Big Bud

Big Bud is somewhat of a legend. Whilst it is not commonly smoked today, you can see many tell tale signs of it in today’s modern strains. Dating back to the late 1980's Big Bud was brought over to Holland from the USA. Many breeders in the USA feared for the continuity of their hard developed strains as the government was really cracking down on on the drugs scene. Originally Big bud was consisted of Afghanica crossed with skunk genes; but once it was secure over here it was sold as a hybrid with Skunk #1 – which happened to win that years Cannabis Cup for best indica dominant strain. Further breeding of it has seen it win another award in the 1996 Cannabis Cup. Placing it firmly in Cannabis history.

What Big Bud is really known for is exactly as its name indicates, Big Bud. It produces copious amounts of cannabis, it used to be the commercial cultivators dream crop and offered huge profit potential. Now, like all cannabis crops, it is no good if you can grow a lot of it but end up with a dud product. Fortunately for Big Bud this was not the case, it proved a massive hit with smokers and they could not get enough of it. Not only did it offer extremely generous yields, but also a long and highly desirable mellow high.

Big Bud is an indica dominant strain, bred with a strong pedigree. The high induced can be quite mellow with a slow come on. However it is fairly long lasting and will have you comfortably relaxed on the sofa or outside in the garden. Not quite strong enough to knock you out, it makes a good sociable smoke with close friends - when you all just want to chill and watch the world go by in each others company. This fairly mellow, but enjoyable high makes Big Bud a good starting strain for novice smokers. It should not overwhelm them as long as they are careful. However Big Bud can be notoriously hard to get hold of these days, so many have to settle for a strain that it has sired.

In terms of medical properties, Big Bud is great at reducing the symptoms of stress, pain, insomnia and lack of appetite. Its a good all-rounder for medical users and its benefits can be widely enjoyed by many.

The aroma and taste of Big Bud are somewhat of a classic. You can see its influences in many strains today. It has a dank, sweet and spicy aroma that is tantalizing to smell. The taste is sweet and fruity with a smooth, pleasant smoke. This is partly why Big Bud was so popular when it hit the market. It was a complete, pleasurable experience for the senses without overpowering them.

We were so impressed here at Zambeza with this legend's traits and heritage that we decided to create our own strain from it. Through much trial and error we created Critical Kush XL Autoflowering – an automatic mix of both Big Bud and Critical that offers a well rounded mind and body high. It is a perfect choice for letting the tension out of your body and allowing your mind to wonder free, all in an easy to manage, automatic plant.

As mentioned, Big Bud has a lot to offer in terms of yield, so much so that the plant needs support towards the end of the growing cycle to stop it from collapsing under its own weight. Support is especially needed for the lower branches, which have to carry the weight of the entire plant. Another very favourable trait is that it requires little pruning, a large internode ratio allows the plant to get maximum light with very little care – a very valuable trait to the commercial cultivator of the time. Being indica dominant makes Big Bud grow to a typically indica stature with large thick leaves.

Best results tend to be gained from indoor growth, this is partly due to Big Bud being a little vulnerable to pests. It is not completely at risk if grown outdoors, but enough so that commercial cultivators tended to grow indoors to minimise potential loss. It stature of the plant makes it well suited to the sea of green growing method and tends to get the best yields in a hydro set-up; however, it still preforms admirably in a soil based set-up. The flowering is also very appealing. Cultivators can expect it to come to full fruition roughly within 50-65 days.

As you can see, Big Bud has a long history of excellence and is worthy of any serious breeders attention. It is also a great choice for those looking to smoke a bit of history (although it can be quite hard to obtain). It has won multiple awards and been involved in the conception of more strain than you can imagine. Its old roots and heritage mean you are still likely to find it in most high yielding indica hybrids to this day, and for good reason too.