Before their seed bank was created in 2007, RQS had long-time knowledge and passion for cannabis breeding. Following enormous interest in their strains, they opened our first shop in Amsterdam, the Damstraat location, in 2010. In 2011 they launched the Royal Queen Seeds website. In 2016 they welcomed first clients in our shop at Carrer dels Tallers in Barcelona, Spain. In 2022, they opened their newest location in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2023, they started operating in the United States and launched the first true F1 Hybrid Cannabis seeds in the market! Today, RQS operates in the US and in 28 countries in Europe and offers 100+ high-quality strains, growing equipment, growing advice, knowledge, tips and more!
The NASC Cast Crew had the pleasure of sitting down with Max of Royal Queen Seeds. Listen to what he has to say below, and follow us on Vimeo for even more content!
Breeding Cannabis from F1 to IBL with Dirty Bird Genetics
by: Beth Mathieu
First and foremost, I want to send a heartfelt Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers here at NASC + Dirty Bird Genetics, to our own mothers, grandmothers, and maternal figures, and to all of the beautiful mothers out there who have been a part of this community with us for the past 10+ years. We see you, we appreciate you, we LOVE you, and we want to acknowledge and celebrate how beautiful the maternal instinct is.
Last year for Mother’s Day, I sat down to write a blog about a plant mother that is near and dear to me personally, and to our NASC/Dirty Bird family: The Brunch. As someone whose career was built upon plant mothers, it seemed fitting on Mother’s Day. The article detailed the filial evolution of this flagship strain that the Dirty Bird Genetics team had created. It was the very first cultivar we bred that really shined, and it really propelled us into this new venture breeding. Looking back now, it’s fascinating to consider how much those first creations (like the Brunch) influenced the genetics to come, much like the generational connections that run through families. The Brunch now sits atop many Dirty Bird Genetics family trees; she’s a mother, a grandmother, and even a great grandmother to many.
This Mother’s Day 2026, I want to pick up where I left off one year ago today, filling in another year of progress as we work our way to the end goal of creating a Brunch IBL (In-Bred Line).
The Brunch F1
The original Brunch F1–a regular, male/female iteration of the F1 strain still found on our menu today–will unfortunately never be recreated because we lost the Peanut Butter Breath mother that was used in the original project back in the early 2020’s. It was a mother I had preserved for almost a decade prior, selected from a revered pack of seeds made by Thug Pug Genetics. These seeds were gold back in the day, and this cut was a favorite of many clone customers I worked with. She created incredibly dense, striking flowers with vibrant greens, dark purples, and bold oranges. Her bud was as top shelf as it comes–easy to manicure, high test, colorful and dense–but her morphology left a few things to be desired. While she wasn’t prohibitively tall, she did have very long internodal spacing, and she was definitely a plant that wanted to grow vertically. Her floral sites were spread out across long stems, meaning she wasn’t the best yielder. Her terpenes were self-referential: Nutty and earthy. We knew there was likely more to draw out here.
The Peanut Butter Breath cut #3 by Thug Pug used to create the Brunch F1
The Mimosa father, selected from a pack of Mimosa by Symbiotic, had beautiful morphology and strong, tangy terps that came through even on a stem rub of the vegetative male plant. He was vigorous, sturdy, and a well-suited, well-proportioned match to compensate for the Peanut Butter Breath’s shortcomings.
In our first test run of the Brunch (PBB x Mimosa) progeny, we selected two keeper phenotypes: the Brunch F1 #5 and the Brunch F1 #8. They weren’t perfect, but they stood out as special to us for several reasons. They were dripping in trichomes, testing between 25-30% THC / 1-3% CBG, they had insane, dark purple coloring with a gorgeous yellow fade, and to our surprise and delight, a unique apple terpene profile was seeming to emerge. We knew there was still work to do–we needed to bulk her flower up, and we needed to tighten her internodal spacing–but this was now a much stronger palette to work from than what we’d had previously.
The Brunch F1 #5
The Brunch F1 #8
The Brunch S1 (Feminized Iteration)
In order to create our first release, we knew it’d be beneficial to feminize our work, and that would also give us the opportunity to take the first step toward locking in some of the features we loved in the male/female test stock. To do this, we took the Brunch F1 #5 and the Brunch F1 #8 and we crossed them and selfed them across several different breeding projects, testing the progeny of each to determine who was the strongest, and which genetics we would move forward with. When all was said and done, and all of the seed lots were tested, we selected two cuts to mother in order to breed the Brunch lineage further. These cuts were named the Brunch - Dark Horse Cut (#8 x #8 - #3) and the Brunch - Lover’s Cut (#5 x #8 - #5) (aka the Arugula Cut).
The Brunch 88 #3 - Dark Horse Cut
The Brunch 58 #5 - Lover’s Cut aka “Arugula Cut”
Breeding and feminizing our favorite phenotypes of the Brunch F1 created some drop dead gorgeous feminized Brunch S1 genetics. The coloration had darkened from purple to almost black, and the yield and morphology was beginning to trend in the right direction: Less stretch and more flower. It was very hard to choose our keeper cuts from these seed lots, but we realized that was a good problem to have. It was at that time that we decided that the Brunch S1 would become our first Dirty Bird Genetics - Volume 1 release. Exciting! You’ll still find these seeds on the Dirty Bird Genetics Volume 1 menu today (although I’ll warn you guys, when they sell out, they will almost certainly be gone for good). You’ll also find this s1/f1 iteration of the Brunch in many of our genetic family trees, including staff favorites:
Dirty Mimosa: A Brunch backcross and outdoor champion that clocks in with a lightening fast 43-47 day flowering time
Dirty Mimosa pictured outdoors in a local Maine garden.
Bad Apple: Probably my personal favorite Brunch-related strain, and a cultivar that has only continued to impress me more as we’ve bred with it. The Bad Apple has pungent terpenes that range from rotten Apple to gym sock funk, and our keeper “Sugar Mill” cut is the single most trichome-laden plant I’ve grown in my 15 year career. In 2026, this Brunch-child created two of my favorite strains we’ve bred to-date: Apple Peelz and Candy Apple Kush.
Bad Apple - Sugar Mill Cut (Day 42)
Apple Peelz (Day 49)
Candy Apple Kush (Day 44)
The Brunch F2
We knew early on that the Brunch was a project that we wanted to fully realize the potential of by creating a stabilized Brunch IBL (in-bred line). Now that we’d created and tested several iterations of the Brunch genetics, we were able to formulate a set of goals for the project:
Preserve Apple Terpene Profile: It’s unique to the Brunch and we love it.
Morphology: Shorten internodal spacing, select for lateral growth, preserve high calyx-to-leaf ratio, and retain a foliage volume that is ideal for air flow, light penetration, and outdoor cultivation.
Yield: Improve yield by selecting cuts that stack well, have dense flower, and yield respectably.
Flowering Time: Ideally, under 56 days.
Color: Preserve the dark purples and maroons that are signature to the Brunch.
Effect: Retain the social, happy effect that is signature to the Brunch.
Using the Brunch F1 #5 and a Brunch F1 male that we labeled #12, we made the Brunch F2. In cannabis breeding, the F2 filial generation is known to contain the largest number of phenotypes and the most genetic diversity of any other generation. We found this to be true with the Brunch F2. We saw divergence in color (purple/green), terpenes (apple/earthy meh), and in both flower and plant morphology. Speaking generally though, these plants grew much more laterally than their F1 counterparts thanks to our parental selections. We were also able to eliminate the “scraggly” phenotype that appeared in about 10% of our F1 seed population. These F2 plants had stronger, more bushy structure as a whole, accompanied by a higher volume of foliage, more compact, golf ball shaped flowers, and tighter internodal spacing.
After carefully watching our F2s grow, we whittled our selection down to two winning cuts that we would use for our F3 breed: The Brunch F2 #7 and #13. They each had something we loved, but neither had everything. The #7 had the most incredible, vibrant, apple terpene profile; there was something that smelled distinctly more “appley” about this plant than any we’d smelled previously, and we were confident this was the direction we wanted to go with the terpene profile. The #7 plant wasn’t perfect though: it stayed vividly green way longer than we would have liked, purpling in the final week of flower, long after we’d written it off as a green pheno. This was something we felt cautious about because color was one of the goals we’d set for the project. The #13, on the other hand, took on a beautiful, deep purple color early in flower–something we loved–but it lacked an exciting terpene profile, leaning more towards the subdued, nutty, earthy profile of the Peanutbutter Breath.
The Brunch F3
Brunch f3
V79 have better floral mass . Long intermodal spacing and classic brunch nugs, small leaves
139 #1 - Apple terps.
**V79 #1 - stacking the most - best floral mass. Striped maroon and purple and yellow leaves.
V79 _#2 - shorter but similar burgundy and purple and sugar/ apple terps
V79 #5- Apple gas Peanutbutter - very purple but not a great yield
Brunch 139
Biggest nugs yet. long and skinny and tie together up the stem
*3- Apple cheese. Tall. Long stacked buds. Very impressive stacking and yield - double floral mass of what we normally see, and very high calyx to leaf ratio
4- more arugula look. Apple smell.
When it came time to make our Brunch F3 seeds, we had a choice to make: We had to decide whether to breed our F2 #9 male with the wonderfully appley #7, or the spectacularly purple #13. This choice proved to be an impossible one, so we decided we would take the more intensive path and breed in both directions. Over the course of the next year, two Brunch F3 seed lots were created: The Brunch F3 v79 (made with our #9 male and our purple F2 #7 cut) and the Brunch F3 v139 (made with our #9 male the wonderfully appley F2 #13 mom).
In testing these two Brunch F3 lines we’d created, we saw the genetics take the most marked strides forward to-date. Most notably, the plants were stacking better than ever before, yields were improving, colors were popping (though continuing to diverge a bit between green, maroon and purple), and we were really starting to hone in on a consistent terpene profile. While the apple terpenes were predictably more dominant in the v79 seed population, we ultimately chose a cut from the v139 population to move the line forward to F4 (see pictured below). The Brunch F3 v139 #3 boasted the biggest colas we’d seen in a Brunch to-date. They were long, dense, and they tied together beautifully up the central stalk creating a long, beautiful arm of purple, funky, apple Brunch. The #3 cut had close to double the floral mass of any Brunch we’d seen before. It had an incredibly high calyx-to-leaf ratio, purple flowers, and its terpene profile was pungent and unmistakably apple. It checked all of the boxes, so the choice was a remarkably straight forward one.
Brunch F3 v139 #3
Brunch F3 v139 #3
The Brunch F4
In early 2026, we were able to test the Brunch F4s that we had made using only the F3 v139 #3 cut. This was the first time we had chosen to advance the Brunch line through a process called selfing (crossing a plant with itself through reversal). The v139 mother cut had so much to offer, and we were curious to see how this choice would evolve the line, so we created and tested our first population of feminized F4 seeds.
