Overview of Selected Strains by Il0

At the very beginning of my growing journey, I didn’t spend much time researching strains on various resources and forums. I mostly relied on the manufacturer’s description and the price of the seeds. Sometimes I got lucky with great strains, and other times they didn’t live up to expectations. Let me repeat: a higher price doesn’t always mean better quality. With experience, I started ordering either tried-and-true strains or, if I wanted something new, I would thoroughly research the chosen strain on specialized forums, checking out top lists, smoke and grow reports. On average, a plant’s cycle from seed to harvest takes about four months—a significant amount of time and effort, so I didn’t want to waste it on something uninteresting or disappointing.

This article won’t go deep into genetics or technical parameters—you can find that info on the manufacturer’s website. What follows is based on my personal experience and is for informational purposes only. Let’s get started.

1. Super Critical (fem) by Green House Seeds

To my surprise, this strain is relatively unknown among the top picks. I bought it because it was inexpensive and had an intriguing description from the breeder. I got lucky, and to this day, I include it in every grow cycle. It’s a win-win option: high-yielding, adapts well to almost any environment, and flowers right on schedule. It’s quite aromatic, and after curing, the taste becomes sweet-bitter and very pleasant.

The effect is what I’d call “poisonous”—it creeps up on you. The first 10 minutes feel calm, but then, 10-15 minutes after a bong hit, you get a rush of heat through your body and eyes, a strong head high, and you’re knocked out. Even experienced users can get overwhelmed; newbies might get pale. The peak lasts 20-30 minutes, with chaotic, anxious thoughts. Alone, you might get paranoid, but a beer can help smooth things out. Afterward, you melt into the couch, worries fade, and a sense of euphoria and carefreeness sets in. It’s a perfect evening or couch strain—great for watching movies, gaming, sex, or just a solid night’s sleep. If you overdo it, sleep is probably all you’ll manage. Stock up on snacks and drinks in advance. I don’t usually eat at night, but this strain had me raiding the fridge. Great germination, yield, effect, and low price. No downsides in my opinion.

2. Freddy’s Best by Dutch Passion

This is a well-known strain among sativa lovers—not for beginners. It has a long flowering time (about 12 weeks), and the pre-flowering stage also drags on for 2-3 weeks. My first experience was a bit of a mess: 8-liter pots, all nutrients used up during veg, and due to a rookie feeding schedule, it didn’t want to flower and grew a ton of foliage. Despite all my attempts to control its growth (SCROG, LST, FIM), it shot up to nearly 2 meters and tried to tear my tent apart. Sativas love light, space, and lots of water—none of which I provided. I planted two Freddy’s in a 60×60 cm space under 250W of light. The cycle took half a year. The dry yield was 100g, but I harvested over 300g of leaves that were surprisingly potent. I survived on those leaves for months and didn’t mind at all. This is the only strain I’ve grown where the fan leaves hit almost as hard as the buds.

The bud effect is different: long-lasting, intense, not for evenings but not exactly social either. You feel it immediately on the inhale, and it builds up. Thoughts become clearer, but your perception of reality shifts. At higher doses, I noticed mild visuals and environmental distortions—an amazing state. You want to do things, go for a walk, socialize. In the right setting, you might laugh until your stomach hurts. The munchies are moderate. Even though the yield wasn’t huge, it lasted a long time. After a good cure, it develops a piney taste and the effect becomes smoother and more interesting. I recommend it for parties, fishing, walks, road trips, etc. It’s low-odor and smells like a Christmas tree. Every grower should try this strain. Thanks, Freddy! You’re the best!

