What cannabis strain is best for new growers?

[Keeno]

What cannabis strain is best for new growers?

This us a question I've seen asked many times over the years. The simple answer is there isn't a specific strain that is designed specifically for first time use by growers. Many strains will be sold under the label "easy for inexperienced growers" but this should be taken with a pinch if salt. Many factors come into getting a plant from start to finish and no strain grows itself.

That's not a helpful answer and while there isn't a specific strain I'd say is perfect for a new grower there are certainly factors or traits to look for that will make life a bit easier for a first time grower.

Are autoflowers beginner friendly?

Auto flowering cannabis strains are often sold or marketed as beginner friendly. This in my opinion is a mistake. Auto flower strains have a lot of traits that can indeed seem appealing to a new grower. They will flower on any light cycle, are often labelled as fast finishing, just the word auto can lead new growers into a false sense of security. Auto flowers are cool and definitely have a place, but for me they are not what I would recommend to a first time grower. The same thing that lures many new growers to them is also what causes problems for many first time growers. Once you germinate a auto flower plant you have lit a fuse, no matter what you do that plant is going into flower when it wants to and will finish in a set amount of weeks. If you get into trouble early on you don't normally have time to fix this issue before the plant is in flower. Photo-period plants on the other hand you have much more control over in this respect.

So I recommend Photo-period strains for a new grower. But which to choose from when there are so many.

Things to consider when choosing a new grower friendly cannabis strain:

Reviews/Research
Flowering time
Reputation
Size


The above 4 things are what I would suggest or look into myself when recommending a cannabis strain for a new grower.



Reviews/research

In this day and age many growers will document their grows online. This allows people to search for information on a strain from real growers and see how they got in in real situations. Breeders reviews are often accurate but these are expert growers with high end kit growing strains they have worked with. With a few clicks on the net you can get information on most strains.



Flowering time

This is something I always look at when suggesting a new strain to new growers. It's important as the longer the plant is alive especially in the flowering faze of its life, the more issues you can run into. Some strains can be harvested after 8-10 weeks of flower, some will take 16 weeks or longer. Many years ago certain attributes were found in longer lasting strains that were not so readily available in shorter flowering period strains and vice versa. In this day and age of hybrid genetics that's not the case and even if a new growers wants for example a haze type flavour or high they don't have to grow a strain that takes 14 weeks of flowering to get it.



Reputation

This is one of the main things I'd recommend to be researched when looking for a strain that's new grower friendly. The strain and more importantly the breeders reputation is very important. It's easy to want to get on the latest hype strain and many times these will appear from new breeders. Just because it's from a new breeder or it's a new strain isn't a bad thing, all breeders and strains had to start somewhere. If it's a new breeder and new strain it would not have been put through its paces in the same way a tried and tested very stable strain would have been. I recommend going with a tried and tested breeder and a strain that's been around a while.



Size

Size is relative to your growing area. Most strains can be trained into just about any size grow area but to start heavy training a plant on your first grow is not something many first time growers want to do or know how to do. A short robust bushy plant will be much more manageable and easier to care for.


Using the 4 things listed above will give you a good idea of a stable, reliable and easy to manage cannabis strain but the strain is just part of the puzzle. As always research is key.

Thank you Momma B for your help with the artwork:

[Norseman]

Well written mate. This is a really good read for new growers.

[Bulls]

Very well and simple to understand mate, exactly what I'd like to read if I was to start for 1st time!

[Keeno]

Loved reading this and drawing the lil characters

[camkush]

Brilliant thread buddy

[G3W2HIN]

Well done. What a great addition to the key points for the forum. This is much appreciated. #GR420 Team

[Captain Beefheart]

its all a case of reading your plant no matter wether ewe growing dope / runner beans mun........ the basics of growing any plant are the same, get to know what the plant needs + when....sling it some water ...air...light it will grow see. we aint bump starting the hadron collider + ............. i will stand on this here statement !!! when it comes to growing dope... gadgets wont cut it. duw duw

[Captain Beefheart]

1 dope plant is the same as the next.........read the fukas ewe be golden.

[chronicthehemphog]

Well put and good read hopefully point people in the right direction to make an informed decision as to what they want from their plant

[G3W2HIN]

1 dope plant is the same as the next.........read the fukas ewe be golden.

Saying things that way shows just how much freaking experience you've got captain!! Shit balls man you must've been born in a peapod lol true the autotroph will show what she needs tells tails in the stocks, leaves and scars kinda like us o.O we just carry our roots with us