Over the years, a large influx of small-scale seed companies have been popping up almost out of nowhere, leaving many people to wonder, “Are these new genetics worth my time? Are the genetics stable? Was it selective breeding or an accidental cross? Are they tested before being released, or are these untested, possible unstable F1 hybrids? What is the genetic lineage?”
Popping new seeds requires some consideration; I made this list to showcase some good examples of seed companies you may not have heard of. Everyone knows how good DNA Genetics and Crockett Family Farms are, so let’s give some of these smaller companies a little publicity, too. Remember: germinating, and/or trafficking cannabis seeds are illegal in most areas around the world, so check the local laws in your town first before germinating. Happy Hunting!
1. Top Dawg Seeds
Popular Strains: Star Dawg, JJ’s Nigerian, White Dawg, Tres Star Dawg, Stardawg Guava, Sour Dawg
These seeds hold some of the hottest genetics on the market today, the crème de la crème of connoisseur-grade genetics in this day and age. Cannabis aficionados all around the globe should have these genetics in their vault, or in their garden.
Star Dawg has been one of the most sought after strains in the past 10 years, and it definitely lives up to the hype. If you love Sour Diesel or Chemdawg, you will love Star Dawg. OG Kush has held the throne for about 20 years, and the day has finally come where OG Kush has lost its spot to a Chem. If you have access to any Top Dawg Seeds, you better get them while you can. Top Dawg Seeds put a lot of emphasis on Hazes, as well, for all those Haze-lovers out there, so if you’re looking for a good Haze cross that finishes in around 70-77 days, get these quick! I highly recommend any of JJ’s Nigerian Haze (Nigerian Silk x NL5/Haze Bx) crosses.
It’s great to see the East Coast is finally getting the credit it deserves in the cannabis community. The cannabis movement out East is heavily underground, with roots that run far back many years and are deeply ingrained into today’s mainstream cannabis society. Other strains to look out for include Star Dawg IX, Chem 91 IX, Star Dawg 91, Familia Funk, Tre Budder, I-95, 91 DUD, NYC Chem, ONYCD IX, Hell’s Kitchen Kush, Denver Diesel, Headcracker, Mango Nigerian, Mangerian Skunk, Scampi Skunk, and Philly Skunk.
2. Dying Breed Seeds
Popular Strains: Zkittlez and OG Eddy Lepp
Green R Fieldz hit the lottery when he found the Zkittlez! No other strains won more awards in multiple competitions in 2015. From what we know, the lineage is a Grapefruit x Grape Ape cross with an unknown male. I personally have an insatiable hunger for this particular strain. Its unique, almost Godly flavor puts it in a league of its own. If you’re high all the time and don’t care about potency, definitely try Zkittlez.
OG Eddy Lepp is an OG strain that won Second Place at the NorCal High Times Cannabis Cup in 2013. If you love OG Kush strains, then don’t miss out on OG Eddy Lepp. Eddy Lepp hits heavy and will surely put you in couch-lock mode. Also, keep your eyes open for Oz Kush, Hot Lixz, and Dirty Zprite.
3. Exotic Genetix
Popular Strains: Cookies & Cream and Starfighter F2
Everything that Starfighter F2 (Lemon Alien Dawg x Tahoe Alien) touches becomes a hash plant! Covered in frosty and plump trichomes, this strain is a hash and extract artist’s dream. Look for Cookies and Cream (Thin Mint x Starfighter F2) as well; it took First Place in the Hybrid category at the HIGH TIMES 2014 Denver Cannabis Cup. Their “Dessert Menu” features crosses of the male Cookies and Cream cut with strains such as Banana OG, Cherry Pie, Blackberry Kush, Orange Valley OG, and Lemon Skunk. The “Thunder Stash” line of strains is an incredibly limited release of Banana Dawg, Sour Banana Larry, Ultrabrite and Super Sour Larry Deez. These are rare, so get them while supplies last. Also, keep your eyes open for Cherry Cream Pie, Kimbo Kush, and Banana Dawg.