It has only been a month since we harvested our Brunch F4 test plants, and the project is still fresh in my mind. The F4s were easily the most exciting yet. The diversity we saw in the F4 generation was markedly different from what we’d seen previously. To use an analogy, imagine crossing a black lab with a poodle. The Brunch F2 + F3s were what I’ll call Bloodles; they were mutts. Their traits were messy and indistinguishable, resembling their parents in some ways while also blending together to form strange iterations of curly, black-and-white Bloodle soup. We saw countless combinations of traits–some that we liked and some that we didn’t–all unpredictably smooshed together. The F4 population was different. The traits we were selecting for were finally segregated in an easily observable way. Phenotypes were so much more identifiable. To circle back to our genius analogy: The Golden Doodle was born, alongside pups that looked remarkably black lab, and pups that looked remarkably Poodle.
While we did observe a little bit of inbreeding depression in our F4s–which is to be expected–overall the plants had several consistent qualities: They had an extremely short 50-day flowering time, a remarkably high calyx-to-leaf ratio, very compact, long, conical flowers, medium internodal spacing, 1.5x stretch, ideal foliage volume for air flow and light penetration, high trichome density, balanced vertical and lateral growth, and overall they were healthy, self-supporting, easy-to-grow plants.
One of the most interesting things about the Brunch F4 was that we finally saw a purely green phenotype emerge in 20% of the population. The 80% majority were purple: 50% solid, dark purple in both foliage and flower, and 30% predominantly purple with a little green fade. The terpenes were consistently apple-dominant–exactly what we wanted–and we were so excited to find that the apple smells were only deepening further, evolving into more of a complex, warm-yet-tart apple pie. For the first time, we did note some sour gas smells coming through on a slim minority of plants, with one plant exhibiting sour gas only; no apple.
The biggest obstacle we’ve faced in choosing our winning cut(s) of the Brunch F4s has been deciding what to do with the visual feast that is the green phenotype. We’d been very intentionally selecting for purple coloring from the outset of this multi-year project, and yet these green plants were hard to turn away from.
Thank you so much for reading about the journey we’ve gone on to create the Brunch, one of our most beloved plant-mothers. I’d like to wish all the mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day. Know that you are seen, loved, and celebrated every day!
Royal Queen Seeds shares 3 tips for new growers, and more! Don't miss out on all the great deals from Royal Queen Seeds for Breeder of the Week!
3 Tips For New Growers
Know Your Water Quality Water quality affects plant health. Test pH and EC regularly, especially with tap water. Poor sources may contain contaminants. Use simple kits if unsure, and filter, treat, or switch sources if needed.
Measure Your Environment Precisely Use sensors to track temperature, humidity, light, CO₂, pH, and EC. Human senses are unreliable. Accurate, calibrated measurements help you understand conditions and make better adjustments for consistent plant growth.
Inspect Plants Regularly and Thoroughly Check plants often to catch issues early. Inspect leaves, stems, and substrate for pests or disease. Regular scouting helps prevent small problems from becoming serious threats to your crop.
Favorite Breeding Project My favorite breeding project is a secret collaboration combining very different lineages. It will only proceed if both partners meet a strict “fire-only” standard, highlighting strong international cooperation and fully formed bridges between continents.
The F1 Hybrid program is another favorite, achieving photoperiod-quality in automatics with real consistency. It challenged my skepticism and showed me the value of staying open to change and innovation.
Story From The Garden
As a teenager in New Caledonia, I got lost for about 45 minutes in a huge guerrilla cannabis field while spotting the best plants. I had red tape and a flashlight, but the battery died, leaving me in near-total darkness, surrounded by thousands of plants. I kept whistling until my friends finally found me. Back to camp my hands were covered in fresh trichomes—some of the best charas I’ve ever had.
by Ben Morris, Head Breeder of Dirty Bird Genetics
Introduction:
There is a plethora of pests that plague our gardens, green houses, and grow spaces but few can compete with the rapidity and malignancy of the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). Two-spotted spider mites are small, herbivorous arachnids that feed on plant sap and chlorophyll by puncturing the underside of leaves with their tiny, piercing mouth parts called ‘chelicerae’.1 This feeding mechanism causes damage to the leaf which hinders the overall photosynthetic ability of the infested plant. These pests can reproduce rapidly and, if left untreated, can quickly lead to the deterioration, and ultimately, the death of an infected plant. The damage caused by two-spotted spider mites can lead to lower flower yields, seed abortion, and improper seed fill. This is a huge detriment for flower producers as well as for breeders and seed producers. These voracious little creatures are tiny (between 1/80th and 1/50th of an inch)2 and can be very difficult to detect before moderate to heavy infestation occurs. In the following sections, we will go through some of the visual signs growers can use to determine if they have a spider mite infestation and what approximate level that infestation is likely at (low, moderate, high).
Identification/Plant Signs:
As previously stated, two-spotted spider mites (TSM) are very small. Fully grown adult spider mites will appear as whitish to grayish-green specks with eight tiny legs and two dark spots on either side of their body. They are easy to mistake for small pieces of dirt of other, non-living debris but if you watch them long enough you will see them scurry about. They are largely found on the abaxial (underside) surface of leaves where they take advantage of any nooks and crannies they can find to hide and feed in. Having a hand magnifying glass or a jeweler’s loupe will make identifying these pests much easier than trying to observe them with your naked eye.
Early into infestation there are few signs of the two-spotted spider mite, the main indicator being the observation of the mites themselves. One can inspect a plant or clone they are obtaining using a jeweler’s loupe, or other hand magnification tool, to check under the leaves and on the stems for small whitish, gray/green bodies that often exhibit two large dark spots on both sides of the idiosoma3 (the main part of the body). One single female TSM can cause an infestation due to their rapid reproduction cycle and their ability to reproduce asexually. Thoroughly inspecting any incoming plants to your grow space is paramount in detecting pest issues. If there is a spider mite, or if there are multiple, inhabiting the plant’s aerial parts without any signs of insect feeding damage on the leaf and without webbing present, the plant is in the early stages of infestation.
As they feed, they pierce and damage leaf cells which ultimately leads to the desiccation and the eventual death of the cells they feed upon. This can eventually lead to the death of the entire leaf which obviously harms the plant. A sign of their feeding includes tiny, lightly colored dots that are observable on the adaxial surface (upper side) of leaves. These dots can appear whitish, yellow, or silver and give the leaf a mottled appearance. These damaged leaves can take on a yellow/gray or even bronze appearance as the damage spreads. If you see small, dotted patterns (also known as stippling) occurring on your leaves, check the underside of those leaves for the small, oval bodies of two-spotted spider mites.4
If the spider mites are left alone, they will continue to work their way up the plant, leaving visual indications via stippling/mottling on more leaves higher and higher into the canopy of the plant. Lower leaves, or leaves first infested, will begin to turn yellow and may start falling off. Eventually, when they reach a certain population size they will begin to make webs. These webs look just like spider webs and help the mites to protect themselves from predators as well as act as highways between plants for easier access to new feeding grounds.
Two-spotted spider mites focus on feeding and reproduction before they focus on making webs.5 This is good to know as it can help a grower determine what level of infestation they are dealing with. Below is a rough guide to determining the level of infestation and what action may be necessary. This rating scale was adapted from the work of Bruce Potter and Ken Ostlie6 (University of Minnestoa)
No Infestation: No spider mites nor plant injury observed.
Low Infestation: Minor stippling or mottling on lower leaves, no premature leaf yellowing observed
Low-Moderate Infestation: Stippling or mottling common on lower leaves; some premature yellowing observed
Moderate Infestation: Heavy stippling/mottling on lower leaves progressing into middle canopy; leaf yellowing and leaf loss observed; mites observed in middle and top canopy
Moderate-High Infestation: Lower leaf yellowing very apparent and leaf loss common; stippling/mottling, webbing, and mites common in middle canopy; mites and minor stippling/mottling in upper canopy
High Infestation: Lower leaf loss common and yellowing into middle canopy; stippling/mottling and distortion of upper leaves common; mites in upper canopy; webbing in upper canopy
Treatment:
The damage caused to leaves by two-spotted spider mites is not reversible2 so prevention, early detection, and treatment are of the utmost importance in ensuring your crop’s health and productive capacity.
There are many options available for treating spider mite infestations that largely reside within three categories: Physical, Chemical, and Biological.
Physical Controls:
Earlier into infestation a grower can use a hose or other means of spraying water with adequate pressure on the undersides of the leaves of their plant to physically knock the spider mites off of the undersides of the leaves. This method is not appropriate to use if mold is an issue in your grow space but can work for some growers in initially removing the mites. The drawback to this approach, besides a potential in increased mold presence, would be that mites not killed by being sprayed off could climb back up the plant and re-infest.
Some growers have had success in wiping their leaves down physically with a cloth and a small amount of insecticidal soap or oil. This can physically remove and crush mites and mite eggs but is time consuming and can lead to leaf damage if not done with care.
In early stages of infestation, removing heavily infested leaves and disposing of them immediately outside of your grow space can help to reduce the mite’s numbers as well.
Chemical Controls:
If the infestation becomes moderate or high, then chemical controls may have to be employed. Pyrethrins can be effective in killing mites but should be avoided due to the natural mite predators they also kill, which can lead to a TSM population resurgence.7 Pyrethrin should not be used during the mid to late flower stage of the cannabis growth cycle as it can be hard, if not impossible, to wash these chemicals from the flower/plant.8 Earlier in the flowering stage and/or during the vegetative stage pyrethrins can be somewhat effective in suppressing mite populations. Take care not to employ pyrethrins if you have adequate mite predators in and around your plants as these chemicals can also kill the beneficial insects, as previously stated.
Neem oil can also be used in a spray to knock adult mites off of leaves and the residue from the neem oil will suffocate the mite eggs, interrupting their life cycle and denying much of the next generation from being able to colonize and feed on your plants.4
There are organic chemical treatments that often employ some mixture of rosemary, clove, and mint oils to deter and repel mites. Many products are offered with these ingredients and can be used in foliar sprays as well as in the water the plants are fed to increase the amount of these substances in the soil and plant to further deter mites.9,10
Some growers have reported success with using a mix of isopropyl alcohol and water at a 1:9 ratio. This mixture can be used as a foliar spray to knock mites off the leaves and to also kill them. Isopropyl alcohol will also kill the mite eggs as well, attacking multiple generations of the mites at once. There are precautions to be taken if employing this method as isopropyl alcohol, if not diluted enough, can damage plant tissue as well. It also can dry leaves out if the temperature is high (80 degrees F and above). If employing this method it is best to test the spray on a few leaves first to see how the plant will respond before spraying the entire plant. It is recommended to spray near the end of the day to avoid the isopropyl alcohol sitting on the leaves and causing burning damage. While this method can be effective we do not recommend it unless no other options are available due to the risk of further plant damage but we wanted to include it as an option due to some positive reports from other growers.11
Insecticidal soaps can also be employed to kill and remove mites from plants. As with any insecticide, read the label that comes with the product and apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid any unnecessary plant damage.
