How to grow Cheese
What’s up, fellow cultivator! Are you ready to grow a true icon? A strain so famously pungent and unique that it changed the game forever? Then let’s talk about the legendary Cheese. Born in the UK from a special Skunk #1 phenotype, this is the strain that proves “stinky” can be a beautiful thing. It delivers a perfectly balanced high that’s happy, euphoric, and wonderfully relaxing.
This is more than just a plant; it’s a piece of cannabis history. Growing Cheese is a rite of passage, and the reward is a massive harvest of dense, frosty, and unbelievably aromatic homegrown buds. I’m here to educate you and help you nurture this beautiful plant from a tiny seed into a top-shelf harvest. Let’s get to it!
Recommended Strains
Cheese
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THC: 14% - 18% -
Type of seed: Feminized -
Phenotype: 40% Sativa / 60% Indica -
Flavor: Cheese, Skunk, Spicy -
Day to flower: 8 - 10 weeks
Badazz Cheese
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THC: 15% - 20%
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Type of seed: Feminized
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Phenotype: 20% Sativa / 80% Indica
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Flavor: Cheese, Earthy, Spicy
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Day to flower: 8 - 10 weeks
From Seed to a Pungent, Potent Harvest: The Full Grow-Along
Cheese is famously resilient and a vigorous grower, making it a fantastic choice for cultivators of all experience levels. Here’s everything you need to know.
Germination: The First Step to Funk
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 24 to 48 hours, 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.
The Vegetative Stage: Building a Strong, Bushy Frame
During the veg stage, your Cheese plant is focused on building a strong, bushy 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 More: Cheese is a naturally bushy plant, but a little training goes a long way. 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 Cheese 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. The aroma will become POWERFUL. That signature pungent, cheesy, and skunky smell will fill your entire grow space.
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 Cheese buds are a magnet for mold if your humidity is too high. It is CRITICAL to keep your humidity levels lower (around 40-50%) 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 medium-sized plant. Expect a final height between 4 to 5 feet (120-150 cm). It’s a great size for most grow tents, especially with training.
- Odor Control is NON-NEGOTIABLE: I’m not kidding, this is one of the smelliest strains you can grow. It’s an amazing smell, but it will be noticed. A high-quality carbon filter is absolutely essential for any indoor grow.
Growing Outdoors If you have the right climate, you can cultivate a massive outdoor Cheese plant.
- 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 (Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara): The Mediterranean climate with its cool breezes and ample sun is a perfect match for this strain to thrive.
- The Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland): The mild summers are great, but you may need to use a greenhouse to protect the dense buds from the autumn rains.
- Colorado (Boulder, Denver): The intense sun is great for resin production, but the dry climate is the real winner here, helping to keep mold away from those dense buds.
Pro-Level Playbook: Cloning and Powerful Extractions
Cloning: Keep the Legend Alive
Find a specific Cheese plant with that perfect pungent aroma? Clone her!
- 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 Cheese is a goldmine of cannabinoids and terpenes.
This is THE perfect strain for making your own high-quality hash or rosin. With its incredible resin production from its Skunk #1 lineage, you can create some truly top-shelf, potent, and solventless concentrates that capture that unique cheesy funk.
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 balanced 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 65-72°F (18-22°C), and humidity around 45-55%. This usually takes 7-10 days.
- The Cure: This is the most important step for flavor! 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 cheesy, skunky, and sweet flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the effects of Cheese really like?
It’s a beautifully balanced hybrid. It starts with a happy, euphoric, and uplifting cerebral rush that’s great for creativity and socializing. This is followed by a powerful, relaxing body high that melts away stress and pain without being a total knockout.
Is this a good strain for beginners?
Yes! Its Skunk #1 genetics make it incredibly resilient and forgiving of common mistakes. The biggest challenge for a new grower will be managing the powerful smell!
Does it actually smell like cheese?
It really does! It has a very distinct, pungent, and sharp aroma that is very reminiscent of an aged cheddar cheese, mixed with that classic earthy skunk funk. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it smell, and our community absolutely loves it.
What’s the best way to control the strong smell?
If you’re growing indoors, a high-quality carbon filter attached to your exhaust fan is your best and only option. Don’t skimp on this! It will scrub the air coming out of your tent or room, neutralizing the smell before it can escape.
How big will my yield be?
Cheese 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, pungent buds.
