Words on Critical + (Dinafem)

[|B3RNY|]

Yeah, a huge cola. She does throw out good phenos as well, I will add that tolerancy builds quickly as she IS a commercial production strain (essentially a re-worked Big Bud) but realize that she is Sativa dominant and has a flowering time of 45-50 days (no joke.) I like to spread the word about hybrids of this nature because with strains that flower like this, there's really no reason to mess with the autoflowering strains when you can get a 'real' strain to flower even quicker. As I said, it was originally bred by Mr. Nice Seeds, Dinafem only reworked it and femenized her. The production strains have never really been as potent as the connoisseur strains, but the yield makes them notable... that's why I was hoping to hear from a grower whom has messed with any of the Critical hybrids (Cloud 9, Critical JYD Haze, etc.) or maybe Moby Dick bc they're suppose to yield amazing results as well but would most likely have higher potency as well as a more prominent taste. Anyone tried em? or even the Critical X White Widow cross?

I've got some Serious AK47 I thought might make a good Critical cross, any opinions on that?

 

[OGEvilgenius]

Dinafem did not rework it.

They just grew a different seed from MNS and selfed it instead.

 

[|B3RNY|]

It's not just Big Bud, the original Big Bud was a predominately Indica strain, and even the Big Bud has Cannabis Cup wins... when you have a good strain, the rest comes down to the growing (and almost more-so to the curing)... Critical + is different from Critical Mass, enough to call for a slight name change. The fellas at Mr. Nice Seeds even thanked Dinafem for what they did with the strain and wouldn't accept Dinafem's offer of compensation... They selfed the Critical AFTER breeding it among some early flowering skunk strains (this is what Pedidos told me from Dinafem), not only did they shorten the flowering time just a hair but they also 'bre out' an undesirable pheno (which I was lucky/unlucky enough to run across), this "undesirable" pheno (according to Dinafem themselves) is just quick to flower, almost with automatic properties. This is the plant I was talking about in the original post. I just enjoy the quick flowering sativas, maybe they aren't as potent but they give me a happy, up-beat kind of energy buzz comparable to an Indica hybrid and a nice cup of coffee.

I'll post pics of my early flowering Critical later today, less than 3 feet tall and produced almost a 1/4 lb in the middle of the hottest/driest summer my state has had in over 50 years.. after vegging for only around 2-3 weeks form seed. Smoke was decent, very Sativa-like for a quick-flower, but this pheno lost her wonderful smell/taste in the curing process (this doesn't seem to happen with the taller, more Sativa-like pheno.)

Has anyone anything to say about any other Dinafem strains? I am very curious, I have some of their "White Widow" that I'd like to try out.. though their White Widow is just Haze X Skunk X Northern Lights, that doesn't sound right to me I thought a Widow was a Brazilian X South Indian? ..they're Super Silver has the same exact lineage, hopefully they differ enough to take the names of 2 of the most popular strains of all times. I really like Dinafem but how can they (and MANY others) sell strains that already exist, if the lineage is going to be completely different than the original? I'm sure they're all still good strains but couldn't they just come up with a new name instead of trying to make $ of another breeders' glory?

 

[|B3RNY|]

Yes they did rework it, it's in the May 2012 High Times magazine. It's not just selfed, that's what the entire article is about. Mr. Nice Seeds was offered compensation for the genetics but he turned down the cash and thanked them for fixing up the Critical Mass. They shortened the flowering time (you'll see if you read breeder descriptions), increased smell/taste (which still needs a little work) and bred out many of the early flowering, undesirable phenotypes. Just because a breeder is older does not necessarily make them better, getting a "thank you" form a breeder as legendary as Mr. Nice is quite a compliment. I don't see much hype on the original Critical Mass anymore, I believe Mr. Nice was outdone by Dinafem... of course nobody is going to admit that simply because Dinafem hasn't been in the field nearly as long. I do enjoy growing Mr. Nice Critical Mass, I had it before I messed with C+, I like everything about the C+ better (all-round... other than the color, but the color of a healthy plant means nothing to a smoker.)

