How To Grow Critical Purple Kush
What’s up, fellow cultivator! Are you ready to grow a strain that’s an absolute showstopper in the garden? A plant that combines the massive yields of Critical with the stunning purple colors and deep relaxation of a Purple Kush? Then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about the incredible Critical Purple Kush.
This is the plant you grow when you want it all: bag appeal, heavy yields, and a classic, soothing indica high. It’s a favorite in our community for a reason. I’m here to educate you and guide you on how to nurture this beautiful plant from a tiny seed into a truly epic harvest. Let’s get to it!
Recommended Strains
Critical Purple Kush
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THC: 16% - 18% -
Type of seed: Feminized -
Phenotype: 40% Sativa / 60% Indica -
Day to flower: 7 - 9 weeks
Critical Purple Kush x Bruce Banner Regular
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THC: 25% - 27%
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Type of seed: Regular
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Phenotype: 80% Sativa / 20% Indica
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Flavor: Citrus, Earthy -
Day to flower: 8 - 10 weeks
From Seed to a Purple Prize: The Full Grow-Along
This indica-dominant hybrid is famously resilient and a vigorous grower, making it a fantastic choice for cultivators of all experience levels.
Germination: The First Spark
Every great plant starts with a single healthy seed. The paper towel method is my trusted technique.
- Soak: Give your seeds a 12 to 24-hour soak in a glass of room-temperature water.
- Wrap: Place the hydrated seeds between two paper towels that are damp, but not dripping wet.
- Keep it Warm & Dark: Put your paper towel setup inside a Ziploc bag or between two plates.
- Sprout!: In 3 to 10 days, a tiny white taproot will emerge. Game on! Carefully plant it about a half-inch deep in your starter pot, with the root pointing down.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Being too rough. That new little taproot is the most fragile part of the plant’s life. Use tweezers and a gentle touch when moving it to its new home.
A Quick Word on “Regular” Seeds
If you’re growing a regular version of this seed, remember that you will get both male and female plants.
- For Bud-Only Growers: Your mission is to identify the male plants as soon as they show their sex (usually a week or two into flowering) and remove them. This prevents them from pollinating your females and making them produce seeds instead of potent buds.
- For the Breeders & Innovators: This is where the fun begins! The male plants produce the pollen you need to cross with your best female plants. This is how you create your own unique hybrids and innovate within our growing community!
The Vegetative Stage: Building a Strong Foundation
During the veg stage, your Critical Purple Kush is focused on building a strong, bushy indica structure to support all those future dense, heavy buds.
- Light Cycle: You need long “days” to promote strong vegetative growth. An 18/6 light cycle (18 hours of light, 6 of darkness) is the gold standard.
- Nutrient Needs: Your plant is hungry for Nitrogen (N) during this phase to fuel all that leafy development. Use a well-balanced “grow” fertilizer.
- Train for Bigger Yields: This plant responds incredibly well to training. Techniques like Topping or Low-Stress Training (LST) will open up the canopy, allow more light to reach the lower branches, and dramatically increase your final yield.
The Flowering Stage: An Aromatic Explosion
This is where the magic really happens. To trigger flowering, you MUST switch your lights to a strict 12/12 cycle (12 hours of light, 12 hours of absolute darkness).
The flowering time for Critical Purple Kush is typically 8-10 weeks. During this phase, the plant will stretch a bit, then focus its energy on producing incredibly dense and resinous buds that will develop those beautiful purple hues. The aroma will be a beautiful and complex mix of sweet berries and earthy Kush notes.
When you flip your lights, switch to a “bloom” fertilizer that is higher in Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) to support this amazing flower production.
Common Mistake to Avoid: High Humidity. Those dense indica buds are a magnet for mold if your humidity is too high. It is CRITICAL to keep your humidity levels lower (around 40%) and ensure good airflow during the flowering stage.
Promos & Deals
Indoor vs. Outdoor: Choosing Your Grow Environment
This hybrid is adaptable, but a controlled environment will give you the best results.
