Which breeder has a true Nl #5? For a fair price and it is actual quality

vilify

Well-Known Member
The real nl#5 was gone years ago , now days most nl you find will never be like how it was in the early 90's
i know a few people locally that had an original NL5 around in the past year or so. who knows if that is still the case though.

i picked up a pack of sensi NL, havent popped any yet though
 

420circuit

Active Member
NL in veg day 24 from seed.jpgNL in veg day 24 from seed2.jpgGot a 10 pack of Seedsman Seeds Northern Lights regulars and am currently growing. This is what they look like today, 24 days since germination. All 10 are doing well in their hydroponic world.
 

yesum

Well-Known Member
I went with Original Northern Lights from Classic Seeds, supposed to be the real thing. Seeds are 45 bucks for 10. I have not grown it yet so can not say on how it is. Classic seeds has a good rep though.
 

TriPurple

Well-Known Member
I went with Original Northern Lights from Classic Seeds, supposed to be the real thing. Seeds are 45 bucks for 10. I have not grown it yet so can not say on how it is. Classic seeds has a good rep though.
Where did you get your CS NL?
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
NL #5 was a clone so they've ALL been hybridized
at one point, often with a NL #1 or NL #2.

Some decent options in no particular order are:

Peak Seeds - Used to list the lineage on their website but
no longer do for some reason. Pretty sure it
was listed as NL #5 x NL #2 but I could be wrong.

Dr. Atomic

BC Seed King

Highgrade Seeds

British Columbia Seed Company (BCSC) - Still not sure
if these are the same old genetics they are famous
for. Nobody seems to know if they have the original
parents they used to use or not.

Bodhi - 89 Sensi Noof Cut x BCSC NL #5 - Don't think it will be made again but
I think I read somewhere that Bodhi was going to work on
an IBL Northern Lights.

A while ago I would have said Mr. Nice Ortega (I was planning on
buying two packs) but not anymore. The NL #5 in it is from a new
selection, not the original (I might have still been ok with trying it)
and Shanti refuses to say who the real father of his version of
Ortega is. It's listed as NL #1 but it's looking like its not the case.
Here is the thread for more info (it got locked of course, lol):

http://www.mrnice.nl/forum/4-talk-shantibaba-mrnice/10522-aome-strains-descriptions-need-some-correction-imo.html

Right now I've got two packs of Bodhi 89 Sensi Noof Cut x BCSC NL #5
that I can't wait to try (still several months away from popping them).

treetopmmmp



So. Mr. Nice Ortega is not N.L. #1 X N.L. #5..........I've been reading numerous posts and drama with people questioning Shantibaba about the genetics on his site and it appears to be " AfghanT x Ortega15". I think I read Shanti's (actually Nevils) N.L. #5 hasn't been around since like 1990 or something like that.........to be honest, I could care less about the genetics as long as the smoke is great.
 

Jogro

Well-Known Member
Sorry, I misread it but still- I don't believe the original had any sativa in it at all. I grew it, and I smoked it for years and it was a great yielding, powerful knock-down indica with not a drop of sativa in it.
I actually agree with you. Many accounts call the original Northern lights #5 all indica. I've also grown and smoked this (though years ago), and for any practical purpose (size, growth characteristics, flowering time, high quality) I'd characterize it as an indica too.

But there are several problems here, not the least of which is that nobody really knows the true lineage of Northern lights, and that there are a lot of different versions out there. The fact that Dr. Atomic is saying that they think this line is 15% sativa (or whatever) doesn't necessarily make them correct. That's just their guess.

Short of some sort of DNA-based analysis, If the line really were 15% sativa for example, I don't know how you could tell that. Which 15%?

As a matter of practice, once you start introducing selection into the equation, percentages of the the original parent genetics go right out the window.

For example, I could start with a pure landrace sativa from Thailand and a pure landrace indica from Pakistan, and even though the F1 would be 50-50 sativa/indica genetics, by the time I reached an F4, I could be back at 99% indica *or* 99% sativa genetics, depending on how I did the selections to get there (am I selecting for indica or sativa traits, etc).