 

[|B3RNY|]

... it was selfed AFTER being reworked. Ask Dinafem yourself, I did. They will reply to you, though they aren't the best with English because they're working out of Spain but they are very polite and reasonable. Selfing a plant will just give you femenized seeds and add a generation of inbreeding... if this was all that was done to the strain they wouldn't have bothered with renaming it, strains are not trademarked (other than the original AK47.) C+ is more Sativa dominant than the Mass, that's what sold me on it, I don't like a stone, I like a high.

 

[|B3RNY|]

View attachment 2263291View attachment 2263292Yea, she throws a big cola for sure

You aren't telling me anything new, this cola came form an early flowering pheno (finished, outdoors, in mid-July) that grew in a perfect x-mas tree pattern and only reached 2 ft. 10 inches tall.This one threw a whole lot of fan leaves, it took a while to trim up but I got a hair under a 1/4 lb from her (dry/cured weight) and so many trimmings I had enough to make a little bit of hash as well. This is the pheno I was talking about, Dinafem bred most of them out but it didn't hurt my feelings to get one because it allowed me an early outdoor harvest and the potency was about the same as my regular C+'s but had more of an indica like stone to it, I like the uppity "speed-weed." She could have flowered another week, even 2 but the weather forced me to cut her early. Critical is certainly a commercial strain but I'd recommend it to anyone thinking of growing an autoflower (instead you can grow a C+ (flower) from seed and have smoke faster than any auto and more potent as well) or just wants some quick sativa-like smoke. I'm not trying to hate on the auto growers, I just don't understand the logic in them. I don't grow autos, unless they come as a freebie and then I will sample the smoke and give the rest away (I've smoked some decent autos but none of them compare to a good, regular strain.)

 

[|B3RNY|]

The C+ can grow some connoisseur quality buds as well, it's all about the pheno. The "Bilbo" cut, I think, is the cup winner they're talking about in High Times magazine... 1st place 2011 Barcelona cup. I'm definitely not sayng it's the best by any means, I just didn't want to sell her short- it's everything the breeder says it is and I fucking love that!

 

[althor]

Only strain of dinafem's I havent liked much is diesel. It was grown by a friend and he had some temp issues to deal with and I am sure it had an impact. But either way I didnt care for it. The other dinafem's I have had experience with I have found to be very solid.

 

[hazey grapes]

skunk #1 is only GENETICALLY a "sativa". it smokes way to stony for my tastes and i consider it an indica even if it only has 25% afghani.

big bud WAS overrated as mentioned. just like white widow's obsession with resin glands at the expense of flavor & smoothness etc., BB was only concerned with size of the bud AND any of the big bud seeds you see aren't "the real deal" any more than ANYTHING with thunderfuck in it's name is. if you combined the size with skunk #1 resin production and potency though, you could get a nice synergy as described i can believe. skunk #1 does a lot to improve haze potency. haze x skunk is even more potent than columbian gold and once you get the afghani level down to an acceptable12.5% level, then you get a low stone lead eye only buzz.

i'm really starting to get jazzed about trying my critical jack UFO now. even if it turns out too stoney for my tastes, the speed and productivity would be a nice match for breeding with stretchy 12 week plus IBLs.

i'm glad someone dug this thread back up after someone tried to rag on me for naming critical + as a top indica for breeding. a lot of breeders are using it these days and someone in another thread claimed their C+ cross was better than THIRTY other strains! if that's the case, it can't suck.

i haven't really read up on C+ as i just don't like indicas, but knowing that it's an improvement on big bud helps me understand it's "purpose" better. i should go and read it's description for an even better idea.

OK. i HAVE read it's description before, only i dismissed it because of the skunk funk. hopefully it will mellow out with jack herer. OK, just read up on critical jack, and it sounds even better! i can deal with lemons better than skunks. it's even more productive and less stony with some psychoactrivity even.

