Top 5 Indica Strains To Grow In Northern Climates

Growing in the northern hemisphere can be challenging, especially in some areas of Europe where conditions can be cold, wet, and even frosty.

Luckily, thanks to expert breeding, there are a variety of cannabis varieties, that’ll still produce excellent results even in the most unforgiving northern climates. In this post we share a handpicked list of our top indica strains to grow in the northern hemisphere.

GROWING IN NORTHERN CLIMATES

Before we begin looking at individual strains, it's important, that we understand the northern climate and what grow conditions we’re dealing with.

“Northern climate” is a term that loosely refers to any climate of the northern hemisphere. These conditions are very generalised by cold winters and relatively cool summers, but obviously vary between different parts of the northern hemisphere.

Regular cannabis depends on its photoperiod for flowering, and is also seasonal. That means, that northern growers will usually germinate seeds between April and May and collect their harvests between October and November.

One of the biggest concerns for growing in the north are cold weather and frost, both of which can have detrimental effects on the development of cannabis plants. While indicas are generally thought to be a bit better prepared for these conditions due to their origins (mountainous regions of India and Nepal), they still suffer in cold or frosty conditions.

It is important to realize, that we have painted a very general picture of northern climates here, and that conditions obviously vary between different geographical locations. Hence, it is really important you understand your local climate and how to prepare for it before beginning your grow op.

TOP 5 INDICA STRAINS TO GROW IN THE NORTH

Below is a special list of our top 5 recommended indica strains for northern growers. Read on for more information about each individual strain and remember; for the highest quality cannabis seeds delivered direct to your door, order at RQS today.

WHITE WIDOW

White Widow is easily among the most iconic weed strains on the planet. While the exact origins of this strain are very controversial, we guarantee it is a Dutch classic, born and bred right here in The Netherlands.

Our White Widow features exceptional genetics crossing a pure Brazilian landrace strain with a powerful indica from southern India. This makes for an extremely potent strain with strong grow genetics, that are perfectly suited for growing in the Northern hemisphere.

The plants will grow to roughly 2 meters in an outdoor environment and 1 meter indoors. They love plenty of sunlight, but have been so expertly bred, that they can hold up to the harsh conditions in cold climates like France, the UK, Germany and obviously The Netherlands.

Yields average at about 550 to 600 grams per plant, and flowering time is roughly 8-9 weeks. The final buds feature a really complex blend of flavors and aromas, a whopping 19% THC and medium high CBD levels. The ideal harvest time for our White Widow variety is late October.

CRITICAL

This is an classic RQS strain and seriously helped us build up our reputation over the years. We guarantee, that no other strain will produce such big yields in such short flowering times, making our Critical a must-have for every grower.

This is an indica-dominant variety featuring a really strong genetic background, that combines the robust nature of an Afghani landrace combined with the reliability and easy-to-grow characteristics of an original Skunk. The final product? A strain, that produces extremely potent weed even in the most unforgiving conditions.

These plants like to stay small, reaching roughly 1 meter indoors and about 180cm outdoors. They feature short internode spacing (characteristic of indica-dominant genetics) that make for stocky, yet profit-yielding plants.

Yields average at about 600-650 grams per plant outdoors and flowering times generally clock in around 7-8 weeks, making this a great strain for any grower who favors quick harvests. With 18% THC and low CBD levels, our Critical packs a strong punch, that’ll surprise even the most experienced smokers.

SPECIAL KUSH #1

Kush is the iconic indica strain, that every grower will want to have in their garden at least once. If you’re looking to add a new, powerful indica to your garden, this strain is not to be missed.

Featuring exceptional genetics, that combine an Afghan landrace with one of our original Kush varieties, this strain produces reliable results every time around. Think big, dominant plants, that produce big yields of extremely frosty and potent bud, even it when the conditions are subpar.

Plants will grow extremely bushy and tall, reaching heights of over 250cm outdoors. When grown indoors, these plants will still reach heights above 1 meter and will usually try to dominate their grow space. While they’ll perform well in most environments, you’ll notice these plants flourish best in warm outdoor conditions like those found in Italy or Northern Africa.

Outdoor yields can top 550 grams per plant, and flowering time is usually between 7-8 weeks. Our Special Kush #1 plants produce dense, indica-style buds, that pack a huge punch of over 17% THC. However, this strain has just enough Sativa genetics (roughly 20%) to give its high a nice, cerebral and uplifting edge.

SPEEDY CHILE

Our Speedy Chileis a new feminized version of the original autoflowering variety. It flourishes in both indoor and outdoor environments and makes for a great addition in any cannabis garden.

As a mix between Green Poison and Chile Indica, this is a 70% indica-dominant strain with powerful genetics, that make for beautiful plants, that are relatively easy to grow in a variety of northern climates.

Speedy Chile plants usually display very iconic indica traits, and tend to fill out the space where they growing like they would in the wild. In an outdoor environment, these plants will usually reach anywhere between 100-170cm, while only reaching a max height of 100cm indoors.

Our Speedy Chile is known for producing surprisingly big yields of up to 500 grams per plant in just a 6 week flowering period, making it another great quick grow along with Critical. It is best harvested around early September, when buds are just about to fully mature and covered in a thick coating of trichomes.

The buds of this plant boast a rich, full flavour profile and extremely pungent aromas. With an average of 16% THC concentration and low CBD levels, these nuggets will produce a relaxing, indica-style stone with some subtle cerebral effects as well.

NORTHERN LIGHT AUTO

No one can say they’ve grown indica until they've harvested this iconic strain. Northern Light is probably one of the most iconic strains, having laid its roots across the world where it is treasured for producing an extremely potent indica-style stone.

By crossing our original Dutch Northern Light with a ruderalis, this strain has retained its original traits in an easy-to-manage autoflower, that’ll surprise any grower who’s skeptical of autoflowering strains.

Flowering for just 5-7 weeks, this strain produces thick, dense, and resinous buds, that produce a stone, that neatly combines typical indica effects with some notable cerebral stimulation.

Our Northern Light Automatic will usually produce short, stocky plants, reaching outdoor heights of about 130-160cm. Yields can be surprising for such small plants, topping 220 grams per plant. THC levels of buds are roughly 14% and they are covered in a thick, frosty layer of trichomes.