How to Grow Blue Cheese
Blue Cheese is an award-winning, heavily indica feminized strain that crosses Blueberry with the UK Cheese. The result is an 80% indica plant with a medium 16-20% THC, a tangy cheese, fruity, spicy and sweet flavor, and a happy, relaxed effect. It is compact, productive and beginner-friendly, and often turns beautiful blue and purple shades thanks to its Blueberry parent.
This is a feminized, 80% indica photoperiod strain and a short one, around 1 m, that flowers in 8 to 9 weeks once you switch it to bloom. Every seed grows into a flowering female, so there is no need to identify the sex or remove males, which keeps the grow simple and the whole crop productive. Its Blueberry and Cheese roots give it a sturdy, bushy structure and a reliable, resinous harvest.
Recommended Strains
Blue Cheese
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THC | 16% - 20% (Medium) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | High |
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Phenotype | 80% Indica / 20% Sativa |
Blue Cheese Autoflower
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THC | 14% - 16% (Medium) |
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Type | Autoflowering |
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Yield | High |
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Phenotype | 80% Indica / 20% Sativa |
Compact, flavourful and dependable, Blue Cheese is a rewarding way to grow a classic, award-winning indica with real old-school character. You can see the full genetics and buy Blue Cheese seeds on the strain page, and browse the rest of our feminized seeds alongside it.
Strain Profile at a Glance
| THC | Medium (16-20%) |
|---|---|
| Lineage | Blueberry x UK Cheese |
| Type | Feminized (photoperiod) |
| Genetics | 80% Indica / 20% Sativa |
| Awards | Cannabis Cup winner (2006) |
| Climate | Tropical, warm |
| Flowering time | 8-9 weeks |
| Harvest (outdoor) | September |
| Height | 3.28 ft / 1 m |
| Yield indoor | 1.64-1.8 oz/ft² (500-550 g/m²) |
| Yield outdoor | 21.16 oz/plant (600 g/plant) |
| Grow difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
| Flavors | Cheese, Fruity, Spicy, Sweet |
| Effects | Happy, Relaxed |
Promos & Deals
An Award-Winning Strain
Blue Cheese is a genuine classic, recognised at the Cannabis Cup back in 2006 and still a fixture of the European indica scene years later. That award reflects the balance it strikes: the fruity, berry sweetness of Blueberry woven through the tangy funk of the UK Cheese, on a plant that grows reliably and finishes with a thick coat of resin.
For a grower, that pedigree is reassuring. An award-winning strain has been tested and stabilised, so Blue Cheese behaves predictably in the tent or garden, which is exactly what you want from a plant you are learning on. You can explore the rest of our award-winning cannabis seeds if you like proven genetics with a track record.
Growing a Feminized Photoperiod Strain
Blue Cheese is a photoperiod strain, so it flowers in response to the light cycle rather than on age. You grow it under a long day of around 18 hours of light while it builds size and structure, then switch to a 12/12 light schedule to trigger flowering, which runs 8 to 9 weeks from the flip to harvest. Because the seeds are feminized, every plant comes up female and goes on to flower, so you never have to check the sex or cull males.
That control over the light cycle is an advantage. You decide how long to veg the plant and therefore how big it gets before you flip it, which matters with such a short strain, as you may want a little extra veg to build size. As an 80% indica it grows bushy and compact rather than tall, so give it an open canopy and a little low-stress training early on to spread the light evenly across its productive, resinous structure.
Climate and Where to Grow It
Blue Cheese does best in a warm, tropical or Mediterranean-style climate with plenty of sun, steady warmth and good airflow. Its Blueberry and Cheese heritage makes it a hardy, adaptable plant, and its short stature and quick 8 to 9 week bloom mean it finishes early, typically around September outdoors, before the worst of the autumn damp sets in.
It performs well indoors and out. Indoors it returns a strong 500-550 g/m² in a well-managed tent, while outdoors a healthy plant with room and sun gives a generous 600 g. As a short, bushy indica of about 1 m it stays very manageable in height, so the main job is keeping the canopy open so light and air reach the lower buds.
Keep humidity under control through flowering to protect the dense, resinous colas: around 55-60% in early bloom, nearer 40-45% as the buds fill out, and lower toward harvest. A chunky indica can hold moisture inside the flowers, so steady airflow and sensible humidity are what keep the finish clean. Cooler nights late in flower can also deepen the blue and purple hues it inherits from Blueberry. Aim for daytime temperatures around 70-82°F (21-28°C).
Feeding Schedule (EC Guide)
Blue Cheese is a productive plant, but it still pays to build nutrients up gradually and let the plant set the pace. Feed to its appetite through veg and bloom, then taper off for the final flush so the tangy cheese and sweet, fruity flavor comes through clean and the smoke finishes smooth. The ranges below are a starting guide; adjust to your water and medium.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.4-0.6 | Very light feed while roots establish |
| Vegetative growth | 0.8-1.2 | Raise nitrogen as the plant builds size |
| Early flower | 1.2-1.4 | Shift toward bloom nutrients (P and K) |
| Full flower | 1.4-1.6 | 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 switch Blue Cheese to a 12/12 light schedule it flowers in 8 to 9 weeks, which is quick for such a resinous indica. As a mostly indica plant it stacks dense, chunky buds on a compact, bushy frame rather than stretching tall, so you get a lot of flower in a small footprint. Grown outdoors in a warm climate it is typically ready to harvest around September, and cooler nights toward the end can bring out striking blue and purple colouring.
