How to Grow Top 44
Top 44 is a classic 80/20 indica-dominant hybrid from Skunk #1 crossed with Viking, and it is built for speed: it flowers in just 6 to 8 weeks and still gives a high yield of sweet, fruity Skunk buds. An award-winning Cannabis Cup 2007 strain, it has stayed a reliable favourite for years. THC runs from 18 to 20%. This guide covers the full grow, from germinating the feminized seeds to the final cure.
It stays compact at around 4.92 ft, and its fast finish with a September outdoor harvest makes it a smart pick for short seasons. If you like classic, award-winning genetics, Blimburn also offers the White Russian, another Cup-winning hybrid.
Recommended Strains
Top 44 at a Glance
Before you plant anything, it helps to see the full picture in one place. Here is the quick profile for this feminized indica classic, taken straight from the strain’s grow data.
| Seed type | Feminized |
|---|---|
| Genetics | Skunk #1 x Viking |
| Phenotype | 80% Indica / 20% Sativa |
| THC | 18–20% (medium) |
| Award | Cannabis Cup 2007 winner |
| Flowering time | 6–8 weeks |
| Outdoor harvest | September |
| Height | up to 4.92 ft (1.5 m) |
| Yield level | High |
| Yield indoor | 1.47–1.64 oz/ft² |
| Yield outdoor | 14.11–17.64 oz/plant |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Dominant terpenes | Myrcene, Carene, Linalool, Terpineol, Humulene, Eucalyptol |
| Flavors | Fruity, Sweet |
| Effects | Energetic, Euphoric, Relaxed |
| Difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
These are feminized seeds, so every plant you grow will flower, and its 80% indica makeup places it with the indica seeds for growers who want a fast, relaxed, high-yielding crop.
Promos & Deals
How to Germinate Top 44 Seeds
A healthy harvest starts at germination. The paper towel method is hard to beat: fold the seeds inside two damp sheets, slide them between two plates, and keep them somewhere dark at 70 to 79°F. A taproot usually appears in one to five days.
Once the root is a few millimetres long, move each seed into its starter pot with the root pointing down and cover it with about 2 cm of soil. Keep the medium lightly moist, not soaked, and hold humidity around 65 to 70% while the first true leaves open. Because these are feminized seeds, you can skip sorting out males later and give every sprout your full attention.
Starter tips
- Use plain, lightly pH-balanced water (pH 5.5 to 6.5) for the first week.
- Give seedlings gentle light, not a full-power lamp pressed overhead.
- Hold off on nutrients until the second set of serrated leaves appears.
Growing Top 44 in the Vegetative Stage
Top 44 likes a temperate climate with warm summers. Aim for day temperatures of 68 to 81°F and keep veg humidity in the 50 to 60% band so the leaves stay healthy without inviting mould. An airy substrate with perlite, peat or coco coir holds moisture without drowning the roots.
Because it finishes so fast, Top 44 is a strong choice for shorter US growing seasons:
- Pacific Northwest (Portland or Seattle): the quick 6 to 8 week bloom and September finish let it beat the autumn rains that catch slower plants.
- New England (Vermont): a short season with early frost suits a fast strain like this, which can ripen in September well before the cold sets in.
- Upper Midwest (Michigan): warm summers give way to an early autumn, so the fast flowering helps it finish comfortably.
At around 4.92 ft this is a compact, sturdy indica. Top it once it has five or six nodes to encourage a bushier shape, and use low-stress training to spread the lower branches toward the light and make the most of its high yield.
Flowering and Buds of Top 44
Once you switch to a 12/12 light cycle, Top 44 finishes in just 6 to 8 weeks, which is quick even for an indica. From there it builds dense, resinous Skunk buds with a sweet, fruity aroma on a compact frame.
Drop humidity to 40 to 45% during flower to protect those tight buds from rot, and keep airflow moving through the canopy. Outdoors, the fast finish means a September harvest, earlier than most photoperiod strains.
At 18 to 20% THC it still lays down a solid resin layer, so judge ripeness by the trichomes rather than the calendar, especially given how quickly it finishes.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
Top 44 is a hardy, fast classic, but its dense Skunk buds mean a couple of things are worth watching.
- Mould in dense buds: the tight indica structure traps moisture, so keep humidity down in flower and air moving against bud rot and powdery mildew.
- Odour: this is a Skunk strain, so it gets pungent in flower; indoors, a carbon filter keeps the smell under control.
- Pests: check leaf undersides weekly for spider mites, which like warm, dry rooms, and keep the grow space clean.
