Malawi x Panama, Strawberry Cream, Strawberry Banana - opinions?

[Puff_Dragon]

I've just started growing these strains for the first time. Malawi x Panama (Ace Seeds), Strawberry Cream (Breaking Buds) and Strawberry Banana (Reserva Privada). Does anyone have direct experience of either growing (was just wondering about growing tips - weak or strong nute consumers etc) or smoking experience?

Thanks for any info in advanced

 

[Shua1991]

Malawi I grew with success (found a fruity mango-carrot female), Panama as well, both plants are best flowered early, and given little nitrogen in veg state, best to give them food moderately, the Panama has a quirky nature, Panama will stop-and-start budding several times during it's 70-80 day cycle. My keeper does it 2-3 times, under cfl she did it twice, under HPS she did it three times(80 days vs 70), for whatever reason, Panama likes to begin flowering again and again, sprouting new buds on a somewhat maturing plant. It generally stops around week 9-10, and is matured by week 10-11. Malawi is a foxtailing monstrosity of vigor, it grows faster than any plant I've grown, sativa or otherwise (amnesia, Maui waui, green love potion, Mango Haze, Panama, The Real McCoy, Eldorado), the blend is very likely to go 12 weeks or more. Good luck, if it's Malawi dominant, get ready for yields and train that plant/plants to stay low, it streches to eat the sun. Long lasting effects abound.

 

[RichRoots]

Strawberry banana is a slightly heavy feeder in veg. It will stretch 2.5-3x with quite a bit of space between nodes when flowered. Heavy buds on lanky branches. Octopus tentacles if you're not careful. Kind of reminds me of an OG structure. Sweet strawberry inhale then dank banana kush exhale.

 

[Puff_Dragon]

Thanks for the great info!
@Shua1991 - I kind of regret not getting just Malawi and just Panama strains, but I went with the specific hybrid malawi x Panama (there is also a panama x malawi hybrid). Always wanted to grow Panama Red and Maui Waui! These were the first weed strains I ever heard of as a kid ..thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comics and the (I think inspired by the Freak Brothers comics) Cheech and Chong movies

@RichRoots - Mmmmm I'm drooling over here from that smoke report
The SB had only just started growing its 2nd set of true leaves. She sounds like a stocky girl though, can't wait to see this structure as she starts to grow (and I pot her up). Thanks for the info on the nutes, it seems i'll have to take care this grow. As all the strains have quite different nute requirements this grow. I'm also growing a Pineapple Kush (Royal Queen Seeds) ..which doesn't like AN Big Bug coco (my current bud bulker of choice), I think this is a Kush-thing. I'll use just straight black strap on her instead. The PKush has already shown itself to be an awkward grow (for me). Of all the plants she's giving me the most issues. I'm trying to adapt to her (she's only one node tall) so far shes growing very slowly compared to the rest. She does needs more TLC than I'm used to giving but I hear she's worth figuring out

Of all the plants I have in grow the Strawberry Cream (Breaking Buds) looks to becoming a monster. She's 6 nodes tall and double the height of the MxP (same age). She has a strong stem/branch structure and big leaves (compared to the rest). From the second node upwards the branches are growing to match one another (so the lower branches are growing faster and meeting the top branches at the same level). Rubbing the stem (towards the top of the plant) releases a great strawberry smell onto your fingers. I hope this transfers into the smoke


I hear the MxP strain is a verrry psychedelic smoke (whereas PxM is not as strong but may have a better terps profile). I'm not too keen on the psychedelic part but we'll see how she comes out (i just wanted a nice tasting sativa really). I can tell you that (as you said about it's Malawi parent) it don't like much N in grow i burnt her (it was 5 nodes high when i first fed it) and I only used 1/2ml of Biobizz fish mix in 1.5Lt of water.
I also think she (MxP) likes a higher PH in coco (she doesn't seem to like 5.8 ..6.2 seems to be her happy spot at the moment). I also wish I'd started to grow her in dirt but we'll see how she does in coco.

One of my evil plans (not this grow but the next one perhaps) is to cross some of these other plants with the strawberry banana strain. In future I want to work on some new hybrid Sativa dominant strains. Maybe create a number of full sativa only parentage strains (no indica at all ..well, as little as is sensible i guess). Using 'pure' landrace type strains ..maybe a Manali Cream thrown in there for good 'indica' measure Just fancy spending some time looking for that old 'philosophers stone' of sativa goodness

Again, thanks for the advice.