Sucrose octonoate esters have been proven to be very effective in killing two-spotted spider mites, as well as other mite species and even aphids.12 One such product, Organishield, is made with these substances and, when applied as a foliar spray to the undersides of plant leaves, can kill juvenile and adult mites on contact by drying the waxy, protective cuticle that envelops them. Once this waxy cuticle is dried out it can lead to rapid dehydration and desiccation of the mites which leads to their death. Sucrose octonoate ester treatments are very environmentally friendly as they are non-toxic to humans, other animals such as pets, and they do not harm pollinators such as bees. Sucrose octonoate esters also have very low toxicity to aquatic life making them a very safe option for treatment. Sucrose octonoate esters also degrade rapidly (usually within 5 days) and only leave behind water, CO2, fatty acids, and sucrose so there is no lasting environmental impact such as with other, more toxic chemical treatments.
For light to moderate infestations a mix of 60ml Organishield per gallon of water, when applied in a foliar spray to the undersides of leaves, can be very effective in reducing the level of infestation and killing large numbers of mites. For heavier infestations a mix of 80ml Organishield per gallon of water is recommended by the manufacturer to lead to a faster kill on contact. After years of use we can personally vouch for this method of treatment as we have seen it to be very effective in reducing mite infestations while not harming our plants nor exposing our workers or the environment to toxic substances. As with any foliar spray treatment, remember to turn off grow lights during spraying to not potentially burn plants due to the magnification of light through water droplets.
Many of the substances discussed above will only act upon TSM nymphs and adults, not their eggs. We recommend applying another spray 3-7 days after the initial treatment to ensure the removal of newly hatched spider mites. For severe infestations, a treatment every 3-5 days (depending on insecticidal substance used; consult the manufacturer’s label) can be beneficial in continuously killing newly hatched two-spotted spider mites.
Biological Controls:
There are many biological and environmental (cultural) controls that can be employed in lieu of or in addition to physical and chemical treatments.
One common route is to employ predators of the two-spotted spider mite in your grow space. There are many species of insects and arachnids that predate on two-spotted spider mites and utilizing these species can be immensely helpful in combating mite infestation without the need for chemical treatment.
One such species, Phytoseiulus persimilis, is another kind of mite and a specialized hunter of two-spotted spider mites. P. persimilis can eat many adults and even more young two-spotted spider mites in a day. These can be purchased from several suppliers and then spread onto the infested plants. P. persimilis only eats two-spotted spider mites so they can be very effective in decimating TSM populations but will die off once their food source is depleted. These predatory mites are generally seen as good for rapid treatment when infestation levels are moderate to high.13
Neoseiulus californicus is another predator mite that has shown a decent effectiveness towards reducing spider mite populations. N.californicus has been reported to be hardier and able to survive hotter and drier temperatures than P. persimilis making it a good choice for growers with hot, dry grow area conditions. N. californicus can be used as a preventative measure as they have a wider range of prey they hunt and consume than just the two-spotted spider mite and thus may survive longer eating other pests in addition to TSM’s.13
Neoseiulus fallacis is a predatory mite that is more effective in cooler (50 – 800F), temperate climates and for outdoor grows as it has the ability to overwinter if enough food is present. By avoiding spraying chemical treatments and keeping N. fallacis populations alive and undisturbed some growers have been able to see this predator return the next year to continue hunting and eating two-spotted spider mites as well as other mite species and even some small arthropods.13
Ladybugs (of the family Coccinellidae and also known as lady-beetles) can also be used for mite control but aren’t the most effective at such a task due to their penchant for spreading out and away from grow areas as well as their preference for larger prey like aphids as opposed to two-spotted spider mites. However, there is a species of lady-beetle that is known as the “spider mite destroyer” scientifically named Stethorus punctillum that does hunt smaller insects and arachnids such as the two-spotted spider mite. These lady-beetles can also be applied to infested plants to hunt and reduce not only two-spotted spider mites, but a range of different mite species and even aphids. S. punctillum prefers spider mites for its diet but will eat aphids and mite eggs if juvenile/adult spider mites are not present making S. punctillum a good potential predator for integrated pest management. Unlike other, larger ladybug species, S. punctillum will not immediately disperse from the area as long as their food source is present making them good candidates for long term protection against plant pests, especially in green houses.14
The green lacewing (of the family Chrysopidae) is another species of insect that can be used effectively to treat spider mite and aphid infestations. While normally used more for aphid control, green lacewing larvae are voracious predators of smaller herbivorous insects and arachnids. Green lacewing larvae can be spread on the soil as well as on the leaves of a plant and left alone to hunt and eat many pests that threaten the health of your garden. If conditions are right (e.g. 68-900F temperatures, adequate pests for larvae to feed on, adequate flowering plants that produce nectar for adults to feed on) then a green lacewing population can be maintained throughout several growing seasons for lasting pest protection. Although the adult green lacewing is an herbivore it will not feed directly on cannabis plants and prefers nectars and pollen from flowering plants such as coriander, dill, or fennel, among others. Having any of these species as companion plants in your grow area can help to encourage lacewing population growth and can maintain their presence in your grow area.15
With any pest predators a grower should be careful about applying broad-spectrum insecticides as these can kill the beneficial insects you spent time and money on attracting and/or introducing to your grow space.
TSM Life Cycle/Prevention:
Two-spotted spider mites have 5 essential parts of their life cycle: Egg – Larvae- Protonymph- Deutonymph-Adult. Adult TSM’s usually live for 2-4 weeks and feed continuously on plant sap and chlorophyll from punctured leaf surfaces. Female TSM’s can lay anywhere from 2 – 20 eggs a day, with a rough average of 10-15 eggs laid a day in favorable conditions. Females will lay eggs regardless of whether male mites are present or not. Any unfertilized eggs will hatch as males, which will then fertilize the next batch of eggs to create more females.2,5 With this knowledge in mind, it is easy to see how even a single female TSM can start an outbreak that can take over your garden or grow space in very little time.
Two-spotted spider mites thrive in environmental conditions where it is hot, dusty, and dry. Between 68-860F, the spider mite life cycle can be completed in as little as 7-8 days, which means eggs have been laid-larva hatched-two nymph phases completed-and adult maturation achieved with another round of egg laying and fertilization occurring in about a week’s time. TSM’s optimal breeding and life cycle occurs also when relative humidity is less than 50%. 16
These temperature and humidity parameters can make environmental conditions difficult to balance as the low RH discourages mold and fungal growth but invites the presence of mites. The temperature range for optimal mite population growth also encompasses the temperature range for optimal cannabis growth (70-850F).
There are cultural controls that can be employed to reduce mite populations and breeding rates:
Make sure your plants are adequately watered. Drought stress invites mites to feed upon your plant so making sure it has enough water will aid in not attracting TSM’s to it. 4, 16
Raise the RH of your grow space to 60%. This will still allow for reduction and suppression of mold growth while slowing the breeding rates of mites at the same time.
Avoid over-fertilization with nitrogen, which can encourage the soft, succulent growth that attracts mites.17
Limit the amount of dust around your plants as dust can protect mites from predators. Using mulch to suppress dust in outdoor grows can be helpful. Sprinkler systems in outside grows can also help to reduce the amount of dust present on and around plants.
Keep your grow-spaces CLEAN. Remove leaf litter and other biological debris that could act as vectors for mold and hiding places for mites. Remove heavily infested leaves and discard them far from the grow area as soon as possible.
Reduce plant stress in any way you can. Stressed plants are much more susceptible to attack from mites, as well as many other pests. By keeping your plants healthy and happy you give them a better chance at not attracting mites in the first place.18
Feeding plants with potassium silicate can help to strengthen the cell walls of the plant, making it more difficult for mites, and other piercing insects, to puncture leaf and stem surfaces.19
Disclaimer:
This publication may contain pesticide recommendations that are subject to change at any time. These recommendations are provided only as a guide. It is always the pesticide applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. Due to ever-changing labels and product registrations, some of the recommendations given in this writing may no longer be legal by the time you read them. If any information in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the recommendation must be disregarded. No criticism is intended for products not mentioned. The author(s), Dirty Bird Genetics, and North Atlantic Seed Company assume no liability resulting from the use of these recommendations.
References:
1 Owens, D., Stubbs, C. (10/2024). Two Spotted Spider Mite. University of Delaware.
by Ben Morris, Head Breeder of Dirty Bird Genetics
Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) is a highly infectious pathogen that consists of a single stranded loop of RNA.1 It is many times smaller than a typical virus and is actually a “Viroid.” It is also known as “dudding” or the “dudding disease.” HLVd was first discovered in Hops in 19872 and has since then been discovered in Cannabis.3 One study has shown that up to 90% of grow facilities in California have tested positive for HLVd at some point and that the infection has spread across cannabis in the US.8 Other sources have stated that up to 40% of flower from retailers and dispensaries in Canada have also had positive test results for the pathogen.6
HLVd has caused significant crop loss for Cannabis farmers in the form of lower yields (translating to a possible 33% loss financially across some state markets),8 lower trichome content, and reduced terpene profiles.3
HLVd is not only highly infectious but it remains hidden or dormant (latent) to observation until the cannabis plant experiences a secondary stress such as heat, over watering, pest infestation etc. that causes visual symptoms to occur.4
Sometimes HLVd can start showing symptoms during the flowering stage, even if not visually detectable during the entirety of the vegetative growth. It can cause the plant to develop small, abnormal (sometimes spiky), and less potent buds all over resulting in loss of yield and potency.3,8
Some infected cannabis plants never show symptoms throughout their entire lives and this is another reason why HLVd can be spread so easily as growers may sell or trade cuttings or clones with others and not have any suspicion that those pieces of plant material may be harboring the viroid.4 Improper sterilization of cutting tools and the reuse of gloves across different plants can quickly spread the viroid throughout your grow room as well.3,5
HLVd can exist in most of a plant’s tissues (stems, leaves, roots, etc.) but largely resides in the roots of cannabis plants. This does not mean leaves, stems, and buds are unaffected. The Viroid can take time to migrate through the entire plant as it enters the phloem (the vascular tissue responsible for conducting sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves) through a cut or tear in a stem or leaf, travels to the roots, and then spreads throughout the rest of the plant.6
Left: a young veg plant showing normal leaf distribution with common morphology. Right: An HLVd positive plant early in its vegging stage, showing clustering of new leaf growth and aberrant leaf morphology.
