As someone who is planning on growing their own cannabis at home, it is very important for you to know that there are various strains of weed out there. You have sativa strains, indica strains, ruderalis strains, hybrid strains, and more. The reality is that each of these different marijuana strains have different properties.
This is true both in terms of their growth properties as well as the effects that they will have on you. Varying cannabis strains have different odors, flavors, THC levels, growth characteristics, and more. Therefore, when choosing from different weed strains to grow at home, these are all factors that you need to consider.
When it comes to growing cannabis at home, how big these plants will get and how much of a smell they will produce are two important factors to consider, and this often comes down to the specific type of strain.
Today, we want to take an in-depth look at the cannabis plant and the different strains and types that are available for you to grow and consume at home.
Cannabis farmers around the world spend years and years choosing the right cannabis plants strains to grow at home, and now it’s time for you to do the same. Indica and sativa, hybrid and ruderalis, let’s figure out which one is right for you.
Different Types of Cannabis Strains
The first thing that you need to know is that there are four main types of cannabis strains out there, and each one has slightly different properties, which we’ll take a closer look at below.
Indica Strains
First, we have indica strains of cannabis, which are generally some of the most popular ones, especially as far as high THC levels and potent odors go.
If you are looking to grow a type of cannabis plant at home that doesn’t require much vertical clearance, then indica strains are a fantastic choice to consider.
As you’ll find out further below, indica strains are generally considered best for nighttime use and for their sedative properties. Cannabis indica is often favored by those we need a bit of mental relaxation.
Cannabis Sativa Strains
We then have cannabis sativa, which is like the sister strain to indica. Unlike indica strains which are generally considered best for night time use, sativa strains tend to be better for daytime use, and they’re a bit more energetic and uplifting rather than sedating.
Many medical marijuana strains designed for people who need something uplifting during the day are sativas. Remember that sativa strains require a lot of vertical clearance when growing.
Hybrid Strains
When it comes to the different cannabis strains out there, a hybrid strain is always something to consider. For those who don’t know, hybrid marijuana strains are ones that combine both indica and sativa genetics.
These may be evenly balanced, or in other words 50% indica and 50% sativa, or the balance can weigh either lightly or heavily in favor of one or the other.
As the cannabis industry develops, hybrid strains are being explored more and more due to the combination of effects that they can have for patients.
These include, but are not limited to, treating mental health conditions, pain relieving effects, energizing effects, mood lifting effects, sedative effects, and more.
Cannabis Ruderalis
We then have cannabis ruderalis, which is essentially a CBD type of cannabis. This type of cannabis has a very low THC content, and is generally best used for people who have a medical history of issues such as anxiety.
CBD can be beneficial for a variety of purposes, although most people will choose to not grow these at home. The reality is that most people don’t want less THC, but rather more of it.
When it comes to growing cannabis for both medical conditions and recreational purposes, although CBD is sometimes preferred, many cannabis farmers have realized that people still like their high THC concentrations.
And furthermore, there are now many hybrid strains that combine both CBD and THC, to provide patients with medical marijuana that has the potential to help on many fronts.
As you can see, the cannabis plant is very diverse. Interesting to note is that ruderalis plants can often be found in the wild. There’s also mounting scientific evidence that this specific cannabis strain can have many medical benefits.
Properties of Different Strains of Weed
Now that we know the basics about each particular strain, let’s take a closer look at each one to figure out exactly what they’re all about.
Sativa Strains
Just so you know what you’re getting into if you plan on growing a sativa strain, let’s figure out what its most prevalent properties are.
Growing Sativa
· Sativa cannabis strains are often known for growing very slender and tall, usually up to 8 feet in height. This means that you need to have plenty of vertical clearance.
· Although sativa strains grow very tall, they also tend to be quite thin, which means that you shouldn’t need more than three by three feet of lateral space.
· Sativa cannabis strains usually also have thinner leaves than indica strains, and the buds tend to be more open and elongated.
· Sativa strains also tend to have much longer flowering periods than indicas, which means that they need a little more time to get to harvest and maturity. The flowering time can be up to 14 weeks or sometimes even longer.
· It can be hard to manage the vertical growth of sativa strains, which means that a variety of pruning and training techniques are often implemented to cut down on their height.
· During the vegetative growth stage, sativa plants require a lot of nitrogen to support vigorous growth.
· Another important factor to consider is that sativa strains often thrive in very warm and tropical climates, as many of them come from Equatorial regions. Sativa strains are often susceptible to pests and mold, particularly in humid climates, which means that humidity control is very important.
Consuming Sativa
· Sativa cannabis strains tend to be fairly uplifting, energetic, and upbeat in nature. They genuinely produce a relatively strong cerebral high.
· Sativa strains often make people feel like they are floating in the clouds, giggly, talkative, social, and creative.
