How to Grow Sour Diesel Strain (2025 Grow Diary)

Sour Diesel Strain Snapshot

• Genetics: Chemdawg × Super Skunk
• Type: 90% Sativa / 10% Indica
• THC: Up to 25%
• CBD: Up to 0.50%
• Flowering Time: 10–11 weeks
• Height: 70–80 in (tall Sativa)
• Indoor Yield: 1.3–1.5 oz/ft²
• Outdoor Yield: 17–21 oz/plant
• Harvest: End of October
• Flavors: Diesel, earthy, lemon tree 🍋⛽
• Effects: Energetic, uplifting, cerebral buzz

Looking for how to grow Sour Diesel strain? This legendary 90% Sativa is loved for its pungent diesel aroma, citrusy undertones, and energizing high. With THC levels up to 25% and long, elegant colas, Sour Diesel is a classic for growers who want potency and a heady, creative kick.

Sour Diesel

• 90% Sativa
• Creative Daytime Inspiration
• Energizing Daytime Experience
• Ideal for Outdoor Cultivation
• Potent Diesel Strain
• Sweet & Spicy Fusion
• Up to 25% THC

1+1 Free$24view product

Why Grow Sour Diesel?

Few strains are as iconic as Sour Diesel. Known for its fast-hitting cerebral buzz, it’s a go-to daytime smoke for creativity and focus. Growers love it because:

• Classic genetics: Chemdawg × Super Skunk.
• Strong Sativa growth: Tall, fast, resinous.
• Unique flavor: Diesel fuel with lemon zest.
• Big yields: Up to 21 oz/plant outdoors.
• High THC: Uplifting, energetic effects with long duration.

Sour Diesel takes a little more patience with its 10–11 week flowering cycle, but the payoff is worth it: chunky, fuel-scented colas that deliver world-class potency.

Setup for Growing Sour Diesel

Sour Diesel is a 90% Sativa, which means it grows tall (70–80 inches), stretches heavily, and needs training to stay manageable indoors. Outdoors, it thrives in sunny climates with long seasons, rewarding growers with big, resinous yields by late October.

Indoor Setup 🏠

• Tent Size: 3×3 ft minimum (4×4 ft ideal for the stretch).
• Lighting: Full-spectrum LED, strong PPFD (600–1000 in flower).
• Containers: 5–7 gal fabric pots for root expansion.
• Training: LST, topping, and SCROG highly recommended to control vertical growth.
• Ventilation: Inline fan + oscillating fans to maintain airflow, important for dense colas.
• Nutrients: High nitrogen in veg, heavy PK boosters in bloom.

Outdoor Setup 🌿

• Climate: Warm, sunny, Mediterranean-style, Sour D loves long summers.
• Soil: Rich, well-drained, boosted with compost for heavy feeding.
• Support: Trellis or stakes needed, tall colas can bend under weight.
• Harvest: End of October, needs patience compared to faster hybrids.

Sour Diesel Strain Growing Conditions

Week 1–2: Germination & Seedling

Sour Diesel seeds germinate quickly using the paper towel method. Place them between two damp paper towels, sandwich with plates, and keep in a warm, dark spot at 72–78°F (22–25°C). Within 24–72 hours, taproots should emerge.

Once sprouted, plant seedlings into a light, airy soil mix or starter cubes. Keep them under gentle LED light (200–300 PPFD) on an 18/6 cycle.

• Temperature: 72–77°F (22–25°C)
• Humidity: 65–70%
• Watering: Small amounts around the base, avoid overwatering
• Nutrients: None yet; seedlings live off stored energy in cotyledons

By the end of week 2, Sour Diesel seedlings should have 2–3 sets of serrated leaves and stand about 2–3 inches tall. Being a Sativa, their leaves are narrow and pointed, unlike broad-leaf Indicas.

👉 Pro Tip: Keep a light breeze on seedlings, this strengthens stems early and prevents mold.

Week 3–4: Early Vegetative Growth

By week 3, Sour Diesel shifts from fragile seedling into a vigorous Sativa vegger. Expect rapid vertical growth and long, thin leaves.

• Light Schedule: 18/6 | Increase intensity to 400–600 PPFD
• Temperature: 72–80°F (22–27°C)
• Humidity: 60–65%
• Watering: 250–400 ml every 2–3 days | let topsoil dry slightly
• Nutrients: Begin with ¼–½ strength vegetative feed, high in nitrogen. Add Cal-Mag if using LEDs.

Training

Sour Diesel is a 90% Sativa and stretches fast, so start Low Stress Training (LST) early. Bend the main stem gently and secure it sideways to encourage branching and more bud sites.

What to Expect

• Height: ~6–12 inches by the end of week 4
• Appearance: Long, narrow leaves with upright growth
• Goal: Control vertical growth and prepare for heavy stretch in flower

👉 Pro Tip: Early training is critical. If left unchecked, Sour Diesel will outgrow tents fast once flipped to 12/12.

Week 5–6: Veg Expansion & Pre-Flower Prep

Sour Diesel really starts showing her Sativa vigor in weeks 5 and 6. Growth accelerates, branches reach out, and internodes stretch, this is the stage where canopy control becomes essential.

• Light Schedule: 18/6 | Increase to 600–750 PPFD
• Temperature: 70–78°F (21–25°C)
• Humidity: 55–60%
• Watering: 400–600 ml every 2–3 days | strong root system forming
• Nutrients: Full-strength veg feed — keep nitrogen high until the flip, plus Cal-Mag

Training & Prep

• Topping: Cut above the 4th–5th node to encourage multiple colas.
• LST/SCROG: Spread branches horizontally to maximize canopy space.
• Defoliation: Remove oversized fan leaves blocking airflow or bud sites.
• Support Prep: Install a trellis or stakes, Sour D’s tall frame needs it later.

