How to Grow Gelato Weed, Plus Strains That Hit Like It

What is Gelato weed?

Gelato is an indica-leaning hybrid strain bred from Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies and Sunset Sherbet, famous for its dessert-like flavor and a high-THC buzz that starts euphoric and settles into body relaxation. It's earned a big reputation in the cannabis community for that combo of flavor and punch. Expect sweet, fruity notes with earthy and minty undertones, and a plant that grows well indoors or outdoors and takes nicely to topping and SCROG.

Gelato stands out for its dense, resinous buds, which often show eye-catching colors from deep green to purple and orange. Its THC content runs notably high, which makes it a potent strain and a favorite for people looking for a strong, long-lasting high.

Gelato smokers report a mix of euphoric and relaxing effects. It kicks off with a rush of happiness and creativity, followed by a body high that can melt away tension and stress. Patients also report using it for issues like anxiety, depression and chronic pain.

How do you grow Gelato?

Growing Gelato isn't much different from growing most other cannabis strains. It's a hybrid that does well both indoors and outdoors and responds nicely to a range of growing methods.

Here are some general tips for growing Gelato:

1. Pick your growing medium: You can grow Gelato in soil, coco, hydro or other media. Each one has its pros and cons, so go with what fits your skills and preferences.
2. Propagation: You can start Gelato from seed or from clones (cuttings). Clones are often the way to go if you want to lock in the strain's exact genetic traits.
3. Training and pruning: Techniques like topping or FIMing encourage bushier growth and more bud sites.
4. SCROG: The SCROG (Screen of Green) method, which spreads the canopy across a net, works well for Gelato because it maximizes light exposure and spreads flower production more evenly.
5. Nutrients: Give your plants the right nutrients for each stage of growth, paying extra attention during flowering, when the buds are bulking up.
6. Environment control: Keep temperature, humidity and airflow dialed in to avoid problems like mold or pests.
7. Harvest time: Gelato is ready to harvest when the trichomes on the buds hit your preferred stage of maturity, which you can check by looking at them under a jeweler's loupe or a pocket microscope.

What strains are similar to Gelato?

Plenty of strains can deliver effects similar to Gelato, since many of them are hybrids with cannabinoid and terpene profiles that produce a comparable experience. A few strains that hit a lot like Gelato:

1. Sunset Sherbet: A hybrid and one of Gelato's parents, with sweet flavors and relaxing, euphoric effects.
2. Wedding Cake: Also known as Pink Cookies, it comes from the same Cookies family tree as Gelato, with sweet, earthy flavors and a relaxed, happy high.
3. Thin Mint Cookies: Gelato's other parent, with minty, chocolatey flavors and relaxing, euphoric effects.
4. Zkittlez: A fruity, sweet flavor profile with relaxed, cheerful effects that can feel a lot like Gelato.
5. Blue Dream: A hugely popular hybrid with a balance of heady and relaxing effects that's comparable to Gelato's.
6. Gelato Cake: A cross of Gelato and Wedding Cake, so it inherits a lot of Gelato's traits, like the sweet flavor and relaxing effect.

What's the most potent weed strain?

As cannabis use, awareness and the industry keep growing, so does the number of crosses and strains out there, into the thousands. That's why a lot of people who are just getting into the plant ask which strain is the best.

There are so many strains because legalization in several countries has driven an explosion of new genetics, with breeders chasing ever-higher levels of THC and CBD. THC is the compound in cannabis buds behind the high, but it's not the only thing that determines how potent your bud is. Other factors come into play.

What makes a weed strain more potent?

Several external variables affect how potent your plants turn out:

• Location (indoor or outdoor),
• growing medium (soil or hydro),
• nutrient levels,
• light source,
• temperature,
• humidity,
• carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels.

Keep in mind that genetics also shape a plant's potency. In fact, genes hold all the plant's information: how much THC and CBD it produces, how it smells and tastes, and how it grows.

So which strains are the most potent? Honestly, it depends. Which strain tops the THC charts depends on a lot of growing factors, which makes it almost impossible to crown one single strain as the strongest of all. Right now the strongest strains test at around 30% THC, and that number is expected to keep climbing.

High-THC strains worth knowing

Figuring out what strain you've got isn't hard if you start from the source. We always recommend buying seeds from a reputable, well-known seed bank, where you can check the strain's traits, its THC and CBD levels and so on. With that in mind, here are some strains and their main characteristics.

Cookies Gelato

This strain combines both the sugary flavor and the names of Girl Scout Cookies and Gelato. Cookies Gelato is a fan favorite because, on top of inheriting its parents' sweet flavor and aroma, it packs a lot of THC: around 28%, to be exact.

Being a high-THC strain, it delivers a euphoric rush with a relaxing edge that keeps you from drifting too far off into space. Heads up, though: if you're a beginner, you're better off with a lower-THC strain, because this one can come on too strong.

Royal Gorilla

When it comes to heavy hitters, Royal Gorilla from Royal Queen Seeds also reaches 27% THC. This is one of those strains with a spectacular effect that makes you feel strong but relaxed and loose, with an uplifting, happy vibe on top.

Royal Gorilla comes from Sour Dubb, Chem's Sister and Chocolate Diesel genetics, and its flavor is made for anyone who loves sweet, earthy, piney and lemony notes.

Hulkberry

After a big win at the 2014 High Times Cannabis Cup, Hulkberry became a cult classic in no time. There are plenty of strong strains out there, but this one's potency is unmistakable, with more than 28% THC. The cross between OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel delivers a powerful blend of indica and sativa effects, plus a delicious fruity flavor.

Triple G

We'll admit this isn't the most potent strain on the list (it tests at 26–28% THC), but its heavy indica dominance means that instead of a gentle, relaxed euphoria, it can send you flying.

Patients report that Triple G helps with symptoms like insomnia, chronic pain and loss of appetite. Its berry, caramel and chocolate flavors stick to your tongue, while aromas of spice, fuel and earth hang in the air around you.

L.A. Amnesia

Of all the strains out there, this is one of the serious ones: it has an impressive lineage crossing Amnesia Haze with Kush. Expect huge, sativa-dominant buds loaded with 24% THC.

L.A. Amnesia is packed with citrusy, fruity flavors that please both nose and palate. A couple of hits and you'll relax right away, with long waves of euphoria that keep you happy for hours.

Runtz

Plenty of people call it the best strain out there thanks to its heavyweight parents: Gelato and Zkittlez. So go easy with this one. As a well-balanced hybrid, 50% sativa and 50% indica, it gives you the best of both worlds.

It has delicious flavors and sweet aromas, with a taste that's fruity and candy-like with hints of citrus.

But let's get to what you really want to know: the kind of high it delivers. The Runtz high is incredible: with 27% THC, it's euphoric, powerful and uplifting, good for any time of day.