· Sativa strains are often great for daytime use, as they can help provide you with some energy. There are also those that have the potential to relieve pain, as well as other medical benefits. Sativa strains may also be ideal for treating symptoms related to depression.
· Sativa strains often have moderate THC levels.
· Cannabis sativa is often quite fruity, has notes of citrus, and may be very sweet as well.
Indica Strains
Now that you know what to expect from growing cannabis sativa, let’s take a look at what you can expect from growing cannabis indica strains.
Growing Indica
· Indica cannabis strains are usually quite bushy and compact. They tend to top out at around six or seven feet in height at the very most.
· Indica strains tend to require more lateral space, as they’re quite bushy. A single indica plant can easily take up at least 4 by 4 feet of space.
· Indica strains of cannabis usually have very dark green leaves, the leaves are very broad, and the buds are usually very dense, resinous, and thick.
· Because indica strains are relatively short and bushy, although you need a lot of lateral space, you don’t need all that much vertical clearance.
· What many people prefer about growing indica strains at home is that they don’t have a very long flowering period. The flowering for indica strains usually lasts up to 9 or 10 weeks at the most.
· Cannabis indica usually needs less nitrogen during the flowering stage than sativa plants.
· What is also beneficial about growing indica strains is that they can easily DAP to various climates, more so than sativa. Indica strains can be easily grown indoors and outdoors.
Consuming Indica
· In the terms of consuming indica strains, these tend to be much more sedating than sativa. Whereas sativa is seen as a good daytime type of cannabis, indica is seen as night time weed. It will most certainly put you to sleep at one point or another.
· While sativa strains produce more of a cerebral or head high, indica strains produce more of a body high. This means that you’ll likely feel heavy, tingly, and like you’re sinking into the couch.
· Indica strains do also produce a bit of a head high, but they usually make you feel very mentally relaxed and sedated.
· Indica strains are often seen as ideal for treating symptoms related to chronic pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and a lack of appetite.
· Cannabis indica tends to have much higher THC levels than sativa strains. If you’re looking to get very high, or if you’re looking to reap the various potential medical benefits of THC, then it is indica that you want.
· Indica strains also tend to have more of a musky and earthy flavor profile when compared to sativa.
Hybrid Cannabis
We aren’t going to spend much time talking about the various properties of hybrid plants, mainly because this is just very unpredictable. \
It really depends on the exact strain in question and whether the indica or the sativa genetics are dominant. What you can get here is a mix of all of the above.
Photoperiod vs Autoflowering
Something else to be aware of is that there are two main types of cannabis plants in terms of their growth cycles. There are photoperiod and autoflowering plants.
Photoperiod plants are ones that switch from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage due to transitions in light amounts. When most plants get towards the end of the summer, the change in lighting causes them to start flowering.
When you switch one of these plants from a 24 hour to a 12 hour light cycle, it causes flowering to start. These plants can take anywhere between 3.5 and 5 months to grow.
On the other hand, we have auto flowering plants, which simply transition into the flowering stage due to time, not lighting.
This means that you don’t have to switch lighting in order to cause them to flower. Furthermore, these usually take only between 2 and 3.5 months to complete their growth cycle, which means that you get to harvest much faster.
Most Popular Marijuana Strains
Here’s just a quick list of some of the most popular strains that people grow at home. These are some indica and sativa strains that are known for being relatively easy to grow.
· Sour Diesel
· Pineapple Express
· Blue Dream
· Hindu Kush
· OG Kush
· Bubba Kush
· White Widow
Factors to Consider When Choosing A Cannabis Strain
There are a few primary factors that you need to consider when choosing which cannabis strain to grow at home.
Levels of THC
Certain strains have a much higher THC percentage than others. Some strains can have up to 35% THC, whereas others may have barely any.
Remember that both THC and CBD are primary cannabinoids, but there are other cannabinoids as well. THC is of course the psychoactive one, so if you want to get very high, this is what you need to go for.
Levels of CBD
Although most strains that people grow at home should have a high THC percentage, some people may also like growing CBD strains.
CBD, although it is not psychoactive and will not get you high, is known for having a variety of potential medical benefits. People often describe CBD as being mentally relaxed and, all without producing a high.
The Terpenes
You should also pay attention to the terpene content of various cannabis strains, as this directly influences the odor and flavor.
Some strains feature more of a citrus scent, some are sweet, earthy, musty, peppery, and everything in between.
Different Effects
Also consider all of the possible effects that these strains can have. This really comes down to the difference between indica and sativa.
Indica is more of a sedating body high, whereas sativa produces more of an energizing cerebral high. However, we recommend looking into specific strains, as each one can be slightly different.
Growth Factors – Size
Of course, when it comes to growing at home, one of the most important things that you need to consider is the size of the plant. This really comes down to how much space you have at your disposal.
