Lemon Zkittle-Creating cup winning genetics
The Zkittle genetics created quite a storm when they made their way into the west-coast dispensaries of the USA. THC levels around 25% were quite normal. This was combined with heavy yields and reports of near-maintenance-free growing. Dutch Passion brought the genetics to Europe and was overall winner at the 2018 HighLife Cup with Lemon Zkittle feminized seeds. The process of finding, improving and stabilising the genetics took a couple of years of seriously hard work, here is the story behind the making of a prize winner.
USA genetics keep getting better
The professionalism and scale of the USA legal cannabis industry is now so impressive that numerous breeders across the USA are identifying some really special genetics. Often these are found from breeders that have grown hundreds, or even thousands, of plants from seed. Selecting elite parents is done quite ruthlessly. Any plants that struggle to grow well, or show signs of ill health are quickly discarded. Only the heaviest yielding, healthiest plants are saved. Sometimes this is as little as 10% of the initial plants. Bud samples from these healthy and heavy individuals are sent for analysis. Only those with the best cannabinoid and terpene profiles are retained. This allows the breeders to remove as much as 80-90% of the remaining plants. The remaining plants represent the best 2-3% of the initial selection. It is these plants that really get the breeders excited. The best European breeders are bringing these genetics back across to Europe for further refinement.
Zkittlez. USA genetics with a special history
The Zkittlez line was created by 3rd Gen Family and Terp Hogz in the USA. Parent genetics came from a mix of Grape Ape and Grapefruit, along with genetics from an undisclosed parent. Zkittlez won 1st prize at the 2016 Emerald Cup in Santa Rosa, California. It became an instant hit in the USA. Famed for an unusually strong high and a notably feel-good effect, it was also easy to cultivate across a range of conditions. This was something that quickly attracted the attention of Dutch Passion. Great varieties are not that suitable for home growers unless they have a wide growing latitude and the ability to produce a powerful smoke in different kinds of conditions. Having a great genetic line that grows well only under a narrow set of conditions is never a crowd-pleaser. For a cannabis seed variety to succeed in Europe, it has to cope well with the multitude of home grow conditions across the numerous EU countries. That means the ability to grow well in various substrates and the ability to cope with indoor grow conditions which are not always fully optimized, such as high temperatures. Dutch Passion wondered if the Zkittlez genetics could be made even more robust without compromising quality. That’s where the Las Vegas Lemon Skunk came in.
Las Vegas Lemon Skunk crossed with Zkittlez
Old school home growers will know that a good skunk variety is one of the easiest to grow. Skunk’s are well known for an uncomplicated growing style, they require little in the way of special maintenance and plant care. A good skunk will grow itself and produce heavy yields as standard no matter what the growing system or growing medium. The idea behind crossing a high-THC Lemon Skunk with Zkittlez was to further improve the growing latitude. The final concept was to have the best of the west coast genetics in a form which would be really easy to grow in the wide range of home grown conditions. When growers with different types of grow systems and experience levels consistently turn out high THC harvests a variety gets a solid reputation and can go on to be a prize winner.
High terpene Lemon skunk and strong Zkittlez
Lemon Skunk and Zkittlez are often regarded as indica dominant varieties. But they also display sativa characteristics in some plants. When the Zkilltez was crossed with the Lemon Skunk, the most potent of the offspring was chosen, the lemon flavored Zkittle with bright green and yellow buds in bloom. This was also a stress resistant selection, which was another important factor when making a popular variety for home growers. Yields are heavy, THC levels are some of the best we have seen. What’s more, high THC is produced by these genetics even in non-optimized conditions. A forgiving variety is a popular variety. The Lemon Zkittle takes 9-10 weeks in bloom and is usually heavily frosted. She is around 60% sativa, and bred for potency with a strong terpene content for a full flavored taste.
Highlife Cup Champion
Lemon Zkittle was one of the best new varieties seen by the Dutch Passion team for some time. Some of the USA genetics are simply too special to ignore. Finding one of those rare genetic lines which deliver top drawer results time after time is not easy. But it is what all the home growers want to see. Initial feedback from the first Lemon Zkittle was good, and it continued. She became one of the fastest selling new varieties based just on word of mouth. Lemon Zkittle was grown under LED lights by a skilled grower and entered into the 2018 Highlife Cup in the sativa category. The Dutch Passion team were thrilled when she won the ‘Top Sativa’ prize. They were even more thrilled when Lemon Zkittle was voted Overall Best Variety at the 2018 Highlife Cup. The judges were impressed with the powerful anti-anxiety feel good high and the great terpene presence which delivers such a great aroma and taste.
