Arctic Sun
Sativa 60 / Indica 40
Origins: White Widow x Skunk #1
Flowering: 56-70 days
Harvest: late October
Arctic Sun is a combination of two powerhouses of the Dutch seed breeding establishment – Skunk #1 and White Widow – which have been used extensively in Holland to create high yielding, potent strains. The White Widow mother has been in Flying Dutchmen’s library for over a decade. Originally a South Indian / Brazilian hybrid, the mother plant boasts a 12-week maturation time, extreme potency and a high yield. Crossing this strain with a strong skunk father produces a 60/40 sativa/indica plant that can be grown indoors in a greenhouse or outdoors at a latitude below 40 degrees North.
Indoors this plant gives the best results when grown without pruning at a density of 12-16 plants per square meter. Trimming off all the lower shoots at the base of the plants allows for more airflow and focuses the growth at the top. Arctic Sun usually finishes with a central calyx and 6-8 side branches, at a height of around 2-3 feet with the lowest 1 foot bare. The usual yields are 1-2 ounces per plant at 600 watts of light per square meter.
After testing Arctic Sun in most mediums, Flying Dutchmen recommends growing in pre-dressed soil high in organic matter, although high quality yields are also common in coc fiber and rockwool. Arctic Sun has a fairly dense growth pattern during vegetative growth, with short internode spaces and medium-dark green, mid-sized leaflets and longish petioles, maturing into short to medium height plants with compact buds that have large bracts and few pistils.
Outdoors the unpruned Arctic Sun matures into a stocky 6-foot Christmas tree with occasional purple coloration. Yields outdoors can be spectacular during a good season; greenhouse plants have weighed in at 22-24 ounces per plant in Holland. Arctic Sun thrives on fairly high nutrient levels. Special care should be taken to flush plants in the last 10-14 days for optimum taste. Although some plants in the population finish at 8 weeks, the nicest plants for selection tend to be fully mature at 9 weeks. In Holland, Arctic Sun matures at the end of October.
Taste wise, the curry house pungency is tempered by the sweetness of the Skunk #1. The Arctic Sun is loved by smokers with high tolerance levels. The high is both cerebral and physical and can be enjoyed over time without developing a threshold. The cannabinoid profile of the Arctic Sun lends itself well to medical marijuana applications for chronic pain, spasms associated with MS and sleeplessness.
At harvest, Arctic Sun has an aroma that is balanced between her parents: a pungent fuel-like tang with surprising floral undertones. The buds are dense, greasy and very heavy. When cured, the buds mellow a little, leaving a perfect balance of potency and everyday enjoyability.