Krystalica

High Times "Strain of the Year" 2011

Everyone who has even remotely enjoyed our Satori will appreciate Krystalica as another essential connoisseur strain. She offers a great package deal that is hard to come by: impressive resin production, good yields, easy growing, and a superb high. Although both strains have features in common, the cannabinoids in Krystalica make up a distinctly different high. Satori can be too overwhelming for some smokers. Krystalica is smoother and less dramatic in the initial phase of the high, therefore especially appreciated by sensitive persons, or those prone to paranoia and anxiety. This is also a sativa with a relaxing effect that makes you want to slow down and enjoy. Whereas Satori is also suitable for energetic pursuits or partying, Krystalica is best smoked when you want to wind down but stay refreshed or creative at the same time. The medical applications for Krystalica are extensive since it has top THC levels with a very pleasant high to match.

Krystalica can be grown indoor from seeds or clones. Use 400-600W HPS/m2 for best results because this is a high performance strain and may not flower well under low light. In hydroponics impressive yields can be expected – especially if you have selected a mother plant that brings the extra pounds on the scale. Bud development is unlike a typical sativa and quite dense with some plants exhibiting broad indica-type buds. Trichome production can reach amazing heights, extending to the sun leaves, so it pays to keep back-up clones and select the most spectacular individual as mother plant or for breeding projects.

Outdoor cultivation is recommended in regions with warm summers or up to 45°N. Krystalica is heat resistant and will grow well in arid-hot environments or a greenhouse. The head buds and side shoots can grow to extraordinary proportions and deliver bumper crops. Further north the performance and harvest date will depend on local weather and length of daylight. Sowing of seeds should commence when there is no more danger of night time frost. Sowing can be extended until end of May if you prefer to cultivate shorter plants. Start seeds indoor if the weather is cold and move the seedlings/young plants outdoor or to the greenhouse later. The same can be done with cuttings – but make sure that the light cycle is appropriate so that flowering doesn’t start too soon outside. Most Krystalica's have good mold resistance (see details on our website for phenotypes) but plants should be harvested if it rains frequently in the last 2 weeks of flowering.

Long shoots extending from the bottom two internodes should be pruned in hydroponics or if your grow space is cramped. The remaining branches are of medium length but may require some support during late flowering if the buds become particularly heavy. It is usually sufficient to tie a thick string or gardening wire around the outside perimeter of the plant. The plants grow well in SOG and can be planted in close rows. With 4 weeks of vegetative growth under 400W HPS/m2 in quality soil you can expect the plants to reach a height between 70-110 cm. Use at least 5L/1 gallon containers for growth and 10L/2.5 gallon for flowering for plants from seed (clones can be raised in smaller containers).