In this report, we’ll be highlighting our time with Purple Cookie Kush, a 60% indica bred from Girl Scout Cookies and Purple Kush. Despite its strong sativa lineage, this plant grows like a pure indica; short and stocky with dense vegetation. What blew us away, though, was this tiny plant’s absolutely monstrous yield of incredibly potent buds.
Total growing time: 94 days
Flowering time: 73 days
Final height: 80 cm
Final yield: 147 grams
THC content: 23.2%
We grew our Purple Cookie Kush Feminized cannabis plant in an 8-litre plastic pot filled with BAC Lava Mix beneath a 1000 W Phillips GreenPower HPS light on an 18/6 schedule. Throughout the grow, we kept the space at 23°C during the day with temperatures falling to 21°C at night. During vegetation, we maintained a relative humidity of 65% which would be gradually lowered throughout the grow.
Germination & seedling
To kick things off with our plant, we first needed to germinate the seed. To do this, we used the long-standard paper towel method which only requires a few basic household objects and is the fastest, most reliable method out there.
To begin, we folded up a couple of paper towels and placed them onto a plate. Next, we doused them with about 30 ml of water until they were thoroughly damp but not dripping wet. Lastly, we placed our seed on top, covered it with another damp paper towel and put it all inside of an open plastic bag. We left this in a warm place for a little more than 24 hours.
Soon, the seed cracked open and the small white taproot was sticking out which meant that it was time to plant it. We put the seed into a pre-soaked Rockwool cube with the taproot pointing down, set it under a 600 W LED lamp, and left it for a few days. After three days, we gave it the first watering with 100 ml of pH-balanced water (pH 6.2: EC 0.8) mixed with a small amount of rooting hormone.
At the end of week one, our plant was 3 cm tall and its roots were growing out of the bottom of the Rockwool cube meaning that it was time to move it to our 8-litre plastic pot and place it under our 1000 W light. We also began daily feedings with 100 ml of water (pH 6.0: EC 1.4) mixed with Bio Grow liquid nutrients.
Vegetation
As we made our way through week two, our plant more than tripled in height to 10 cm and developed its first set of true leaves which were short, broad, and a vibrant shade of green. Anticipating another week of massive growth, we started daily feedings with 200 ml of water.
In week three, our plant again more than doubled its height to reach 23 cm tall. This growth was accompanied by multiple new sets of broad, healthy leaves and the very first signs of lateral branches. Internodal spacing was incredibly short but was slowly growing. With the switch to flowering just around the corner, we began daily feedings with 400 ml of water to make sure our plant had everything it would need at this crucial stage.
As one final step before flowering, we hung small satchels of Neoseiulus californicus and Amblyseius swirskii from the lowest branches. These contain hundreds of tiny bugs that feed on parasites like thrips and spider mites. These beneficial additions to our garden have a symbiotic relationship with cannabis and won’t do any damage to the plant. We replace these satchels every four weeks to ensure a constant supply.
Related post
Flowering
As we entered week four, our plant was 31 cm tall and it was time to make the switch to flowering. All this required was switching our lights to a 12/12 schedule and adjusting our daily feedings. We were now using 800 ml of water per day (pH 6.0; EC 1.8) mixed with Bio Flower liquid nutrients. Lastly, we reduced the humidity to 60% to help prevent mould.
At this stage, our plant was covered in dense vegetation and giant fan leaves. The lateral branches were still barely growing, though this wasn’t surprising with the plant’s incredibly tight internodal spacing.
In week five, our plant hit a bit of a growth spurt and grew to 39 cm. This saw the internodal spacing and the lateral branches stretch out immensely exposing the lower parts of the plant to increased airflow. The branches were now almost as tall as the main stem and were forming a beautiful canopy. While there weren’t any signs of flowering quite yet, we upped the volume of water to 1000 ml per day.
