Indica versus Sativa

When I was a teenager, there was just “weed”, good stuff and bad stuff. I didn’t know what indica versus sativa even meant. There were very little to no choices over what type of weed you could get. You were just generally happy to get high and watch a Pink Floyd lazer show. Today, with all the advances and the possibility to buy marijuana seeds online you can grow your own cannabis at home. You can now choose the genetics and strains that interest you and not just whatever your local market can provide. Therefor it depends on the seeds genetics as the plant you want to grow could be a poor choice for your environment and or skill level. Indica, sativas, and the many hybrid strains in between all grow differently. In today’s article, were going to explore some of the differences between growing the 3 different cannabis types.

Indica Strains

Lets talk about indica strains to start with. Indicas were pretty much all you could grow in North America before sativa and hybrids were introduced. Some of the characteristics of indica plants are that they produce higher yields. They also have a shorter flowering time than sativas, and they tend to be a shorter bushier plant. The yields and flowering time associated with indica plants are what makes them so popular with growers. This means more bang for your buck if you are growing to make money. Because of the shorter flowering times, this allows outdoor growing to exist in climates where fall turns into winter quickly. For indoor growing, it just allows you to turn your crops over faster throughout the year and increase your profit margins. Also, due to the indica plants being shorter and bushier, it makes them more ideal for indoor growing when space can be limited. These are our favourite indica strains: Bluberry and Bubba Kush.

Sativa Strains

Sativa was always originally grown near the equator because of the mild winters and long summers. Some of the characteristics of the sativa plant are lower yields and longer flowering times. The plants are tall and lanky with thinner leaves than their indica cousins have. The longer grow cycle and smaller yields are generally a downside for most growers.  Also, due to the height of sativa plants, they can be difficult to work with when growing indoors. But there’s lots of upside to growing sativa plants too. I personally prefer sativa strains over indica ones. There have been some advances in the breeding and genetics of sativa strains over the years.  Lately, some have been developed to have faster flowering times and provide a higher yield. Sativas are able to handle the heat better than indicas. Which is a benefit if you are growing indoors or in hotter climates like Arizona. Our favorite sativa strains are Jack Herer and Sour Diesel.

Hybrid Strains

Finally, we have the hybrid cannabis plant. Hybrids combine the best of both sativas and indicas. Hybrid characteristics can vary based on their breeding and depending on what strain is more dominant in them. Their flowering time varies, they generally produce a high yield which is important, and their shape and size varies depending on their dominant gene. To be honest, most strains on the market today are a hybrid one way or another. Generally they will lean towards one side of their genetic spectrum and take on the dominant traits. For example, they can inherit the shorter grow time of an indica strain, while providing the cerebral highs common with a sativa. Again, they usually have the higher yields associated with indicas, and sharing the faster vegetative growth step of sativas. Some of our favorite hybrid strains are Arjan Haze and Ice Wreck.

Thanks for stopping by today at the Seed Pharm, hope this article was helpful!