Reasons to grow Critical + 2.0

Critical + 2.0 is one of our more requested strains. No matter how many new genetics we launch, or how many American strains – all the rage recently – we feminise and stabilise, you return to legendary Critical + 2.0 season after season. Speed, hardiness and productivity are some of the reasons behind its success. But there's more to it than that. Unlike other strains which contain very little of it, Critical + 2.0 is rich in pinene, a terpene that takes flavour and effect to a whole new level, making for a unique strain. We've talked to our lab techs and breeders to try and understand why Critical + 2.0 is so amazingly successful.

Growing of Critical + 2.0

Critical + 2.0 is easy and rewarding to grow, a competitive edge over other strains that results from combining three amazing traits: 

1. Speed

Critical + 2.0 is one of the fastest strains in our assortment. With a flowering period of just 45 to 55 days, growers across the world sing the praises of her speed. Far from being anecdotal, the fact that she can be harvested one and a half months after the first blooms appear means indoor growers get more buds per square metre while outdoors growers have the peace of mind that they can harvest by mid-September, preventing early autumn rains and dropping temperatures in the northern hemisphere from ruining the hard work of the entire season.

2. Hardiness

First created to make the legendary Critical + strain a hardier plant, Critical + 2.0 is one of Dinafem Seeds' strongest genetics. While excess water was a major problem for Critical + due to her being prone to mould growth, Critical + 2.0 knows how to deal with water without getting damaged.

This is partly because her long internodes prevent moisture from accumulating in the inside of the plant. Ventilation is also favoured by the fact that she is not very leafy, an effect that becomes particularly evident at the beginning of flowering, when the plant leaves the vegetative period and stretches horizontally quite dramatically. Another advantage of this low leaf density is that it improves light penetration and thus bud production, which takes us to the next point.

3. Productivity

One of the most appreciated features of Critical + 2.0 is her ability to produce a massive central cola surrounded by handfuls of super frosty cannabis buds. Many of the photos you send us feature Critical + 2.0 crops, and her dried branches are among the ones you most like to share on social media. This is a strain that screams productivity, and in fact very few of you grow her without stakes – you know too well that her branches can't take the weight of the flowers without some external help. 

Under standard conditions, the buds are generally dense. Again, this is partly because of her low leaf density, which allows light to reach every bud in the plant. And since Critical + 2.0 is so greedy for light, the more she gets, the better the yield, both in terms of quantity and quality. Also noteworthy is the amount of trichomes she produces – those of you who have grown her know how challenging it can be to touch her leaves and buds during the last weeks of flowering without getting sticky fingers.

Trimming of Critical + 2.0

Trimming is something we often don't mention when writing about Critical + 2.0, and yet it shouldn't be underrated. Regular growers know that getting the flowers ready for consumption can either be simple or a daunting task. When I asked Captain Ozone, one of Dinafem's breeders, why you like Critical + 2.0 so much, he didn't have to think long. "She's so easy to trim", he said among other things. "The leaves are thin and not very abundant, and the branches grow well spaced. If you compare the time it takes to trim a Critical + 2.0 with the time it takes to trim a Bubba Kush..." He didn't finish the sentence but the look on his face said it all. He definitely seemed to be thinking "give me 100 Critical + 2.0 rather than 50 Bubba Kush". 

Cannabinoids and terpenes

The flavour and aroma of Critical + 2.0 are often referred to as the strain's biggest strengths. As the cannabinoid analysis shows, Critical + 2.0 is rich in THC, a feature typical of Critical genetics, which are also distinguished by the characteristic aroma they give off and the pleasant high they produce.

"When you see a bunch of boys smoking, it's easy to tell if it's a Critical. Not only because of the strain's distinctive aroma, but also because of the smoke, which is very dense and recognizable," says Captain Ozone. And he's right, as the aroma of Critical strains in general, and of 2.0 in particular, is quite unique. This is mainly explained by the strain's terpene profile, which enriches not only the aroma but also the effect. 

As the strain's technical sheet reflects, the most abundant terpene in Critical + 2.0. is pinene. As Kushka explained in this post, pinene is a bicyclic monoterpenoid that exists in two isomeric forms – α-pinene and β-pinene – which means that while its molecular form is always the same, it exists as two chemical structures or isomers (alpha and beta) with different properties. 

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The organoleptic characteristics of pinene vary depending on the isomeric form in question. Thus, while α-pinene smells like pine and rosemary, β-pinene is reminiscent of dill, parsley and basil. One funny thing about this terpene is that it is contained in high amounts in Critical + 2.0 but not in other cannabis strains, which results in her aroma being highly recognisable.

Another distinguishing feature of Critical + 2.0's terpene profile is that limonene, the terpene responsible for cannabis' euphoric effect, is twice as high as myrcene, the terpene associated with the couch-lock effect. As a result, and subject to the plant's morphology and the user's tolerance, Critical + 2.0 is generally happier and not as overwhelming as other strains.

As you see, there are many reasons to love Critical + 2.0. Share yours in the comments and let us know about your experiences growing her!