How to Grow Purple Urkle
Purple Urkle is a legendary deep-purple indica, famous for its striking colour, berry-earthy aroma and a soothing, body-heavy effect. It pairs a gentle, medium 14–20% THC with a notable 2% CBD and a laid-back character, on a manageable plant that is as rewarding to look at as it is to grow.
Descended from Mendocino Purps, this is a 70% indica, 30% sativa strain with true West Coast heritage. That lineage is where the vivid purple tones and the grape-berry character come from, and it is a big part of why Purple Urkle has stayed a cult favourite for decades.
Recommended Strains
Purple Urkle
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THC | 14% - 20% (Medium) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | Medium |
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Phenotype | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
Candyland
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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 | 30% Indica / 70% Sativa |
Because it is colourful, forgiving and easy to enjoy, Purple Urkle is a popular pick for growers who want a classic purple indica. You can see the full genetics and buy Purple Urkle feminized seeds on the strain page, and browse more of our feminized range, or find your strain across the whole catalogue.
Strain Profile at a Glance
| THC | 14–20% (medium) |
|---|---|
| CBD | 2% |
| Lineage | Mendocino Purps |
| Type | Feminized |
| Genetics | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Flowering time | 8–10 weeks |
| Harvest | October |
| Height | 4.92 ft / 1.5 m |
| Yield | Medium |
| Yield indoor | 1.15–1.47 oz/ft² (350–450 g/m²) |
| Yield outdoor | 17.64–21.16 oz/plant (500–600 g/plant) |
| Grow difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
| Flavors | Berry, Earthy, Skunk |
| Effects | Deeply soothing, Laid-back, Night-time relaxing |
Promos & Deals
Climate and Where to Grow It
Purple Urkle thrives in a temperate climate with mild days and, importantly, cooler nights as it approaches the finish. Those cool nights are what coax out the deep purple colouring, so late-season temperature drops actually work in your favour here.
Outdoors it finishes around October, and a single well-grown plant can bring in a solid 500–600 g in a good spot. It reaches a moderate 1.5 m, keeping it easy to manage on a balcony, in a greenhouse or in a garden bed. Keep humidity in check as the dense, resinous buds fill in to protect both the colour and the aroma.
Indoors, aim for daytime temperatures around 68–80°F (20–27°C) and, if you can, let the night temperature drop a little in late flower to bring out the purple. Steady airflow through the canopy keeps the chunky indica buds healthy.
Growing Feminized Photoperiod Seeds
As a feminized strain, every seed grows into a flowering female, so there is no need to sex the plants or remove males. That keeps the grow simple and means no wasted time or space on plants you would only cull.
Being a photoperiod plant, Purple Urkle flowers on a light change rather than on age. Grow it under a long day (around 18 hours of light) through the vegetative stage, then switch to a 12/12 cycle to trigger flowering. A longer veg builds a bigger frame and a bigger harvest, while a shorter veg keeps the plant compact.
Feeding Schedule (EC Guide)
Purple Urkle is a steady, moderate feeder, so there is no need to push nutrients hard. Start low, build up gently as the plant asks, and ease off for the final flush so the berry-earthy flavour stays clean.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.4–0.6 | Very light feed, focus on healthy root growth |
| Vegetative growth | 0.8–1.2 | Build the frame, raise nitrogen gradually |
| 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 flip to 12/12, bloom runs about 8–10 weeks. The indica dominance shows in the structure: compact spacing, dense, chunky buds and the deep purple colouring that gives the strain its name, especially where nights turn cool toward the finish.
Keep the canopy open so light reaches the lower bud sites and the colour develops evenly. Harvest when most trichomes have turned cloudy with a few amber heads for the fullest, most soothing expression, and run a short plain-water flush in the last week or two before you cut.
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 both the purple colour and the berry aroma, and stops the dense buds staying damp in the middle.
