How Do I Choose a Strain?

[SmokeyMacPot]

Choosing a strain may seem overwhelming at first, but by answering a few simple questions, you will be able to narrow down the choices to strains that suit you best.

1.) Do you plan on growing INDOORS or OUTDOORS?

2.) Do you prefer the characteristics of an INDICA (i.e. short, compact, and high yielding)? Do you prefer the characteristics of a SATIVA (i.e. tall, high quality bud, and lower yielding)? Or would you prefer a mix between the two (i.e. 50/50 or 60/40 cross)?

3.) What type of stone/ high are you looking for? There are two basic types: the first is a 'body stone' that knocks you down and holds you there, which is synonymous with INDICAS. A second type of stone is a trippy cerebral high, often associated with SATIVAS.

How potent do you want it?
Different strains have their own unique effects (i.e. mellow, happy, paranoid, stupefying, clear and thought provoking, etc, etc...)

4.) What is your price range? How much are you willing to pay for seeds or clones?

5.) Is yield important to you? There are low, medium and high yielding cannabis plants. Does yield take precedence over quality?

6.) Is odor or smell a concern? Stealth growing requires low smelling strains. Some strains smell so strong they may be a security risk.

Is taste important for you? (Some strains have a unique flavor such as grapefruit, blueberry, etc)

7.) How long do you want to wait to harvest? Some are 6 week cash-croppers, some will take up to 14 weeks to flower. Many strains take 7-8 weeks.

8.) The last thing you should do when you have a few strains narrowed down is ask other growers. Find out what growers have experienced with it, etc.

Author: Avis

 

[main1]

Thanks for the info !

 

[alchemist]

i am just going to start my very very first attempt at growing my own plant , can anybody help me with what i will need to buy for the basics, and what strain i should buy for the best results and lowest maintence as i am as you say the complete greenhorn!, all help and advice is welcomed,i was kind of hoping to grow in soil with a plant buy my window that gets sun all day as i live in spain .
All help and advice is appreciated,, thanx you guys !

 

[tintala]

Good idea for strains here:
Alchemist you should first start reading the stickies in:

GROWERS FORUMS>

Indoor Soil Cultivation - 420 Magazine

first read all that you can pertaining to soil, indoor, outdoor, after you have read these, if you still have questions, you can start threads in the growers forums that pertain to these sub-forums and your particular questions. It will take awhile, but all of us as beginners had to do this!

 

[medme]

i've been growing on and off for 20 years,,,, and i still learn stuff here,,,
the "grow room" here is FULL of info,,,

 

[Slick50]

Some varieties give me a headache so I think that might be a factor to consider

 

[madmedmary]

alchemist: I only had the first book of growing. the one w. the light on the soft cover. it has been rewritten & updated nowadays. we got a couple of lights, one ballast and $100.00 of good soil,and a bottle of grow big (fox farm). we built a big 4' x 8' box,filled it w the expensive soil. Bought some paradise seeds, spoetnik, germed them and we were farmers. 8 wks 18 hr light (1000 w metal halide) then 8wks w/ 12 hrs light (high pressure sodium) 12 hrs absolute darkness! this darkness is most important. no peeking in, no fans w/ light indicators on. and viola', a harvest. And a successful one too. No bugs, No disease, No seeds. We put our light on a mover. goes back & forth. I like the fill the box w/ soil method better than pots. roots have ample room for a 4 month grow. Shoveling out the soil for replacement soil was probably the most labor intensive part of growing like this. (I've had 4 back surgeries) Shoveling is a back breaking job. little shovelfuls, proper body mechanics has to be done. we have give up the gardening cause it is too risky in kansas. No good laws here. It was good fun and I learned a lot. Its a weed. It will grow and go thru its life cycle w/light, soil,and h2o. Good luck.

 

[Beeb Beebman]

Nice job. Lots of good info there smokey

 

[cerny]

My purpose for growing is for pain relief, I've been on oxycodone and oxycotin for almost 4 years and this will end soon, I will grow indoors, thinking indica because of the size, and thought that if it were for body high it would be good for pain, not sure if it is, I have thoughts of baking and eating
Is indica the best strain to achieve these goals, ps have smoked since 1974 thank you for your advice

 

[ledtron]

Yes, indica is your choice for pain relief. I have some blue cheese right now. Works rather well. Good luck.