 

[RichRoots]

T

Thanks for the great info!
@Shua1991 - I kind of regret not getting just Malawi and just Panama strains, but I went with the specific hybrid malawi x Panama (there is also a panama x malawi hybrid). Always wanted to grow Panama Red and Maui Waui! These were the first weed strains I ever heard of as a kid ..thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comics and the (I think inspired by the Freak Brothers comics) Cheech and Chong movies

@RichRoots - Mmmmm I'm drooling over here from that smoke report
The SB had only just started growing its 2nd set of true leaves. She sounds like a stocky girl though, can't wait to see this structure as she starts to grow (and I pot her up). Thanks for the info on the nutes, it seems i'll have to take care this grow. As all the strains have quite different nute requirements this grow. I'm also growing a Pineapple Kush (Royal Queen Seeds) ..which doesn't like AN Big Bug coco (my current bud bulker of choice), I think this is a Kush-thing. I'll use just straight black strap on her instead. The PKush has already shown itself to be an awkward grow (for me). Of all the plants she's giving me the most issues. I'm trying to adapt to her (she's only one node tall) so far shes growing very slowly compared to the rest. She does needs more TLC than I'm used to giving but I hear she's worth figuring out

Of all the plants I have in grow the Strawberry Cream (Breaking Buds) looks to becoming a monster. She's 6 nodes tall and double the height of the MxP (same age). She has a strong stem/branch structure and big leaves (compared to the rest). From the second node upwards the branches are growing to match one another (so the lower branches are growing faster and meeting the top branches at the same level). Rubbing the stem (towards the top of the plant) releases a great strawberry smell onto your fingers. I hope this transfers into the smoke


I hear the MxP strain is a verrry psychedelic smoke (whereas PxM is not as strong but may have a better terps profile). I'm not too keen on the psychedelic part but we'll see how she comes out (i just wanted a nice tasting sativa really). I can tell you that (as you said about it's Malawi parent) it don't like much N in grow i burnt her (it was 5 nodes high when i first fed it) and I only used 1/2ml of Biobizz fish mix in 1.5Lt of water.
I also think she (MxP) likes a higher PH in coco (she doesn't seem to like 5.8 ..6.2 seems to be her happy spot at the moment). I also wish I'd started to grow her in dirt but we'll see how she does in coco.

One of my evil plans (not this grow but the next one perhaps) is to cross some of these other plants with the strawberry banana strain. In future I want to work on some new hybrid Sativa dominant strains. Maybe create a number of full sativa only parentage strains (no indica at all ..well, as little as is sensible i guess). Using 'pure' landrace type strains ..maybe a Manali Cream thrown in there for good 'indica' measure Just fancy spending some time looking for that old 'philosophers stone' of sativa goodness

Again, thanks for the advice.

That plan doesn't seem evil at all lol.

 

[Puff_Dragon]

for the record;
I've now grown out an MxP and a Strawberry Cream plant. Both were easy grows (indoor, 12ltr pots, coco, cheap 2014 Chinese cob light) and yielded well considering I kept them under 30in. The MxP yielded less due to stunted growth (I added bio-silicon too early in grow with this strain) but it still gave 'great product' (the buds, when growing on the plant, oozed with resin when squeezed). Currently, product has dried for approx. two weeks.
MxP started being pulled at 65 days-40% amber-(it started maturing much quicker then the strain blurb stated ..which was a nice bonus The SC was pulled in one go (as the whole plant matured at once), at 65 days.

The MxP was less of a nute consumer than the Strawberry Cream was (SC was greedy and never showed a burnt leaf tip). Both plants were healthy and gave me no issues (I just needed to dial back nutes with the MxP).
Both would be good in scrog type setup (imo).
fyi - I've seen nothing online about different phenos with these two strains (and I only flowered one plant of each), so can only inform you of what I got.

