How to Grow Black Sugar
Black Sugar is a compact, high-yielding, indica-dominant feminized strain that crosses Black Domina, LA OG Kush and Critical. It is a 70/30 indica with a medium 18-20% THC, a fruity, lemon, orange and skunk flavor, and a focused, happy, relaxed effect. Short, productive and fast to finish, it packs a big, zesty harvest into a small plant.
As a feminized strain, Black Sugar produces only female, flower-bearing plants, so you can skip sexing and remove the guesswork of sorting out males. Every seed goes toward productive, bud-growing plants from the start. You grow it under long days through its vegetative stage, then switch the lights to 12/12 to trigger flowering, which gives you full control over the plant’s final size and its timing.
Recommended Strains
Black Sugar
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THC | 18% - 20% (Medium) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | High |
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Phenotype | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
Black Widow
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THC | 24% - 28% (High) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | Medium |
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Phenotype | 35% Indica / 65% Sativa |
Compact, productive and beginner-friendly, Black Sugar is a rewarding strain to grow. You can see the full genetics and buy Black Sugar seeds on the strain page, and browse the rest of our feminized seeds alongside it.
Strain Profile at a Glance
| THC | Medium (18-20%) |
|---|---|
| Lineage | Black Domina x LA OG Kush x Critical |
| Type | Feminized |
| Genetics | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Flowering time | 8-9 weeks |
| Harvest (outdoor) | October |
| Height | 3.94 ft / 1.2 m |
| Yield indoor | 1.97 oz/ft² (600 g/m²) |
| Yield outdoor | 19.4-22.93 oz/plant (550-650 g/plant) |
| Grow difficulty | Easy, beginner-friendly |
| Flavors | Fruity, Lemon, Orange, Skunk |
| Effects | Focused, Happy, Relaxed |
Promos & Deals
Growing a Feminized Strain
Black Sugar is a photoperiod feminized strain, which means it flowers in response to the light cycle rather than its age. You keep it under long days, usually 18 hours of light, for as long as you want it to grow and build structure, then switch to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness (12/12) to tell the plant to start flowering. Because every seed grows into a female, there are no males to find and remove, so your whole crop goes toward buds.
That control over timing suits a short, bushy, indica-leaning plant like Black Sugar well. It stays compact at around 1.2 m with only a modest stretch after the flip, so it is easy to keep in a small space. Use the vegetative stage to top and train it, spreading its many bud sites into an even canopy so every flower fattens up across its fast 8 to 9 week bloom.
Climate and Where to Grow It
Black Sugar suits a temperate climate and grows well both indoors and outdoors where the season is mild and reasonably warm. Outdoors in the Northern Hemisphere it finishes around October, and its compact size makes it easy to tuck into a small outdoor spot or a tent. At just 1.2 m it is one of the more discreet, manageable plants in the catalog.
Its yield is impressive for such a small plant: around 600 g/m² indoors in an optimized setup and a generous 550-650 g per plant outdoors, which is why it sits among our high-yielding seeds. As a compact, resinous indica, it packs a lot of productive bud into a short frame, making it a favourite for growers short on height.
That character comes straight from its parents: Black Domina lends the dense, dark, compact indica structure, LA OG Kush brings a zesty citrus-and-fuel lift, and Critical adds heavy yield and a skunky backbone. Keep temperatures around 68-80°F (20-27°C) and humidity sensible through flowering, and let the nights cool a little late in bloom to deepen its dark tones.
Feeding Schedule (EC Guide)
Black Sugar is a productive, resinous plant that feeds moderately well, but build the nutrients gradually rather than pushing it hard early. Start light while it is young, build through the vegetative stage, shift toward phosphorus and potassium once it flips into flower, then flush at the end so the fruity, lemon notes come through clean. The ranges below are a starting guide; adjust to your water and medium.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.5-0.7 | Very light feed while roots establish |
| Vegetative | 1.2-1.6 | Raise nitrogen as the plant builds structure |
| Early flower | 1.4-1.7 | Shift toward bloom nutrients (P and K) |
| Full flower | 1.6-1.9 | Peak bloom feed while the buds swell |
| Flush | 0.0-0.4 | Plain water for the final 1-2 weeks |
Flowering and Harvest
Once you flip it to 12/12, Black Sugar finishes fast, in just 8 to 9 weeks, which is quick and a real advantage for newer growers. It builds dense, compact, resinous buds on a short frame, often showing dark, purple-tinged tones in a cool finish, and develops a zesty lemon, orange and skunky aroma over a fruity base as it ripens.
Yields are high for its size at around 600 g/m² indoors and 550-650 g per plant outdoors. Keep the canopy even so light reaches the lower buds, feed it steadily through flower, and harvest when most of the trichomes have turned cloudy with a few amber for the fullest zesty, fruity flavor and the most rounded effect. Its compact structure makes the dense buds easy to manage at harvest.