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 brings the sweet, berry character forward over the earthy base and smooths the smoke, which is exactly what a classic like Purple Urkle deserves.
What to Do With Your Trim
Don’t bin the sugar leaves you remove while manicuring. Purple Urkle is a frosty, resinous plant, so the trim works well for dry sift, bubble hash or rosin, giving you a bonus run of concentrate from material most growers simply throw away.
Flavor and Terpenes
Purple Urkle tastes of berry and earthiness with a classic skunky undertone, a rich, grape-like profile that matches its purple looks. It is a grounded, savoury-sweet aroma rather than a citrus-forward one, and it sits naturally among our indica and kush selections.
Five terpenes shape it. Myrcene anchors the fruity, berry base and a soft earthiness; caryophyllene adds a peppery, spicy warmth that feeds the skunky edge; linalool brings a floral, gentle note; terpinolene adds a fresh, light lift; and p-cymene rounds it out with a fresh, woody touch. Together they give a berry-forward, earthy-skunky flavour with real depth.
Effects and Best Use
With its 70% indica base, Purple Urkle is reported as deeply soothing, laid-back and best suited to night-time relaxing. It is a heavy-bodied, settling profile, very much an evening or wind-down strain rather than a daytime one.
The gentle 14–20% THC, paired with a notable 2% CBD, keeps it mellow and approachable rather than overpowering, which is part of its easygoing appeal. That soft potency, the beautiful purple buds and the berry-earthy flavour make it a rewarding, relaxing grow for anyone who loves a classic purple indica.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
Purple Urkle is a forgiving grow, but it is a dense, purple West Coast indica built for night-time use, so airflow, colour and cure all matter.
- Watch the humidity: as a 70% indica its buds are dense and trap moisture, so keep flowering humidity down and run a fan through the canopy to prevent bud rot.
- Use cool nights for colour: its Mendocino Purps heritage turns the buds deep purple when late-flower nights run cool, so a slight temperature drop brings out that colour.
- Open up the canopy: as a bushy indica the lower buds can get shaded, so defoliate lightly to get light and air down through the plant.
Expert tip: it is moderate in potency with a notable CBD level, so it stays mellow. A slow dry and a careful cure protect its berry, earthy, skunky character and keep the purple colour after harvest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Purple Urkle indica or sativa?
It is strongly indica-dominant, at 70% indica and 30% sativa, which gives it a compact structure and a deeply soothing, body-leaning effect. That indica build also means dense buds that trap moisture, so keep humidity down and run a fan through the canopy as the plant fills out in flower.
What is Purple Urkle?
It is a classic West Coast purple indica descended from Mendocino Purps, known for its deep purple colour, berry-earthy aroma and relaxing effect. As a well-known heritage purple it grows stable and true to type, which is part of why it remains a reference point for purple indicas.
How long does it take to flower?
About 8 to 10 weeks once you switch to a 12/12 light cycle, with outdoor plants finishing around October. Its dense buds benefit from good airflow through that window, so keep a fan moving air across the canopy, and cooler late-flower nights help bring out its deep purple colour.
Is Purple Urkle strong?
It is moderate in potency, with a medium 14 to 20% THC and a notable 2% CBD, so it stays mellow and approachable rather than overwhelming. That balance makes it an easy, relaxing night-time option, and for growers it means a forgiving plant that does not demand chasing the highest numbers.
Why is Purple Urkle so purple?
It inherits deep purple tones from its Mendocino Purps heritage, and those colours come out strongest when late-flowering nights turn cool. The colour is cosmetic rather than a sign of potency, so chase cooler nights only if you want the look, and judge ripeness by the trichomes instead.
How much does it yield?
It is a medium producer: 1.15 to 1.47 oz/ft² (350 to 450 g/m²) indoors, and 17.64 to 21.16 oz (500 to 600 g) per plant outdoors in a good season. Good light, an open canopy and steady feeding help this purple indica reach the top of that range at harvest.
