If you’re a budding Cannabis connoisseur, you’ll know that choosing the right genetics can make all the difference in the results of your grow.
But what are the perfect strains to grow in South Africa? And does it really matter if you’re growing it indoors?
The short answer to the last-mentioned is no. If you’re growing indoors, it doesn’t really matter what strain you’re growing from a genetics perspective. You can easily control the results of your harvest. Planning on growing outdoors? In that case, there are some strains that have gained popularity for growing particularly well on South African soil! These are considered to be some of the perfect strains to grow in South Africa
Durban Poison
Durban Poison is South Africa’s Cannabis pride and joy. This strain has a short flowering time of ±7-9 weeks, it smells and tastes great, and it will grow just about ANYWHERE (which can be said for almost all weed, so the fact that Durban Poison still stands out says something about the strain). It finds it’s origins in Durban, naturally. Durban Poison is also known as one of the world’s purest Sativa strains.
Swazi Gold
Swazi Gold is similar to Durban Poison in the sense that it is one of the purer forms of Sativa, but it has been specially cultivated to withstand the harsh conditions of mountainous Swaziland. This built-in grit translates in a plant that is shorter and stockier, with highly concentrated Citrusy terpenes.
Malawi
Malawi has a slightly longer flowering time, but the results are well worth it. An extended maturation time leaves the flower with pungent hints of resinous freshness and well-developed earthy terpenes. It grows tall and produces long, thin flowers.
Now that we’ve covered the country’s most popular strains, let’s have a look at how to choose the perfect seed for your growing conditions.
How to choose the perfect seed for your growing conditions
The most important consideration is choosing the perfect strain to thrive in the growing conditions you have available.
We chatted to Mahmoud Hanachi, who is Head of Genetics at Dutch Passion Seed Company, to find out exactly which seeds are ideal for the South African grower.
Make sure you’re growing feminised seeds
Dutch Passion was founded in 1987 by Mahmoud’s father in law, Henk van Dalen, who is a biologist with a love for cannabis. He pioneered the technology for creating feminised seeds.
“In the 90s we were only company that knew how to do it,” Mahmoud said. “Now it’s standard in the industry.”
The advantage of feminised seeds is that they only give rise to female plants, which create the consumable flowers you’re after as a grower.
As Mahmoud says, “You don’t want to waste your time on males that you’re going to throw out anyway.”
Research the best ways to grow according to your climate
“The beautiful climate in South Africa means you can grow any of our outdoor strains,” Mahmoud said.
There are a few optimised seeds that will thrive best depending on what region of South Africa you’re in.
If you’re growing in an area with high humidity or close to the beach, such as in KwaZulu Natal or Cape Town, then opt for a Dutch Outdoor strain. These genetics have been bred to cope with humidity, and will help prevent mould and mildew on your plant. Forest Dream is a great sativa-dominant option for less experienced growers because it grows easily and produces heavy yields.
If you’re inland and growing in the mountains, go for one of two High Altitude strains that Dutch Passion bred precisely for this purpose. The Snow Bud high altitude strain was created in the Swiss Alps and even features some original South African genetics.
If you’re in a particularly hot area of the country, go for a sativa dominant strain as it’ll cope better with the heat.
Ready to start growing outdoor? Here is your ultimate checklist for growing outdoors in South Africa!