The MxP (ACE seeds - Genetics: 100% sativa - Old Malawi Killer x Panama Goddess) tastes amazing, like a good old sativa. Strong hints of eastern incense, spices (and carrot!) abound. With no hint of that modern 'skunk' flavour that has come to dominate in recent decades. Another bonus with MxP, when you return to the room you smoked in it totally smells of incense and not 'weed' per se lol (if you were around in the 70's/early eighties you might remember that smell). The high is loverly (and long lasting/hrs), it gives body tinges and a sweet head high which allows you to focus (no couch lock effect, at the doses I used). You can work fine, but if you decide to stop and focus on the high ..it's there for you
I got none of the supposed MxP 'psychedelic' effects (hinted at in the strain blurb) but that was fine with me (perhaps with higher doses or if I pulled the plant at a different time it would be there - need more experience with the strain). I wanted an old school sativa flavour with good growth and a modern bud structure, which I got. And a fun 'old school' smoke to boot

The Strawberry Cream (Breaking Buds - Genetics: 70% sativa - Strawberry Creme x Ice Cream) was quite exceptional (from a growing angle). Even though I kept all the plants small (under 30in) the SC's structure had thick branches and a thick main stem ..ready to handle heavy buds (both strains also still managed to have leaves bigger then my big guitar hands). God knows what this SC would be like outside or under HPS etc
Taste/effects, the SC is rooted in sativa effects and high but has a little of that modern 'skunk' to it (imo). Not a bad thing, as the skunk (I feel) adds the subtle strawberry vibe to the sativa flavour and smell. Overall it tastes sativa, with hints of strawberry/fruit from time to time. High lasts around 45 mins. With higher doses there is a couch lock/sleepy effect (again, this could be down to when I pulled her though - 40% amber). A nice change from the skunk varieties I had been used to.

Both strains are worth growing (imo). The MxP was my overall favourite, the taste is just so darn delicious (if you crave that old sativa flavour). My jar of MxP product will be gone long before my other strains
I've also dwarfed a cutting from each strain (growing in 400g of coco) so I'll have these babies around (in my mother collection) from now on. Good times!

notes:
Both strains had a subtle smell in flower. There would be no need for a carbon filter if you were only growing a few plants ..unless you 'bump' the plants that is, then the smell rises!

I should add, I pollinated a few of the lower buds on the MxP. I crossed it with a Kerala x Skunk#1 (87.5% sativa). Hoping to add India to the other sativa genetics (of Africa and S.America) in MxP. Here's hoping.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

Malawi I grew with success (found a fruity mango-carrot female), Panama as well, both plants are best flowered early, and given little nitrogen in veg state, best to give them food moderately, the Panama has a quirky nature, Panama will stop-and-start budding several times during it's 70-80 day cycle. My keeper does it 2-3 times, under cfl she did it twice, under HPS she did it three times(80 days vs 70), for whatever reason, Panama likes to begin flowering again and again, sprouting new buds on a somewhat maturing plant. It generally stops around week 9-10, and is matured by week 10-11. Malawi is a foxtailing monstrosity of vigor, it grows faster than any plant I've grown, sativa or otherwise (amnesia, Maui waui, green love potion, Mango Haze, Panama, The Real McCoy, Eldorado), the blend is very likely to go 12 weeks or more. Good luck, if it's Malawi dominant, get ready for yields and train that plant/plants to stay low, it streches to eat the sun. Long lasting effects abound.

How did you like your El Dorado's? Any info on smell et cetera would be helpful.

 

[Puff_Dragon]

fyi -
I let some lower buds (of the MxP) go to 11 weeks (so seeds I was making were fully matured). Now dried (but not cured).
The flavour profile has changed a bit (compared to day 65 smoke). Now the incense flavours are stronger when smoked. The high is a little heavier (with a 'sleepy' effect with higher doses) but still long lasting (plus of an hour on one joint). No psychedelic effects, but I wasn't really interested in that.
Imo, I preferred the flavour profile at 65 days (9.2 weeks), as well as the high. It was more of a 'classic' sativa taste/flavour and buzz. Whereas at 11.5 weeks the flavour is more ..ornamental, if you will (because of the stronger incense flavours at week 11).

I might try 10 weeks next time around (to try and get somewhere in-between the two flavour/taste profiles).
This strain will be my main grower for the moment (with 30% of my crop going to other strains) ..or, at least until I find another good, old, sativa flavour. Very happy with my single seed purchase of MxP