Symptoms
Shorter internodal spacing
Smaller leaves (sometimes with higher rates of chlorosis)
Stunting of bud size and morphology
Reduction of trichomes
Reduction of terpenes
Reduced overall plant vigor (weaker apical/main and lateral stalks)
How to Identify
As previously stated, visual observations of HLVd can include smaller buds with reduced trichome and terpene content during flower as well as abnormal leaf formation and stunted growth during all stages of a cannabis plant’s life. However, visual observations can occur too late after a grow has already invested significant time and money into flowering many plants which results in loss of crop and profit.
The most accurate way to assess the status of cannabis plants is through one of two processes known as Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and Quantitative PCR (qPCr) which can be performed by many commercial labs across the US.3,9
Routine testing of mother plants, as well as any new clones or mothers introduced from outside your facility, is highly recommended. A schedule of up to 4 tests per nursery plant over a period of a month and a half has been suggested by one source.8 Another source has suggested isolating new plants for 30 days and testing on the third week of isolation.3 Regardless, testing is critical to ensuring the prevention and/or spread of existing HLVd in your grow facility.3,6
Left: A plant from the same pack of seeds at the same time in flower (week 7). Note the greater yield and more normal spacing on the leaves. This is closer to the normal presentation for this strain when uninfected by HLVd. Right: A plant late in flower (week 7) showing greatly reduced yield from the norm. Note the small bud size and the tight spacing on the clusters of leaves. Reduced yield and leaf bunching are two of the most common observable effects of HLVd or the ‘dudding virus.’
Transmission
HLVd is mainly spread by mechanical transmission.5,6 This refers to dirty cutting tools, unwashed hands, dirty gloves, and any other contaminated objects coming in contact with a plant’s tissue.
HLVd can also be spread through aqueous transmission (through water). For example, a non-infected clone can become infected if it is in the same cloner as an infected clone. Even if the two clones never have root-root contact, HLVd can move through the water from one infected plant to the roots of all the other clones in the same cloner. This also means plants that share drip trays or saucers could potentially end up infecting healthy plants when water run off from the bottom of an infected plant’s pot can mix with the roots and soil of the healthy plant.5,6
There are no published reports currently that show insect transmission of hop latent viroid in cannabis. However, many other viroids are spread by insects, making insect transmission of HLVd a high possibility. It is good practice to limit your cannabis plants exposure to bugs (best pest management practices, healthy plants, good environmental controls, etc.) as many other viruses and pathogens are spread by insects.7
Best Practices for Prevention
Isolate any new cuttings or established plants coming from outside of your facility. Make sure to test these plants before integrating them with the rest of your grow.
Change gloves when working with multiple plants. One pair of gloves per plant.
Clean cutting tools with at least a 10% solution of bleach that contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite for at least 10 seconds in between taking cuttings from one plant to the next. Also clean any work surfaces that come in contact with plant material. 3,4,5 Isopropyl alcohol will not kill the viroid so bleach is required for efficient removal of HLVd from cutting/workstation surfaces.10
Avoid having plants share drip trays/saucers if possible (due to aqueous transmission).5,6
Destroy any plants that are infected or remove them from your grow to be treated for HLVd through tissue culture (only recommended if the cultivar is critical to your business due to time and financial cost of tissue culture).
Summary
HLVd can be a devastating issue for any grower whether it’s the home or commercial cultivator. HLVd can remain dormant for a long time and may never show symptoms while it spreads throughout a grow. Mechanical transmission through dirty/used cutting tools and gloves is the number one method of transmission of the viroid. Through routine testing, via RT-PCR or qPCR methods, and employing best practices in cleanliness all growers can limit the spread of this pernicious pathogen and get the quality flower we all love.
3: Adkar-Purushothama C.R., Sano T, Perreault J.P. (04 March 2023). Hop Latent Viroid: A Hidden Threat to the Cannabis Industry. MDPI. doi: 10.3390/v15030681. PMID: 36992390.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10053334/
9: Punja, Z K (2021). Emerging diseases of Cannabis sativa and sustainable management. Pest Management Science 01 February 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6307
James Loud Genetics shares 3 tips for new growers and their top recommendations! Don't miss out on all the great deals from James Loud Genetics for Breeder of the Week!
3 Tips For New Growers
Start small and stay consistent Fewer plants mean less complexity and faster learning. Start with four to six plants max, and grow the same cross rather than mixing multiple varieties. This allows you to identify patterns in growth, nutrition, and structure, while also teaching you how individual plants express differently, even among sisters.
Genetics set the ceiling Start with proven, stable cultivars. Varieties with Blue Dream, LCG, Runtz, or Tangie lineage tend to be more forgiving and easier to manage, which builds confidence early. More finicky lines like OG Kush or Cookies can require multiple cycles to dial in and often frustrate beginners. Set yourself up for early success.
Follow one system and track everything Do not combine multiple sources of advice. Pick one approach and follow it precisely. Document your full process, and when making adjustments, change only one variable at a time. Track yield and quality, with quality as the primary metric. Real skill comes from repetition and problem solving over time, not guessing. Everyone starts somewhere, consistency is what separates average from exceptional.
Favorite Breeding Project
My favorite breeding work right now is my upcoming 420 release built around the Double Lemon Cherry crosses, along with several Runtz-based projects. What excites me about this work is the level of diversity I brought into it. I am incorporating a wide range of unique cultivars, including Dream Candy, RBK OG Kush, GMO, NL5 Haze, 24k, Chem91, Oregon Blueberry, and Bananaconda, to create new expressions of what is popular right now while still pushing things forward.
What makes this project stand out for me is not just the genetics, but the process. It is the first full run I have completed in Rockwool, where I was able to precisely steer the crop using Grodan’s Gro-Sense system. That level of control gave me a much deeper understanding of irrigation strategy, VPD, and dew point, and how those variables directly influence plant performance and final expression.
Story From The Garden
I’ve been doing this long enough to remember when charcoal filters weren’t standard. Back in 1997 to 1998, we were building our own with five gallon buckets and loose carbon.
The first run I ever did of Oregon Blueberry with those homemade filters barely smelled. I thought we had it figured out. Then came the next run, a Chemdog variety in my garage under six lights. The smell was overwhelming, completely uncontrollable. Neighbors over 200 feet away were convinced there was a skunk loose in the neighborhood. They kept asking me and my wife if we had seen it. We told them yes, of course.
We tried everything to manage it. Strong smelling companion plants, orange oil sprays, anything we could think of. Nothing worked. The plant just overpowered it all. Somehow, we got lucky and avoided any real issues, but at that time people were getting serious time for far less.
We were among the early wave of people with medical cards in California, but back then that card was not something you could rely on to protect you. You had to be sharp, resourceful, and a little lucky. That run taught me quickly that some varieties don’t just grow, they announce themselves whether you are ready or not.
Our next toke is the Alpha Series' Apple Peelz by Dirty Bird Genetics. She is a cross of Sex Melon x Bad Apple. Read on to learn about our experiences.
The unique smell took me back to a stroll down a row at an apple orchard during a New England Fall. It has the fragrant and sweet aroma of a discarded apple core that has been sitting in the sun. I love the sweetness of this strain. It brings on a very functional and smooth high, which I found to be a great afternoon pick-me-up. This one will not lock you down or make you feel heavy. She would be a great companion for a walk on a beach or in the woods.
- Crystal
Apple Peelz (Sex Melon x Bad Apple) by Dirty Bird Genetics is a fast favorite! This plant is beautiful, smells sweet like apples, and has stunning deep purple leaves. The buds are dense and covered in crystals. It’s a great sativa-dominant hybrid that provides a lovely daytime high. It will calm your nerves and melt away your worries but won’t deplete your energy. I smoked this in the morning and then spontaneously deep cleaned and rearranged my dining room and kitchen. I would highly recommend this strain for when you want to take the edge off but still feel energetic and functional.
- Mariah
Read more about the differences between Alpha Series, Limited Series, & Tester packs.
The Battle of the Trop Cherry OG and the Double Cherry Pie
By Beth Mathieu
Owner of North Atlantic Seed + Dirty Bird Genetics
I’ve been a long time fangirl of Ethos’ work. They were one of the first breeders I had the privilege of working with when North Atlantic Seed was in its infancy, and up until 2023, I had personally grown virtually their entire menu strain-by-strain as it was released. When NASC had its 1st annual Discord Photo Contest last fall, I was struck by one plant in particular that I had yet to grow. The Trop Cherry submissions were striking, and interestingly, we received several submissions which told me there was likely something special here. The knuckly, dense, large purple colas in the photos were a great example of ideal flower structure as far as I’m concerned, and I was impressed by the size of the flowers. It’s not often that you see colas as large as these with such minimal leaf and such high quality. I wasted no time. I immediately sent a text over to Ben–our head Breeder at Dirty Bird Genetics– and we added Ethos’ Trop Cherry Duet to our 2025 “pop list.”
Within the Trop Cherry Duet pack, the Trop Cherry OG came paired with another eyecatching selection: The Double Cherry Pie. Both strains featured the Trop Cherry genetics in their lineage, so we decided we would germinate them both and do a “grow off” to find out which of the two strains captured the deep purple coloring, chunky flower structure, and the cherry chapstick terpene profile we were after.
While both the Trop Cherry OG and the Double Cherry Pie had their strengths, there could be only one winner. Continue reading to find out which of the Trop Cherry crosses we decided to keep a cut of for the Dirty Bird Genetics library...dun dun dun.
The Line Up:
6x Double Cherry Pie R1: (Trop Cherry x Cherry Pie)
5x Trop Cherry OG R1: (Trop Cherry x SFV OG)
TROP CHERRY OG by ETHOS
Of the five Trop Cherry OG seeds we grew, we observed three phenotypes, making for a relatively high PVI. This cohort showed divergence in color, terpenes, and flower structure:
Color: Three of 5 were green and 2 of 5 had purple flower
Terpenes: The purple plants had no observable terpenes, whereas the green plants had mild orange/cherry/gas smells come through.
Flower Structure: Flower structure was spear shaped with granular bracts versus stella form and more dome-shaped.
Herms: One of the five plants showed signs of hermaphrodism in the first three weeks of flower so we had to toss it.
All of the plants had medium internodal spacing, great lateral branching, and grew as rounded bushes with moderate foliage and moderate calyx-to-leaf ratio. Morphologically, they were well proportioned plants with self-supporting stalks; we did not have to stake the plants at all. One plant in particular had notably heavy flowers. Yields and stacking were moderate overall. One of the purple plants was a bit finicky and yellowed dramatically toward the end of flower, which can be normal, but the majority were easy to grow and remained healthy through harvest. All of the plants turned out well, but none were show-stoppers for us, so we did not choose to keep a mother plant from this lot. That said, I have seen some photos of truly beautiful plants that have come from these seeds, so I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from trying them or hunting them. If I were to re-hunt these myself, I would be looking for a pheno that has the beautiful purple coloring paired with a stronger terpene profile.
