Big Bud

Grow reports on Big Bud agree on one point: the flower clusters become so heavy that the plants need support. Flowering time, by contrast, varies widely, with documented indoor runs lasting 59 to 90 days. The indica-dominant strain traces back to a cutting that circulated in the USA in the 1980s and lives on today in several seed lines.

Community Experiences:

Growers rate the yields as high to very high. Several had to secure the plants with nets or stakes during flowering because they tipped over under the weight. Harvest took place after 60 days in some cases, while one grower considers around 80 days appropriate.

Growth ranges from spindly and fir-shaped to sturdy and bushy. Stretch after the start of flowering was 140, 211 and 260 % in individual reports, and final indoor height was about 60, 140 and 180 cm. Several reports describe the dried buds as hard and compact, one as somewhat loose. The leaf proportion on the buds is low, and resin forms early and in large amounts.

Growers disagree on difficulty. They consider the strain suitable for beginners and tolerant of temperature fluctuations, but one report notes that it tolerates over- and underfeeding poorly and dislikes low temperatures. Seed Stockers recommends its own version to advanced growers. Topping and SCROG are rated positively, although one grower advises against cutting the main stem. Indoors, no mold appeared in the reports. An outdoor grow at the 49th parallel north, by contrast, had to be protected from mold in October or November, and Seed Stockers advises rooms without high humidity because of the large flowers.

Genetics and Origin:

Accounts of the origin differ. The Seed Bank, where the first Big Bud seeds became available on 1 May 1987, states that the original cutting came from Afghanistan to America. Its seeds combined Northern Lights #1 with Big Bud and were crossed with Big Bud again, so they contained 75 % Big Bud. Sensi Seeds, by contrast, describes the original plant as a hybrid of an Afghanica and a Skunk that arose in the USA in the 1980s and was stabilized further in the Netherlands. Sensi's current line contains Skunk #1 and Northern Lights, and the breeder states 85 % indica and 15 % sativa. Other strain descriptions speak of a three-way cross of Afghani, Northern Lights and Skunk #1.

A win at the 1989 High Times Cannabis Cup is cited by 2 strain descriptions, one as 1st place in the indica category, the other as overall winner. Overviews of Cup winners, however, list a Seed Bank cross of Early Pearl, Skunk #1, Northern Lights #5 and Haze as the overall winner in 1989. Sensi Seeds cites a win in the Indica Cup for Big Bud without giving a year.

Aroma and Flavor:

Sensi Seeds describes the scent as sweet, with notes reminiscent of molasses and a slight spiciness; the feminized version adds fruit. Other strain descriptions mention earthy, woody and herbal tones, supplemented by pine, pepper or a grape aftertaste. In a grow report on the Nirvana Seeds version, the harvest smelled of passion fruit and grape. Pinene and myrcene are given as dominant terpenes, supplemented by ocimene or linalool depending on the source.

Effects:

Sensi Seeds speaks of a sedating, full-body effect with a touch of euphoria. User reports describe deep relaxation up to drowsiness, couchlock, elevated mood and a tingling in the body. Opposite accounts exist as well: one consumer found the strain energizing, another stresses that it does not cause tiredness right away, and the report on the Nirvana version describes the effect as activating, rather light and short. Dry mouth, dry eyes and dizziness are named as side effects.

THC Content:

The breeders' THC figures each apply to their own version: Ministry of Cannabis gives 15 %, Bulk Seed Bank 18 %, Vision Seeds 20 % on average, and Seed Stockers, citing its own lab tests, more than 22 %. One strain description, by contrast, gives only 14 %.

Versions from Different Breeders:

Sensi Seeds lists Big Bud as regular, feminized and as Automatic. For the regular and feminized versions, the breeder gives 50 to 65 days of flowering, 500 to 600 g/m² indoors and 800 to 1200 g per plant outdoors, and for the regular one also an outdoor harvest from mid to late October. According to Sensi, the Automatic takes 13 to 17 weeks from seed to harvest and yields 400 to 450 g/m² indoors.

Ministry of Cannabis gives 7 to 8 weeks of flowering and 500 to 650 g/m² for its own feminized version, Vision Seeds around 60 days and 500 g/m² at only 60 % indica. Seed Stockers gives around 63 days and traces the line back to the Seed Bank via Sensi Seeds. For Bulk Seed Bank, the stated pedigree consists of Northern Lights #1 and Skunk #1; Big Bud itself does not appear in it.