What decides the strains you grow?

[HonestGR]

Just curious, what do you look for when deciding your strain? Whats the *best* strain you have come across meeting your preference.

Breeder?
Cost?
Yield?
Potency?
Flavor?
Hights?
CBD or THC levels?
Reviews?
Name?
Smell?
Etc?

I know myself it is generally based on cost and what works for my wife (sativa) The best strain I have come across so far is "Twisted Citrus" it was a bag seed from a MoM company. I plan on growing these following a few others. I did give a few to a buddy, they turned out great!

I am always seeking the next best strain! But I know I have few "preferances" ... I am curious what do you look for?

 

[Old Salt]

For an initial look at several strains I rate them as follows:

(3 x CBD% + THC%) x (yield per m^2) / (flowering time in days)

Then I'll look closer at the top three to five strains, paying attention to medical usage, terpenes, and reviews. There are too many strains out there to look closely at them all.

 

[HonestGR]

For an initial look at several strains I rate them as follows:

(3 x CBD% + THC%) x (yield per m^2) / (flowering time in days)

Then I'll look closer at the top three to five strains, paying attention to medical usage, terpenes, and reviews. There are too many strains out there to look closely at them all.

Thats actually a great idea having a formula!

 

[Virgin Ground]

It's my medicine ,so I base it on effect. Then flavor.

 

[Old Salt]

It's my medicine ,so I base it on effect. Then flavor.

I agree, but how do you determine the effect of a strain without access to it? How do you choose the strains to try?

 

[Virgin Ground]

I usually look at a site like seedsman and use their sorting feature.
I also look at what other growers are cultivating. If I see something of interest, I jot it down and look into it later.
I know to some it may seem boring, but I love to read. I do it non-stop it seems. I spend my evenings with a joint, nice tunes,some Earl Grey and bunch of strain reviews. I'll hop on here in between sometimes.

 

[HonestGR]

I know to some it may seem boring, but I love to read. I do it non-stop it seems. I spend my evenings with a joint, nice tunes,some Earl Grey and bunch of strain reviews. I'll hop on here in between sometimes.

Sounds like me, except growing equipment! most nights however, no joint.

I find it difficult with so many strains out there. I mean medicinal qualities are huge.. but not one strain will effect everyone the same!

 

[Oldbear]

A key factor for me is seeds compatible with a short grow season, like outdoors, can handle heat and cool temps, mold resistant and ease of growth.

 

[Virgin Ground]

Yes, outdoor growers would look for different things. Good point.

Indoor growers are going to want something that works with their set-up as well.

How strong your lighting is as well as height restrictions and environmental factors all come into play.

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

To be honest too much comes to mind for me to give a real statement lol. Whatever pops out to me while im doing research at the time.
Strains that I can see have strong lineage. Strains that i know.
I will usually use the seedsman filter aswell for high yields and high thc but again sometimes i dont do that.
I just dive in and start reading like @Virgin ground said lol

 

[Virgin Ground]

Yup, reputation is another great factor. Who doesn't want to run the G.O.A.T. Strains?

 

[GrizzWald]

Depends on the use for which it will be used... For me, all about the flavor.. as a heavy toker, I want to be tasting the yum. Effect is second (untill you grow that plant under who effect takes over from others taste... Rare... Keepers).. as grown for personal, 'yeild' and time aren't even a factor..once you have various strains in jars, you'll notice what you like best, as they will be the jars you automatically go to...

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

once you have various strains in jars, you'll notice what you like best, as they will be the jars you automatically go to...

Preach

 

[GrizzWald]

What decides beans I buy? Quality oldschool Genetics at an affordable price.. mns auctions almost exclusively...

 

[Old Salt]

..once you have various strains in jars, you'll notice what you like best, as they will be the jars you automatically go to...

That's just it. How does someone choose when they have a prescription and next no experience with cannabis?