Note that Dr. Atomic is NOT the only one claiming that NL has sativa genetics in there. See here for a pretty comprehensive history. Some think there are some Thai genetics in at least some of the versions:

http://www.seedsman.com/en/origins-of-northern-lights/

To answer the original question, I don't know who has the "best" Northern lights right now. This question comes up from time to time, (you can do a search), and from people who have tried multiple versions, usually Dr. Atomic's version comes up by name as one of the current best.

Its true that Sensi might have the best CLAIM on the original, but I've now heard from more than one source that their current version isn't as good as it used to be.

Also, as a matter of practice, the fact is that probably half of the current "super" strains out there have some degree of NL genetics in there anyway. All the "super hazes" (including Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze, Cindy 99) and their descendants do, and probably so do all of the CA "kushes" to some extent.

The strain itself is so popular and well known that I find it hard to believe that the original genetics have really been "lost". Even if many of the commercial versions are no good or variably authentic, there have to be people with seeds and/or cuttings of the original line still out there.
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
I actually agree with you. Many accounts call the original Northern lights #5 all indica. I've also grown and smoked this (though years ago), and for any practical purpose (size, growth characteristics, flowering time, high quality) I'd characterize it as an indica too.

But there are several problems here, not the least of which is that nobody really knows the true lineage of Northern lights, and that there are a lot of different versions out there. The fact that Dr. Atomic is saying that they think this line is 15% sativa (or whatever) doesn't necessarily make them correct. That's just their guess.

Short of some sort of DNA-based analysis, If the line really were 15% sativa for example, I don't know how you could tell that. Which 15%?

As a matter of practice, once you start introducing selection into the equation, percentages of the the original parent genetics go right out the window.

For example, I could start with a pure landrace sativa from Thailand and a pure landrace indica from Pakistan, and even though the F1 would be 50-50 sativa/indica genetics, by the time I reached an F4, I could be back at 99% indica *or* 99% sativa genetics, depending on how I did the selections to get there (am I selecting for indica or sativa traits, etc).

Note that Dr. Atomic is NOT the only one claiming that NL has sativa genetics in there. See here for a pretty comprehensive history. Some think there are some Thai genetics in at least some of the versions:

http://www.seedsman.com/en/origins-of-northern-lights/

To answer the original question, I don't know who has the "best" Northern lights right now. This question comes up from time to time, (you can do a search), and from people who have tried multiple versions, usually Dr. Atomic's version comes up by name as one of the current best.

Its true that Sensi might have the best CLAIM on the original, but I've now heard from more than one source that their current version isn't as good as it used to be.

Also, as a matter of practice, the fact is that probably half of the current "super" strains out there have some degree of NL genetics in there anyway. All the "super hazes" (including Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze, Cindy 99) and their descendants do, and probably so do all of the CA "kushes" to some extent.

The strain itself is so popular and well known that I find it hard to believe that the original genetics have really been "lost". Even if many of the commercial versions are no good or variably authentic, there have to be people with seeds and/or cuttings of the original line still out there.



A few comments.....

Regarding Dr. Atomic, I believe he worked the strain and added the "15% sativa" himself in his breeding program. So, he CAN say for sure what HIS strain has in it.

And Nevil had a wonderful strain, my all time favorite #1 BEST Northern Lights 5 X 2. The N.L. #2 had a lot of sativa in it, the #5 had none. Some breeders used this in their breeding programs, thus introducing some to a lot of sativa depending on the pheno chosen.
 

Maravillosa

Member
There's only one true source for the old school line, and it was a #2 female bred with a NL#5 male cutting from Europe. It's an obscure breeder, with a spotless reputation for integrity and quality. There are still a few growers with 25+ year old mothers.
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
I've been smoking for 35 years and it the strongest smoke I've ever had. We used to smoke at night, and still be way high the next morning for a few hours. People used to accuse me of adulterating the smoke- no one had seen anything like it before. I was lousy at growing, and used to over fertilize to an unhealthy level but the potency could shine thru anything. For those who know baseball, it was Tug Mcgraw's favorite smoke. No shit either!
 