4. Bodhi Seeds
Popular Strain: Goji Og
This is an incredibly well-renowned cannabis breeder who brings some amazing strains to the table. He has interesting names for his strains, but that’s fine, because his strains are incredibly interesting.
Bodhi takes much pride in breeding with heirloom landrace strains, a practice that’s lead him to create some amazing and interesting creations. Many strains from Bodhi you can’t find anywhere else, so if you come across any of them, scoop them! If you’re a fan of Appalachia (Tres Dawg x Green Crack) you better get the last of what Bodhi has, because the male cut of this strain died.
The most sought-after strain from Bodhi is Goji OG (Nepali OG x Snow Lotus). It has a very distinct aroma and flavor that most strains today could only dream of. OG lovers beware: this isn’t the OG we grew up with. Reminiscent of a white grape or white wine, Goji has an incredibly unique terpene profile. Look out for Sunshine Daydream, Chem Kesey, and Dank Sinatra, as well.
5. RedEyed Genetics
Popular Strain: Mt. Rainer
Pumping out powerhouse genetics up in the Pacific Northwest, it doesn’t look like these guys are slowing down anytime soon. One of the seed companies that still works with Northern Lights #5, this crew has lots of popular strains and a host of terpene profiles to work with. Their Mt. Rainer (Northern Lights # 5 x White Lotus) male does incredible breeding work. The proof is in their Locktite (Gorilla Glue #4 x Mt. Rainer), Golden Glue (Locktite x Kosher Kush), and Kobain Kush (Pre 98 Bubba x White Lotus). Whether you like Chem, Diesel, OG, Blueberry, Orange, Grape, Bubba, CBD, or even some classic Northern Lights, you’ll definitely find something to please your palette. Make sure you get your hands on their Northern Lights Bx1, Mt. Rainer F2, and Kobain Kush F2.
6. Ocean Grown Seeds
Popular Strains: Alien Rift, Vader OG
Ocean Grown have been using verified, classic OG strains for their breeding projects such as the Ghost OG, and the SFV OG, and have created many crosses that have performed well over the years. These breeders are very versatile and incredibly selective for their breeding projects; and produce strains with great yield, amazing aroma, heavy potency, and incredible bag appeal. Some popular strains from Ocean Grown Seeds include the Alien Rift {(Alien Abduction x Alien Dawg) x Alien OG}, Ninja Fruit, (Grape Ape x Grape Fruit Haze) and B-Witched (Wizards Potion x Witches Weed), all which have completely different growing patterns and terpene profiles. Some of their newer strains to look out for would be the Jawa Pie, Jawa Kush, and Dark Helmet. For you OG lovers, keep your eyes open for their SFV Rift (SFV OG x Alien Rift), Vader OG (Vader Kush x Ocean Grown Kush #3) and Star Destroyer OG (Vader OG x Alien Rift).
7. Cult Classics
Popular Strains: Tony Clifton, Center
This versatile seed company from Northern California has been curating a nice list of flavors that should please just about everyone. A lot of their strain names are based off of cult classics movies, such as Nurse Ratched (Animal Cookies x R6) from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, and Marsellus Wallace (Old Man Purps x No Quarter) from Pulp Fiction. Recently, they have also bred several high-CBD/ low-THC strain variants that are classified as “hemp” due to how low the THC levels. Some of the CBD strain names he uses are a play on words of pharmaceutical names such as Cannabarbital, (Suzy Q X Center) Fluxetine, (OGKB x Center) and Cultazepam (OG Kush x Center), which are all reasonably high in CBD with different ratios in each strain.
Cult Classics has been working with many strains, but their most popular one to date is the Tony Clifton (OGKB x OGKB X Wet Dream), which is as loud as the man himself. William’s Wonder provides the frost, Blue Dream for the yield and vigor, and OGKB for the bag appeal and potency. Sounds like a killer combo! If there are any OGKB crosses in seed form, you better get your hands on them quickly! OGKB does not like to produce seeds. An entire OGKB plant can get hit with pollen, but will produce close to no viable seeds at all, making any seeds that come from this strain worth much more. If you have access to their stock, try and get your hands on some Cement Shoes, Marsellus Wallace, and Wing Attack Plan-R.
