Mob Boss

Written by Ry on March 30th, 2012. Posted in Blog, Featured Post, Hybrid, Indica-Dominant Hybrid, Natural Remedies, Sativa-Dominant Hybrid, Strains

Mob Boss (ChemDawg D-dominant phenotype)

Mob Boss (Tang Tang-dominant phenotype)

Mob Boss Medical Marijuana Strain Profile

General Information

Type:  Hybrid

Genetics:  ChemDawg D x Tang Tang males

Geographic Origin:  California, USA

Seed Company/Clone:  Grindhouse Medical Seeds

Description:  A super-frosty Sativa-leaning hybrid, Mob Boss combines the notoriously hard-hitting Chem D with Grindhouse’s own Tang Tang male, which is a Sativa selection from Breeder Steve’s Blockhead known for imparting incredible resin coverage to anything it touches.  The photos above showcase both the Tang Tang-dominant phenotype of the plants as well as a Chem D-dominant one.

History

Story:  Among many aficionados, Chem D is believed to be the best of the ChemDawg family tree, possessing both an incredible flavor as well as a head-knocking cerebral effect which pulls even the highest-tolerance patients deeply into their couch (it yields better than the ’91 as well). Using this strain as the mother plant, Grindhouse’s chief breeder “Steele Savage” found the perfect match in a collection of Tang Tang males. This cross was released to the seed market in 2009, and these particular phenotypes were found in 2010 by Tierra Rojo.

Growing Information

Flowering Time:  60 to 70 days depending upon phenotype

Preferred Growing Medium:  The Tang Tang adds vigor and yield to the Chem D and branches well, making this a superb plant for SCROG methods, as it will produce large colas on well-trained side branches and continues growing more dense into the final week.  This plant seems to give the best combination of yield and quality when grown in a coco-based medium and fed heavily — the trichome production displayed from week 3 on is astounding and the Mob Boss tends to look like the “whitest” plant in almost any room due to the fan leaves being caked with densely-packed thin-headed trichomes.  The Tang Tang phenos will have more pointed colas while the Chem D will be more rounded and blocky at the tops.

Patient Expectations

Appearance:  One of the most trichome-laden strains we’ve ever seen at KindReviews, Mob Boss (especially the Tang Tang-dominant phenotypes) is absolutely covered with trichomes, from fan leaf stems to the tip of the large colas.  This distinctive appearance and very stout density makes its “bag appeal” off the charts for most patients, eliciting “wow”s from all but the most jaded connoisseurs.  When growing, the different phenotypes will be readily-apparent due to their differences in smell, but the Tang Tang-dominant phenotypes will be taller and will have a stronger, pointed central cola while the Chem D phenos will chunk up a bit more but stay shorter with rounded-top colas.

Scent:  An herbal-citrus aroma is the predominant one before the strain is broken apart — the Tang Tang side of the family is not known for its scent. Once broken apart, it displays a hint of the sharpness from the Chem D, but is still largely vegetal and citrusy.  The Chem D-dominant phenotypes will have a much sharper aroma with elements of the notorious chemical-skunk-citrus funk of the mother, but the Tang Tang still tends to tone the whole  package down slightly from the original D.

Flavor:  Like the smell, it’s not the most pungent thing around, tasting of herbal citrus with hashy notes in the background and a thick, expansive smoke.  Again, the Chem D phenotypes have a more assertive flavor and a lingering aftertaste of chem.

Effects:  Thanks to the Tang Tang influence, this strain isn’t nearly as heavy or overtly potent as the ChemDawg D, which is a good thing for many patients who still like to be productive during their day.  The couchy yet cerebral D influence is still felt though, especially in the second half of the experience (most strongly in the Chem-dominant phenotypes).  The Tang Tang phenos tend to be very clear-headed and smoothly uplifting, feeling like a moderate Sativa — the different expressions of this plant definitely deliver different effect packages.  Despite its absolutely ridiculous appearance, Tierra Rojo refers to this strain as a bit of a “show pony” in that it doesn’t quite live up to the insane potency that the looks promise.  Still, it’s above-average in potency and delivers a balanced effect which aids with muscle relaxation, mood elevation, appetite stimulation, and often gives a boost of energy as well (Tang Tang plants especially).

