Desfrán grown outdoors in France with Scrog and Lollipopping by Ashram

Desfrán +900g outdoor harvest report

Desfrán is a feminised cannabis seed variety created by crossing the South American heavyweight sativa ‘Destroyer’ with another elite Destroyer. The result, which Dutch Passion call Desfrán is probably the purest sativa cannabis strain in the Dutch Passion collection. Potency maxes out at around 20-25% THC making this one of the most powerful strains available from Dutch Passion. Rare, genuine XXL yields are possible thanks to the immense growth potential.

The cannabis seeds were planted outdoors in Spring and harvested around mid-October. Because Desfrán is such a stretchy variety (she can triple her height, or more) during bloom, she suits those with large grow indoor grow tents, big greenhouses or the outdoor grower that can accommodate plants that may reach 3-4m tall if left untrained outdoors.

Desfrán does well with the SOG method. But many, including Ashram, find the numerous long, flexible branches make her an ideal strain for growing with the SCROG method. Ashram grew his three Desfrán plants under outdoor SCROG screens, carefully weaving the branches horizontally through the SCROG screen. This transforms a plant growth structure. Instead of  3-4m tall monsters, the plant height was kept to around a metre. This allowed the plants to be trained low to the ground, invisible to anyone other than the grower.

Once established in the outdoor SCROG, the three Desfrán plants quickly filled the screens producing an impressive display of long dank blooms, the visual quality of the blooms looked similar to indoor grown cannabis. The tropical scented buds had autumnal colour hues and a good resin coating giving them great jar appeal.

Outdoor flowering pictures of Desfrán

The 3 Desfrán seeds were germinated and settled into their outdoor grow location complete with SCROG screens in central France. A wooden SCROG frame was made with a metal wire screen. Ashram felt it was important to ‘lollypop’ his plants twice, once in July and once in September. Lollypopping is the process of stripping all lower branches off the plants.

The logic is that this removes lower, shaded, branches with lower light levels which tend to yield less desirable fluffy ‘popcorn’ buds. With lower branches removed the cannabis plants biochemical energy resources are focussed on the heavier yielding upper blooms. Ashram also used cannabis super cropping on his three Desfrán plants, this technique involves deliberate crushing of the stem/branches to permanently bend them into a horizontal growth pattern.

Bloom began outdoors around 15th-20th August. Two of the Desfrán plants were harvested on October 14th after around 9 weeks of bloom. Ashram noted the aroma was “…nice and remains during drying – melon smell, exotic fruit, unusual.”

These plants yielded around 250g of dry buds each. Ashram describes the harvest as “early but good: full milky pistils without amber” and the high as “contemplative and magical… It’s amazing, the buds don’t look like sativa”. Ashram continued with his thoughts on the harvest “it’s super good: the aromas remain and transform well when drying.”

The third Desfrán was the most sativa-like of them all, and the largest yielding with around 400-500g of dry buds (no final weight was given). The outdoor SCROG screen for this specimen was 1.5m x 1.5m (5ft x 5ft) and the largest Desfrán filled it all. This final plant was harvested on Oct 31st after around 10 weeks of bloom. Ashram noted that, weather permitting, the last two weeks of bloom really allow the harvest quantities to increase.

Congratulations to Ashram on a superb harvest, the result of several months of patient skilled growing!

Specialist advice from the grower for future Desfrán cultivators

Ashram gives the following advice to future Desfrán growers.

• Firstly he advises use of the lollypop method to remove less productive lower branches. SCROG growers, whether indoors or outdoors, often routinely remove lower branches that won’t make it to the SCROG screen. Yield losses are minimal but the removal of lower foliage boosts yields above the screen. Ashram lollypopped his plants in July and September.
• Supercropping was used on some branches to keep them low and boost growth of side branches.
• Ashram felt the SCROG screen was vital to support the heavy blooms that formed as harvest approached.

Desfrán is one of Dutch Passion’s top-selling sativa cannabis seeds for quality focussed indoor growers too. Her stretchy, slender and flexible branches make her the perfect choice for those that specialise in the SCROG method. Indoor growers may find it helpful to consider cannabis topping to restrict height.

This technique involves cutting off the growth tip of the plant, replacing the dominant central bloom with a bushier, shorter plant structure. Dutch Passion also advise growers to be patient, occasional phenotypes can take up to 11-12 weeks indoors to fully bloom with significant swelling at the end which you don’t want to miss out on.

The classic sativa blooms can be as long, and thick, as your arm. Many repeat growers work hard to stake and support the blooms to prevent them collapsing under their own weight as bloom approaches.

The final of the three Desfrán plants was harvested outdoors on October 31st. Those growing outdoors should ensure that their growing season enjoys mild weather until at least that point. Desfrán isn’t suitable to grow outdoors at northern European (or similar) latitudes since she may not finish before cold, stormy weather arrives.

If Desfrán genetics appeal to you then you may also want to check out these two additional indoor grow reviews. The first of which was written by a professional grower and comes with plenty of pictures, tips and advice.