Growing Indoors This is where you can create the perfect, controlled environment to produce connoisseur-quality buds.
- Height: This is a very manageable plant for indoor grows. Expect a final height between 3 to 4 feet (90-120 cm). It’s perfect for most grow tents.
- Climate Control: This strain is sensitive to big swings in temperature. Keeping your grow room stable is key to a happy plant and a high-quality harvest.
Growing Outdoors If you have the right climate, you can cultivate a beautiful outdoor Critical Purple Kush.
- Height Potential: Unrestrained outdoors, this plant can stretch up to 6 feet (180 cm) or more.
Best U.S. Cities and Climates: This strain loves a warm, stable, temperate climate.
- California (San Diego): The Mediterranean climate is perfect for this strain to thrive.
- Colorado (Denver): The intense sun is great for resin production, but you’ll need to be mindful of the dry air and temperature swings.
- Oregon (Portland): The temperate climate and long summer days are fantastic for this strain.
Pro-Level Playbook: Cloning and Powerful Extractions
Cloning: Preserve That Perfect Profile
Find a specific female Critical Purple Kush plant with that perfect effect? Don’t let those amazing genetics go!
- Select & Snip: Take a healthy 4-6 inch cutting from a lower branch of a mother plant in her vegetative stage. Use a sterile razor for a clean cut.
- Hormone Dip: Immediately dip the cut end in a rooting hormone to inspire vigorous root growth.
- Plant It: Place the cutting into a moist starter cube like Rockwool.
- Keep It Humid: Cover your new clones with a humidity dome to keep them from wilting.
- A New Generation: In about two weeks, you’ll have a new plant that is a perfect genetic copy of your prized mother!
What to Do With Your Trim? Make a Masterpiece!
A sustainable grower uses the whole plant! The frosty trim from your Critical Purple Kush is a goldmine of cannabinoids and terpenes.
This is THE perfect strain for making high-quality hash or rosin. With the dense, frosty buds from its legendary lineage, you can create some truly top-shelf, potent, and solventless concentrates.
The Grand Finale: Harvest, Dry & Cure
You’ve made it! Get a jeweler’s loupe and look at the trichomes. When they have changed from clear to mostly milky-white, with just a hint of amber, you’ve hit the sweet spot for a perfectly relaxing high.
- The Chop: Cut your plants and trim away the large fan leaves.
- The Slow Dry: Hang the branches in a dark room with good airflow, a temperature around 60-70°F (15-21°C), and humidity around 45-55%. This usually takes 7-10 days.
- The Cure: This is the final step for a smooth and flavorful final product. Trim the buds and place them in airtight glass jars. “Burp” the jars daily for the first couple of weeks. A proper cure of at least 2 to 4 weeks will bring out that complex sweet and earthy flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the effects of Critical Purple Kush really like?
It’s a powerful, classic indica high. Expect a deep, heavy body relaxation that melts away stress, tension, and pain. It’s famous for its “couch-lock” potential, making it the perfect strain for the end of the day when you’re ready to completely unwind.
Is this a good strain for beginners?
Yes! Its genetics make it a resilient and manageable plant. If you’re growing a regular version, the only extra step is identifying and removing the male plants, but that’s a great skill for any new grower to learn.
Will my buds really turn purple?
Yes! It’s in the genetics. While not every single plant will be deep purple, most will show beautiful purple and blue hues, especially if you expose them to slightly cooler nighttime temperatures during the final weeks of flowering.
What are the key challenges when growing Critical Purple Kush?
The biggest challenges are maintaining a stable environment (temperature and humidity), being careful not to overfeed, and preventing mold in its extremely dense buds with good airflow.
How big will my yield be?
This strain is known for producing very generous yields. It grows into a solid, multi-branched plant, and if you use some basic training techniques, you can expect a very bountiful harvest of top-quality, potent buds.