Yields are strong for a short plant: around 500-550 g/m² indoors and a generous 600 g per plant outdoors with good sun and space. Give it a little training so the lower buds get light, feed it well through bloom, and harvest when most of the trichomes have turned cloudy for the fullest flavor and a well-rounded, relaxing effect.
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 is especially important with a dense indica like Blue Cheese, because its chunky buds can stay damp in the middle while the outside dries, and a gentle dry protects both the aroma and the colour.
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 brings out the tangy cheese, berry-sweet and spicy notes and smooths the smoke, which matters on a Cheese-derived strain where that funky, savoury character is a big part of the appeal.
What to Do With Your Trim
Don’t bin the sugar leaves you remove while manicuring. Blue Cheese is a resinous, trichome-heavy plant, so its trim works well for dry sift, bubble hash or rosin. That trim makes for a flavourful cheese-and-berry concentrate run from material most growers would otherwise throw away, and it is a good way to use the plant fully.
Flavor and Terpenes
Blue Cheese has a bold, distinctive profile: a tangy, funky cheese note from its UK Cheese parent, a ripe berry fruitiness and gentle sweetness from Blueberry, and a spicy edge underneath. It is a savoury, full flavor rather than a light one, and a good cure really brings that cheese-berry-and-spice character forward in the jar and on the inhale.
Its broad terpene profile shapes that character. Myrcene lays down a ripe, fruity-earthy base that drives the heavy indica body, while caryophyllene adds the warm, peppery spice that matches the spicy note in the flavor. Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene give a fresh, piney lift, and linalool a soft floral touch, with humulene and delta-3-carene rounding out the earthy, woody depth. Together they frame the funky, fruity-sweet character Blue Cheese is known for.
Effects and Best Use
With its medium 16-20% THC and heavily 80% indica make-up, Blue Cheese delivers a smooth, body-forward experience. It is reported as happy and relaxed: an easygoing, uplifting lift that settles into a deep physical ease, in keeping with its strong indica side. The medium THC makes it approachable, so it is a comfortable choice if you prefer a gentler, more manageable potency.
That relaxed, happy profile makes it an evening and night-time strain, well suited to winding down after a long day. The combination of a compact, beginner-friendly grow, a strong yield and a bold cheese-and-berry flavor, all from award-winning genetics, is exactly why it has stayed popular for so long.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
The most common issue with a dense indica like Blue Cheese is moisture getting trapped in the chunky buds late in flower. Keep the air moving around and through the canopy, hold humidity down as the flowers fill out, and don’t let the plant sit in still, damp air. Defoliating a few of the largest fan leaves in mid-bloom helps light and air reach the lower buds.
Because it grows short and bushy rather than tall, train it early. A little low-stress training or a light topping in veg opens the canopy and turns one dominant cola into several even ones, which suits its productive structure and lifts the yield on a plant that is naturally compact. Giving it a bit of extra veg time before the flip also helps build size.
As a pro tip, protect the cheese-and-berry flavor and the colour, since both are the appeal of this strain: run a clean plain-water flush at the end, let cooler nights late in flower bring out the blue and purple hues, and cure for three to four weeks to bring that funky, fruity character to its brightest. Lean on its award-winning, beginner-friendly nature by keeping the feed steady and the canopy open.
FAQ
Is Blue Cheese a feminized strain?
Yes. Blue Cheese is a feminized photoperiod strain, so every seed grows into a flowering female and you never have to identify the sex or remove males. You grow it under long days, then switch to a 12/12 light schedule to start flowering. That makes the whole crop productive and keeps the grow simple, which helps make it beginner-friendly.
How much THC does Blue Cheese have?
Blue Cheese is a medium-THC strain, testing at around 16-20%. That approachable level, combined with its heavily 80% indica genetics, gives a happy, relaxed experience that leans body-forward. It is a comfortable choice if you prefer a gentler potency, and it suits relaxed evening and night-time use rather than a heavy, racy high.
How long does Blue Cheese take to flower?
Blue Cheese flowers in about 8 to 9 weeks once you switch it to a 12/12 light schedule, which is quick for a resinous indica. As a photoperiod strain you also control how long it vegetates beforehand, which sets its final size. Grown outdoors in a warm climate it is usually ready to harvest around September.
What does Blue Cheese taste like?
It has a bold profile: a tangy, funky cheese note from UK Cheese, a ripe berry fruitiness and sweetness from Blueberry, and a spicy edge. Myrcene drives the earthy-fruity base, caryophyllene a peppery spice, pinene a fresh lift and linalool a floral touch. A proper cure brings the cheese-berry-and-spice character forward.
How much does Blue Cheese yield?
Blue Cheese is a strong producer for a short plant, giving around 500-550 g/m² indoors and a generous 600 g per plant outdoors with good sun and space. Results depend on light, pot size and canopy health, so keep the plant well fed through bloom and train it lightly for an even canopy that fills out.
Has Blue Cheese won any awards?
Yes. Blue Cheese is a Cannabis Cup winner, taking an award in 2006, and it has remained a respected European classic ever since. That recognition reflects its stable, reliable growth and its distinctive cheese-and-berry flavor, which is reassuring if you want proven, well-tested genetics to grow.
