Indica Dominant · Barney's Farm
Critical Kush
Critical Kush is the Barney's Farm cross of Critical Mass and OG Kush released in the late 2000s as a high-yielding, fast-flowering indica for indoor and SOG growers. Plants stay compact, finish in seven to eight weeks, and produce dense, heavy colas that can crack stems if not staked early in flower. The terpene profile leans earthy-fuel with a sweet hash undertone, and the high is one of the heaviest in the Barney's catalogue — most users describe it as a couchlock strain best used after dinner. Tested CBD content runs higher than the family average at around 1.5 percent, which contributes to the sedating physical effect.
Reviewed 2026-05-23· Sources: seedfinder.eu, Barney's Farm catalogue
Potency
- THC range
- 20–25%
- Typical THC
- 22%
- CBD
- 1–2%
Flowering
- Indoor weeks
- 7–8 wk
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Climate
- Mediterranean, indoor
Yield & size
- Indoor
- 550-650 g/m²
- Outdoor
- 650-850 g/plant
- Height
- 80-110 cm
Indica / sativa ratio
Terpene profile
The aromatic compounds below shape how Critical Kush smells, tastes, and ultimately feels in the body.
- dominant
Myrcene
Sedating, musky, herbal — commonly linked to couch-lock effects.
- secondary
Caryophyllene
Peppery and spicy — the only terpene that binds CB2 receptors, studied for anti-inflammatory action.
- secondary
Humulene
Hoppy and earthy — appetite-suppressing and shared with hops and sage.
- minor
Limonene
Uplifting citrus — typically associated with mood elevation and stress relief.
Reported side effects
Lineage
Critical Kush traces to Critical Mass × OG Kush. The cross sits in the Critical / Kush family, which influences both the terpene profile and the flowering structure described above.
Genetic family tree
Documented parents and grandparents for Critical Kush based on breeder catalogues. Library entries are clickable; ancestors not yet documented on this site appear in a lighter, non-linked box.
Strains crossed with Critical Kush
Critical Kush is a parent of 2 strains in the broader catalogue. These are crosses that carry Critical Kush genetics on at least one side of the cross.
Grow profile
Grow profile
- Indica / sativa
- 80% / 20%
- Flowering days
- 49–56 days
- Stretch
- Low
- Pest resistance
- High
- Mold resistance
- Moderate
- Training methods
- topping, lst
Feed schedule for Critical Kush
These EC and NPK targets are starting points calibrated for the strain's Indica lean and easy difficulty rating — not gospel. Drop 15-20% off any EC ceiling on your first run and let the plant tell you where it actually wants to feed.
Suggested feed schedule
- Late veg
- 1.1-1.3 EC
- Early flower
- 1.2-1.4 EC, NPK 2-3-4
- Mid flower
- 1.5-1.7 EC, NPK 1-4-6
- Late flower
- 1.3-1.5 EC
- Final week
- Plain pH-balanced water for the last 5-7 days.
Full breakdown of feed math, runoff testing, and salt buildup in our nutrient guide.
What to expect through the grow cycle
Critical Kush is documented with a 8-week flower and a compact stretch typical of indica-leaning structure. The visual below maps a documented 12-week cycle built from 4weeks of vegetative growth and the strain's published flowering window.
Published grow reports for Critical Kush concentrate the most observational notes on the late-flower ripening window. This timeline is descriptive — it reflects what reports document, not a how-to. Actual week-to-week behaviour varies with phenotype, light intensity, pot size, and environment.
Phase details
- Veg (weeks 1-4)
- The documented vegetative period for Critical Kush. Plants establish root structure, leaf canopy, and node count before flower triggering, with a easy difficulty rating shaping how forgiving the early canopy work tends to be.
- Stretch (weeks 5-7)
- Critical Kush is documented as having low stretch. Reports describe the plant roughly doubling in height during this phase as the indica-leaning structure establishes its final flowering frame.
- Bud sites (week 8)
- Pre-flowers form at the nodes and calyxes begin to develop. Grow reports for Critical Kushnote this as the window where the canopy's eventual bud distribution becomes visible.
- Bud development (weeks 9-10)
- Flowers thicken and calyxes fatten through this phase. Documented Critical Kush runs show the bulk of visible flower mass accumulating here, with resin production accelerating toward the end.
- Ripening (week 11)
- Trichomes transition from clear toward cloudy and amber. Reports for Critical Kush describe the Myrcene-led terpene profile maturing through this window, with aroma sharpening week over week.
- Final (week 12)
- Calyx swelling is documented as complete and the harvest window opens. Published Critical Kush runs end here, within the 7-8 week flowering range reported by the breeder.
Flavor & aroma
Reported effects
Common questions about Critical Kush
Is Critical Kush good for insomnia?
Yes — the combination of high THC, measurable CBD, and dominant myrcene puts most users to sleep within thirty to forty minutes. It is on most short lists for medical insomnia.
Do Critical Kush plants need extra support?
Yes. The colas are dense enough to fold branches under their own weight in the last two weeks of flower. Stake or net the canopy before week six.
Breeder of record
Barney's Farm
View breeder profile and other strains →
More from Barney's Farm
Strains similar to Critical Kush
These picks lean on the same terpene profile and parent genetics as Critical Kush — shared dominant terps, overlapping lineage, and matching indica/sativa lean. No star ratings or popularity contests, just overlap on the traits that actually drive a similar grow and smoke.