Guide for choosing your marijuana strain

Like all plants, cannabis can develop phenotypes of all shapes and sizes. Generally speaking, varieties will exhibit differences in resin production, colouring, stature or structure. Other times, cannabis will express itself with characteristics you've probably never seen before. And sometimes those characteristics can be stabilised from generation to generation to give us pleasant surprises.

For example, most of us would love to have a magical cloaking mechanism that makes our cannabis plants "disappear" from view, especially when growing outdoors. But beyond discretion, we also want plants whose yield, aroma and flavour are above average. And these are some examples present in the seed banks on our website that achieve this effect with great skill.

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Candyland by Grand Daddy Purple Seeds, one of Ken Estes' jewels

For this smoke report, we tasted a bud of Candyland, a variety from the Grand Daddy Purple Seeds bank. Created by legendary breeder Ken Estes, it is only available in regular seed form, resulting from the cross between Bay Platinum Cookies and the world-famous Grand Daddy Purple.

This is a magnificent indica variety, an easy-to-grow cannabis strain with wonderful colouring and pungent earthy, sugary aromas of an organic character with strong nuances of forest fruits such as berries and grapes; a variety that, without a doubt, bears the mark of its creator, both for its organoleptic properties and for its powerful relaxing effects, totally in line with the style and philosophy of Grand Daddy Purple Seeds.

The parent used as the father in this cross is Grand Daddy Purple, a Skunk-based variety but at the same time very different from what we Europeans understand by Skunk; these lines were worked in California rather than in Holland, and it is highly likely that the ancestors of Grand Daddy Purple originate from Mendocino, South America and Afghanistan. The Bay Platinum Cookies mother provides that component so characteristic of the cookies family by adding earthy and creamy butter terpenes in addition to changing the morphology of the flower, affecting its density and bract (calyx) size.

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New American varieties, Autumn 2021

We're back again, with another batch of new releases in terms of American cannabis genetics, this time presenting three new seed banks that you can find in the Alchimia Grow Shop catalogue right now. As you already know, we do our very best to bring you the latest varieties from the other side of the pond, and this summer we've been really busy, with no less than three great new banks for your growing pleasure!

So, this time we'll be highlighting some of the most interesting varieties from breeders such as Mz Jill (a true legend in the American cannabis scene for more than 20 years), Dungeons Vault Genetics (created by the former breeder of the prestigious Grand Daddy Purple Seeds company owned by Ken Estes) and Cult Classic Seeds (based in Sonoma County, California, who come out swinging with their Cement Shoes). As you can see, this autumn is packed with new and exciting strains!

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Deciding which cannabis variety to grow is not always an easy task because, apart from factors such as the desired characteristics of the final product, our choice may depend on other, no less important, aspects such as the local climate or the natural photoperiod in our area. As such, we often receive inquiries from countries near the equator, where the photoperiod sometimes plays tricks on the grower, who ends up with plants that have not grown enough to give a satisfactory harvest.

For these cases, today we'd like to recommend a series of varieties from one of the most prestigious seed banks we have in stock: ACE Seeds. Known throughout the world for their impressive pure varieties and the hybrids created from them, ACE Seeds offers a range of Sativa-dominant plants that can solve many of the problems that these growers face.

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We receive many queries about the parameters included in the descriptions of the different cannabis strains, and more specifically, the traits section. While some aspects, like production per square meter or cannabinoid content, are very clear for the experienced grower, newcomers to the wonderful world of marijuana home growing can find them confusing.

Today, we are explaining in detail each of the attributes that can be found in the information provided by the cannabis seed banks in relation to the genetics they sell. This will help you to clear any doubts when checking the strains’ index cards and descriptions, and to understand every trait of the plants outlined in their catalogues.

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Today we'd like to invite you to share in a tasting session with one of Purple City Genetics' most spectacular varieties: Punch Out. Coming from a cross between Legend OG and the mythical Purple Punch, this hybrid has a rich and complex flavour and aroma that stand out above the rest, whether consumed in a cannabis vaporiser or, as in our case, rolled up in a traditional joint.

