Seeds & Genetics: New top cannabis strains
There are thousands of cannabis strains out there, and dozens of supposedly “new” strains are released every year. Many growers are tired of growing the same strains over and over again. I interviewed professional growers in North America and Europe and ran comparative tests to create this list of top new cannabis strains. These possess unique tastes, scents, and highs that are newer and more innovative than most cannabis strains.
Strawberry Cheesecake
(by Humboldt Seed Company) is considered a “dessert strain”. It smells and tastes like strawberry jam and butter cheese, has THC levels of up to 30% and delights makers of hash and other cannabis concentrates with large, densely distributed resin glands. Many larger leaves are covered in trichomes, not just petals. I watch her trichomes carefully after about 59 days into the flowering stage, as this strain can go from peak flowering to ready for harvest overnight. As soon as I see 5% of the trichomes turn cloudy or amber, I harvest that strain. If you wait longer for the resin crystals to become cloudy or amber, you will lose the uplifting, dreamy high and end up with a high that is more like a sleeping potion. The strain has a wider range of phenotypes than most Humboldt Seed Company strains, so there is an ideal phenotype for every grower to save as a mother plant or use for breeding. Strawberry Cheesecake is also said to have aphrodisiac tendencies – see the article Cannabis as an Aphrodisiac in issue 5-2021 – I’m enjoying bedtime with this delicious new strain.
How to get seeds of elite cannabis strains
The cannabis seed industry is completely unregulated. The majority of cannabis seed sellers buy mediocre bulk seeds from commercial breeders and give them names of popular strains or invent new names and fake strain descriptions. Some of the best new cannabis strains only come from clones. All of the new cultivars listed in this article, with the exception of Seriosa, originated in North America. It may take a while for a professional breeder to develop seed versions of some new strains, or for a European breeder to bring clones to Europe.
Before I buy seeds, I contact the breeder and ask him the following questions:
- Have you personally bred, grown and tested this strain?
- What are the lineage genetics of the strain?
- How many years was the variety grown?
- Are there any photos/videos of the strain showing her growing from start to finish?
- How do I know if your version of this strain matches the strain description or if it has a germination rate close to 100% and produces impressive buds?
- Is there a variety or seed guarantee and if so, which ones?
I interview the seed vendor for the authenticity and legitimacy of strains and seed companies prior to purchase. I also research online to see reports from other growers who have grown my target strain from seeds from this company.
Basically, I don’t buy seeds or clones unless I’m 100% sure I can get the strain as I described above. When I purchase authentic versions, I enjoy the latest and greatest cannabis genetics in my garden and guaranteed in my mind later on.