CH9's very indica looking jack smoked a lot less stony than i imagined. i don't know what it was crossed with, but i've been considering my (C99 x A11) x jack cross as my "fast & dense low stone breeder", but it sounds like critical jack might be even better in that role. as i just bought another jack seed for further testing as it was overshadowed by sweet haze & jack's cleaner 2 in my grow, i'll be able to compare the 2 side by side. it kind of sounds like what i was hoping joey weed's C99 was going to be like. that strain's just too clear headed and racy to really be able to groove on music & movies like you can trippier strains with more neutral energy profiles.

i'm positive critical jack would be a way better start for shrinking & speeding up a 12 week or more stretchy IBL than *ack ack ack* afghani.

 

[themanwiththeplan]

threadstarter is right! i grew out a critical+ freebie (indoors) and it blew me away. i yielded 4 1/2 oz in a 5gal pot with 30day veg. not bad if u ask me. the potency was there in my pheno.

3 key reasons to buy critical+:
1) fast finisher
2) heavy yield
3) good smoke

overall id say its a 8.5/9 out of 10 overall.

my pheno was more sativa than indica in the type of high it was. heady. good for daytime but had enough of an indica kick that it would work for nighttime as well.

i was pretty impressed and would strongly consider actually buying my next critical+ bean from attitude.

 

[|B3RNY|]

HazeyGrapes, I'm with you man, Skunk #1 (these days, anyways) certainly strikes me as more of an Indica... especially in the high. I am a Sativa lover though, so C+ turned out to be right up my alley. Don't let anyone talk shit to you for your ideas on Critical as a good breeder- if it wasn't a GREAT breeder, then it wouldn't have been used in various crosses from almost every breeder out there.
I like some good kush smoke every once in a while but I'm almost physically sick of seeing 'breeders' out there who breed exclusively with OG kush cuts, kush strains are potent but the cannabis world has MUCH more to offer than OG.
TheManWithThePlan- I've ordered a 10 pack of C+ before, it comes in a badass metal tin but I just wanted to let everybody know I've grown around 20 or 30 Dinafems altogether (various strains) and I'm still at a 100% germination rate.

I started this thread so that people who were thinking of buying C+ would know that the breeders' description (even though it sounds far-fetched) isn't a lie. Huge yielder, sufficiently potent (w/the right pheno), sativa dominant, clones easy and VERY quickly, good-strong skunk/fruit scent (but has a light flavor), flowers in 45 days, grows VERY vigorously. I never said it's the best or anything but I think that her other attributes make her worthy of growing out and even breeding. I just wanted to give people who had Critical (or Dinafem) in mind some reassurance, because the breeder's description sounds like a lie... until you actually grow it.

 

[themanwiththeplan]

HazeyGrapes, I'm with you man, Skunk #1 (these days, anyways) certainly strikes me as more of an Indica... especially in the high. I am a Sativa lover though, so C+ turned out to be right up my alley. Don't let anyone talk shit to you for your ideas on Critical as a good breeder- if it wasn't a GREAT breeder, then it wouldn't have been used in various crosses from almost every breeder out there.
I like some good kush smoke every once in a while but I'm almost physically sick of seeing 'breeders' out there who breed exclusively with OG kush cuts, kush strains are potent but the cannabis world has MUCH more to offer than OG.
TheManWithThePlan- I've ordered a 10 pack of C+ before, it comes in a badass metal tin but I just wanted to let everybody know I've grown around 20 or 30 Dinafems altogether (various strains) and I'm still at a 100% germination rate.

I started this thread so that people who were thinking of buying C+ would know that the breeders' description (even though it sounds far-fetched) isn't a lie. Huge yielder, sufficiently potent (w/the right pheno), sativa dominant, clones easy and VERY quickly, good-strong skunk/fruit scent (but has a light flavor), flowers in 45 days, grows VERY vigorously. I never said it's the best or anything but I think that her other attributes make her worthy of growing out and even breeding. I just wanted to give people who had Critical (or Dinafem) in mind some reassurance, because the breeder's description sounds like a lie... until you actually grow it.

what dinafem strains have you grown? any info on those strains (im always interested in growing more dinafem gear. its probably the only breeder that never let me down thus far)

im especially interested in learning more about their california hashplant and diesel strains.


