Five Easy to Grow CBD-rich Strains

A lot of people turn to cannabis to get stoned. For this, you need THC-rich strains. Then there is the other group of people who turn to cannabis mostly for its medicinal value, and they find comfort in CBD-rich strains. Unlike THC strains, CBD strains will not necessarily send users flying high.

People turn to CBD for a variety of medical reasons. Some of the most common uses of CBD include the strain or product's ability to reduce anxiety and depression or to treat chronic pain. While some THC strains could treat pretty much the same problems, the ingestion of THC would mean they’ll also get high. Medical users, especially those with a more complicated condition, are advised to avoid THC, and therefore better rely on CBD.

CBD is also praised for it can improve overall brain and heart health. It can help treat inflammation and offer relief to patients who struggle with various conditions. Sometimes cannabis doctors combine CBD with THC in the treatment of specific conditions, usually pain-related, such as arthritis or Multiple sclerosis.

CBD is a much safer option if you are a medical user, and if you also happen to be a grower or want to grow your own, below are five easy-to-grow CBD strains you can plant and nourish in your home garden.

1. Charlotte's Web

With an average of 13% CBD in its contents and only a trace amount of THC, Charlotte’s Web is one of the most famous CBD-dominant strains in the world, and it’s pretty easy to grow. For non-growers, it’s widely available in a range of products that treat anxiety, pain, depression, and perhaps its most lauded ability, the ability to reduce seizures in patients with epilepsy. The strain carries the name of a young girl and her family to whom this strain proved to be particularly helpful. The Charlotte case helped break taboos on the medical use of cannabis. The breeder of this strain has decided to honor the girl who triggered the CBD movement, naming the strain Charlotte’s Web.

Average flowering time: Between 9 and 10 weeks
Taste and flavor: earthy, woody, pine, lemon
Effects: energetic, focused, elated Harvest in October

Growing Charlotte's Web

With 60% sativa and 40% indica genetics, Charlotte’s web is a Sativa-dominant hybrid plant and it’s fairly adaptable, given that it can grow in both colder, warmer and arid climates. If you are growing more than one or two Charlotte web plants, and want to get more of its thick green buds, consider applying the SOG/SCROG growing method. Growing indoors, the plant will yield up to 400 grams per plant. Growing outdoors, the plant will grow more in height and could yield up to 500 grams. Charlotte's Web strain has medium resistance to mold, so if you are growing in more humid climates, watch for mold. Setting a humidifier to address humidity issues in indoor environments is recommended.  Move plants somewhere inside if your outdoor garden is too humid, or apply natural anti-mold solutions to protect your plants should they remain outside. See additional instructions from a supplier on how to set room temperature.

2. Sour Tsunami

One of the first strains that breeders engineered to be CBD-dominant rather than THC-dominant is Sour Tsunami. Sour Diesel and NYC Diesel are both part of the genetic makeup of this strain. It’s a sativa-dominant hybrid noted for its thick, dark green buds; its leaves are also dark green and with a tinge of purple. Sour Tsunami helps for treatment of pain and inflammation. It also has anti-seizure properties and can improve mood and well-being.

Flowering time: within 9 weeks
Taste and flavor: musky diesel smell with a tinge of sweet, citrus
Effects: uplifting and relaxing Harvest in early October

Growing Sour Tsunami

You can do it both at home and outdoors. However, Sour Tsunami is a bit more sensitive to colder climates, so if you live in more northern areas with fewer hours of sunshine a year, then it’s best to set up your crops in-house. Sour Tsunami can grow pretty tall. A taller plant means the Sour Tsunami is happy where it’s stationed. Its growth conditions are working, and it will yield more generously. Anticipate around 400 grams per plant; less than that if the plant is inside and more than that if the plant is outside. It's a bit more challenging to grow than Charlotte's Web, but it’s manageable.