3. Northern Light by Nirvana Seeds

An interesting strain with a unique effect. The Afghani genetics speak for themselves—mostly indica. Seed germination was poor: only one out of three sprouted, but it was worth it. The yield was over 200g under a 300W LED in a DWC system. Standard flowering time—just over two months. Before curing, the effect was a strong head high, a kind of stony euphoria. After six months of curing, it changed dramatically—smoother, higher quality, and longer-lasting. Another couch strain, perfect for cold winter evenings in a cozy setting. It gives a warm, comforting feeling, great for quiet company, playing cards, or watching movies. On vacation, I loved swimming in the sea with it—tactile sensations were heightened, and there was a carefree euphoria. Your mind stays clear and functional. Walking in the heat was tough, though. The munchies are moderate, but it’s perfect for eating something exotic and then napping. Good for less experienced growers—easy to feed, adapts well, and forgives some mistakes.

4. White Rhino by Nirvana Seeds

This strain gave me a record yield—the first time I achieved the perfect gram-per-watt ratio. Grown in a DWC system in a 60×60 cm space under 250W HPS + 50W LED, the dry yield was 300g, which was impressive. The effect is 3 out of 5 before curing and 4 out of 5 after. There’s a lot of debate about which seed bank’s version is better: Green House Seeds or Nirvana. After reading tons of reports and discussions, Nirvana Seeds came out ahead by a wide margin. Some say the GHS version is weak, but others have criticized Nirvana’s too. I haven’t compared them myself, but I have a pack of Nirvana’s Rhino seeds in reserve.

The effect is sharp, with a sativa-like onset that hits fast—you lose track of time and space, but the peak doesn’t last long and quickly shifts to a heavy indica effect. Your eyelids get heavy, you feel lazy, and just want to sink into a comfy chair and zone out. When coming down, you get really hungry and sleepy—there’s no way to fight it. I tried cold water, coffee, even pu-erh tea, but nothing helped; it just knocks you out. Pleasant, but definitely an evening strain, or for when you have nothing important to do. Rhino eats a lot, especially during the second wave of flowering, and drinks even more. For the first time, a couple of branches broke under the weight of the buds. The breeder claims it has a weak smell during flowering, but that’s not true—you can smell it even with a filter. Edibles made from its leaves were super strong—after a couple of hours, you’re a vegetable. Good price/quality/yield ratio. Overall, I recommend it.

I’ve described four strains out of many I’ve grown—there were plenty of worthy ones, but maybe nothing special. Next, I’ll describe strains that didn’t meet my expectations, despite all the positive reviews. This is just my personal opinion, and I’m sure some will disagree.

Strains That Didn’t Meet Expectations

1. Californian Orange (Bonus, from Ukrainian Breeders)

Maybe the unknown seed bank was the problem, since I’ve seen positive reviews of this strain from other breeders. To my surprise, it yielded only 50g of dry bud in a small cardboard box under 90W CFLs. The effect was like classic low-grade weed—gets you a little high for about an hour, then you forget you even smoked. You keep smoking to chase the high, but it never comes—no ceiling. During flowering, it had almost no smell, minimal resin and crystals on the buds. Overall, it looked more like larch than MJ.

2. Orange Bud by Dutch Passion

This strain’s genetics include Skunk, like all the others in this section. Maybe I’m just not a fan of Skunk strains or don’t get them. All these strains have a similar smell and taste, and they all look leafy. The yield was huge, but again, no ceiling. After a long cure, the effect improved, but you build tolerance quickly and a second session in the same day won’t do much. It’s a social strain, no paranoia or anxiety. It worked for me at work, but not at home or with friends.

3. Jack Herer by Green House Seeds

This strain has tons of positive reviews and reports. I wouldn’t say it has no ceiling, but in my opinion, it doesn’t live up to the hype. Maybe it’s better from another breeder, or maybe it needs 14 weeks of flowering, which is impossible in my high-humidity conditions. It lasted 11 weeks before the first signs of mold appeared. Again, the same characteristic smell and taste. It’s smooth through a bong, but tolerance builds quickly. The yield was decent, like the previous two strains. As I read in one forum review: “You won’t go for Jack a second time.”

In conclusion, you should approach strain selection as responsibly as possible to avoid disappointment later on.

Il0