I grew original amnesia, critical+, roadrunner auto, and haze auto. none of them were a let down in the least. i grew the auto's under cfls and they got me an ounce each which was impressive for me only using 4 23w bulbs on each auto. the original amnesia and critical+ were under 600w hps and gave great results.

out of almost everything ive grown dinafem does have pretty accurate descriptions compared to guys like ghs who routinely lie (800g per sq/m haha yeah rite...maybe outdoors w/ plant steriods lol)


im definitely on the dinafem bandwagon at this point.

 

[themanwiththeplan]

oh hey wat skunk #1's have you grown? from what breeders? i grew a skunk #1 from seedsman and either i got a good pheno or its a lil different than everyone else's skunk #1 because i got one that (imo) was 60% sativa and 40% indica in effect and genetics.

give it a try. warning...it was the most stinky plant ive every grown. smelled so disgustingly foul during flowering. took over the grow room in smell.

 

[|B3RNY|]

Hey man, thanks for stopping in.. So far I've grown Dinafem's Critical+, White Widow and Moby Dick so far.. I'd recommend any of them to grow, Moby Dick was especially surprising in the yield area; like Critical + but with better flavor/potency IMO. I know they all have to be selfed, or BX'ed in the 1st place to be feminized but they've all grown, seemingly, with hybrid vigor. Sorry, I haven't grown the Diesel or Hashplants from Dinafem yet so I can't comment on those but I'd really like to try 'em all! Especially their newer strain "Cloud 9", I think it's a Critical + X J.Y.D. Haze. Oh yeah- I had very good luck out of a Blue Widow I got as a freeby last year too! It was really good smoke but I didn't have the time/space to really experience that one fully.
Skunk #1= Sensi Seeds baby!! I'll have to look into that, I've heard a lot of good things about Seedsman, thanks for the suggestion; I'm a skunk-lover!

 

[themanwiththeplan]

Hey man, thanks for stopping in.. So far I've grown Dinafem's Critical+, White Widow and Moby Dick so far.. I'd recommend any of them to grow, Moby Dick was especially surprising in the yield area; like Critical + but with better flavor/potency IMO. I know they all have to be selfed, or BX'ed in the 1st place to be feminized but they've all grown, seemingly, with hybrid vigor. Sorry, I haven't grown the Diesel or Hashplants from Dinafem yet so I can't comment on those but I'd really like to try 'em all! Especially their newer strain "Cloud 9", I think it's a Critical + X J.Y.D. Haze. Oh yeah- I had very good luck out of a Blue Widow I got as a freeby last year too! It was really good smoke but I didn't have the time/space to really experience that one fully.
Skunk #1= Sensi Seeds baby!! I'll have to look into that, I've heard a lot of good things about Seedsman, thanks for the suggestion; I'm a skunk-lover!

the moby dick sounds nice as well.

people do think that dinafem is blowing smoke on their description of critical+ but the one i grew from pick and mix on attitude was exactly like you and dinafem described it. critical+ may not be the best in the world or anything but its definitely something to keep in your grow room or keep for a mother/breeding purposes. too many + and not hardly and negatives to growing it imo.

how was that blue widow? i grew white berry from paradise seeds and im pretty sure both r white widow x blueberry (or is blue widow blueberry x white widow?) idk either way i bet its pretty damn good because my white berry was top notch.

i only went with seedsman because everyone on the forums told me seedsman was the original breeder of skunk #1 from back in the 70's so i figured it was worth my effort. like i said before...i cant emphasize enough how stinky it is. it smells horrible to the point you almost think you have mold (i actually had to check my plant because i was certain thats what the smell was) to my surprise there was no mold. also seedsman skunk #1 (the one 1 got at least) didnt grow too tall so if you go with it top it as much as possible because i wish i did

idk what skunk #1 will yield best or smoke best though. id like to run side by side grows when/if i can (ie. a whole grow of different breeder's skunk #1s...or white widows, etc.) it would be good to figure whos got the best.

the skunk#1 you got from sensi...how was that?

