New Year, New Genetics. Dutch Passion in 2019.

As a new year dawns, it signals the opportunity to enrich the quality of our genetic stock and introduce the most eye-catching of the new cannabis genetics. These days, there has never been as many exciting new genetics to choose from. The scale of the home grown and amateur breeding market has never been bigger and there hves never been as many highly professional legal licensed growers/breeders as we have today. But one country more than any other, at least at the moment, is producing a relentless onslaught of genuinely special cannabis genetics. That country is the USA.

The peace dividend from legalization.

California legalized the medical use of cannabis in 1996, they were the first USA state to do so. This allowed cannabis breeding and genetic selection to step up a gear on the west coast. Since then many other states have legalized cannabis for medical and/or recreational use. Americans have a track record of doing things on a bigger scale than the rest of the world, and the USA approach to cannabis cultivation has impressed many.

Large scale professional USA cannabis cultivation equipped with the best manufacturing practices, experienced staff and the most effective grow room technology has allowed rapid progress, especially in the last 5 years. Some growers cultivate thousands of plants per year from seed in order to identify a handful of special individuals. Here we are referring to the ‘one in a thousand’ plants which show exceptional properties. This is the really exciting part for any cannabis grower or breeder; finding the plant that you just know is a rare beauty. This could mean unusual color, an unusual cannabinoid profile or a different terpene profile. It could be an abnormally frosty and potent plant, or an unusually heavy yielder. You could be greedy and want all these properties in a plant. And why not. That’s just what most breeders and seed companies spend their lives thinking about.

As cannabis legality has improved it has become easier to find these special plants from the massive numbers being grown.

USA genetics.

Many USA growers prefer the consistency of growing from clones. This is a predictable way to produce crops. But other growers like to mix things up with seeds grown from a trusted seedbank. Often, they will plant several hundred seeds in their nursery from several different varieties in order to find just one or two keepers. Usually the lower yielding plants are quickly discarded and only the very best yielding plants are kept, labelled and re-vegged with the buds analyzed in a professional lab. From this selection, only the plants with the very best cannabinoid analysis are saved. The rest are discarded. From the remaining plants an experienced connoisseur, or more likely a group of them, will vote on the varieties with the best aroma, terpene profile and the most pleasurable high. Hundreds of seed-grown plants can result in just one or two elite new mother plants for the grower. It is these individual plants which create the most excitement amongst the professional growers. And it’s the reason that companies like Dutch Passion continue to bring the best of the USA genetics to their customers in seed form. But the USA don’t have a monopoly on the voyage of genetic discovery. More countries than ever are getting in on the act.

Cannabis genetics from South America, Canada, Israel and beyond.

South America is also seeing some great genetics evolve as the growing scene has improved significantly in several countries over the last few years, especially for medical users. Uruguay was the first to legalize cannabis in 2013. Up to 6 plants per person can be grown and up to 99 plants can be grown in a growers’ collective. But many other countries are passing laws relaxing the penalties for using and growing cannabis. Large scale legal farming is underway, and some great genetics are starting to emerge from South America.

Canada recently legalized cannabis and their cannabis industry is particularly agile. Free from the federal shackles which restrict the USA cannabis industry, Canada can more easily establish itself as an early leader in export opportunities. In the USA federal restrictions can make moving cannabis across state lines a bureaucratic minefield, Canada has no such issues. Meanwhile Canadian companies are already exporting cannabis to South America, Australia/New Zealand and Europe. Some of the smart money is on the Canadians to start producing some unique new cannabis varieties of their own in the next year or two, maybe even rivalling USA quality. Meanwhile, European breeders continue to produce quality genetics as they have always done and hope that large scale cultivation comes to their shores soon. Israel is another country with relaxed medical laws and a love of cannabis, they could also be a future source of great genetics.

New USA varieties from Dutch Passion.

Dutch Passion are bringing out 3 feminized photoperiod varieties and one feminized autoflower variety with USA genetics for the start of 2019. These are the best genetics that we have seen during the previous year or two. They were selected for ease of growth, heavy yields and they all produce super strength cannabis. As well as being available for Dutch Passion buyers, these varieties will be grown by the Canadian licensed producers Weed Me and MYM, who have partnered with Dutch Passion. This means that buds from these varieties will be produced, sold (and maybe even exported out of Canada) with the Dutch Passion name and logo.

Mokum’s Tulip® has a sweet scent similar to a Dutch Tulip, this mind-numbing photoperiod feminized variety combines Gelato and Sherbet. Terpene rich and THC rich, this XXL variety has rock hard buds, heavy yields and an exhilarating high.

HiFi 4G® Combines extra potent genetics from WiFi OG (also known as White Fire OG) with the award winning Glueberry OG. This heavy yielding and hard-hitting Kush-inspired photoperiod feminized variety seriously transforms your experience listening to music. Top-drawer mental anesthesia.

Meringue®. Combining the acclaimed Wedding Cake with an elite clone of Animal Cookies, this is a heavy yielding photoperiod feminized variety with a potent feel-good high and a blissfully relaxing experience. The high seems to last all evening.

Auto Lemon Zkittle®. Due to popular demand, this is the auto version of the Dutch Passion Highlife Cup 2018 overall champion. Auto Lemon Zkittle is simply a connoisseur quality XL yielding auto with a beautifully enjoyable high. USA Zkittlez genetics in an auto form.

More home growers than ever before.

2019 promises to be a year when more home-grown cannabis will be grown and consumed than ever before. It will continue the trend we have seen over the last decade or two – people simply love the quality and cost advantages of home-grown cannabis, not to mention the satisfaction of growing your own. The good news is that home growers have a better choice of seeds now than ever before. Enjoy growing your own in 2019!