting 6-9 weeks. Buds will grow denser and heavier. The smoke from indica strains will produce a strong body high, which can be described as a relaxing lethargic stone which can increase taste sensation.
Sativas
Sativas are pretty much the opposite of indicas, they grow taller and more spindly. Leaves are thinner and lighter in color. Sativa marijuana strains will grow much faster. They can noticibly increase in size in just a few days. The flowering period for sativas is usually longer from 10-15 weeks. The buds produced will smell less than indicas often with a pine like aroma. The smoke will have a more cerebral stone often described as energetic, giggly and thinking.
Indoor/Outdoor
Alongside the strain it will often say Indoor or Outdoor. In reality all strains can be grown either indoors or outdoors. The guide is there to show optimum results. Some strains will say indoor/outdoor meaning they are well suited for both. If you are growing outdoors, some marijuana strains, like Hollands Hope and Afghan, will suit colder climates with a shorter growing season, while strains like Orange Bud or Master Kush will suit a longer growing season and warmer climates. Indoor growers are spoilt for choice. There are now many strains which have been engineered to grow well indoors, so now other factors become important like yield and personal tastes.
Plant Height
This refers to an average height for a full grown plant indoors (sometimes outdoor height is given too). This figure can be cross-referenced against other strains to help choose which is right for you. The height is really only a guide as the major factor which determines height is at what period the lights or sun becomes 12 hours a day. When the light is changed to 12 hours, the plant begins to bud and effectively stops growing much taller. The longer the plant is left in the grow (vegetative) phase, the bigger it will get.
Flowering Time
The flowering time is an average time the plant will take to mature and be ready for harvest after the lights have been turned back to 12 hours light and 12 hours darkness. This time is pretty much set in the plants genetics, so it is fairly accurate. Generally, indicas have a shorter flowering period and sativas a longer one.
Harvest
This refers to the average month in the northern hemisphere that the plant will be ready for harvest when grown outdoors. This is usually a pretty rough figure as it will be slightly different depending on the latitude where the growing takes place.
Yield
Yield is a very general guide to how much buds are expected to be harvested. There are so many factors that influence this that it is better to compare strains yield than to expect a certian yield from a certain marijuana strain. For example, the more light there is in the garden, the higher the yield will be. Gardens grown hydroponically will also produce bigger yields. It is better to think of the stated yield as an average amount expected per unit area (i.e. 1 meter squared) under good growing conditions. It is not so much the strain that creates the yield but the quality of growing environment.
Potency (THC)
Potency is another very general guide. Again, this will depend on the quality of the growing environment as well as the specific strains genetics. It is better to consider that indicas and sativas will produce a totally different stone. So when THC for White Widow is quoted as 20%, this is an average for optimal growing conditions.
Choosing the right marijuana strain for your garden can be tricky. There are many factors to consider. Are you growing marijuana indoors or outdoors, do you prefer an indica or a sativa, is the height of the plant important? What about the yield? And finally, what type of high do you prefer? All marijuana strains will produce different results. Some have been engineered to grow well indoors. Some strains are good in colder climates. Some have been made to deliver larger yields, some for a nicer taste. All these factors should be considered when choosing the right marijuana strain for your garden. To help choose the right one,
Following are the factors to consider in detail:
Indica and Sativa (Type)
When considering strains, there are really only two groups; Indicas and Sativas. Of course, now days, breeders will often mix the two to give properties of each. Therefore, a strain will often say 60/40 or mix of indica and sativa strains.
Indicas
Indica plants are usually short, bushy and dense plants with fat leaves. The leaves will grow dark green in color and be quite fat. Indica strains will often be smellier than sativas with a strong skunky or fruity smell. The Indica flowering period is often shorter than sativas lasting 6-9 weeks. Buds will grow denser and heavier. The smoke from indica strains will produce a strong body high, which can be described as a relaxing lethargic stone which can increase taste sensation.
Sativas
Sativas are pretty much the opposite of indicas, they grow taller and more spindly. Leaves are thinner and lighter in color. Sativa marijuana strains will grow much faster. They can noticibly increase in size in just a few days. The flowering period for sativas is usually longer from 10-15 weeks. The buds produced will smell less than indicas often with a pine like aroma. The smoke will have a more cerebral stone often described as energetic, giggly and thinking.
Indoor/Outdoor
Alongside the strain it will often say Indoor or Outdoor. In reality all strains can be grown either indoors or outdoors. The guide is there to show optimum results. Some strains will say indoor/outdoor meaning they are well suited for both. If you are growing outdoors, some marijuana strains, like Hollands Hope and Afghan, will suit colder climates with a shorter growing season, while strains like Orange Bud or Master Kush will suit a longer growing season and warmer climates. Indoor growers are spoilt for choice. There are now many strains which have been engineered to grow well indoors, so now other factors become important like yield and personal tastes.
Plant Height
This refers to an average height for a full grown plant indoors (sometimes outdoor height is given too). This figure can be cross-referenced against other strains to help choose which is right for you. The height is really only a guide as the major factor which determines height is at what period the lights or sun becomes 12 hours a day. When the light is changed to 12 hours, the plant begins to bud and effectively stops growing much taller. The longer the plant is left in the grow (vegetative) phase, the bigger it will get.
Flowering Time
The flowering time is an average time the plant will take to mature and be ready for harvest after the lights have been turned back to 12 hours light and 12 hours darkness. This time is pretty much set in the plants genetics, so it is fairly accurate. Generally, indicas have a shorter flowering period and sativas a longer one.
Harvest
This refers to the average month in the northern hemisphere that the plant will be ready for harvest when grown outdoors. This is usually a pretty rough figure as it will be slightly different depending on the latitude where the growing takes place.
Yield
Yield is a very general guide to how much buds are expected to be harvested. There are so many factors that influence this that it is better to compare strains yield than to expect a certian yield from a certain marijuana strain. For example, the more light there is in the garden, the higher the yield will be. Gardens grown hydroponically will also produce bigger yields. It is better to think of the stated yield as an average amount expected per unit area (i.e. 1 meter squared) under good growing conditions. It is not so much the strain that creates the yield but the quality of growing environment.
Potency (THC)
Potency is another very general guide. Again, this will depend on the quality of the growing environment as well as the specific strains genetics. It is better to consider that indicas and sativas will produce a totally different stone. So when THC for White Widow is quoted as 20%, this is an average for optimal growing conditions.