Indoor cannabis has been a go-to method for many growers in the United States, but 2021 saw a boom in outdoor cultivation. The rise in outdoor cannabis’s popularity could be attributed to the belief that this growing method results in more complex terpene profiles and cannabinoids, thanks to how the natural light spectrum produced by the sun interacts with the cannabis plant.

With a developing interest in minor cannabinoids in the marketplace, outdoor cannabis attracted patients and consumers searching for specific cannabinoids such as CBN and CBG.

Because outdoor cannabis can produce higher quantities of terpenes and cannabinoids, consumers can also anticipate more nuanced experiences due to what's called the “entourage effect. (1)” Check out brands like Farmer and the Felon or Space Coyote if you want to explore the world of outdoor cannabis.

Edibles can provide more sedative body-heavy effects and are a healthier alternative consumption method when compared to smoking or dabbing. It’s easier on the lungs and can result in more potent effects due to how the body metabolizes THC. Until recently, many edible brands weren’t attempting to recreate strain-specific effects that you might experience from smoking. Because many edibles are not strain-specific, consumers haven’t been able to predict the outcomes accurately.

Strain-specific edibles may reduce people’s anxieties around the ambiguity of their experiences and empower them to properly dose based on their needs. Brands like [KIVA’s Lost Farm] and Plus are leading the way for folks seeking strain-specific edibles and drinkables in the broader marketplace.

Considered a classic like Blue Dream and White Widow, Wedding Cake has been a popular strain for growers and enthusiasts alike, and 2021 was no exception. Potent and sweet with a hint of earthy vanilla, this cross of Cherry Pie x Girl Scout Cookies offers all the uplifting and relaxing effects from its parent strains. Wedding Cake doesn’t fall far from its family tree.

A unique 50/50 hybrid (50% Indica/50% Sativa), Cereal Milk is so glittery with trichomes that it shimmers like fresh powdery snow. A cross of Strawberry Lemonade x Thicc Mint Cookies, Cereal Milk tastes like the milk leftover in a bowl of Captain Crunch Berries (which, coincidentally, is a perfect munchie) and is an ideal strain for any time of the day.

Do you love pie so much that you’d smoke it if you could? Well, technology hasn’t caught up with your deepest desires yet, but in the meantime, Pie Hoe might just be the strain for you. An Indica-Dominant Hybrid thanks to the parental lineage of Grape Pie x Tahoe OG, Pie Hoe offers a unique combination of diesel and fruity flavors that are sure to set the mood for a night out with friends.

These days, it’s become increasingly difficult for consumers to find true Sativa strains in the marketplace. With a strong lineage of classic Amsterdam Sativa (Skunk x Northern Lights x Haze), Super Silver Haze continues to be a highly sought-after cultivar thanks to its creative and energizing effects that so many true Sativa enthusiasts seek. The effects come fast and hit hard with sweet herbal flavors that propel you into productivity.

Named one of High Times’ Top 10 strains of 2018, Kush Mountains continues to dominate the cannabis world years later. With nugs resembling miniature glimmering mountain peaks, this strain is earthy and musky thanks to its lineage of White Walker OG x Blue Flame OG. An open jar of Kush Mountains will instantly fill a room with scents of pine and diesel, but fair warning, it will also fill the room with any friends close enough to pick up the wonderful kushy aromas.

With 2021 officially in our rearview, let's take a look at the ten strains we’re looking forward to smoking in 2022. Written by Lucas Indrikovs.