3. Remedy

Remedy is an excellent agent against pain, stress, headaches and to wear off the bad moods and restlessness. It has almost no THC and nearly 18% CBD. With 75% indica in its genetic makeup, it’s a dominant indica strain.

Flowering time:Between 7-9 weeks
Effects: relaxing, elated, euphoric, but for some it’s also sleepy
Taste and flavor: sweet, earthy, pine, lemon, berry, floral Harvest in late September or early October

Growing Remedy

Anticipate around 300 grams per plant. Remedy plants will ideally thrive in Mediterranean-like climates or alternatively set up warm indoor spaces. There’s one downside with Remedy plants, however. Since seeds are hard to find, you will need to look for cuttings for cloning, which is a simple process. What would be more challenging is finding the grower who has of this plant. If you find the strain, don’t hesitate to grow it. With indoor growing, you may be compelled to harvest the plant earlier since Remedy will likely begin to flower when it enters its seventh week or so. It won’t hurt to give the plant an extra week and then to collect the buds. If you are growing for a summer planting session in your outdoor garden, anticipate flowering for this strain somewhere at the end of September. Outside, Remedy will sometimes give up to 400 grams against the standard 300 grams.

4. Critical Mass

Critical Mass has a pretty nice genetic mixture. It’s the daughter of iconic strains like Afghani indica and Skunk #1, and since it has a more significant proportion of THC, it’s a type of strain both medical and recreational users go for it. People use it to treat pain, depression, sleeplessness, inflammation, and muscle spasms to name some. It’s also a perfect relaxant if you want to have a peaceful evening by yourself or with close friends. It will relax your body so much that, if you plan to go to the gym after smoking, you should probably cancel your plans. The THC contents of Critical Mass can go up for as much as 20%, while its CBD levels are around 5%. It’s an 80% indica strain with 20% sativa. Critical Mass can give a generous yield of over 500 grams per plant, especially if you nourish it under a lot of sun.

Flowering time: within 8-9 weeks
Effects: relaxing, elated, euphoric, and for some it’s sleepy
Taste and flavor: earthy, sweet, strong, citrusy, skunky Harvest in mid-September

Growing Critical Mass

Critical Mass loves good sunshine hours. So, if you live in warmer climates, it’s relatively easy to grow this strain. This also means that if you don’t live in such an environment and if you grow Critical Mass at home, you must work to have a very well ventilated and dry space because mold may attack your flowers. Outside, shield the plants from rain and humidity. If the weather forecast indicates it will be rainy for the whole week, you probably want to move your crops somewhere inside or improvise with a shelter to protect the plants. Since it’s a generous strain, consider supporting the plants once they become abundant with buds to protect them from their own weight.

5. Suzy Q

It’s the name of a famous song by Creedence Clearwater Revival, but also the name of another high on CBD strain that’s easy to grow in your home garden. Suzy Q helps treat body pains and headaches; it alleviates stress, muscle tension, depression, or inflammation. This is a hybrid strain with up to 1% THC contents and CBD ranging between 5% and 25%. It’s also an excellent strain to use for making concentrates since it has an avid resin production.  

Flowering time: between 8 to 10 weeks
Effects: relaxing, uplifting, thrill-giving, and for some sleepy/hungry
Taste and flavor: earthy, woody, herbal, spicy, pine Harvest in the second half of October

Growing Suzy Q

Look for feminized seeds as the easiest grow solutions when it comes to Suzie Q. The strain loves good warmth and somewhat humid environments. Under the best circumstances, it will yield up to 400 grams of CBD weed. Suzy Q crops may benefit from some training during their vegetative stage. This will help manage the height of the plant, which might be an issue if you are growing in a smaller space. Ideally, you will grow it outside under the sun in rich soil, which will reinforce the terpenes, therefore also the smell and taste of the final flower product. Charlotte’s Web, Sour Tsunami, Remedy, Critical Mass, and Suzy Q are all strains that can be grown and managed by novice growers. The experience is always healing and high-rewarding. Happy growing!