Taskenti by CannaBioGen

CannaBioGen, Spain

Pure Indica

Genetics: Uzbekistani

www.cannabiogen.com

CannaBioGen is a very well-respected cannabis collective that operates out of Spain. The team is serious about its work and has an excellent reputation for reliable genetics. Taking a more scientific approach to cannabis research and development they have several incredible original strains that are popular with connoisseur growers, breeders and tokers. Taskenti is a pure indica that originated in Uzbekistan, but CannaBioGen worked hard to stabilize the most valuable traits of the plant to make it suitable for a variety of grow situations in the Western world.

This strain tends to vegetate quickly and looks like your archetypal indica plant. With heavy branching, very deep green leaves and big, fat buds, it is the bulldog of the growing world and is certainly not to be messed with, taking to soil particularly well and scaring off pests before they get their nasty little teeth into it. However, a little tenderness also goes a long way, and aeroponic systems allow Taskenti to bloom beautifully. This strain flowers without too much effort, and is a good plant if you’re planning on an early harvest as it doesn’t need the extra couple of weeks for flowering that some strains prefer. The vegetative stage should last for a bare minimum of 30 days, with plants maturing fully in 7 to 9 weeks. Ensure that the atmosphere in your grow room is well-ventilated and dry, particularly during the flowering period. For an even greater yield you can grow Taskenti outdoors and it is especially well-suited to climates similar to those of the mountains of southern Spain. If so, plan to harvest in October. Always a good choice for a novice grower, Taskenti can withstand many typical newbie mistakes.

Your resulting Taskenti bud will be noticeably heavier than many other types and does not have the overpowering stench that you might expect. A little trimming will be necessary, as these nugs often contain more leaves than other strains, but putting in a little effort to beautify your bud will definitely be worthwhile. The tight buds will burn quickly and smoothly. The thick smoke is a bit of a cougher, but gives you a nice full feeling giving way to a serious but mellow high that leaves you with no hangover the next day. It does taste good but try to pace yourself in working through your stash, as you’ll find yourself dozing if you go over the top. 

Sensi Star by Paradise Seeds

Paradise Seeds, Holland

Indica-Dominant

Genetics: Unknown Indica Hybrid

Potency: THC 15-18%

www.paradise-seeds.com

Paradise Seeds, one of the most notable Amsterdam seed companies, has released some fantastic original strains in the last decade or so, and one of these is their well-known Sensi Star. The family history of this plant is unknown, but we can be sure that it is an indica-dominant hybrid that has garnered a great reputation since it was introduced to the market in 1995.

Having won many awards over the years, this diva has a lot to live up to. She does so by producing solid, dense colas that are extremely compact and drenched in frosty resin. A great plant to choose for an indoor grow, Sensi Star works particularly well in a SOG set up with 20 plants per square yard, potted closely together. Hydroponic and soil grows also suit her needs, though if you let her grow outside expect a huge plant of about 6.5 feet in height with very strong side branching. Indoors, you should let the vegetative stage run for 2 weeks before changing to a 12 on/12 off light cycle, and you’ll be rewarded with very dark green fan leaves and weighty buds.

The citrusy-metallic scent of the nugs gives a fantastically dense smoke that devolves into a body-hitting stone that some note has added cerebral effects. Whether or not you feel the head high is more or less irrelevant, as you will be consumed with the body heaviness that makes Sensi Star a one-toke wonder.

Red Flame Kush by SinsemillaWorks!

SinsemillaWorks!, USA

Indica-Dominant

Genetics: Purple Kush x Blue Moonshine

Potency: THC 17%

www.sinsemillaworks.com

Red Flame Kush is SinsemillaWorks’ latest indica strain. The team of breeders has crossed a Purple Kush female with a Blue Moonshine male to make a killer hybrid and are currently pollinating and testing it with a strong indica plant. They will have a stabilized strain soon, so keep an eager eye out for it. Initial results show a strong plant with a blend of both parent strains, and it flowers rapidly in just seven weeks. She has great colors coming from both the Purple Kush and Blue Moonshine parents, and a classic indica resiliency from the Blue Moonshine, which loves outdoor and organic systems. Expect to see this strain in the medical clubs, and check out SinsemillaWorks’ videos for help and advice on growing their strains.

Growers should expect typical indica growth patterns with good-sized fan leaves and a stocky structure. The plant is short and stout with tight, rock hard resinous buds. Red Flame Kush is resilient and grows outdoors in cold weather or indoors in all sorts of systems. The taste is incredible if the plant is organically grown. SinsemillaWorks is actively testing their strains with medical users at several dispensaries and at various grow facilities throughout the country.

The taste and flavor are potent owing to the strong indica background. Blue Moonshine is related to the White Widow family and inherits its potent high, along with its dense trichomes. The high is narcotic and hits the body like Mike Tyson.

Purple Pineberry by Secret Valley Seeds

Secret Valley Seeds, Canada

Indica-Dominant

Potency: THC 18%

www.greenlifeseeds.com

Canada’s Secret Valley Seeds knows what is important to commercial growers, and produces strains that deliver these sought-after traits. Having grown out a large amount of parent stock, they breed with only the best of their seed stash to ensure top quality plants. While their Hardcore and Top Dollar plants are quick-flowering and high-yielding to allow for very productive grow rooms, Purple Pineberry is a little more deep in its purpose. Though its history is either cloaked in secrecy or genuinely unknown to the breeders, we can be sure that it is an indica-dominant hybrid with some definite resilience in growing.

