Ask the Budding Botanist: what are good strains for beginner growers?

strains for beginner

With more states legalizing cannabis, interest in cultivating the plant continues to rise. And while cannabis may grow like a weed, it takes time, care, and consideration to craft top-shelf buds.

GreenState knows that people have lots of questions about growing cannabis. To help take the guesswork out, professional cultivator Kurt Kinneman, owner of Kinnektion Farms, is here to answer your budding queries. From seed to smoke, GreenState has you covered.

RELATED: Ask the Budding Botanist – what are hydroponics in cannabis?

Question: what are the best strains for beginner growers?

A plethora of companies have entered into the cannabis seed space over the last decade. With an ever-expanding market of genetics, picking the right strain for your first grow can be an overwhelming decision. 

When selecting a strain, beginner cultivators should consider what terpenes and cannabinoids they desire, as well as the environment they will be growing in. Just like a beefsteak tomato or a cherry tomato, cannabis comes in many different varieties, so choosing one that you enjoy is essential. 

best strain for beginner
The best weed strains will always come from reputable breeders. Photo: GreenState Team / Canva

Know Your Breeder

Selecting seeds starts with choosing a breeder. Breeders have taken great care to create the best possible seeds, ensuring top-shelf genetics are passed on from generation to generation. When seeds are not properly cared for, diseases and plant infections can destroy a garden. All of the strains on this list are from reputable breeders known for quality genetics and stunning plants. New growers may also want to consider buying feminized seeds versus regular to help ensure the plants they grow are females since the female cannabis plants grow the smokable buds we all know and love.

Best Strains for Beginner Growers

Blueberry Muffin, Humboldt Seed Company

Humboldt Seed Company offers a wide selection of genetics, focusing on strains that produce large amounts of THC. These strains grow well both indoors and outdoors and provide a wide range of terpenes. 

Blueberry Muffin is an excellent choice for any beginner. It is a cross of Purple Panty Dropper and Razzleberry. This strain produces plants with high THCa levels. The plants like to grow into large bushes with resinous colas, making them a great selection for outdoor cultivators. The terpene profile is rich with berry notes and fresh-baked muffins.

Legendary Platinum OG. High Alpine Genetics

High Alpine Genetics produces seeds for a variety of cannabinoid production. In addition to their unique cannabinoid profiles, they have exotic weed flavors, too. With everything from citrus to gas, there’s a seed that’s right for every cultivator. 

The Legendary Platinum OG is an amazing strain that grows well both indoors and outdoors. It is a flagship strain from High Alpine that has been used in many of their crosses because of its amazing vigor and flower production. The Legendary Platinum OG is a wonderful selection for novice growers.

Cherrybern, Hoku Seed Co.

Hoku Seed Co. is another company producing seeds for many different cannabinoid profiles. The impressive variety of CBG and CBD strains gives cultivators a plethora of flavors to choose from.

Cherrybern from Hoku Seed Company is a cross of their Cherry Box and Bernabeo. The Cherry genetics produce plants with high CBD content. These plants tend to grow large, resinous colas, which makes them heavy producers of cherry-flavored colas. These genetics also provide great mold and pest resistance. This variety is a good selection for outdoor cultivators. 

CC29 x CC38, Canna Country Farms

Canna Country Farms seeds grow well in outdoor environments but can also thrive indoors. Canna Country produces some of the most unique terpene profiles available on the market, and its flowers have won awards across California. 

Their CC29 x CC38 seeds are a variety that will be great both indoors and outdoors. It’s a fast-flowering strain, which is great for first-time growers. This strain has a unique genetic profile, making it extremely resilient to pests and diseases. Due to its early flower induction and quick turnaround, it is an excellent strain for beginners growing outdoors.

Chem Brulee, Covert Genetics

Covert Genetics’ seeds perform well in an indoor environment and love organic soil. They have a large variety of gas and dessert flavors with high THC levels.

The Chem Brulee from Covert Genetics produces dense, resinous buds that taste like a creamy vanilla dessert. The strain has resilience to pests and mold and produces short, stalky plants. 

Tropicanna Cherry, Relentless Genetics

Relentless Genetics‘ strains are known worldwide. The brand’s seeds produce varieties best suited for indoor growing and will be a nice introduction for any beginner cultivator. They have a wide range of flavor profiles, and all of their genetics are high THC-producing strains. 

The Tropicanna Cherry strain is a flagship variety that produces dense resinous colas filled with a cherry blast. The taste finishes with a nice lemon and citrus flavor. The plants flower between eight and nine weeks indoors and early October when grown outdoors. This variety is a great choice for a first-time cultivator. 

What’s the best strain for beginner gardens? It’s up to you!

A strain that intrigues and has a profile that excites is going to be the best choice in the garden. Seeds for beginners should be short, manageable plants that are fast-flowering. This means there is less time for things to go wrong in the garden and also less plant training that will need to happen. 

Don’t be scared to try something that may not be considered easy, though. The joy of growing comes with experimentation. Keep trying to figure out what genetics grows best with your style!

Kurt Kinneman is a cannabis cultivator and owner of Kinnektion Farms. He is also a horticultural engineer at AI Grow, a provider of automation solutions for controlled environment agriculture. In addition to cannabis, Kurt also grows pumpkins on his family farm.