 

[FrutyTooty420]

My question is , do seeds go bad? How do you know if they are good to use? I only have seeds so i am not sure what strain they are, will that make them more difficult to grow in any way? ahhh so many questions

 

[mangosnapper]

My question is , do seeds go bad? How do you know if they are good to use? I only have seeds so i am not sure what strain they are, will that make them more difficult to grow in any way? ahhh so many questions

seeds do go bad. freezing them in a air tight jar with rice to keep moisture out. Is one way to go, but you can have fresh seeds if properly cared for be good for over a year and then some... But when you go to germinate them soak them in a cup of water...live seeds sink, dead seeds float ~ just give them time to soak, at least 24 hours. good luck

 

[amos]

I'm trying to find which Sativa's are easiest to grow and have the highest THC levels. Are there any "combination" charts which show both factors at the same time? Anyone have any recommendations on that?

thanks, Amos

 

[mangosnapper]

I'm trying to find which Sativa's are easiest to grow and have the highest THC levels. Are there any "combination" charts which show both factors at the same time? Anyone have any recommendations on that?

thanks, Amos

~ I would go to one of the seed bank websites and look at all their information they have to offer, plus look at your own climate situations, for the closeness of certain strains that are available. But the seed breeders will offer the best advice. Happy Growing !!!

 

[Bulldoggin33]

Woah bro, are you getting headaches from meds out of a dispensary?? Seems like that is the only time I've ever gotten a headache is from dispensary meds. If so do research on the strains and the dipensary. only good reviews should be the ones you choose. Grow your own and watch the headaches go away. I've had to smoke my own to aleve a headache brought on by poor quaility meds from low rate places. so needless to say I do not seek the help of any dispensaries anymore.

That was for Slick50 up there.

 

[smacsidhe]

Woah bro, are you getting headaches from meds out of a dispensary?? Seems like that is the only time I've ever gotten a headache is from dispensary meds. If so do research on the strains and the dipensary. only good reviews should be the ones you choose. Grow your own and watch the headaches go away. I've had to smoke my own to aleve a headache brought on by poor quaility meds from low rate places. so needless to say I do not seek the help of any dispensaries anymore.

That was for Slick50 up there.

A lot of people growing for the cash and selling to dispensaries are using chemical nutrients instead of organic and not flushing properly. That's why you get the headaches form dispensary meds sometimes. I didn't make the connection until I tried some meds a friend had grown in hydro using chemical nutrients and was down with migraine for three days. When I questioned him he said he had not done any preharvest flush. He ended up throwing most of his 1st crop into bto to make it usable as meds. Still had a slight tendency to aggravate a headache, but no longer caused one by itself.
His second grow he went with soil and organic using the same strains and no headache at all.

 

[The303Stoner]

My purpose for growing is for pain relief, I've been on oxycodone and oxycotin for almost 4 years and this will end soon, I will grow indoors, thinking indica because of the size, and thought that if it were for body high it would be good for pain, not sure if it is, I have thoughts of baking and eating
Is indica the best strain to achieve these goals, ps have smoked since 1974 thank you for your advice

I see it as more of sativa in the day and indica at night both are good for pain and hybrids are awesome it the harvest time that's important

 

[The303Stoner]

A lot of people growing for the cash and selling to dispensaries are using chemical nutrients instead of organic and not flushing properly. That's why you get the headaches form dispensary meds sometimes. I didn't make the connection until I tried some meds a friend had grown in hydro using chemical nutrients and was down with migraine for three days. When I questioned him he said he had not done any preharvest flush. He ended up throwing most of his 1st crop into bto to make it usable as meds. Still had a slight tendency to aggravate a headache, but no longer caused one by itself.
His second grow he went with soil and organic using the same strains and no headache at all.

A good flush is good if you heavy feed. Headband aka Day Wrecker not 707 Headband is the best cure for headaches

 

[giggleweed]

My question is , do seeds go bad? How do you know if they are good to use? I only have seeds so i am not sure what strain they are, will that make them more difficult to grow in any way? ahhh so many questions

yes frutyTooty. marijuana seeds go bad if you do not know how to store them properly.. if you wanna save the seeds for future grows, place them in cool environment. you can put them in a ref but do not freeze. place them in a tightly sealed container to avoild molds from thriving in

 

[DrakeWest313]

I'm looking to start growing my own crop... I already have in mind that I wanna grow a fruity indica strain but I just don't know which strain yields fastest & is easy for 1st time growers so if anyone has any useful feedback could you please share your info... Also if you have any info on types of soil lighting etc. that is useful & affordable feel free to share!! Thank you guys & hope to VIBE with you soon...