8. Imperial Genetics
Popular Strains: Kurple Fantasy #1, Bubba Kush
If it wasn’t for this crew, OG Kush wouldn’t be where it is today. They sourced the ’92 OG from Florida, then brought it to Colorado before taking it to California—where it blew up and has remained a staple strain in most cannabis gardens over 20 years later. If there is anyone you want to thank for your OG Kush, thank this group of skilled growers and breeders. The guys over at Imperial Genetics have been working hard behind the scenes, and only recently debuted their strains to the public.
They are also a part of the Bubba Kush (’92 OG x NL#5) story. Their Kurple Fantasy is a cross between a strain they call Old Man Purps and the ’92 OG. The Old Man Purps is believed to be a Purple Citral Kush—a Pakistani Landrace. Kurple is one of their most popular strains and has won a few awards at HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cups. If you want some spicy, floral, grape and licorice-flavored terps thrown in with your lemon, pine fuel from OG Kush, you will love this strain! Keep your eyes out for the Kurple Guerrilla, Imperial Headliner, and IG Kush.
9. The Captain’s Connection
Popular Strains: Blissful Wizard, Girl Scout Glue
This company has slowly been gaining momentum and increasing its popularity and demand tremendously over the past few years due to growers wanting verified Girl Scout Cookie strains in seed form, for those without access to clone-only cuts. After acquiring the Cherry Pie and ’09 Cookies from Trooper Stormy and doing some breeding, The Captain’s Connection mustered up amazing strains that have competed in competitions and received awards: Girl Scout Glue #12 ([Wi-Fi Alien x 09 Cookies] x Gorilla Glue # 4) found by Mass Loud and RDH317, but entered by ZigZag419, and the Blissful Wizard 32 ([09 Cookies x Cherry Pie] x Animal Cookies) found by a grower formerly known as @Incognigrow.
Incognigrow Farms grew and processed the First Place Non-Solvent Hash Winner in the 2015 High Times SoCal Cannabis Cup. The Captain’s Connection’s most recent projects, involving a Grimace OG (Purple Urkle x Face Off OG #4 BX1) male from Archive Seed Bank, has lead to some great results. Look out for Blissful Wizard F2’s, F3’s, and Bx1, Girl Scout Glue and Ryan’s Revenge.
10. Dungeons Vault Genetics
Popular Strain: Grandpa’s Breath
These guys hold some of the original Grandaddy Purps and have been working with them ever since. The Grandpas Breath {(Tahoe OG x GDP)x OGKB} breeding project made everything in this line come out incredibly short, dense, dark, incredibly sweet, and unbelievably indica-dominant. Some of their popular strains include Swamp Thing, (Triangle Kush x Grandpa’s Breath) Citrus Farmer, (Skunk Tangerine x Grandpa’s Breath) and False Teeth (Candy Land V2 x Grandpa’s Breath). If you like purple weed with a candy-like sweetness that finishes early and gets you incredibly stoned, check out Dungeons Vault Genetics. Expect everything to have some hints of grape and chocolate thin mints, with a gassy undertone to it. Keep your eyes open for Brandy Wine, Humble Pie and Swamp Thing.
Honorable Mentions (No Specific Order): Archive Seed Bank, Gage Green Group, Karma Genetics, Scapegoat Genetics, Swamp Boy Seeds, Thug Pug Genetics, Sin City Seeds, Bay Exclusives, Select Genetics, OG Raskal Genetics, Moxie Genetics, Greenpoint Seeds, Darkhorse Genetics. La Plata Labs, Raw Genetics, Loud Seeds, Brothers GrimmSeeds, Cannarado Genetics, 303 Seeds, Aficionado Seeds.
You need try Pistol’s Positive Creation’s. Hard to get because he needs more room to produce large quanities. But everything ever bought from them was A+ and GAS you left them out. Darkhorse good one.The Brother Grimm comeback. Probably did this before they came out but should be updated. Thanks man looking for these strains and banks there not easy to find any these companies.