Week six saw the largest week-on-week growth of the whole grow as our plant gained 16 cm to reach a new height of 54 cm. The lateral branches and internodal spacing continued to sketch considerably. We were starting to see the very first signs of flowering as small white hairs popped up on the inner nodes and tops of branches. At this point, we attached a support rod to the main stem as it was starting to lean slightly. Will full bloom just around the corner, we increased daily feedings to 1500 ml per day and maintained this amount until harvest.
Week seven was another week of rapid development with our plant growing to 65 cm and pre-flowering clusters of pistils appearing at every flowering site. The lower part of our plant was a tangled mess of dense vegetation, but the stretched-out spacing still allowed for adequate airflow. The flowers were maturing nicely and everything was on schedule for a timely harvest in just a few short weeks.
Week eight was the last major burst of growth as our plant hit 74 cm tall. This was accompanied by rapid growth of buds all over the plant. Everything was healthy and developing according to plan. There wasn’t much left to do at this point but let nature run its course.
Weeks nine and ten saw our plant grow slightly to its final height of 80 cm as the main cola continued to grow. By now, the buds were growing noticeably larger every day and were incredibly dense and sticky with a thick layer of trichomes developing. By now, we were starting to see the first pistils turn from white to a vibrant orange; harvest was nearly here.
Weeks eleven and twelve were spent patiently waiting for the plant to finish ripening as more and more of the pistils turned orange and the trichomes shifted colour from clear to milky to amber. Many lower fan leaves were turning yellow as the plant squeezed every last nutrient it could out of them.
Finally, in week thirteen, we harvested our Purple Cookie Kush plant.
Harvest
Once our Purple Cookie Kush plant was ready to harvest, we immediately cut it down at the base, removed all of the fan leaves, and hung it upside down to dry. Our drying room is carefully regulated to maintain a constant temperature of 15.5°C and a relative humidity of 50%. We left it like this until the smaller branches were dry enough to snap when bent; typically around 10-20 days.
Once it was dry, we removed the buds and trimmed away any remaining sugar leaves from the flowers. The buds were moderately leafy and incredibly dense which made trimming a relatively simple task. However, this plant produced a great deal of smaller buds (as opposed to a few massive colas) and the trimming process was fairly tedious. Once done, then we put everything into glass jars for curing.
For the first 24 hours, we left the jars open to give the moisture a chance to evaporate before sealing them and putting them somewhere dark and cool. Initially, these jars were “burped” several times a day for an hour each. Over the next few weeks, though, the frequency was lowered to only once per day. Until they were ready. In total, this process lasts 4-6 weeks.
Overall, we harvested a jaw-dropping 147 grams of dry flower was an equally impressive THC content of 23.2%.
Related post
Terpene profile
As harvest approached, our plant began to give off a surprisingly strong grape-like aroma. This is a fairly rare scent among cannabis plants and was a welcome surprise. The smell was certainly noticeable, though not overpowering, but if you’re a grower who values discretion, you might want to invest in some good odour control measures.
Once cured, that same grape scent came out in full force supported by more subtle notes of spicy hashish and earthy sandalwood. These notes are all present in the flavour as well as hints of coffee and caramel.
As a 60/40 indica-dominant hybrid, Purple Cookie Kush’s high is fairly well-balanced. Expect a cerebral and giggly high that’s sure to leave you more than a little distracted; maybe not the best choice for anything that requires your full focus. This giddiness is gradually replaced with a more calming relaxed body buzz that’ll have you lounging in the sun or a comfy chair.
Related post
The outcome
From the standpoint of the ratio of height to yield, Purple Cookie Kush is one of the most productive strains we’ve ever grown. Compact and hassle-free, this plant was a genuine joy from seed to harvest and indoor growers looking to maximize their harvest without expanding their space should absolutely give this strain some serious consideration.
- Disclaimer:Laws and regulations regarding cannabis cultivation differ from country to country. Sensi Seeds therefore strongly advises you to check your local laws and regulations. Do not act in conflict with the law.