Just one look at the pedigree of this variety is all that's needed to know that we're dealing with something very special. For its part, Legend OG (The Crinkle Cut) is a clone-only strain with OG Kush genetics, which is pretty much held as the benchmark of quality that many other varieties are measured by, and used in countless top-quality hybrids. On the other hand, we can't add much to everything that has already been written about Purple Punch, a plant that stands out on its own, but which also offers amazing results as a parent equalled by very few other strains. Without a doubt, the guys at PCG have come up with a knockout combination for Punch Out!

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With the rise of medicinal cannabis use and the inclusion of CBD in a multitude of products, the varieties of hemp chosen for cultivation are becoming increasingly important for the producer, who can see how the total CBD yield can easily double if the right choice is made. However, and as every professional hemp farmer knows, his activity is restricted by limits on the THC content in his plants permitted under the corresponding legislation, and that each country has its own limits and regulations.

In today's article, we're going to introduce you to the best currently available varieties with THC levels below 1%, meaning that they can be grown in certain countries without any type of legal issues because they stay below the limits established by the respective jurisprudence. Not only that, but we'll also show you some of the certified hemp varieties that we offer in our seed catalogue.

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Without a doubt, and especially after winning in record time a fair amount of awards in some of the most prestigious US cannabis cups, one of the biggest genetics hypes of the moment is Runtz by Cookie Fam. This impressive variety has produced some phenotypes of truly amazing quality, and has been used as mother plant to create several first-class hybrids which have won the hearts of marijuana fans, professionals and cup judges alike.

Runtz caused such a stir that, only three years after its release in California, it was voted best strain of the year 2020 by the prestigious Leafly platform, an award worthy of the impact created by this plant. But let's not get ahead of ourselves and start at the beginning... Where does Runtz come from?

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The use of therapeutic or medicinal cannabis has seen an unprecedented boom in recent years, with thousands of people treating their illnesses, ailments and side-effects derived from other treatments either with the cannabis plant itself or the extracts that derive from it. The multiple benefits offered and the growing number of users bear witness to its effectiveness, which in recent times has led to redoubled efforts by breeders and seedbanks to create new hybrids with better ratios of certain cannabinoids, such as THC, CBD or, more recently, CBG.

Today we're going to take a look at the best cannabis varieties for medicinal use, in particular from the point of view of the relative quantity of cannabinoids they contain. Nowadays, although CBG is fast gaining popularity, the "star cannabinoids" in terms of medicinal properties are THC and CBD, and we can find plenty of varieties with different ratios or proportions between one compound and the other. So, here we're going to list them according to their cannabinoid ratio so that it's easier for you to find the one you're looking for.

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The most productive, the tastiest, the most resinous... you can find a plethora of criteria for classifying the thousands of genetics available on today’s cannabis seeds market, but few of them are capable of displaying all the traits we desire or remaining indefinitely in the user's memory. Anyone who has had the chance to grow a range of different types of cannabis will know that some genetics can leave unforgettable memories. They might not be the most popular or most sought-after strains, but they do have that special something.

We asked our team of growers a question: If you had to cultivate just one cannabis variety for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Here you will find a selection of the genetics that hold a special place in the grow tents (and hearts) of Alchimia’s growers, a list of strains that, for one reason or another, members of our team have fallen head-over-heels in love with... If you could keep only one variety, what would it be?

Violeta by ACE Seeds: Purple and potent F1 hybrid

ACE Seeds’ Violeta is a hybrid of two landrace varieties that manages to bring together many of the key traits we look for when choosing a cannabis variety to cultivate.

Violeta is easy to grow both indoors and outdoors and is highly resistant even in humid climates. This balanced and well-structured cross is also very pleasing to the eye during cultivation, and especially during flowering, with extremely resinous buds and beautiful purple colours, as its name suggests.