It's great when you have experience and have grown a few crops. You can then afford to toss a crop that you dislike. I didn't have that option. It took eight months to see a physician specializing in pain. It then took another 4 months to get my grow license. In that time frame my lowest level of pain was a four, and it often spiked to an eight. My family physician will no longer prescribe any controlled substance due to the second guessing of his decisions by administrators, so no pain killers for me.

That formula is what I used to decide between the locally available strains. It was close to a year and a half from the onset of my severe back pain until I had my first crop ready for use.

 

[NamTran]

There is a demand for affordable weed in my campus so I did a rating with three criteria: yield per unit area, time from seed to harvest, THC content with weighting for each criteria respectively : 0.5, 0.3, 0.2 (total of 1). Then the strain rating is dependent on each criteria. For example:
Yield per unit area: 500 gr dry yield per m2 is rated 5 star (highest), 300gr dry yield per m2 is rated 1 star (lowest)
time till seed to harvest: 8 to 9 weeks is rated 5 star, more than 12 weeks is rated 1 star
THC content: 20% or higher is rated 5 star, 13% or lower is rated 1 star.

Multiply weighting and rating, sum them up and sort out the result. Purchasing from RQS is the most convenient for me so I get strain information from their webshop page.

I'm fully aware that higher THC doesn't always mean better quality but since student gonna mix their MJ with tobacco, flavour element is totally disregarded.

So to sum it up, depending on your need you can first collect the strain data that is available in your area, then come up with a list of criteria and weight them to your preference. The rest is very intuitive with minimal excel experience required.

 

[andIhalped]

Great question, @HonestGR

I only grow outdoors in the PNW with rainy falls where rot's a risk & I only grow photos, so I have to stick with strains that finish fairly quickly (9 wks or less). Mold resistance is something I try to find for the same reasons.

After that, I only grow what I've never smoked or grown, which is kinda crazy, but I like surprises. Though I do try to find strains with interesting or promising lineages.

Third criterion for me is cost & I have a strong preference for local sources.

If I was growing in a different climate, I'd chase sativa landrace genetics, but I don't, so I don't.

 

[HonestGR]

Great question, @HonestGR

I only grow outdoors in the PNW with rainy falls where rot's a risk & I only grow photos, so I have to stick with strains that finish fairly quickly (9 wks or less). Mold resistance is something I try to find for the same reasons.

After that, I only grow what I've never smoked or grown, which is kinda crazy, but I like surprises. Though I do try to find strains with interesting or promising lineages.

Third criterion for me is cost & I have a strong preference for local sources.

If I was growing in a different climate, I'd chase sativa landrace genetics, but I don't, so I don't.

Your first point is huge, if it molds you get very little!!

 

[HigherTheHigh]

If i order from anywhere else other that Royal Queen Seeds (in my opinion they are the best in genetics for myself) i always go via the reviews first.

Reviews win it for me any day of the week because what is said on a website and what the actual outcome is really 2 huge things with certain seed banks iv dealt with.

If i had to break i down it would be:

• Reviews
• Mold and mildew resistance (Has to be 4-5 as i grow tight dense buds and that comes with huge disadvantages)
• Benefits (medical)
• Time scale, nothing over 9 weeks
• Indica % (sativa doesnt agree with me so 40% sativa is enough)
• THC %
• Yield
• Flavour (im in soil now so it better taste what its supposed to taste like )

 

[HonestGR]

If i order from anywhere else other that Royal Queen Seeds (in my opinion they are the best in genetics for myself) i always go via the reviews first.

Reviews win it for me any day of the week because what is said on a website and what the actual outcome is really 2 huge things with certain seed banks iv dealt with.

If i had to break i down it would be:

• Reviews
• Mold and mildew resistance (Has to be 4-5 as i grow tight dense buds and that comes with huge disadvantages)
• Benefits (medical)
• Time scale, nothing over 9 weeks
• Indica % (sativa doesnt agree with me so 40% sativa is enough)
• THC %
• Yield
• Flavour (im in soil now so it better taste what its supposed to taste like )

Thank you! I enjoy hearing about the reasons why everyone grows what they grow! Everything is so different on what they base it on!