Expert tip: the big draw here is speed, so lean into it. Because it finishes in 6 to 8 weeks, you can fit extra indoor cycles into a year or harvest outdoors in September before the weather turns. Its resinous Skunk buds also make decent material for hash, so save the trim.
Aroma, Flavor and Effects
The nose is sweet and fruity with the classic pungent Skunk backbone underneath. It reads bright but earthy, and it sharpens as the buds cure in the jar.
The flavor follows, sweet and fruity over that skunky base. On the effect side it is energetic, euphoric and relaxed, an upbeat start that eases into the body calm of an 80% indica, which makes it a well-rounded, versatile smoke.
Terpene profile
Six terpenes shape this one. Myrcene leads with a ripe, fruity, musky depth; Carene adds a sweet, cypress-like edge; Linalool lends a soft floral touch; Terpineol brings a subtle lilac note; Humulene contributes an earthy, hoppy depth; and Eucalyptol rounds it out with a cool, minty-fresh lift. Together they frame the sweet, fruity flavor.
Nutrient Schedule
Treat the figures below as a starting map, not a rulebook. Top 44 takes a moderate feed well, but read the plant first: tip burn means back off, while pale, slow growth means it wants a little more. All values use EC.
| Stage | EC |
|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.4–0.6 |
| Growth | 0.8–1.2 |
| Early flower | 1.2–1.4 |
| Full flower | 1.4–1.6 |
| Flush | 0.0–0.4 |
Keep the pH around 6.0 to 6.5 in soil and 5.5 to 6.0 in hydro so the roots can actually take up what you feed.
What to Do With Your Trim: Extracts and Hash
Top 44 builds a solid resin layer on its Skunk buds, so the trim is worth saving. The frosty sugar leaves you take off while manicuring carry plenty of trichomes and suit Ice Water Hash, where cold water and agitation separate the resin heads into a clean, solventless concentrate. Pressing that hash into rosin keeps the sweet, fruity flavor intact, or you can run a solvent extraction if that is your setup. The bare stems will not extract, but chopped and composted they feed organic matter back into the soil for your next grow.
Harvesting, Drying and Curing Top 44
Timing the harvest comes down to the trichomes. Grab a loupe and watch the heads turn from clear to milky white; a scattering of amber signals peak ripeness. Thanks to the fast flowering, that point comes early, at the end of the 6 to 8 week window indoors and around September outdoors.
After the cut, hang the branches in a dark room at 59 to 68°F with humidity near 50% and gentle air movement. Slow beats fast here: drying over 10 to 14 days protects the sweet, fruity terpenes that define this strain. When the small stems snap instead of bending, move the buds into jars.
Cure in sealed glass, opening the jars daily for the first week to let moisture escape, then easing off as the aroma deepens. Two to four weeks of patience here turns a good harvest into a genuinely smooth one, and it is the step most first-time growers rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Top 44 easy to grow for beginners?
Yes, Top 44 is beginner-friendly. The feminized seeds mean every plant flowers, it is a hardy, compact indica, and the fast 6 to 8 week bloom gets you to harvest quickly. Keep humidity down around its dense buds and use a carbon filter for the Skunk odour, and it forgives most early mistakes.
How long does Top 44 take to flower?
Top 44 flowers in just 6 to 8 weeks indoors once you switch to a 12/12 light cycle, which is fast even for an indica. Outdoors it is usually ready in September, earlier than most photoperiod strains. That speed is one of its biggest draws and part of why it won a Cannabis Cup.
How much does Top 44 yield?
Top 44 is a high yielder for such a fast strain. Indoors you can expect 1.47 to 1.64 oz/ft², and a healthy outdoor plant produces 14.11 to 17.64 oz/plant. Topping and low-stress training open up its compact canopy, which helps you push toward the top of those ranges.
How strong is Top 44?
Top 44 has a medium THC level of 18 to 20%. The effect is energetic, euphoric and relaxed, an upbeat start that settles into the body calm of an 80% indica. It is potent but approachable rather than overwhelming, which suits a wide range of growers and sessions.
What does Top 44 taste and smell like?
Top 44 leads with sweet, fruity notes over a classic pungent Skunk base, driven by terpenes like myrcene, carene, linalool and terpineol. The flavor is bright and fruity rather than heavy, and that sweetness deepens while the skunky edge mellows as the buds cure slowly in the jar.
Can I grow Top 44 outdoors?
Yes, Top 44 does well outdoors in a temperate climate with warm summers. Its fast 6 to 8 week flowering means a September harvest, so it finishes before the autumn weather turns, which makes it ideal for shorter or wetter seasons. Keep airflow strong around the dense buds.