The finicky Trop Cherry OG purple plant.
Trop Cherry OG with dome/stelliform flowers
DOUBLE CHERRY PIE by ETHOS
Similar to the Trop Cherry OG, the Double Cherry Pie showed divergence in color, terpenes, and flower structure; however, as a whole they appeared more uniform, and the terpenes we observed in this grow were stronger and more consistent. These factors really tipped the scales in the Double Cherry Pie’s favor.
Color: One out of six of the DCP plants we grew had purple flowers and green foliage and the remainder were deep green.
Terpenes: Mandarin orange/cherry chapstick terpenes were pungent on the purple pheno that became our keeper cut. As a whole, the rest of the cohort leaned more cherry than citrus/orange/tangie.
Flower Structure: The majority of plants had spear-shaped flowers that came to a point at the apex of the cola. One out of six had rounder, dome-shaped flowers.
Herms: 0/6
Overall, I would rate the terpenes in the Double Cherry Pie as moderate with the one purple pheno being a stand out both in color and smell. Moderate-high yield was consistent across the board on the Double Cherry Pie, as well as strong, self-supporting stalks. Morphologically, the plants were quite similar to the Trop Cherry: They grew as bushes with great lateral branching making for a beautiful, even canopy. The Double Cherry Pie’s foliage was slightly less dense than the Trop Cherry OG’s was with more room for air flow, and the calyx-to-leaf ratio was notably higher. On top of these factors, we didn’t observe any signs of hermaphrodism in the DCP, and the trichome production was observably superior.
The Double Cherry Pie was the clear winner here for the Dirty Bird team. This seed cohort was where we found our keeper cut. If you couldn’t guess, it was the sole purple Double Cherry Pie plant that exhibited fantastic tangie and cherry chapstick terpenes. This cut will be appearing in an upcoming Cherry AK breeding project that we have maturing behind the scenes as of this writing. Overall though, I think both of these strains are worth your time; thank goodness since they’re sold together! Both exhibited beautiful purple flowers in at least 20% of the plants we tested (for those of you who love purple like us Mainer’s do), and both had great internodal spacing and that classic-bushy morphology that’s hard not to love. We didn’t find any duds. All of the plants yielded well and produced high quality flowers. Feel free to send us some pics if you find any fun keepers in your own hunts!
Stay tuned for more Grow Reports as Dirty Bird continues hunting great genetics from the NASC breeder family!
A Comprehensive Shopping Guide By Growers, For Growers
Looking for recommendations that you can trust this 4/20? Look no further. At North Atlantic Seed, not only do we have the unique opportunity to work closely with our breeders and our customers, but we also love to grow as many genetics as we can each year. This year, we’ve taken all of this anecdotal breeder and grower experience and we’ve combined it with NASC Here are the standouts we’ve identified this 4/20:
BEST SELLERS 2026
Below are NASC’s Best Selling Autoflowers + Photoperiods of 2026 pulled directly from our Q1 2026 sales data.
NASC Best Sellers: Top 3 Autoflowers
Purple Lemonade Auto by 420 Fast Buds
Blue Dream Auto by 420 Fast Buds
Acapulco Gold Auto by Auto Seeds
NASC Best Sellers: Top 3 Photoperiods
Acapulco Gold (F) by Barney’s Farm
Mandarin Cookies V2 (F) by Ethos Genetics
Blueberry Muffin (F) by Humboldt Seed Company
BEST OUTDOOR STRAINS 2026
This year NASC set out to curate a line of genetics that commercial farmers and outdoor home growers could rely on for uniformity, resilience, quality and performance. We are asked for outdoor recommendations every day, and because we live in one of the harshest climates in the US for growing, we know the struggle it can be to find reliable genetics. The NASC Commercial Cultivars series was sourced from US breeders and tested and bred on a commercial scale to meet the needs of the home grower and the commercial grower alike. For that reason, this line of True F1 Hybrids and IBLs are our picks for outdoor 2026:
NASC GROWERS CHOICE - COMMUNITY-VOTED FAVORITES:
The strains below are YOUR favorite strains of 2025. These results came directly from the Grower’s Choice survey that NASC conducted in Jan 2026.
Strain of the Year - Autoflower:
Gorilla Cookies by Fast Buds
Banana Purple Punch Auto by Fast Buds
Banana Jealousy Auto by Ethos Genetics
Frostbanger Auto by 420 Fast Buds
Gorilla Zkittlez by 420 Fast Buds
Purple Lemonade Auto by 420 Fast Buds
Strawberry Milk and Qookies by Night Owl Seeds
Grape Gas by Twenty20 Mendocino
Double Grape Auto by Mephisto Genetics
Guava Auto by 420 Fast Buds
Strain of the Year - Photoperiod:
Blueberry Muffin by Humboldt Seed Co.
Slurricane #7 by In House Genetics
Dirty Mimosa by Dirty Bird Genetics
Mandarin Cookies V2 by Ethos Genetics
Orange Cream Pop by Humboldt Seed Co.
Bubba Whip by Twenty20 Mendocino
Chem Funk by Ethos Genetics
Chicken N’ Wafflez by Humboldt Seed Co.
FX3 by Solfire Gardens
Irie Maiden by Romulan Genetics
Strain of the Year - Extract:
Blueberry Muffin by Humboldt Seed Co.
Honey Banana by Lovin In Her Eyes
Trich Beast by Solfire Gardens
Orange Cream Pop by Humboldt Seed Co
Golden Sands by Humboldt Seed Co.
Irie Maiden by Romulan Genetics
Maui Wowie Squared by Dirty Bird Genetics
GENETICS FOR A CAUSE:
This year, we have been hard at work behind the scenes trying to educate lawmakers and influence positive policy changes for cannabis seeds and genetics in DC. We’ve recently started a campaign called Keep Seeds Legal! When you purchase the strains on this menu, 100% of proceeds go towards fighting the “hemp ban” set to take effect this Nov 2026.
We are a family-run farm in southern Virginia just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We use natural farming practices that go beyond organic methods and we strive for a closed-loop regenerative agriculture system utilizing what is available on our property and foraged from local surrounding areas to benefit the soil and plants we grow. -Jolly Pond Farm
We are very excited for this new addition to the NASC menu, Jolly Pond Farm. For this smoke report, I smoked Tropighani, which is (Trop Cherry x White Afghani F3). Mariah tried Trop Cherry x Garlic Grove. Read on to learn about our experiences.
White Afghani S1 (parent strain to Tropighani)
Tropighani She can definitely be your partner in crime if you're looking for a fun and goofy time. The intense euphoria that immediately started was great! I felt like I was put into a spacey and giddy trance. I became so forgetful that my dogs were almost fed second-dinner by mistake. Overall, I'd say this strain is balanced, but because of the intense head-lift, I didn't want to move far from my couch or be active. With causing such heightened senses, I think this would be great for watching a movie or listening to music. It could also assist with bouts of laughter in a laid-back social setting. The taste and smell toggled between a representation of both parent strains. It had this sweet and earthy flavor from the Trop Cherry side, but a strong note of herbal spice from the Afghani lineage. I would absolutely smoke this again and I look forward to trying more from Jolly Pond Farm! - Crystal
Trop Cherry x Garlic Grove I enjoyed this strain from Jolly Pond Farm! It really does smell like cherries with some peppery undertones. It’s definitely grown with care; the buds are dense and frosty with flecks of purple. I felt immediately relaxed as soon as I smoked it. It tastes great, and the high is super mellow and uplifting. The stress of the day melted away, and I was able to get out of my head and just chill. I tend to smoke in the evening before bed and this strain definitely helped me to relax before falling asleep, however I think it would provide a great daytime high as well if you had the day off. 10/10! - Mariah
Before 2019, the world was a much different place. Our team was scattered throughout Maine doing different jobs and still trying to find purpose in our careers. The owner of North Atlantic Seed Co, Beth Mathieu, was working as a medical care giver in central Maine. Providing clones and care to her patients opened her eyes to the need for accessible genetics in the United States. Maine Clone Company was already established and connected her with locals that reaffirmed that need.
North Atlantic Seed Co. launched in 2019 and Beth started to find a few breeders to work with and distribute their genetics. We were fortunate to work with a few that had proven quality including Ethos Genetics, Barney’s Farm and a few more. As demand grew, Beth hired me to help with marketing and expand our reach domestically so she could continue to balance her other businesses. Back in 2020 when I first got my start, Covid forced people to stay at home and many were looking for a new hobby as well as alternative forms of self-care. I quickly discovered how fortunate we were to launch when we did. Word of mouth was the most important marketing we could do so we put all our focus into top-notch customer service and improving the customer experience with our website. We still have that mentality today because we understand that builds loyalty in our community and will continue to set us apart.
As time went on we started working with more breeders, hired more friends and family, got a payment processor to work with us and customers helped build trust online about our business. Marketing cannabis online has always posed a challenge. Our industry has never had access to common marketing tools like GoogleAds, social media sponsored content, text marketing and standard SEO tools so we have had to get creative. Seeds have been legal since the 2018 Farm Bill but algorithms and community standards have been unable to differentiate our legal business from the illegality of cannabis at the federal level. We adapted our approach to each platform and learned some lessons the hard way.
Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
These platforms have a large audience for our target demographic but can be the most restrictive in reach. Facebook flags bud pics and removes our content more than any other platform so we use it more as a re-direct for our customers these days. There are also scammers on Facebook that pretend to be us so we try to manage that as much as possible. We will never ask for money on any social platform so be aware of these common scams!
Instagram used to allow more than it does currently. They have started to remove cannabis accounts altogether. Our original account went down when we had 11k followers. The backup account had 30k followers and all content archived or deleted when it went down. This was incredibly frustrating when our account was removed based on content that could not be reported. Meta was completely incompetent when providing ‘support’. They refused to provide the report of what content triggered the removal. Their community standards are intentionally vague stating that they don’t allow the sale of illegal goods - even though seeds are legal and they are wrong. This allows scammers to thrive on Instagram and we see more scam accounts here than any other platform. Meta often won’t remove these scam accounts when they are reported. Further proving that their platform is broken.
We still have accounts on both platforms today. For Instagram we have started leaning towards more educational and lifestyle content than cannabis or promotional content. Even now, giveaways trigger the algorithm, most content is not populating followers feeds and we run the risk of losing our accounts at any moment.
X and BlueSky
X and BlueSky are the least restrictive but have a smaller audience. We can post more promotional content here compared to any other social platforms. Follow us HERE and HEREto stay up to date on all our best drops and promotions.