On an organoleptic level, this plant offers a very rewarding experience. It’s very easy to consume, without any harshness on the throat, and burns with a very clean white ash, pretty much regardless of the growing, drying or curing techniques. It is very rich in terpenes, with a very pleasant fruity, citric flavour with notes of forest fruits and red berries, and truly refreshing aromas that also provide a well-balanced effect.

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Today, we invite you to try an excellent strain that has surprised us in many aspects: Pure Kush Cookies by Mamiko Seeds. A cross between L.A. Pure Kush and the famous Girl Scout Cookies Forum Cut, it represents one of the best hybrids of these two families; though some would say, and not without reason, that they are closely related, as in fact, Cookies contains 50% OG Kush genes.

Either way, and as you are about to see, it’s a strain that stands out for many reasons, including its taste and aroma, and the impressive amount of resin it produces. A generous yielder, it developes a medium-sized, bushy and robust structure (ideal for indoor growing), with a nice calyx-to-leaf ratio. A plant that definitely makes its 10 weeks of flowering time worthwhile... In fact, its hash is one of the best we've ever had!

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With the increasing popularity of cannabis concentrates and resin extractions, it's only natural that more and more growers are looking for genetics that are well suited to these techniques. Whether you're growing in a small grow tent for your own supply or in a huge legal cultivation facility for a dispensary, it's always best to be as efficient and effective as possible, and that means getting the best return in terms of quality and quantity from the time, money and effort that you've invested cultivating.

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Although many cannabis growers use seeds on each and every crop, whether growing under artificial lights or outdoors, some of them prefer to keep their mother plants in an indoor grow space and consistently take cuttings to get them to flower whenever it suits them. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages; on the one hand, when cultivating from seeds you get a greater variety of flavours, aromas and effects than when you grow from cuttings. In addition, plants cultivated from seeds are usually more vigorous and productive.

However, when using clones, you obtain identical plants, with exactly the same flavour, aroma and effect. In some cases, if you are looking for a particular flavour or high, it’s the easiest way to achieve it. For this reason, many growers cultivate from seed in order to choose the best specimen to keep it as a mother plant for their future crops. In this article, we explain how to do this.

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Nowadays we growers are faced with more choices than ever when buying cannabis seeds, which can be a little overwhelming for some of us. It's not uncommon to find a seed bank offering several different versions of their best genetics, so as well as feminised seeds, we can often find the same strain also being sold as an "auto" and sometimes even a "fast version". What exactly does all this mean, and why do breeders offer these different options?

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Most interesting and curious cannabis strains

Throughout the history of marijuana, breeders have strived to find the best possible specimens of each strain in order to get hold of the highest quality plants, refine their lineages, and obtain new hybrids that are as solid as impressive. But the truth is that Mother Nature is unpredictable and sometimes she surprises and delights us with some unique and out of the ordinary plants, which stand out for their morphology or ability to adapt, developing very different traits to what we commonly consider as marijuana.

Botanical inquisitiveness has led some breeders who have encountered these "mutant strains" to investigate whether they possess interesting features that could be used in cannabis breeding, thus popularizing these hybrids' peculiarities, pros, and cons.

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Until the 1990s, any cannabis cultivator was aware that, at some point, they had to separate the male and female plants if they didn't want the first ones to pollinate the latter, which results in plants completely full of seeds. However, those were the days when pioneering seed banks like Dutch Passion were revolutionizing the cannabis scene with the birth of the first feminized cannabis strains, or in other words, seeds that only develop into female plants. At the beginning of the 20th century, many seeds banks were offering this type of seeds, feminized versions of classics strains that had been cultivated during many years as regular plants.

We are sure that by now you’d probably have grown some feminized seeds, maybe even though you are a purist and the fiercest defender of regular seeds. But... do you know where feminized seeds come from? Are you familiar with the processes used by both breeders and growers to obtain them? In this article we explain everything!

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