Comparing Yields of Northern Lights from Different Brands
So I’ve been growing Northern Lights for a while now—years, actually—and I’ve tried it from at least five different seed banks. Some big names, some sketchy little operations that ship seeds in Tic Tac containers. The yields? All over the damn place. You’d think a strain that’s been around since the '80s would be more consistent, but nope. Not even close.
Let’s start with ILGM. Their Northern Lights feminized seeds are... fine. Solid germ rate, plants stay squat and bushy like they’re supposed to. But the yield? Meh. I pulled maybe 350 grams per square meter under a 600W HPS. That’s with LST and a decent veg period. Not bad, not amazing. Just kind of middle-of-the-road. Honestly, I expected more from all the hype.
Now Seedsman—different story. Their version of Northern Lights grew like it had something to prove. Taller, leggier, more stretch in flower, which I didn’t love at first. But damn if it didn’t stack colas like a champ. I hit 500g/m² easy, and that was in a tent with less-than-ideal airflow. The buds were a little looser than I like, but the weight made up for it. Smelled like pine and old-school skunk. Took me back.
Then there’s Nirvana. Oh boy. The plants looked great—textbook indica structure, dark fan leaves, tight internodes. But the yield? Disappointing. Like, under 300g/m². I don’t know if I got a bad batch or what, but they just didn’t bulk up. Harvested at 8 weeks and still felt like I was robbing the cradle. Smoke was smooth, though. Mellow as hell. Couch-lock city.
FastBuds has an autoflower version. I know, I know—autos are a different beast. But I figured I’d throw it in here. It popped fast, finished in under 10 weeks, and gave me about 100 grams per plant in 3-gallon pots. Not bad for an auto, honestly. But it didn’t feel like real Northern Lights. More like a remix. A decent one, but still.
And then there’s Sensi Seeds. The OG. Their Northern Lights is the one people talk about in hushed tones, like it’s some kind of holy relic. I grew it once, indoors, organic soil, no crazy training. Just let it do its thing. Yield wasn’t massive—maybe 400g/m²—but the quality? Chef’s kiss. Dense, frosty nugs that reeked of earth and spice. It felt like the real deal. Like what Northern Lights is supposed to be.
So yeah, same strain name, wildly different results. Some give you bulk, some give you flavor, some just waste your time. It’s kind of a crapshoot unless you know what you’re looking for. And even then, genetics can be a gamble. Breeders don’t always play fair. Some cross it with who-knows-what and still slap the same label on it. Drives me nuts.
Anyway, if you’re chasing yield, go with Seedsman or maybe FastBuds if you’re into autos. If you want the classic experience—like, the real-deal, sit-on-the-couch-and-forget-your-name kind of Northern Lights—Sensi’s your best bet. Just don’t expect it to fill your jars overnight. Quality takes time. And patience. And sometimes a little heartbreak.
That’s growing for you.