Auto Forbidden Cherry indoor grow report by Dutch Passion

By the Dutch Passion Seed Company, Amsterdam | dutch-passion.com

With a total terpene content of 1.6%, this indoor LED Auto Forbidden Cherry grow was among the most attractive Dutch Passion reviews in 2023.

Most cannabis buds contain around 0.5% terpenes. Particularly pungent buds that have been well grown & cured can reach up to 1% total terpenes. But reaching the 1.6% terpene mark, with booming potency levels, is a rare achievement.

Here is the story behind the grow.

Auto Forbidden Cherry has been grown and tested independently

‘The Artist’ grew his Auto Forbidden Cherry plants in a cool Belgian loft between January-March 2023. Two plants were grown in a coco/light-mix blend. One produced the trademark deep cherry-red buds; the other produced pink buds and a heavier yield. Both shared the same insane penetrating pungency of dark forest fruits and produced a 130g harvest of dry buds.

When Dutch Passion heard of the exceptional aroma levels, an independent lab test was arranged to quantify the total terpene content accurately. The results staggered everyone; terpene levels around 1.6% are rarely seen and require exceptional genetics, which must be expertly grown and cured. For connoisseur growers, a fully loaded terpene content elevates a potent strain into a truly historic one.

The lab analysis also showed one other unusual feature. The normally rare terpinolene was present at 0.6%. Dutch Passion doesn’t recall ever seeing a higher level. With around 3-times the normal total terpene loading, ‘The Artist’ says he has never grown a strain with anything approaching the same all-pervading stench and dankness..

Auto Forbidden Cherry grow info

Grow Light
SANlight Q6W 215W LED

Light cycle
20/4 (20 hours of daily light from autoflowering cannabis seed to harvest)

Grow techniques
None, other than defoliation and lower branch removal

Grow medium
50/50 light-mix/coco-fiber

Nutrients
BioTabs slow-release organics. Bio Rhizotonic root stimulator. BAC grow, bloom, and PK booster

Containers
30-liter (6.6 gallons) airpot for the pink phenotype. 21-litre airpot (4.6 gallons) for the cherry red phenotype

Yield
70g (pink pheno), 60g (cherry red pheno)

The Artist is an experienced grower drawn to Auto Forbidden Cherry by the unusual red/pink colors, the consistently high-THC levels, and the reputation for epic, high-intensity, forest-fruit aromas. Growing in a cool loft in winter isn’t ideal, and to keep temperatures high enough, the extraction fan wasn’t used for the first few weeks. The Artist knew this wasn’t ‘by the book,’ but it helped mitigate the cool conditions.

High-quality LEDs are used by all serious growers shooting for maximized THC and heavy overall cannabinoid content. Large airpot containers are also highly recommended, allowing excellent levels of root aeration. BioTabs deliver slow-release organic nutrition, freeing growers from the potential over/under-feeding headaches associated with bottled nutrients. They are popular with growers of all skill levels for efficiently maintaining the nutrient sweet spot throughout all growth stages.

Seedling stage: A steady, uneventful start

The two Auto Forbidden Cherry seeds germinated and managed well without significant issues, even though the extraction fan wasn’t used for the first few weeks. The plants were given 20 hours of daily light.

“If Dutch Passion recommends her for guerrilla growers, then I figured she would also be able to tolerate the initially cool loft conditions. I think the plants could not transpire a lot of water because of the colder temperatures, so some slight overwatering signs occurred. You can see the leaves curl up a little. But overall, the plants remained healthy and grew well despite the conditions (cool & excessively wet soil) not being as good as I normally prefer. I felt a little disappointed at this stage, but I made a mental note to avoid these problems in the future.”

Vegetative stage: good plant development and easy growth

The seedlings developed into miniature versions of the classic Dutch Passion autoflower structure, with a dominant central growth point and ample side branching. Despite some cool conditions, the plants had come through the most challenging time. The first red/pink hues began to develop at the nodes between branches and the main stem. During week 4, ‘The Artist’ made the following summary:

“The first female pre-flowers were seen, always a positive part of an auto grow! The Auto Forbidden Cherry plants continue to show steady progress; the width of the plant leaves is now approaching the container width. At this stage, I felt pleased that the plants had pulled through and looked good despite the cool winter loft conditions and over-watering. The genetics were as tough as I had hoped. It made me think this would be a solid autoflower strain for outdoor growing later in the summer.”

Flowering stage: Stunning colors and a grow room that has never reeked as much!

The Auto Forbidden Cherry plants stretched upwards and outwards. The Artist indulged in his favorite hobby and made pictures and a time-lapse video (check it out at the end of this article).

“The large pink phenotype is swelling up nicely and showing beautiful pink colors too. I think the plants are taking a little longer than expected because of the lower temperatures during this grow. ‘Lights-out’ temperatures went as low as 14 Celsius. And ‘lights-on’ temperatures could only reach about 22 Celsius most of the time.

The leaves and pistils are completely covered with trichomes. The smell that comes off is also insane. Like an intense forest fruit and berry aroma, and once in a while, you get a noseful of a sweet bubble gum scent. I could quickly lose myself in these aromas and colors. These are the dankest buds I have vaped, with the best jar appeal of any strain I have ever grown. Potent stuff!”

Auto Forbidden Cherry final harvest

The final yield of 130g from a 215W quality LED didn’t break any Dutch Passion records. But for a temperature-affected winter grow, the potency and unique terps more than made up for any yield concerns. The final words go to the grower.

“I knew these plants were special before they were even harvested. Neither I nor my smoking buddies had encountered such overwhelming tent stench before. The colors were a rare delight too. The pink and cherry-red hues contrast with bright orange hairs and a thick silvery trichome layer – a mad visual treat. Even double-bagging these reeking buds in plastic bags drew too much attention on the train. Mason jars are the only realistic way to contain the smell. The buds are strong, but it’s unique to sample such banging old-school terps, which made this strain one of my all-time favorites!”

Words & images by Dutch Passion
This article appeared in Weed World Magazine Issue 165
Seeds are available here at Weed World