Flying Dutchmen
Arctic Sun is a combination of two powerhouses of the Dutch
seedbreeding establishment—Skunk #1 and White Widow—
which have been used extensively in Holland to create high
yielding, potent strains. The White Widow mother has been in
Flying Dutchmen’s library for over a decade. Originally a South
Indian/Brazilian hybrid, the mother plant boasts a 12-week
maturation time, extreme potency and a high yield. Crossing
this strain with a strong skunk father produces a 60/40
sativa/indica plant that can be grown indoors in a greenhouse
or outdoors at a latitude below 40 degrees North.
Indoors this plant gives the best results when grown without
pruning at a density of 12-16 plants per square meter.
Trimming off all the lower shoots at the base of the plants
allows for more airflow and focuses the growth at the top.
Arctic Sun usually finishes with a central calyx and 6-8 side
branches, at a height of around 2-2¾ feet (60-80 cm) with the
lowest 1 foot (30 cm) bare. The usual yields are 1½ -1¾ ounces
(40-50 g) per plant at 600 watts of light per square meter.
After testing Arctic Sun in most mediums, Flying Dutchmen
recommends growing in pre-dressed soil high in organic
matter, although high quality yields are also common in coco
fiber and rockwool. Arctic Sun has a fairly dense growth
pattern during vegetative growth, with short internode spaces
and medium-dark green, mid-sized leaflets and longish petioles,
maturing into short to medium height plants with compact
buds that have large bracts and few pistils.
Outdoors the unpruned Arctic Sun matures into a stocky 6-
foot (2.5 m) Christmas tree with occasional purple coloration.
Yields outdoors can be spectacular during a good season;
greenhouse plants have weighed in at 22-24 ounces (650-700
g) per plant in Holland. Artic Sun thrives on fairly high nutrient
levels. Special care should be taken to flush plants in the last
10-14 days for optimum taste. Although some plants in the
population finish at 8 weeks, the nicest plants for selection
tend to be fully mature at 9 weeks. In Holland, Arctic Sun
matures at the end of October.
At harvest, Arctic Sun has an aroma that is balanced between
her parents: a pungent fuel-like tang with surprising floral
undertones. The buds are dense, greasy and very heavy. When
cured, the buds mellow a little, leaving a perfect balance of
potency and everyday enjoyability. Tastewise, the curry house
pungency is tempered by the sweetness of the Skunk #1. The
Artic Sun is loved by smokers with high tolerance levels. The
high is both cerebral and physical and can be enjoyed over time
without developing a threshold. The cannabinoid profile of the
Artic Sun lends itself well to medical applications for chronic
pain, spasms associated with MS and sleeplessness.