Noted in Canada especially for its ability to grow well outdoors, Purple Pineberry is a hardy plant that flowers quickly. It braves humid Canadian summers well thanks to its resistance to mold, and when flowering comes around, will produce chunky, solid buds that exude a great aroma of pine. These can be harvested after 6 weeks indoors, or around September 20^th in an outdoor garden.

Before and after harvest, Purple Pineberry buds have a very distinctive smell and can give rise to a somewhat harsh smoke, but one that tastes lightly sweet. It has a very pleasant mellow high which is energizing and won’t pull your energy levels down. Secret Valley Seeds are constantly working on newer versions of this strain as well as more innovative ways to cross breed with it to ensure its great genetics are retained for future generations of Pineberry. 

Obsession by World of Seeds

World of Seeds, Spain

Indica-Dominant

Genetics: Gilgit Valley x (White Rhino x Black Domina x Jack Herer)

Potency: THC 15-20%

www.worldofseeds.com

Spanish company World of Seeds is comprised of a multicultural group of horticultural and biology enthusiasts with an interest in cannabis. As well as operating a seed bank, the team works on original strains, one of which is Obsession, the name of which gives you a clue about how much this crew cares about producing high quality strains. After many years of crossbreeding, the World of Seeds experts were finally satisfied enough to release this one to the market. They took a plant which held the genetics of three amazing strains – White Rhino, Black Domina and Jack Herer – and crossed it with a Pakistani indica known as Gilgit Valley. Thanks to this mélange of pedigrees, Obsession quickly became a sensation among cannabis connoisseurs.

Highly resistant to all pests and with a majority indica influence, Obsession is an ultra-stable strain. It is best suited to growing indoors, where it finishes fully in 9 weeks, but can also be grown outdoors when it should be ready at either the end of September or the first week of October. The success of your outdoor grow will depend on your location, as Obsession doesn’t particularly enjoy colder climates.I If you’re in an area that experiences extremes of weather and temperature, you might choose to house your Obsession plants in an indoor garden. If so, ensure that each plant has a good position with access to a lot of light, even on the lower branches, and you’ll see some good growth and substantial flowering. If your budget doesn’t extend to purchasing a massive amount of bulbs or LEDs, store-bought or homemade reflectors can be put to good use in this kind of situation, as they bounce the light into parts of the set up that might otherwise be relatively dark. Obsession crops are usually great yielders as they are very resilient, and work very well in mild climates. Be sure not to harvest your crop too early and you should find yourself with a respectable stash of some delightful buds with a great aroma.

Flavorsome and very fragrant, Obsession buds might leave you totally devoted to them like an emotional lover thanks to their mouthwatering smell and wholesome taste. Once the pleasure of the taste subsides, the chilled-out high will take a gentle hold of you and cradle you into submission. A good choice for social smoking, the buzz won’t leave you incapacitated or overly introspective. This strain is well-suited to medicinal users thanks to its mellow but relaxing high which is a great elevator of mood and so combats depression.

Mr. Nice by Sensi Seeds

Sensi Seeds, Holland

Indica-Dominant

Genetics: G-13 x Hash Plant

Potency: THC 20%

www.sensiseeds.com

Named after Howard Marks, a British hashish importer and one of the most prolific contemporary cannabis activists, this strain from Holland’s masters of breeding, Sensi Seeds, comprises some pretty serious genetics. While the male parent, Hash Plant, is a direct descendant of one of the best genotypes to come out of the Hindu Kush region, the female parent, G-13, is almost mythical, such is the legend surrounding its origins. It’s the story that every stoner will tell their kids, the one where the U.S. government breeds an ultra-potent strain only to have a cutting liberated by a weed-loving lab technician, which then becomes the hottest property amongst the counter-culture stoners. We’ll never know the truth, but either way, the quality of G-13 has become famous in its own right, and its original pairing with Hash Plant was available in limited edition seeds in the 90s and was brought back to much celebration by Sensi in 1999.

These days, Mr. Nice seeds give rise to solid crops which won’t grow any taller than about 50 inches but can yield up to 100 grams of premium indica bud per plant. Expect flowering in about 60 days and be sure not to overdose them in the earlier stages of growth – just let them do their own thing! Also try not to over water the plant as it’s simply unnecessary and can only damage your grow. These plants love a lot of light, and the more you give them, the more they will produce for you, but be careful that the leaf tips don’t get too close to the bulb or they’ll burn. With such dense buds, it’s imperative to ensure that ventilation in your grow room is sufficient, and humidity is kept at 40% or below during the second half of flowering, as stagnant, wet air can give rise to mold inside the colas. Invest in more fans to ensure a good flow of air if you think this is a concern in your set up, and keep an eye on the humidity at all times.

Mr. Nice is a smoke for the heaviest of tokers, those who could take a whole cross-joint of Skunk without even batting an eyelid. The ‘double Afghani’ taste gives you the ultimate body stone and knocks you off your feet. Depending on your tolerance you might enjoy a few hours of lazy euphoria and a bit of couch lock, or you could lose all motor function and be totally Macraméd to your chair. Either way, it’s not the best choice for a rookie smoker, but the experienced will love it.