Are you thinking about growing your own cannabis? Many recreational and medical users are deciding to grow their own smoking material for a variety of reasons. Maybe you prefer certain strains that aren’t always available at the dispensary, hate paying retail prices for bud, want to know exactly what fertilizer and conditions your marijuana is grown in, or you just want to experiment with a new hobby. Whatever the reason, growing marijuana can be challenging at first, but once you have a basic setup that is right for your space, the next step is to decide which strains to grow. This decision is one of the most important, but shouldn’t depend solely on your smoking preferences. Start out with easy strains to grow for beginners before moving on to more delicate, trickier cannabis strains once you’re comfortable with your setup and the growing process.
Autoflower vs photoperiod for beginners
Before getting into the best strains to grow for beginners, it’s important to know the difference between autoflower vs photoperiod cannabis strains. Normal cannabis plants (photoperiod) require a change in the lighting cycle to initiate the flowering stage where plants produce giant buds. This process highly affects the yield and potency of your crop and needs to be timed correctly. Luckily, geneticists have created autoflower cannabis strains that simplify the process for beginner growers. Like its name suggests, autoflower strains automatically change from the vegetative to the flowering stage based on the age of the plant. There is no need to change the lighting of an autoflower plant. If you’ve never grown cannabis before, purchase autoflower seeds for your first grow. Early autoflower strains were known for producing less than their photoperiod counterparts, however the art has come a long way and now super autoflower seeds that have only the best genetics, can produce the same yield and potency.
Best strains to grow for beginners
Cinex
Coming from parents, Vortex and Cinderella 99, Cinex is a potent sativa-dominant hybrid strain with around 20% to 25% THC. It’s favored by beginner growers and has a unique flavor profile that can range from a sweet citrus to earthy. This marijuana strain has a high resistance to mold and mildew, two issues beginner growers hardly think about, but can take out your entire crop. Choose this weed strain if you only have a small grow space since it does best indoors and produces high yields per plant.
White Widow
Developed by cultivators in the Netherlands, White Widow is arguably one of the most popular strains in the world and is listed on every Amsterdam coffee shop menu. If you’re a fan of this top-shelf strain, it will save you tons of money to grow at home. This balanced hybrid strain gives stoners a sativa-like effect with a burst of energy, euphoria, and uplifting feelings that’s perfect for social smokers. White Widow produces very high yields of resinous buds and the autoflowering seeds make growing even easier. If growing outdoors, this marijuana strain doesn’t do well in cold climates, but thrives in warm, sunny environments.
Blue Dream
This is a classic cannabis strain that has continued to be favored by dispensaries, smokers, and cultivators for its flavor, high yield, and ease to grow. The indica strain gets its genetics from crossing Blueberry and Haze, the former of which gives it a sweet smell and a fruity berry-like flavor. Medical marijuana patients grow Blue Dream to treat depression, nausea, and pain. Developed in California, this cannabis strain does well in both indoor and outdoor setups, even growing well in areas with cold nights. This durable strain is great for beginner cultivators since it is a sturdy, durable plant that can withstand minor errors such as forgetting to water, or giving it too much or too little nutrients.
Gorilla Glue #4
Another sought after weed strain, Gorilla Glue #4 or GG4 is a balanced hybrid that is prized for its insane THC levels of 22% or more. This multiple award-winning strain developed by GG Strains is a cross between Chem’s Sister, Sour Dubb, and Chocolate Diesel. You’ll feel calming, “couch lock” effects that work well on insomnia, pain, stress, and anxiety. GG4 is one of the best strains to grow for beginners since it doesn’t require much nutrients, can be grown in a very small space, and produces a very high yield per square foot. If you're interested in making your own concentrates, Gorilla Glue #4 has very high resin production.
Did this article make you excited about your very first home grow? After perfecting your setup and choosing your seeds, don’t forget to stock up on stoner essentials for your first harvest. Visit our online smoke shop for cheap bongs, vaporizers, portable dab rigs, herb grinders, weed storage containers , rolling papers, blunt wraps, rolling trays, and more!