YouTube and RSS
YouTube recently tightened restrictions and has consistently taken down our content. We have seen this happen to many other cannabis YouTube channels as well. This is unfortunate because YouTube has a lot of reach potential. All the video content can be found on an alternative platform - Vimeo. Most of our video content comes from our NASC Cast team where they interview breeders and learn their backgrounds, what they love to grow and what the future looks like for their brands. NASC Cast has interviewed some of the best in the industry like Solfire Gardens, Twenty20 Mendocino, Gnome Automatics, Brothers Grimm, Dirty Bird Genetics and MORE! If you haven’t checked the NASC Cast out, you can listen or watch anywhere you get podcast content or watch on Vimeo.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is our best way to get our drop info and promotional info directly to you. Plus you get a 10% OFF code when you sign up! If you want to stay up to date and be the first to hear about things like 4/20 specials, please sign up!
Reddit
Reddit has proven to be valuable from the very beginning. Long before we had an account, customers would advocate for North Atlantic Seed Co. on Reddit when people would ask where to buy seeds. We are grateful for everyone that ever gave us a shoutout on Reddit and sent customers our way.
Follow us on Reddit to stay up to date on our blog, educational content and see what others are growing! We will be more active here in the months to come so make sure to join and engage with the community HERE!
Discord
Up until recently, Discord was a fantastic community building platform. We lost our Discord channel twice and decided to pivot towards other options. Getting our community to move to a new platform every few months is not ideal but we remain optimistic and hope you all continue to find ways to stay active in our community.
Patreon
Today we launch our newest community option on Patreon. We are so excited about this FREE to join Patreon that allows cannabis content and should prove to be similar to our Discord. Please join us on Patreon for educational content, a growing community and so much more!
Here’s a word from Jaden, Marketing Associate, on both Discord and Patreon.
“Discord was a platform that was a major back and forth battle for us. The community aspect of Discord was something far different than traditional social media and it was amazing to see so many people from so many different places come together and share their love for growing. Getting to know the members of our community was always one of my favorite parts of my job. Whether it be through them sharing plants, pets or some of their other favorite activities, I was always interacting with the NASC community in one way or another. Unfortunately on the other side of the coin there was an increase of action taken against cannabis servers on the platform. With constant violations being given to both us and our members, our server being taken down multiple times, and the majority of other cannabis servers facing the same issues as us, we ultimately decided to move away from the platform for the foreseeable future.
With all of that being said there was a light at the end of the tunnel. After once again losing our Discord server I started to look for alternative platforms that have a strong emphasis on building a community, that we also wouldn’t face as many struggles with. So, I am excited to announce that as of today we have launched a free Patreon page that utilizes the platform's community chats feature to allow a similar experience to Discord and the ability to share your plants freely. Along with that we will be using the posts section to keep you updated on all of our future educational content. Blogs and NASC Cast episodes will be posted there, allowing us to have a strong emphasis on education. Also be on the lookout for future paid tiers for more exclusive content available on Patreon, as we plan to expand what we offer while always keeping the community free to access. I am excited to dive back into the NASC community and see faces both new and old. Please visit https://www.patreon.com/cw/NorthAtlanticSeedCo and join for free today!”
2026 will prove to be a pivotal year in our industry. Cannabis rescheduling and the potential hemp ban will shape the future of genetics in the United States. Please support our efforts in Keeping Seeds Legal by purchasing packs HERE or making a donation at checkout. All proceeds will directly fund the legal future of cannabis seeds.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support! We wouldn’t be here without you. Please follow us anywhere and everywhere you engage online. We want to hear from you and grow with you!
As a small token of our appreciation, please use this 10% OFF code on your next order:
MattSentMe
Good for one time use. Exclusions apply. $25 min. Expires 4/17/26.
Dirty Bird Alpha Series (Apple Peelz Fem Photo and Gas Berry Auto Fem)
Offensive Selections New Breeder
HUGE Mephisto Genetics Drop (40+ New Strains)
Barney's Farm New Strains
Cannarado Grape Pie Drop (4/10)
Romulan Genetics Garlic Fever F1 (4/17)
Dirty Bird Nuclear True Blood Volume Drop (4/17)
, Compound Genetics Black Amber Drop (4/20)
Offensive Selections Exclusive Atlantica Drop (4/20)
In House Genetics Drop TBD
Purple Caper x Ed Rosenthal Drop TBD
Royal Queen Seeds New Drop
& MANY MORE!
Angel's Rest (F) by Offensive Selections
505 Headbanger Auto (F) by Mephisto Genetics
Apple Peelz (F) by Dirty Bird Genetics
Discounts
Private Label 10% OFF
& MORE coming later this month!
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Barney's Farm BOGO (Cont.)
Dirty Bird Buy 2, Get 1,
In House Genetics BOGO (Sugar Pie)
, Mosca Seeds New Drop BOGO (Creme Cartel)
& MORE coming later this month!
FREEBIES
Keep Seeds Legal Donation Freebies at Checkout
Purple Caper Freebies Updated to 7 FREE per pack
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Purple Caper x Skunk Magazine Collab Freebies
Romulan Genetics Freebies (Spiced Sugar F1)
Offensive Selections Freebies
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& MORE coming later this month!
BOTW
Ethos Genetics (Double Freebies / 10% OFF / Giveaway)
Barney's Farm (10% OFF / BOGO)
James Loud Genetics (Double Freebies / 10% OFF)
4/20 Preview
HUGE Breeder Freebie Bundle Starts 4/19 (Barney's Farm, Brother's Grimm and In House Genetics OR Fastbuds, Mephisto and Twenty20 Mendocino)
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Lamb's Breath BOGO
Atlas Seed BOGO & MORE
Giveaways from Gnome Automatics Vault, Bomb Seeds and a HUGE 4/20 NASC Giveaway
Discounts on North Atlantic Seed Co BWL, NASC Private Label, NASC Commercial Cultivars, Sin City Seeds, Royal Queen Seeds, Purple Caper, Brother's Grimm, In House Genetics & MANY MORE!
Ethos Genetics shares 3 tips for new growers and their top recommendations! Don't miss out on all the great deals from Ethos Genetics for Breeder of the Week!
Wrotten Fruit Fem Photo no longer available as of 4/5. Double freebies still awarded at checkout thru 4/9 12pm EST.
Top 3 Tips For New Growers:
Don’t be cheap with the light
Choose the right substrate for your environment and desired grow conditions
Take the time to ensure potential threats have been mitigated, substrates have been properly prepared, and tools have been thoroughly sanitized
Favorite Breeding Project: Banana daddy auto – beginning in 2008 as Colin’s first work with AUTO Flowers, he then worked it for at least 10 rounds before having something he was ready to expand on for commercial release. Banana Daddy AUTO was the first auto flower to qualify to Colin as “head stash” worthy.
Story time: Many years ago—back when regulations were far grayer than they are today—an operation found itself under scrutiny, with an inspection looming that could have meant the loss of a full, nearly finished crop.
Faced with the reality that those plants would likely be ordered destroyed, an unconventional solution emerged. As it turns out, certain rental trucks come equipped with translucent roofs. The plants were carefully loaded up and relocated to a remote area west of the city, where they remained for four days.
Thanks to that filtered natural light, the plants maintained a consistent 12/12 cycle and carried on as if nothing had changed—completely unaware of their temporary change in scenery. Sometimes, survival comes down to timing, creativity, and a little bit of luck.
In Nov 2025, a statute was passed in the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act that will federally redefine and criminalize most cannabis seeds sold in the US by excluding them from the previous definition of hemp set forth in the 2018 Farm Bill. Set to take effect on Nov 12, 2026, seeds will become recognized as “cannabis” rather than “hemp” if themother plantcontains over 0.3% THC.
This new statute – found in Sec 781, Exclusion C –undermines the definition of hemp as set forth by the 2018 Farm Bill, and it reverses the 2022 DEA ruling that effectively legalized cannabis seeds by clarifying the DEA’s operative definition of hemp as inclusive of cannabis seeds.
The 2018 Farm Bill defines hemp as any part of the cannabis sativa L plant, including the plant itself and the seeds thereof, that contain 0.3% THC or less on a dry weight basis. Cannabis seeds contain 0% THC, and are therefore federally recognized as hemp.
The new statute, found in Sec 781, Exclusion C of the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, excludes seeds from the previous definition of hemp if the seeds were derived from a plant that contains more than 0.3% THC. This shifts the onus from the seed to the mother plant.
As a result, legal interstate sale of cannabis seeds will no longer be permitted under federal law. Banking and payment processing will become inaccessible to cannabis seed businesses and breeders, and shipping carriers like USPS will no longer ship cannabis seeds. Despite containing 0% THC, cannabis seeds will become a Schedule III drug.
NASC has been working hard behind the scenes to advocate for sensible changes to this statute before it takes effect this November 2026. By teaming up with industry leaders, attorneys, and politicians, we are hopeful we can get the job done. Now more than ever, we need to unite as a community to fund this effort, to educate our politicians and our peers, and to make our stories, our experiences, and our voices heard.
This week, North Atlantic Seed will be launching the Keep Seeds Legal! Limited Series. With the help of our breeders and allies, we hope to raise money to fund this cause. 100% of proceeds from the sale of any items on this limited edition menu will go to the Keep Seeds Legal advocacy effort. If this is an issue you care about, please consider shopping from the KSL menu this season, and check back regularly as we hope to continue expanding upon the line with added breeders and genetics.
In addition, you will find that you can make a donation at check out should you choose, and we plan to pair this with free seeds in order to give back to all of our amazing customers who donate to this important cause.
If you are willing to reach out to your state US Representatives and Senators, here you will find a website called Democracy.io which simplifies and streamlines this process. Below are some helpful messaging points to lean into. We strongly encourage everyone to make this as personal as it can be, and to lean into the talking points and issues that matter most to your elected politicians. We recognize that doesn’t always align with what matters most to us as individuals or collectively as a community and industry; however, if we expect results, we have to speak the same language they are speaking, meet them where they are at, and attempt to resonate.
Key Messaging Points:
We think the cannabis/hemp seed exclusion set forth in Sec 781(c)(1) of the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act should be removed entirely from the bill.
Cannabis Sativa L seeds contain 0% THC, and they are not intoxicating. We feel they should be regulated the same way all seeds are regulated in the US–as an agricultural input. Cannabis seeds should not be lumped in with intoxicating end-products. Doing so unnecessarily overcomplicates an already complex regulatory issue by placing two very different and very nuanced things (agricultural inputs versus intoxicating substances) under the same regulatory umbrella, and categorized as equivalents as Schedule III controlled substances.
As written, we feel this law will inhibit economic growth, research, and innovation across multiple industries, from industrial hemp to medical research and science initiatives. This law effectively limits the gene pool necessary for innovation in breeding, an issue which is equally relevant to research communities as it is to the US industrial hemp industry. Much like any other crop, scientists require access to genetics in order to isolate and breed forward the desirable traits they are seeking, while breeding out undesirable traits. Beyond just that, genetic diversity is crucial to creating and innovating any vigorous, elite crop.