Dawg’s Waltz

Written by Ry on March 14th, 2012. Posted in Blog, Featured Post, Hybrid, Indica-Dominant Hybrid, Strains

(the samples and plants pictured above are all from Natural Remedies in Denver, CO)

DAWG’S WALTZ STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type:  Indica-dominant hybrid

GeneticsPurple Urkle x Tres Dawg (Chem D x [Chem D x Afghani])

Geographic Origin:  East Coast of the United States

Seed Company/Clone:  Limited seed release, but it’s mostly clone-only, with a few different select cuts floating around

Description:  Coming out of the breeding projects of a grower known as “High & Lonesome”, with the blessings of Top Dawg Seeds (the holders of Tres Dawg), this hybrid combines the legendary Purple Urkle clone with JJ-NYC’s fiercely potent Tres Dawg, which is essentially a Chem D backcross.  The Urkle imparts its signature coloration and some of its aroma and flavor, but the added sharp chemical kick of the Chem D makes everything more interesting than a standard “purple” and make this variety one of the strongest-smelling strains in almost any garden.  Also increased is the potency of the Urkle, making it much more sedative and hard-hitting cerebrally — this strain is best used in the evenings, as it can lead to sleep due to the deep relaxation and strong ocular effects is offers.

History

Story:  Bred by “High & Lonesome” (aka H&L), this strain is fairly new (circa 2009) and though it originated on the East Coast, it is quickly gaining a reputation for its potency and incredible smell through the medical marijuana dispensaries of Colorado and California.  The strain is named after a David Grisman song of the same name.  The so-called “Poodle Nuts” cut is the most prized and was selected and spread by a grower known as “forty”.

Awards:

Growing Information

Flowering Time:  54 – 60 days

Preferred Growing Medium:  Though it produces a moderate-to-large yield of rock-hard and large-calyxed buds, the Waltz also produces quite a lot of fan leaves, and fairly aggressive defoliation is suggested in order to maximize yield of lower bud sites.  The plant is a fairly heavy feeder, often requiring additional Cal-Mag through early flower.  It grows rather stout and bushy, with only a small stretch during flowering, mostly fattening up rather than growing upwards.  Taking it on the early side of the harvest window normally results in the best flavor and a more cerebral effect, while allowing some amber trichomes to develop puts this strain squarely on the Indica side of things effects-wise and seems to take some of the sweetness out of the flavor.

Patient Expectations

Appearance:  Dark leaves and purple petioles lend an undoubtedly Indica appearance to the plant overall, and it will often finish completely purple depending upon nutrient regime and temperature.  Most often the finished buds are a robust medium green with bright orange pistils, with mottled purple tinges appearing commonly on the top nugs moreso than the lower buds.  Large, fat calyxes bristle with tall, medium-headed trichomes which pack the surface with a density in the upper echelon of strains.  The buds are most similar to Urkle buds in overall appearance, round and swelled-up with a moderate amount of leaves mixed in.

Scent:  One of the most pungent strains we’ve ever encountered, the very complex interplay of the Urkle’s grape-spice musk and the Tres Dawg’s hair-curling Chem-skunk funk will impress anyone who likes an aggressive aroma.  The plant when growing will stink more than 95% of strains and that translates to the final product as well — buds left untouched will exhibit a more soft Purple-tinged aroma, but as soon as they’re broken apart, it’s deep ChemDawg acridness and skunk-fuel all the way.

Flavor:  Falling just shy of the aroma in terms of overall pungency, the Waltz’s flavor matches the qualities of the smell perfectly, offering the same blend of fruity-spicy Purple sweetness and overwhelming Chemmy funk.

Effects:  If raw potency is what you desire, the Waltz will certainly scratch that itch, hitting hard immediately and not letting up for a solid 2 to 3 hours, even catching veteran users by surprise with its complete package of effects.  An immediate burst of warmth and pressure in the eyes and a fiercely vibrating body effect blends perfectly and helps the user relax but also fills them with a strange cerebral energy which is conducive to sedentary activities and projects as well as socialization.  The initial 30 minutes to 1 hour period of effects feel like a true hybrid, with just enough Sativa influence to keep the mind active and the mood high — however, the Indica side of things normally takes over past that point, making the mental state more pensive and relaxed and continuing the loose, massaged feeling throughout the body.

The early ocular pressure converts to a heaviness and the latter parts of the effects are definitely Indica in nature, which makes this a good choice for an after-dinner medicating session leading into a restful sleep.  Don’t remedicate with this one if sleep is the goal, as it has a tendency to shoot you right back up to peak potency, which isn’t the best for sleeping just because it’s so strong mentally.  Dawg’s Waltz is a strain for true connoisseurs and patients who appreciate high-level potency and aroma with an Indica-dominant, yet balanced effects package.  Major appetite stimulation, ocular effects, muscle and mental relaxation, digestive relief, and mood elevation are the main medical benefits of this strain.

