Tuesday 14 January 2014

Sativa, Indica, or Ruderalis... what's the difference?

First of all, all cannabis- be it Dank Afghani Indica or Soumi fiber hemp is considered technically to be the same species; Cannabis Sativa. Within the species however there are several recognizable 'strains' or 'varieties' which it can be categorized as.


Cannabis sativa plants typically grow taller than other varieties. They have long narrow leafs, and the buds tend to be fewer and more spaced out. Sativa often grows near the equator and as a result the flower time of these plants can be significantly longer than other varieties. Sativa is known for its high THC content however, and is often the best choice as a daytime medicine. It supplies energy, and an 'UP' feeling. Sometimes sativa can be very stimulating and cause anxiety in certain people. Some famous Sativa dominant strains include; Haze (there are many varieties of haze), Sour Diesel, Jack Herer, Durban Poison, Kali Mist, and even OG Kush is technically a Sativa despite it's misleading name. Sativas are popular among connoisseurs and medical users alike. They often smell very pleasant, and despite their typically longer flower time, most Sativa growers would agree that it is worth the wait.


Cannabis indica is known for being a shorter, more 'stout' plant. It's buds are dense and it typically flowers faster than C. Sativa. Indica was a miracle plant during the 70's when Cannabis production had to be taken indoors due to the new 'War on Drugs'. Its smaller size and faster flower time made it ideal for hybridizing and growing n limited space. The buds are dense and close together, and the leafs are typically fatter. Though not as potent in THC, Indica presents its own unique benifits by being considerably higher in other cannabinoids such as CBD. CBD is great for treating body and nerve pain. It is relaxing and is also useful as an anti-inflamitory. CBD is responsible for giving certain strains of Cannabis their 'Couch locking' effect. It hybridizes easily with Sativa and together ther can produce some unbelievable hybrids. Some famous strains of Indica are: Hindu Kush (real kush), Blueberry (DJ Short), Hashplant, Northern Lights, Afghani, and God Bud.


Cannabis Ruderalis in the past was not a common sight in a grow room, though from time to time it could be found growing next to the road between B.C. and Ontario. On it's own this plant has little value medicinally, but it does possess one unique and amazing feature, it flowers without needing to be triggered by a change in light cycles. Thus it received the nick-name; 'Auto-flower'. Since it's discovery breeders everywhere have been trying to exploit it's unique 'Auto-flowering' characteristic by breading it into Indica and sativa strains. These days it is becoming more and more common to find 'Auto-flowering' seeds in shops or online. Breeders have found techniques to properly breed the 'auto-flowering' feature into plants, without losing very much potency or appeal. Some 'Auto-flower' strains complete their grow cycle in as little as 60 days! Though they do tend to produce less bud than Indica or Sativa, the speed in which they can be grown speaks for itself.


At this point in Cannabis culture upwards of 99% of strains have been hybridized in some form or other. Hybridizing is a natural process in which plants evolve and adapt. Though there is something to be said about preserving heirloom genetics, the best way to survive and grow stronger against bugs, diseases, and environmental changes is to hybridize.

Happy Grow season 2014! Hope to see you in the shops soon. :)




Sunday 5 January 2014

Strains worth trying out 2014

Happy New Year!

Over the past year we've started carrying a variety of new Canadian strains that are all worth checking out.

Sativas have been gaining popularity once again over the past year. We have some great new strains that are already showing some amazing results and gaining popularity.
Firstly, from Jordan of the Islands we have 2 new god bud crosses. 
#1 the infamous Durban Poison x God Bud hybrid: God's Poison. This strain is already very popular. These chubby seeds are impressive specimens in themselves. The plants retain the sublime euphoria of the Durban genetics with the hardiness of the resilient and quick to finish God Bud.
These two cannabis strains (Durban Poison x God Bud) are completely opposite when it comes to finishing time, bud girth and plant structure - making them perfect Jordan of the Islands breeding material.
Durban Poison is known to be difficult to manage as it can grow very large and lanky and is suggested for experienced marijuana growers.
These challenges are greatly reduced with first time grower friendly God Bud, which grows short, finishes flowering quickly and produces exceedingly dense buds.
Gods Poison is perfect pairing of these two stellar marijuana strains - a mid sized plant, heavy buds and decent flowering time.
This brand new offering from Jordan of the Islands will please both sativa and indica growers with its uniqueness. Good for both the indoor and outdoor gardener.
#2 is a sativa cross brought in by many requests, the one and only God's Green Crack (God Bud x Green Crack). Despite its slightly colorful name, this strain is anything but a dangerous drug. The euphoric and medicinal properties of Green Crack compliment Jordan's legendary God bud by adding a soaring high that fills your body with energy but relaxes the soul. 
Here's what Jordan has to say about this hybrid: 
At Jordan of the Island's we really adore our award winning God Bud, but sometimes the chill sedate relaxing vibe results in slow days. To solve this we've added some fantastic sativa zip via Green Crack. Be prepared to go for a mental couch ride with God's Green Crack because the indica and sativa mix in these marijuana seeds are darn near perfect.
For a cannabis strain with such an uplifting sativa zip these marijuana seeds produce an incredible fast flowering plant (between 50-55 days/avg) with above average yields. God's Green Crack retains God Bud's hefty yields and short stocky nature.
 Both Green Crack and God Bud are known to turn purple in the final 10 days of flowering. To really induce and get the most from these beautiful purple colors it's best to lower the temperature. The plant responds by turning deep shades of purple.

2014 is also looking better than ever for Indica lovers.
From the northern boreal region of Canada, the Manitoba based breeder; 'Great White North' is now offering feminized Hindu Kush seeds. Guaranteed 100% viability. Hindu Kush is the original 'Kush' strain from high in the mountains around Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northern India. Hindu Kush is your typical indica plant. Huge wide leaves deep green, almost blue in colour, and fingers that often overlap each other.
Short and stocky in growth habit with lower branches that grow all the way nearly to the top. Flower clusters are dense and form all the way along the branches. Extremely heavy resin production, early maturation, and good yields are characteristics of this strain. All this make the Hindu Kush strain a valuable plant for breeders and an important part of many modern hybrids.
Available now in packs of 6 or singles. Feminized for your convenience.

If you're looking for something cutting edge with taste, weight, bag appeal, and legs to match. We bring you from our friends at the BC Bud Depot, the California super strain; Girl Scout Cookies.
When 2 full boxes of Girl Scout Cookies arrived in British Columbia, BC Bud Depot knew what to do. The clone was fast becoming a legend - a potent mix of an OG Kush x Durban Poison x Cherry Kush mother backcrossed with a prime-looking OG Kush father created possibly one of the best Northern California strains of all time.
After dedicating a number of mothers, BCBD immediately started growing these out to reverse and create the first feminized (S1) Girl Scout Cookies seeds released to the world. The incredible chocolate mint flavour was decidedly a must to be made available!
Fast becoming a BC Bud Depot favourite, the Girl Scout Cookies are excellent for medical use, particularly is the areas of anxiety, depression, pain relief and inflammation.
Avaliable while supplies last!
For more on whats new at our shops visit our web sites:
vancouverseedbank.ca
victoriaseedbank.ca
northcountryseeds.com

Stay tuned to our blog for more strain and gardening ideas for this year's growing season.