The US is well-positioned to be a world leader in the hemp genetics space if we can create a safe regulatory environment for businesses and scientists to innovate and thrive. This statute hamstrings the work we’ve done to set the US apart as trail blazers. There are businesses all over the world attempting to mimic the US’s hemp genetics in order to fulfill demand. Up to this point, it has been nearly impossible to do business outside of the country in the hemp genetics space due to an unclear and often contradictory regulatory framework. US Customs has seized millions of dollars of hemp seeds from US businesses who are 100% compliant with federal law. This bill now threatens our ability to do business and innovate within our own country as well, and we expect that to have a devastating effect on small businesses, their employees, and the state and federal economies that rely on the economic impact this industry has.
By purchasing one of the following packs, you can help fund the legal future of cannabis seeds! Donation options also available at checkout!
Happy Valley Genetics shares 3 tips for new growers and their top recommendations! Don't miss out on all the great deals from Happy Valley Genetics for Breeder of the Week!
3 TIPS FOR NEW GROWERS
For Autoflowers, focus on protecting your roots! We can do this in two ways: i. Start the seed in the pot you intend to finish in. Minimizing transplants will also minimize stress to the taproot. ii. If you let your plants get rootbound, they will go into flower too early. If you’ve ever grown an auto and ended up with a little nug on a 8” stalk, this is probably why.
When you’re using liquid nutrients, don’t overdo it on the additives and boosters. There are a lot of factors that contribute to bud size, density, smell, and aroma. Using 8 different PK boosters with 5 different sweeteners almost always does more harm than good.
There are so many variables we can change from run to run. When we change multiple variables on each run it can be almost impossible to figure out what’s actually moving the needle in your garden. My recommendation for new growers is to be consistent in your garden and if you are going to switch things up, do it one variable at a time. This way when you see a positive change, you know exactly what led to it.
FAVORITE BREEDING PROJECT
My favorite project was our most recent round of releases with pollen from our Super Lemon Haze IBL #119. It represented a lot of hard work and pheno hunting on our end. We took a robust, stable, high THC SLH and hit it against our favorite production cuts from our vertical business. I personally like really gassy varieties and making hash. Our SLH IBL #119 crosses check those boxes for me. *These include the following varieties Dowtown Haze, Haze Burger, Lemdawg, Lemon Prime, Lemon Smuggler, Permanent Haze, Sour Berry Shake and Super Belts.
STORY FROM THE GARDEN
This is an easy one to answer! On our first round of seeds, our Associate Director of Cultivation and I were taking pheno notes on roughly 120 GMOZ x End Game #3 crosses in week 9 of flower. We were up on step ladders with lights on going from plant to plant to checking for terps, structure, herms, and overall structure. I can remember being at the top of the bench when one of us said “these are on another level!” A few weeks later we were still struggling to come up with a name (surprisingly, this is one of the harder parts of releasing new varieties) when we just looked at each other and were like “what about Another Level?” Coincidentally, this is also one of my favorite varieties we have released to date.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY CATEGORY
Outdoor Recommendations
Oh My Thai Auto
Overtime (F)
High Yield Recommendations
Everglades OG Auto
Lemdawg (F)
Beginner Friendly Recommendations
Easy Button Auto
Candy Games #25 (F)
High Test (THC) Recommendations
Pineapple Diesel Auto
Haze Burger (F)
Terpene Heavy Recommendations
Shortcut Auto
Game Over (F)
Disease Resistant Recommendations
Pineapple Diesel Auto
Lemon Prime (F)
Extract Recommendations
Everglades OG Auto
Sour Berry Shake (F)
Short Flowering Time (Under 8 Weeks) Recommendation
Read further for advice about strain selection for your outdoor garden, including the new NASC Commercial Cultivars line.
Considerations For Outdoor Strain Selection
Flowering Time: A cannabis plant will likely not last through multiple frosts, so keep the flowering time in mind if you live somewhere that starts to experience colder temperatures in October. Late September-early October is a sweet spot for Northern and New England climates.
Resistance: Considering a strain's resistance could narrow down your options. Keep an eye out for strains that are resistant to common outdoor problems such as mold, mildew, septoria, and pests.
Seed Type: For the beginner grower, I would caution against putting regular seeds in your garden without sex testing. A burst pollen sack outside is infinitely more detrimental to other plants in stages of flower than a similar situation inside, simply due to natural winds and air movement. Check the sex sites of feminized plants as well.
For more details On preparing your outdoor garden, check out this post!
The genetics you will find in NASC’s Commercial Cultivars line have been carefully selected by industry veterans for their overall commercial crop viability. This includes outdoor resilience and resistances, early finishing times, complex terpene profiles, high performing test results, extract performance, overall bag appeal, overall plant and flower morphology, dependability and stability. These are genetics that have been bred and tested in large commercial settings with the utmost integrity, and these are genetics that you can trust, at a price point that is reasonable.
Click the images below to learn more about each of these strains!
Cannabis plants are dioecious which means they can be male or female. The bud/flower and extracts people consume comes from female cannabis plants which produce cannabinoid rich trichomes. These trichomes house THCA (the precursor to THC) and other cannabinoids that have physical and mental effects when ingested.
While male plants can produce THC, they are much less potent than females and are not desirable for consumption. Male plants also produce pollen that can cause female plants to create seeds. This is usually not desirable for most growers who are looking to maximize flower yield and potency. Once a female plant is pollinated, it will focus more of its energy and resources to creating those seeds rather than focusing on floral growth and trichome production which will end up affecting your final yield and lowering the potency of your crop.
If you’ve seen some seeds being advertised as “Reg” or “Regular” and others being advertised as “Fem” or “Feminized seeds” then you’ve probably wondered what the distinction is. (Get Fem seeds here)
A regular (reg) seed is made by a natural female cannabis plant being pollinated by a natural male cannabis plant. There is a 50/50 chance for each seed to be female or male from a batch of reg seeds. (Get Reg seeds here)
Feminized seeds are made by forcing a female cannabis plant to produce anthers through chemical means or through rodelization. Once a female plant produces anthers it is only capable of passing along X sex chromosomes so almost all the seeds from a batch of “fem” seed will be females.
There is still an approximate 1% chance of chemically feminized seeds producing a male or producing plants with hermaphrodite traits (i.e. having both male and female parts on the same plant). This is because of evolutionary drives in the plant to reproduce which can sometimes overcome the feminization process.
This same concept applies to non-feminized plants as well since hermaphroditism is possible in any cannabis plant. Appropriate horticultural practices and careful breeding to lock in genetic material that produces desirable traits are required to greatly reduce your chances of finding male flowers (anthers) in your female plant.
FEMALES
Female cannabis flowers produce pistils. A pistil is the female reproductive organ of the plant and contains the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigmas are the small white hairs that come out of a female flower and are used by the plant to catch pollen and then transfer it down the style into the ovary where seeds are created.
The presence of these emerging hairs indicate that your plant is a female and, when grown appropriately and depending on genetics, will produce dense, cannabinoid rich flowers. These stigmas will start to form out of bracts that are located at the axils or nodes of the plant. These are the areas where a leaf or new branch is growing out from the main (or apical) stalk of the plant.
A female cannabis plant showing its slender, white stigmas growing from the bracts.
Another female cannabis plant with developing stigmas. The extra-long white hairs are hard to miss!
This is a female cannabis plant. Note the long, slender white hairs (stigmas) growing from the green bracts at the node (where the branch diverges from the main stalk).
MALES
Male cannabis plants produce stamens which are composed of an anther and a filament. The filament is a cylindrical tube that holds the bulbous, ovoid anther up. The anther is the part of the male cannabis plant that produces pollen. Anthers will grow in the same spots as pistils would on a female cannabis plant but look much different. When first forming, male anthers look like a ball on a stick and then will elongate over time into a banana-like shape. If you see anthers on your plant and no stigmas you can be sure it is a male. If you are growing for flower yield and potency, you will want to remove and discard any males before they pollinate your females.
Anthers forming at the bud sites on this male cannabis plant. These banana or pod-like growths will eventually open and release pollen.
A close up of male anthers. These are also still young but will release pollen if not removed from the room. Unless of course you’re breeding, in which case let them grow!
A male cannabis plant showing mature anthers. (the banana or pod-like appendages). These are getting close to opening and releasing pollen.
Male plants aren’t useless and for some people, they are very important. Some growers keep their males to purposefully produce seed. The creation of many new strains is done this way. Many breeders “hunt” their males to select traits they believe will be beneficial to the next generation just like they would “hunt” (grow out many and select the best from that crop) female plants. They then remove the undesired males from their grow space and allow the chosen male(s) to pollinate a portion of or all their space. Some growers also wish to make seed to save for next year’s crop.
Methods of Identifying Males and Females
The oldest way of checking to see if your ‘reg’ plants are male or female is to “sex them.” This refers to changing the light they receive to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness to prompt the plant to begin making reproductive organs (i.e. pistils and stamens).
Some people will make this light change occur early in the growth process to see what characteristics the plant will express and then will take any females they want to grow and “re-vegging” them or placing them back into a more light-heavy schedule (18hrs Light/6hrs dark, 20 hours light/ 4 hours darkness, etc.) to cease the promotion of flowering.
This allows the grower to see what sex their plants are and discard any males before continuing to veg out and then bloom the females to get the potent buds at final harvest.
This method has some drawbacks to it, namely the need to re-veg an entire plant or to take cuttings from all the plants you want to flower out, cloning them, and then sexing out the clones. This can be labor intensive and can also stress any female plants out with the switches in light schedule.
The stress endured by the females can translate, in some instances, into those females producing male and female parts when blooming out again for the second time.
This is also not always the most feasible method for outdoor growers who will have much more difficulty in precisely manipulating daily light schedules.
For many people who grow reg seed, they will flower out their entire crop and watch closely to identify and remove any males before any pollen is dropped. This avoids adding stress to all of your plants but also is time intensive and requires vigilance to ensure your crop is not seeded.
Fortunately, with advances in technology there is a fast and simple way to identify plant sex way before they get anywhere near large or old enough for their flowering stage.
Many commercial labs across the U.S. are now offering sex ID testing for as little as $20 per plant. Around 3 weeks after being planted, young plants are able to be tested. All that is usually required is a couple of small hole-punch sized pieces of leaf that is placed in a plastic bag, sealed, and then mailed to a lab for testing. Some labs require an entire fan leaf to determine sex but even this is a small amount of material to gather.
This option allows growers to very quickly determine male from female plants and saves a lot of time and resources from being wasted on any unwanted males.
We hope this guide has been helpful in identifying male and female cannabis plants. Remember to always check in on your grow to ensure any unwanted anthers don’t appear or are removed immediately. Happy harvest!