 

[miscbrah3284]

Very first plant i grew was critical+....vegged it under a 150w hps for 30 days then flowered under a 400w and ended up with 3oz in a 3g smart pot....one of my most impressive plants to date and it contained 1 lone seed in its buds which i popped and is vegging right now.....

their og kush shot nanners like crazy crazy crazy and doesnt resemble real og much imo.....but really nice dense buds
blue hash hermed like a mofo too....i grew this strain twice, hermed both times but the smell and taste of this plant is great.

all in all im growing crit+ 1 more time now that im more experienced but im never touching dinafem again

 

[themanwiththeplan]

Very first plant i grew was critical+....vegged it under a 150w hps for 30 days then flowered under a 400w and ended up with 3oz in a 3g smart pot....one of my most impressive plants to date and it contained 1 lone seed in its buds which i popped and is vegging right now.....

their og kush shot nanners like crazy crazy crazy and doesnt resemble real og much imo.....but really nice dense buds
blue hash hermed like a mofo too....i grew this strain twice, hermed both times but the smell and taste of this plant is great.

all in all im growing crit+ 1 more time now that im more experienced but im never touching dinafem again

wow really? ive grown quite a few dinafem strains and never had a hermie once. granted i havent grown their og kush or blue hash but this is still surprising news to me. guess ive been lucky?

did you have light leaks? stress? etc?

 

[hazey grapes]

I'm with you man, Skunk #1 (these days, anyways) certainly strikes me as more of an Indica... especially in the high.

it goes all the way back to the original. i was blazing skunk around '95 for a minute, and possibly before that as skunk and red hair were the first "brand names" at the start of the indica invasion. i don't think i got my first seed catalogue until around 1988 from "super sativa seed club" (THAT's how old school i am!). it was BS though because skunk #1 was what they were calling sativa! no neville's haze yet much less super silver or jack, and everthing else was even more indica... william's wonder, holland's hope, northern lights #5 (and some other number NL), and of course afghanicrap. THAT's why people in the mid 90s lost their minds over bubblegum.

actually today's phenos of skunk #1 are better as some of the afghani dominance has been selected away from. you want a GOOD skunk? get DNA lemon skunk. it's a nice enough high a little more middy than a generic haze. it's acceptable, though not psychoactive.

i'm betting a nickel that critical jack easily embarrasses original skunk #1 if the breeder started with good parents. there's been a fair amount of selecting away from stony buzzes slowly creeping into the market with cindy, apollo, super silver haze, jack, even sour D. getting the greedy cash crappers to stop pedaling narcotics is an uphill battle, but there's always goinf to be a demand for gear that gets you high as there's a slightly more than half preference for that than stoned despite what the market forces on consumers.

if you REALLY want to get high, you've got to do it for yourself or at least move to nor cal and smoke a lot of blue dream.

hey! i found my 1st or second catalogue! i had another one with a plain white cover with a small logo. maybe it was the second one. i would have ordered durban poison over skunk #1 any day. there were not much more than a dozen strains at first

 

[420babies]

I have one in flower right now its at 42 days and i dont have any cloudy trichs let alone any amber trichs. Theres no way itll b done in 45-50 days. Ive read on multiple sites that its actually 65-75 days maybe a few over that. Theres one pheno thats 12 weeks. Has anyone grew it from femmed seed to harvest, and have amber trichs in 50 days or less... Any info would b great...

 

[bluntmassa1]

I have one in flower right now its at 42 days and i dont have any cloudy trichs let alone any amber trichs. Theres no way itll b done in 45-50 days. Ive read on multiple sites that its actually 65-75 days maybe a few over that. Theres one pheno thats 12 weeks. Has anyone grew it from femmed seed to harvest, and have amber trichs in 50 days or less... Any info would b great...

its probally just comercially ready in 45-50 days. I won't know for sure for a while I got the original critical mass going now but still in veg. but I've seen off flower times all over and I've seen arjan from greenhouse saying a strain will be commercially ready at whatever time on his videos and those are usally the flower times they give.
but also if you put her in flower before she showed preflowers it will take longer to finish as it was not fully mature yet.