Drying and Curing
Dry whole plants or branches in a dark room at around 60°F (15-18°C) and 55-60% humidity for 7-14 days, until the thin stems snap rather than bend. A slow, even dry preserves the volatile lemon and orange terpenes that make Black Sugar so aromatic, and a gentle dry protects both that brightness and the skunky, fruity depth underneath.
Then cure the trimmed buds in sealed jars, burping them daily for the first week and letting them settle for three to four weeks. A proper cure is what locks in the zesty citrus and skunky notes and smooths the smoke, turning a freshly dried harvest into the bright, fruity, flavorful result Black Sugar is known for.
What to Do With Your Trim
Don’t bin the sugar leaves you remove while manicuring. Black Sugar is a resinous plant, so its trim is excellent for dry sift, bubble hash or rosin. That resin and zesty, fruity aroma make the trim genuinely valuable, turning offcuts into a bright, flavorful concentrate run rather than waste, a nice bonus on top of its heavy yield for such a small plant.
Flavor and Terpenes
Black Sugar leads with a bright, fruity flavor built around zesty lemon and orange, lifted over a skunky, slightly fuel-like base from its Kush and Critical sides. It is a lively, aromatic smoke, and a good cure brings that citrus-and-skunk character forward in the jar and on the inhale, with the fruity sweetness rounding it out.
Its terpene profile is complex and shapes that flavor. Limonene drives the zesty lemon and orange top note, while caryophyllene adds a peppery, spicy bite that underlines the skunk. Myrcene forms an earthy, fruity base, with alpha-pinene, linalool and terpinolene rounding out a bright, fruity, skunky character.
Effects and Best Use
With its medium 18-20% THC and indica-leaning 70/30 make-up, Black Sugar delivers a balanced, approachable experience. It is reported as focused, happy and relaxed, pairing a clear, upbeat head with a comfortable, settled body, which makes it a versatile strain for daytime or evening use. The moderate potency keeps it easy to enjoy without feeling overwhelming.
That focused, happy, relaxed profile makes it a rewarding strain for a clear-headed, mellow session, alongside its zesty, fruity flavor. The combination of a compact, high-yielding, fast grow and a bright, balanced effect is exactly why Black Sugar stands out among feminized strains, especially for growers short on space.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
Black Sugar is forgiving and beginner-friendly, and its compact size makes it one of the easier plants to manage, but its dense buds still deserve attention in late flower. Those tight, compact colas can trap moisture, so keep the air moving and ease the humidity down as the flowers fill out to avoid trouble in the heart of the bud.
Because it stays short, it is ideal for small tents, and gentle, low-stress training during veg opens the canopy so light reaches every bud site and helps it hit that heavy yield. Do your topping and training early, while the plant is still growing, and defoliate a few of the largest fan leaves if the compact center gets crowded so the lower buds get light and airflow.
As a pro tip, make the most of its color and bright aroma: let the late-flower nights run a little cool to deepen the dark, purple-tinged tones, keep the feed steady rather than heavy, and protect the volatile citrus terpenes with a proper plain-water flush and a full three to four week cure. Save the resinous trim for concentrates.
FAQ
Is Black Sugar a feminized strain?
Yes. Black Sugar is a photoperiod feminized strain, so every seed grows into a female, flower-bearing plant and you never have to sex or remove males. You grow it under long days through the vegetative stage, then switch the lights to 12/12 to trigger flowering, which gives you full control over the plant’s size and when it finishes.
How long does Black Sugar take to flower?
Black Sugar finishes fast, in just 8 to 9 weeks once you switch it to a 12/12 light cycle, which is quick and beginner-friendly. Outdoors in the Northern Hemisphere it is typically ready to harvest around October. That short, fast cycle combined with its compact size makes it a very manageable plant to grow start to finish.
How much does Black Sugar yield?
Black Sugar is a strong producer for its size, giving around 600 g/m² indoors in an optimized setup and a generous 550-650 g per plant outdoors. That is impressive for a plant that stays around 1.2 m. Give it an even canopy and good light penetration to get the most from its dense, compact, resinous buds.
What does Black Sugar taste like?
It has a bright, fruity flavor built around zesty lemon and orange, over a skunky, slightly fuel-like base. Limonene drives the citrus, caryophyllene a peppery bite and myrcene an earthy, fruity base. A proper three to four week cure brings that citrus-and-skunk character forward on the inhale, with the fruity sweetness rounding it out.
How tall does Black Sugar grow?
It stays short and compact, reaching only around 1.2 m, which makes it one of the more discreet, space-friendly plants in the catalog. That small size, combined with a heavy yield, makes it ideal for small tents or tucked-away outdoor spots. A little topping and low-stress training keeps the short canopy even and productive.
How much THC does Black Sugar have?
Black Sugar is a moderately potent strain, testing from about 18% up to 20% THC depending on the phenotype and how it is grown. Combined with its indica-leaning 70/30 genetics, the result is a focused, happy, relaxed effect. The medium potency makes it approachable and easy to enjoy, including for less experienced smokers.