The White

Written by Ry on February 25th, 2012. Posted in Blog, Featured Post, Hybrid, Strains

(the samples pictured above came from Natural Alternatives for Health and Natural Remedies)

THE WHITE STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type:  Hybrid, trends towards Indica dominance

Genetics:  Unknown, thought to be a phenotype/S1 bagseed from Triangle

Geographic Origin:  Likely of Pakistan-Afghanistan origin originally, The White was popularized by Krome, who is out of the Southeast USA

Seed Company/Clone: Elite clone-only variety, though The White has been used in several crosses by breeders such as Dutchgrown Seeds, OGRaskal/Elite Genetics, and Reservoir Seeds

Description:  Named “The White” for the color of the finished buds (which absolutely drip with resin glands), this strain seems to be somewhere in the Kush family but is thought to have come from Triangle, an elite Florida strain.  Though it’s not considered a true OG among most collectors, it’s reached the stratified air shared with those elite OG cuts in terms of rarity and overall value.  The potency tends to be the most noteworthy trait of the strain aside from its incredible appearance, with many growers complaining of an overall weak taste compared to other OG-derived lines.

History

Story:  Straight from Krome via Lucid on icmag.com forums:  “My favorite plant in the garden.  It’s got a few names around my way, but the most common is simple “The White.”  For me, this is the one that I judge all others by.  This one has the high, flavor, potency, looks, everything.  The only thing is that it yields like crap.  I got it as a clone about 8 years ago from a friend and haven’t stopped growing her since.  From what I’ve gathered it was from some seeds called “The Triangle”.  Some friends grew it out and weren’t too thrilled and gave a cut to a friend. When he grew it it was the bomb! It’s been around in clone ever since.”

Another tidbit from Krome:  “My strain “The White” has no relation to White Widow to the best of my knowledge.  It’s called The White for one reason only; the color of the buds when finished.  Looks like they were just rubbed in confectionery sugar or something.  The real name of the strain is “Triangle.”  Got the name from being a 3 way cross.  Has nothing to do with location, as I’m far away from Cali and to the best of my knowledge, it was born and raised in my home town.  The Triangle Kush is another local strain that’s been around for years.  I really don’t want to get into its origins as it always seems to start a heated debate.”

Awards:

Growing Information

Flowering Time: Some growers take it as early as 50 days, but it’s most ready at around day 57-59, when the resin production is at its maximum.

Preferred Growing Medium:  The White is a pretty big feeder, though not a great yielder… it normally stretches 100-125% during flowering and responds well to early topping.  Fairly aggressive pruning of lower branches is recommended to maximize production of top and “neckbone” bud sites, which will produce the best, most dense final product.  It yields a little bit better than some finicky OG varietals, but is still definitely a connoisseur “headstash” type of plant as opposed to a production plant.  Copious early resin production makes some people cut her early, but the last few weeks is when she really piles on the trichomes, so patience is a virtue.

Patient Expectations

Scent:  Lemon, pine, and hash, with some oddly sweet qualities creeping in at times — definitely “Kushy” in nature, though not as sharp as some OGs, trending instead towards the musky side of things.

Flavor:  Not necessarily known for its taste (many breeders cross it for its trichome coverage with another, tastier strain), The White gives off a pine-heavy taste with hints of Kush spice.  The smoke is thick and expansive, filling the chest and often causing coughing, especially on larger hits.

Effects:  Very strong starting from the relatively quick onset, The White smacks the user in the face with a variety of cycling facial and cranial pressure changes as well as a warming sensation that creeps up behind the eyes.  The body buzzes, and the entirety of the patient generally feels heavily medicated by 30 minutes in — though The White tends to keep the user sedentary, the mind remains fairly active and acute.  A good strain for relaxing, it calms the body and mind without being overtly heavy or Indica in nature until later in the duration, when the eye effects tend to lull the user to an early slumber.  With strong mental and physical effects, The White has solid muscle-relaxing, pain relief, and anti-anxiety properties as well as stimulating appetite.  The effect tends to get heavier as it goes along, so some patients will find sleep aid properties to be present as well.