What to Expect

• Height: 12–20 inches indoors (up to 30+ outdoors already)
• Appearance: Slim, upright, bushier with topping
• Goal: Shape the canopy for even light distribution and prepare for the flowering flip

👉 Pro Tip: If growing outdoors, give her plenty of space and strong root support — Sour Diesel can become a towering 70–80 inch plant by harvest.

Sour Diesel

• 90% Sativa
• Creative Daytime Inspiration
• Energizing Daytime Experience
• Ideal for Outdoor Cultivation
• Potent Diesel Strain
• Sweet & Spicy Fusion
• Up to 25% THC

1+1 Free$24view product

Week 7–9: Flowering Stretch & Bud Formation

When you flip Sour Diesel to 12/12, get ready, she stretches hard. This is classic Sativa behavior, with plants often doubling in height during the first 3 weeks of flower.

• Light Schedule: 12/12 | Increase intensity to 750–950 PPFD
• Temperature: 68–77°F (20–25°C)
• Humidity: Lower to 45–50%
• Watering: 600–800 ml every 2–3 days | demand rises as buds form
• Nutrients: Transition to bloom formula, reduce nitrogen, increase phosphorus & potassium

What to Expect

• Week 7: Explosive vertical stretch
• Week 8: White pistils cluster at bud sites
• Week 9: Calyxes begin stacking, first resin glands appear

Training & Care

• Stop topping, only continue LST or light bending to even the canopy.
• Defoliation: Remove big fan leaves blocking airflow and light.
• Support: Install netting or stakes; Sour Diesel’s long branches need help once buds stack.

Aroma & Vibe

By week 9, your grow room will smell strongly of diesel fuel with lemon-earthy notes — the classic Sour D funk that growers love. ⛽🍋

👉 Pro Tip: Good airflow is critical. Long colas are prone to moisture pockets, so keep fans circulating both above and below the canopy.

Week 10–11: Mid to Late Flower

By now Sour Diesel has slowed her stretch and is channeling everything into bud swelling and resin production. Colas lengthen, trichomes multiply, and the famous diesel-lemon aroma intensifies.

• Light Schedule: 12/12 | Keep intensity high (850–1000 PPFD)
• Temperature: 67–75°F (19–24°C) | slightly cooler nights sharpen terpene expression
• Humidity: Drop to 40–45%
• Watering: 700–900 ml every 2–3 days | steady rhythm without overwatering
• Nutrients: Full bloom feed with PK boosters | keep nitrogen minimal

What to Expect

• Week 10: Buds stack and firm up, trichomes blanket sugar leaves ❄️
• Week 11: Pistils begin turning amber, trichomes turn cloudy 🔍
• Appearance: Long, resin-heavy Sativa colas with that classic diesel funk

Grower Tips

• Airflow: Critical at this stage, Sour Diesel’s long colas are prone to bud rot if humidity spikes.
• Defoliation: Minimal, just enough to keep airflow moving.
• Trichomes: Begin daily checks, harvest window is close.

👉 Pro Tip: Don’t rush the finish. Letting Sour Diesel run the full 10–11 weeks maximizes flavor and potency, that’s when the terp profile gets its full fuel-citrus punch.

Week 12: Harvest & Curing

By week 12, your Sour Diesel should be fully matured and ready for harvest. The pungent fuel aroma will be unmistakable, and trichomes should be mostly cloudy with 10–20% amber for peak potency.

Harvest 🌿

• Timing: Harvest at the end of the dark cycle for best terpene retention.
• Trim: Remove fan leaves right away. Choose wet trim for faster drying or dry trim for richer flavor.
• Handling: Be gentle, Sour Diesel colas can be long and fragile.

Drying 🌬️

• Conditions: 60–65°F (15–18°C) | 50–55% RH
• Duration: 7–10 days | buds should snap off stems cleanly, not bend
• Setup: Hang whole branches or use drying racks

Curing 🫙

• Storage: Glass jars, filled 70–75% full
• Conditions: 65–70°F (18–21°C) | 58–62% RH
• Burping: Daily for the first 2 weeks, then less frequently
• Duration: Minimum 3–4 weeks, but longer curing (6–8 weeks) makes Sour Diesel smoother and deepens the fuel-lemon flavor

Yields 🌱

• Indoors: 1.3–1.5 oz/ft²
• Outdoors: 17–21 oz/plant

👉 Pro Tip: Don’t rush the cure. Sour Diesel’s sharp, gassy terps are best expressed after a slow, patient cure. That’s when the smoke becomes smooth, flavorful, and truly premium.

Final Thoughts on How to Grow Sour Diesel Strain

Mastering how to grow Sour Diesel strain comes down to patience and control. She stretches tall, takes her time with a 10–11 week flower cycle, but rewards growers with resinous colas dripping in fuel-lemon aroma and up to 25% THC. Indoors, training and airflow are key. Outdoors, give her sun, space, and a long season, and she’ll deliver heavy harvests of uplifting Sativa buds.

Sour Diesel

• 90% Sativa
• Creative Daytime Inspiration
• Energizing Daytime Experience
• Ideal for Outdoor Cultivation
• Potent Diesel Strain
• Sweet & Spicy Fusion
• Up to 25% THC

1+1 Free$24view product

👉 Ready to grow your own? Shop Sour Diesel seeds here
🌞 Looking for more daytime picks? Explore our full Sativa Seeds collection.
🔗 Want more info and community reviews? Check out Sour Diesel on Leafly.

Follow this grow diary, and you’ll enjoy one of the most iconic strains in cannabis, a true fuel-powered classic.