When first starting out, just keep it simple. Why not choose one of these easy strains to grow for beginners.
When you’re new to growing cannabis, the options can seem totally overwhelming. Should you grow from seed or clone? Sativa or indica? What are these autoflowering strains? Do I have to use feminized seeds? And once the “what to grow” decision has been made, then there are the growing condition considerations and then the nutrients, and the trouble shooting. Don’t panic – a lot of that can be made easier by starting with a strain that is reliable and practically grows itself. In fact, any of these easy to grow strains for beginners will be the perfect starting point.
Importantly, some strains naturally show greater resistance to mold, pests, and disease. These are the ones you want to go with. Honestly, your first grow should be spent nurturing your gardening skills and greening up that thumb, not stressing about hundreds of details.
Why Choose an Autoflower Cannabis Plant?
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to autoflower options, but if you are looking to simplify the grow, this is the way to go. Autoflower varieties will flower automatically – that means based on genetics and time, not light. How does this make it easier? Well, indoor growers won’t need to adjust light cycles and outdoor growers can be certain the plant will finish before the first frost.
Additionally, autoflower varieties have a ruderalis heritage, making them naturally hardy and able to survive adverse conditions. You’re not likely to see Cannabis ruderalis growing on its own because it has very low THC, but its hardy genetics have been bred into chemovars to create more rounded cannabinoid profiles.
The main drawback of the autoflower plant, even after adding some checkmarks to the column ‘easy strains for beginners’, is the height. These cannabis plants are small. And this means a much reduced yield. Further, autoflower plants tend toward a lower THC content, which can be a drawback for some patients.
Are Feminized Seeds Necessary?
Yes. If you are a novice, then you definitely don’t want to be sorting through the young plants trying to root out the males. Although all cannabis plants look the same when they first start out, only females grow the bud. And you won’t readily be able to see which ones are male until this flowering starts. And by then it’s pretty much too late!
Basically, if the male is allowed to reach ‘adulthood,’ it will create pollen that fertilizes the female. The good news – you’ll get lots more seeds! That bad news, much less bud.
Feminized seeds, on the other hand, are guaranteed female. These are created by breeding two female plants together. How is that possible? By forcing a female plant to make pollen sacs. Feminized seeds mean that every plant you put in will produce buds.
Top Four Easy Strains to Grow for Beginners
As you can see, there are many different considerations in choosing the right chemovar for your first grow: ease of care, light requirements, any needed neighborhood discretion, and most importantly, medicinal effect. Let’s take a look at our top picks to cover off some of these concerns.
Blue Dream
Blue dream is one of the most popular strains to smoke. It is sativa-dominant, made from the crossing of Blueberry Indica and Super Silver Haze. This beauty leaves the patient with feelings of calmness while still stimulating the brain. People choose Blue Dream for insomnia, chronic pain, depression, and nausea.
For new growers, this strain is very resistant to root rot and powdery mildew. As these are two of the most common problems in the cannabis garden, it’s nice to start with a plant that tends to avoid them altogether. However, this strain is best suited for the indoor grow. While it tends to grow tall, it is also a little sensitive to climate change.
Also for new patients, this strain is not too “heavy.” It will not result in couch lock, but may just lead to some interesting bursts of creativity. Blue Dream is sweet-tasting and a medicinal strain that is popular for its terpene profile, including myrcene and beta-caryophyllene. The former relaxes the body and the latter helps with pain.
Green Crack
Another sativa-dominant strain, Green Crack is a good starting plant. It is a cross between Skunk #1 and Sweet Leaf Indica. This chemovar tends to have a high THC level, but is still considered a ‘cerebral high’ so is suitable for daytime use.
The best news of all is that Green Crack is an auto flowering plant and will start to produce buds at about eight weeks. One potential drawback is that it will grow very tall, very quickly. This means you will need to keep up on the trellising to support those beautiful buds. Plus, it’s not the ideal choice it you have nosey neighbors.
Green crack is rich in beta-caryophyllene and pinene, making it a top choice for patients seeking relief from symptoms of depression and pain.
Gorilla Glue #4 (GG4)
This is a very prolific plant! An indoor grow can expect about eighteen ounces per square meter. If you’re putting this beauty outdoors, you can expect twenty-one ounces for the same acreage.
At 28% THC, this sativa-dominant chemovar is very popular among chronic pain patients, especially those with neuropathy. It can also be used to reduce feelings of stress and symptoms associated with depression.
GG4 is a hybrid that grows bushy, making it perfect for small spaces. It also has a short growing season, with many able to harvest buds 8 to 9 weeks (after planting a clone or seedling). It creates a lot of resin and is well loved for this stickiness. GG4 is an autoflower that will not disappoint.
Finally, the terpene profile of Gorilla Glue #4 include myrcene, caryophyllene, and limonene, making it helpful for mood and stress.
Cinex
Cinex is sometimes called Cenex and is a cross between Cinderella 99 and Vortex. It is both sativa-dominant and relatively high in THC (averaging 26%). The flowering time is 56 days and new growers can benefit from both high yield and a short grow season. Cinex is also very mold and mildew resistant, traits that help the novice grower to focus on yield over grow problems.
The flavor is skunky with sour and sweet notes and a hint of lemon. This is due to the terpenes limonene and beta-caryophyllene which make Cinex great for helping reduce stress and improving focus.
In the end, approach your first grow with confidence. Don’t worry so much. Mistakes will be made and plants will inevitably be lost, but each of these will give a lesson that you can use in your next grow. Start simple and keep your eye on your own personal grow goals. You got this!