We are very excited for to share our thoughts on this limited drop by Dirty Bird Genetics. If you were lucky enough to get a pack of Black Goliath Auto, this is what you can expect after you grow her. Black Goliath Auto is (Anvil F7 X Sour Gorilla (Sour Apple X Strawberry Gorilla)). Read on to learn about our experiences.
The first thing I noticed was the bag appeal. These were chunky and dense nugs with an overall tint of purple. The orange hairs were extremely prominent. The nose on this one was a combination of sweet florals and a muskiness. The sweetness comes across more than the musk on the exhale, making it smooth and pleasant overall. It comes with a pretty balanced effect. I felt uplifted and like I could function, but not with anything requiring deep concentration or thought. It is so calming and without that side of sleepiness. She can help me tackle Sunday chores, but she definitely deserves to be smoked in nature or around fun people. - Crystal
This strain is a treat! The first ever autoflower by Dirty Bird Genetics does not disappoint. Black Goliath's buds are super dark purple and when I ground it up it looked like black crystals in the bowl. It smells sweet and peppery. I love a good indica, and this strain (Anvil F7 x Sour Gorilla) is definitely a favorite. It made me feel totally calm, my brain and body were super relaxed without being too sleepy. I'm really lucky I got to try this one as it is super exclusive and sold out already. If you missed it l am truly sorry! Better luck next time! - Mariah
Read more about the differences between Alpha Series, Limited Series, & Tester packs.
Elev8 Seeds shares 3 tips for new growers and their top recommendations! Don't miss out on all the great deals from Elev8 Seeds for Breeder of the Week!
3 TIPS FOR NEW GROWERS
Don't plant anything until you have your room completely dialed in. That means, Temp/RH/ 100% light tight, i.e., no light leaks/ fans/ light timer/exhaust, dehumidifier or humidifier depending on your climate. After all this is right its time to plant.
Patience. Your plants wont grow faster by feeding stronger, in fact, if you over feed you can damage them.
Never interrupt the plants night cycle. In flowering stage this can cause hermaphrodites or even switching back to the veg cycle.
Story From The Garden - Protect Your Eyes! I like to use plant stakes instead of trellis netting, once I bent over to observe a plant closely and the stake hit right next to my eye, hard to believe, but I didn't see it coming! so from then on I put a cup, can, something on the top of the stake.
All About The Terps: Magnolia Motel Magnolia Motel, back from testing, soon to be released along with 3 other GG4 crosses. the Terps in the Magnolia Motel are soooooo tasty! We’re talking about tangerine and vanilla, and lots of it. The flavor lasts and lasts. If you are looking for something so tasty you want to take a bite, I highly recommend the Magnolia Motel from our newest series the “Glues Brothers”
Washers If you are looking for some “washers” and you don't mind growing some non feminized seeds I would recommend any of the regular seeds we offer. they were specifically bred to be outstanding washers. And if you want to get a quick heads up on which are male, which are female you can use this really simple , accurate sex testing facility--https://farmerfreeman.com/ I use them, saves so much time, cull the males, grow the girls!!
P: Parent Plants when beginning a cross. This is more of an arbitrary designation when beginning to breed a line to identify the two plants you started your project with. This will rarely be shown in this form on most commercial seed product. Many products that do include parentage will often cite “Mother” and “Father” for parent plants.
F1: The first Filial generation. A cross of two unlike parent plants. Term used for regular breeding of a natural female and a natural male plant.
PFemale x PMale = F1
F2: The second Filial generation cross of two F1 progeny (offspring).
F1 (Female) x F1 (Male) = F2
F3: The third Filial generation cross of two F2progeny.
F2 (Female) x F2 (Male) = F3 and so on for successive generations.
IBL: Highly stable cross, typically F5 or greater, with very little genetic diversity in progeny.
R1: First generation cross of two unlike parents (same as F1) but indicates the pollen donor was female (feminized).
PFemale x PFemale Pollen Donor = R1
S1: “Selfed” Generation 1. Ultimate form of inbreeding. A feminized cross of a single plant bred into itself. This could be done with a single source plant that has some of its nodes feminized with the rest left to develop female organs naturally. The feminized branches will grow anthers and pollinate the remaining natural female organs (ovules within the pistils) producing seed that inherits its genome from a single genetic source instead of from two different genetic sources. Selfing can also be done via cloning the source plant and making either the clone or the source plant the pollen donor and the other the pollen receiver or by doing the same procedure with two clones from the exact same source plant.
P Source x P Source / P Source x P Clone / P Clone x P Clone = S1
Bx: Back cross. Label used when progeny is crossed back into one of its parents.
F1 (Female) x PMale or PFemale x F1 (Male) = Bx1 (Backcross 1)
RBx: Reverse Back cross. Same as backcross but with a female pollen donor instead of a natural male pollen donor.
F1 (Female x PFemale PollenDonor or PFemale x F1 (Female Pollen Donor) = RBx1(Reverse Backcross 1)
With 20+ years of cultivation experience and over 250 unique varieties created SinCity Seeds is among the worlds most respected cannabis breeders. They stand behind their work and always offer a full satisfaction guarantee on all their products.
The NASC Cast Crew had the pleasure of sitting down with Don of Sin City Seeds. Listen to what he has to say below, and follow us on Vimeo for even more content!
Sticky Finger Seeds is a Cannabis genetic collective that specializes (takes pride) in growing and breeding heirloom and landrace cannabis genetics. Now closing in on five decades of cannabis farming and breeding cannabis enthusiast Will Grinnell has been seeking, trading, purchasing and collecting a variety of the best cannabis genetics possible, along with the Sticky Finger Seeds collective of heritage craft farmers and their seed collections.
The NASC Cast Crew had the pleasure of sitting down with Will of Sticky Finger Seeds. Listen to what he has to say below, and follow us on Vimeo for even more content!
Reg or regular seed is seed produced with a natural male pollen donor and a natural female cannabis plant. Fem or Feminized seed is produced with a female pollen donor and a natural female cannabis plant.
Regular seed can produce male (XY) and female (XX) plants. Either laboratory testing or growing some seeds out and sexing them can help you identify if they are male or female. Males obviously make pollen which, when hitting a stigma, traveling through the style then into the ovary on a female plant, will cause the females to create seed. This can easily ruin a crop if a grower is going for seedless flower which makes identifying plant sex very important early in the growing process.
There is nothing wrong with regular seeds. They can still produce amazing plants as long as they’re tended to appropriately just like with plants from feminized seeds. The main difference is knowing you’ll have to pop more seeds to account for any males you may have to get rid of if you’re going for seedless flower. Many people prefer regular seeds over feminized seeds for many reasons. One such reason is to breed their own strains and to create their own seed for next year’s grow.
Feminized seeds produce 99.9% female seeds due to the pollen donor being female (XX). Since a female in these instances is made to create pollen there is no ‘Y’ chromosome to pass along thus no natural males should be able to form from the seeds produced. This results in almost all the seeds from a feminized pollen donor (XX) and a natural female cannabis plant (XX) being female. This can save much time by cutting out the need to sex plants when planning for your particular grow space and harvest goals. Feminized seeds are preferred by many people as well for many reasons. One big reason being the time and money saved on growing out many possible males and sexing or testing them before discarding them.
Both regular and feminized seed can lead to plants that show hermaphroditism (male and female sex organs/ anthers and pistils on the same plant) if not cared for properly or if poor parental choices were made by the breeder during seed creation. It is important to regularly check on your plants to monitor for unwanted anthers and remove them or the entire plant before they pollinate the other females in the grow space.
Regular Seed
Feminized Seed
50% chance of male or female plant
Can exhibit hermaphroditism
Can produce amazing plants with high yields
99.9% Chance of female plant
Can exhibit hermaphroditism
Can produce amazing plants with high yields
Photoperiod vs AutoFlower (Photo vs Auto)
Photoperiod plants, or “Photos,” are cannabis plants that require a change in the amount of light they receive to trigger flowering. Generally 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of darkness will prompt photoperiod plants to create their sex organs (pistils/buds for female plants and anthers for male plants) and grow their flowers. This is often called “12/12” or “12/12 lighting.”
Auto-flowering plants do not require a change in light schedule to begin flowering and will do so after a certain number of days after being potted. This is due to the underlying genetics in auto-flower varieties that allow them to trigger flowering without any change in light schedule required. Auto-flower plants are not good candidates for cloning as they have a short window of time in vegetative growth before they start flowering out. This means any cuts taken from the ‘mother’ will still flower around the same time the mother would, making them poor choices for mother plants.
Some breeders have labeled particular strains as “Fast” or ‘Fast Flower.” This generally means the plant is still a photoperiod plant and will require a change in the amount of light/darkness it received to trigger flowering but that it will complete its flowering period much sooner than the average photoperiod plant.
Photoperiod
Auto-Flower
Requires change in light schedule to trigger flowering
Can be feminized or regular seed
Handles appropriate transplanting well.
Tolerance varies by strain
Good for cloning
Flowering triggered after a certain number of days regardless of light schedule
Can be feminized or regular seed
Does not handle transplanting very well
Bad for cloning
Regular and Feminized seeds can be either photoperiod or auto-flowering varieties
Examples:
A plant grown from a regular auto-flower seed would have a 50% chance of being male or female and would start flowering at a certain time after planting regardless of the amount of light it received.
A plant grown from a feminized auto-flower seed would have a 99.9% chance of being female and would start flowering at a certain time after planting regardless of the amount of light it received.
A plant grown from a regular photoperiod seed would have a 50% chance of being male or female and would require a change in the amount of light it receives to trigger flowering. (12 hrs light/12 hrs dark)
A plant grown from a feminized photoperiod seed would have a 99.9% chance of being female and would require a change in the amount of light it receives to trigger flowering (12 hrs light/12 hrs dark)
Disclaimer: Cannabis seeds are sold as souvenirs, and collectibles only. They contain 0% THC. It is imperative that you check your state and local laws before attempting to purchase seeds, and we are not liable for what you do with seeds after receiving them. The statements on this website and its products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your doctor before use. North Atlantic Seed Company assumes no legal responsibility for your actions once the product is in your possession and is not liable for any resulting issues, legal or otherwise, that may arise.
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Banana Brawler (F)Price range: $15.50 through $56.00
Do-Si-Dos (F)Price range: $16.00 through $59.50
Purple Punch (F)Price range: $17.50 through $63.00
Gaia F1 Auto-40%$28.80
Astro Lemonade F1 (F)Price range: $19.50 through $72.00
Cosmic Cheddar F1 (F)-40%$27.60
Orbital Banana F1 (F)-40%$27.60
Atlas F1 CBD Auto-40%$30.30
Sticky Queen (F)Price range: $17.50 through $63.00