There is no such thing as NL #5 seeds. It was only available as a clone.

Maravillosa - If you found someone who had a 25 year old NL#5 mother that would be insane! I would imagine cuts of that would be extremely valuable. Anyways, outside of Neville and a few other top breeders I doubt anyone else had cuts.

I have scoured the internet for reviews on NL. Surprisingly, I have read a couple negative reports of Sensi, but no negative reports on Nirvana. Go figure! Does anybody know about the lineage of the Nirvana seeds beyond the ad info?
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
B.C. Bud Depot had N.L. #5 seeds for many years. They don't sell them but I do occasionally seed their old stock sold by others. Many others have hybrids made with original Sensi stock. If I were looking for it now, I'd grow out Sensi N.L. #5 X Haze and find a N.L. leaning pheno. You can't get closer than that, IMO.
 

smellzlikeskunkyum

Well-Known Member
hey SSHZ, u sure NL #5 is a pure indica... ? ive had so many nl #5's over the years. i have a clone only nl #5 right now. it doesnt look pure indica. ive also grown Chrystal and NL#5 x Big bud from nirvana. If those had a "real" nl #5 then i would have to slightly dissagree that #5 was a pure indica. btw Ortega indica (a VERY indica strain) has NL #1 genes... just sayin not trying to argue with ya or nothing :)
 

smellzlikeskunkyum

Well-Known Member
There is no such thing as NL #5 seeds. It was only available as a clone.

Maravillosa - If you found someone who had a 25 year old NL#5 mother that would be insane! I would imagine cuts of that would be extremely valuable. Anyways, outside of Neville and a few other top breeders I doubt anyone else had cuts.

I have scoured the internet for reviews on NL. Surprisingly, I have read a couple negative reports of Sensi, but no negative reports on Nirvana. Go figure! Does anybody know about the lineage of the Nirvana seeds beyond the ad info?
Ive loved all of the NL hybrids ive tried from nirvana. Chrystal is my fav strain (NL x widow) x NL. the big bud hybrid they used to sell said "Northern lights #5 x Big bud" thats all i know...
 

brimck325

Well-Known Member
hahaha, worked on tug's house as a kid. cool dude,always had a beer with me at end of the day....i forgot bout that...ty
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
hey SSHZ, u sure NL #5 is a pure indica... ? ive had so many nl #5's over the years. i have a clone only nl #5 right now. it doesnt look pure indica. ive also grown Chrystal and NL#5 x Big bud from nirvana. If those had a "real" nl #5 then i would have to slightly dissagree that #5 was a pure indica. btw Ortega indica (a VERY indica strain) has NL #1 genes... just sayin not trying to argue with ya or nothing :)

The "original" N.L. #5 was........ available from "The Seed Bank" back in the 1980's and early 1990's. Everyone and their mother took that and hybridized it out with other strains, to produce seeds, but still called it N.L. #5- even though it wasn't 100% pure anymore. If you go to Nevils/Shantibaba forum web site, hosted by their Mr. Nice seed selling site, you can read all about it in many threads. But, I just read a few nights ago that Shanti said the strain IS GONE and is NO MORE. It died off in 1990. He is claiming no one has it anymore, contrary to what others are claiming on here.

Same thing happened to the original N.L. #1. It's a different plant now, even the one sold by Sensi. Here is Seedsman's description, which I totally believe to be true:

" The original Northern Lights plants were described to be true breeding Afghanis with extreme indica characteristics. They were dark green in color and very stable, with a high flower to leaf ratio while sporting a piney taste and purple hues in flowering. They were also known to be highly resinous with a THC percentage over 15%, sometimes higher."


I don't think we'll ever know for sure, but Nevil and Shanti continue to pipe in and say it's gone, no one has the true cutting anymore, and since it was theirs originally, I believe them.
 

SSHZ

Well-Known Member
hahaha, worked on tug's house as a kid. cool dude,always had a beer with me at end of the day....i forgot bout that...ty

This is all came about when he was a pitcher with the Phils, late in his career......he loved good pot. He wasn't the only player on the team that liked to smoke, either.
 
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