When a prestigious seed company like Barney’s Farm endorses a mega-strain such as Runtz and adds it to its seed lineup, growers have every reason to expect top-tier quality.
They can look forward to all the highlights that have made this Californian West Coast strain so sought-after worldwide: abundant yields (up to 600g/m²) of large, trichome-covered buds bursting with fruity sweet terpenes and a hefty psychoactive potency, boasting an extremely high THC content of 25-29%.
This botanical marvel is produced by medium-tall plants within a mere 55-60 days of flowering. Outdoors, Runtz excels as well, finishing early in the third to fourth week of September with paradisiacal yields of up to 1.5 kg per plant, growing 1.5-2 meters tall.
Reflecting its balanced sativa and indica genetics, it delivers a multifaceted effect, both mentally uplifting and physically relaxing, and offers a delectable fruity taste with a hint of citrus that lingers on the palate.
Uniform Growth
This alluring profile drew The Doc, a dedicated Barney’s fan, into the grow arena. He eagerly subjected Runtz to his test grow routine with two plants.
The two young plants, sprouted from feminized seeds, exhibited vigorous, bushy growth with dark green, medium-wide leaves.
After three weeks in the vegetative stage under an 18/6 light schedule, reaching heights of 27 and 29 cm, The Doc triggered blooming by switching to a 12/12 light schedule.
A Glorious Parade of Flowers
Both Runtz plants exhibited what The Doc described as “damn sporty stretching behavior,” tripling in height during the first 4.5 weeks of flowering while remaining compact and solid—ideal for indoor growth.
They were quick to bloom, with early trichome production evident after just four weeks. The young buds developed a scintillating sheen and began to take on a round, thick shape. As flowering progressed, the leaves darkened, with some turning dark violet.
Six weeks into flowering, The Doc reported significant bud development: “These lovely Runtz buds are coming out as fat, bulbous nuggets.
Their high calyx-to-leaf ratio will make harvest work a breeze. They continue to produce an abundance of resin glands, giving them a silvery white appearance. The flowers are now spreading a delicious, fruity sweet scent with a hint of citrus.”
After precisely 60 days, both Runtz plants were fully ripe. “Wow, I hadn’t expected such a significant leap in the final three weeks!
The buds are swollen to the max and heavily dusted with crystals. Many calyxes in the upper zones of the head and side buds turned violet in the last third of flowering, which is very gorgeous to look at,” The Doc enthused. The final heights were 78 and 82 cm.
Happy Feelings After Drying
The dried buds radiated a beautiful icy glory and emitted concentrated fruity sweet scents that almost made The Doc feel high just from inhaling them.
“This fragrance dazzles the senses, evoking happy feelings that surely herald the effect to come…”
The ample yield, with both plants producing over 100 grams each (105 and 112 grams), also contributed to his joy.
A Hyper-Potent Maximum Effect
The first waft of vapor from his Venty vaporizer, loaded with 0.5 grams of Runtz, delivered a premium flavor experience:
“The insanely sweet fruit flavor sticks to the palate, gently tickling it with a refreshing dash of lemon—a sophisticated weed taste of the highest order!”
The Doc took one deep vaporizer hit and let it sink in, curious to see if Runtz could be a one-hit wonder.
“And man, you bet it was! After about half a minute, my body was seized by a mellow, warm vibrating feeling, while the sun began to shine in my head. Runtz gave me a good deal of balm for the soul,”
he said enthusiastically. A euphoric feeling and physical relaxation followed three more hits, culminating in a hyper-potent effect that astonished the seasoned cannabis aficionado and kept him super high for more than two hours.
“Rarely in my life have I consumed such a strong marijuana strain!”
Living the Runtz Dream
The Doc summed up his Runtz experience with high praise:
“A true West Coast wonder! One of the most coveted strains of marijuana in recent years, this variety has definitely come to stay and is destined to become an iconic classic. After my fantastic test grow, I have great news for the global cultivators’ community—Barney’s Farm provides top-grade Runtz seeds, enabling every grower to live the Runtz dream!”
| Genetics | Runtz (Zkittlez x Gelato) |
| Vegetative stage | 21 days (after germination) |
| Flowering stage | 60 days / 55-60 days in general |
| Medium | Bionova Bio Soilmix, 11 litre pots |
| pH | 6.4-6.7 |
| EC | 1.2–1.6 mS |
| Light | Veg stage: 2 x SANlight EVO 5-100, switched to level 2 out of 3 Flowering: 4 x SANlight EVO 5-100, switched to level 2 out of 3 |
| Temperature | 18-29°C |
| Air humidity | 40-60% |
| Watering | manually |
| Fertilisation | Bionova Soil Supermix, plus PK 13-14 in the flowering stage |
| Additives/stimulants | Bionova Silution, The Missing Link, Vitasol and X-cel |
| Tools | CleanLight Pro for mould prevention |
| Height | 78 + 82 cm |
| Yield | 105 + 112 g |