KindReviews:

The White – Natural Alternatives for Health – August 2011

The White – Herbal Element – May 2010

Sour Grape

Written by Ry on February 20th, 2012. Posted in Blog, Featured Post, Hybrid, Strains

(the samples pictured above are from Heartland Pharmacy and Mile High Green Cross)

SOUR GRAPE STRAIN INFORMATION

General Information

Type:  Hybrid (leans Indica)

Genetics:  Grape Ape x Sour Diesel

Geographic Origin:  California, USA

Seed Company/Clone:  Apothecary Genetics

Description:  Different from the Gage Green Grape Stomper which was renamed “Sour Grapes” by Blue Sky Collective in Oakland, this cut is from Apothecary Genetics and is their Grape Ape crossed with a Sour Diesel.  The hybrid produces larger nugs than the Ape and demonstrates the hybrid vigor one would expect from such a cross.  The mottled purple coloration and tangy sour grape-meets flowers aroma is immediately enticing to users, while the flavor and potent effects keep them coming back for more.

History

Story:  Bred by Apothecary Genetics from their Grape Ape mother, this strain is often confused with “Sour Grapes”, an alternate name for Gage Green Genetics’ “Grape Stomper”, an entirely different cross.  This confusion has not stopped either strain from gaining major popularity in both the California and Colorado medical markets.

Awards:  2011 High Times Denver Medical Cannabis Cup – 1st Place Hybrid (Mile High Green Cross)

Growing Information

Flowering Time:  55 to 62 days

Preferred Growing Medium:  A robust plant, Sour Grape branches well and responds positively to SCROG setups but can also be grown untopped for a fairly large single cola and moderate side growth.  This plant can take fairly heavy feedings and grows equally well in soil or hydroponic setups.

Patient Expectations

Appearance:  Like its parent strain Grape Ape, Sour Grapes tends to be a mottled purple rather than turning entirely purple, with a collection of soft almost pastel-like colors blending into a harmonious whole.  The nugs are of medium density thanks to a bit of Sativa influence added from the Diesel, but they still mostly retain the Grape Ape shape and overall structure.  Trichome coverage is above average but there is still enough room to let the color shine through (it doesn’t look white to the naked eye).

Scent:  An engaging mix of the two parent strains, Sour Grapes has a fairly soft grape sweetness in the bag but blows up into a complex sour fruit aroma with hints of flowers and incense lingering in the background.  It doesn’t tend to have outward Diesel elements, but the added sharpness can definitely be detected among the Grape-dominant package of smells.

Flavor:  Sweet and sour grape dominates the flavor, and the Diesel takes a definite backseat, never really being picked up except in that the taste is unlike the standard Grape Ape.  It has an expansive, thick smoke which can often cause coughing.

Effects:  As would be expected with the parental lineage, the effects feel almost like a 50/50 hybrid of Indica and Sativa, with both seemingly coexisting peacefully rather than pulling the patient one way then another.  A balanced mix of facial and head effects blend with a buzzing body that tends to be most comfortable when immobile, resulting in a relaxed but mentally-aware state that is suitable and fairly productive for sedentary mental tasks, but not particularly suited to more strenuous activity.  It hits hard early on and then peters out quite a bit after the hour mark, converting into more of a base relaxation but still retaining mental clarify and not reaching into the heavy, sleepy end of the Indica spectrum.

Sour Grape has shown promise in relief of digestive problems, nausea, anxiety, and mooderate muscle tension.  It also stimulates the appetite quite a bit while improving mood in an even-handed manner, making it suitable for patients seeking versatile relief for either day or night.

Ghost Moonshine

Written by Ry on February 19th, 2012. Posted in Blog, Featured Post, Green Dream Health Services, Hybrid, Indica-Dominant Hybrid, MMCs, Strains

(Ghost’s OG Kush x Blue Moonshine)

Indica-dominant hybrid

This sample is from Green Dream Health Services in Gunbarrel, CO — this particular phenotype selection from seed stock leans heavily towards the Ghost’s OG side of the spectrum.  Blue Moonshine adds an interesting musky sweetness to the zesty ginger-lemon OG flavor of the Ghost, and serves to thicken up the smoke as well as increase the heaviness of the effects.  This cross was originally made by Scott of Rare Dankness Seeds when he was operating Stone Mountain Wellness in Longmont, CO.

A light and floaty feeling throughout the head and body starts things off, feeling very Ghost-influenced at first, but some body heaviness creeps in later in the duration and grounds the experience a bit.  Ghost Moonshine is a very relaxing strain but is still somewhat “up” mentally, keeping the mood of the user elevated though steady.  The latter parts of the duration can have the user drifting off to sleep, so we recommend this strain primarily as an evening relaxation aid, perfect for an after dinner treat – it aids with muscle pain, anxiety, insomnia, appetite, and relief of migraines.

Featured Strain Story

Bling

A strain that resulted from a first-time breeding attempt by an East Coast grower named Monk, Bling combines a special clone-only White Widow from Colorado and pollen from a pair of Legends Ultimate Indica males. Learn more...