As mentioned （in my review of Sensi's Mexican Sativa）, I was looking for sativa strains that could grow outdoors in Europe and ripen for harvest in late October or early November. Alongside Mexican Sativa （see separate review）, I selected feminized Jamaican Pearl. I grew two JPs, germinated June 20.
June 20 is already late in the season to start a grow, but given the long flowering time needed for JP, I thought I could start them later, in mid-June, with at least 4 weeks left before the days shorten enough to trigger bud formation. I thought they would veg as long as they needed and would start flowering immediately on reaching maturity, whenever that was going to be. "Flowering as soon as possible" in the strict sense. Efficient use of the plant's time.
One seedling, the first to pop, was incredibly vigorous and needed room to put down roots. She was so vigorous I had to fimm her three times -- and finally I still had to bend and tie down her topmost growing point -- before she slowed the vertical top growth and pushed out into a bushier shape. For stealth reasons, I wanted her to keep a low profile. If I had not repeatedly fimmed her and tied her down, she would have gotten huge and too tall. The second JP was not topped or fimmed. I used LST in her seedling stage to grow her in a circle around the rim of the pot she was in. After a first few weeks, she was about halfway round and then I let her go. She produced about 10 separate branches with large colas. See my photos connected to this comment.
Vegetative in July and August, fimming was done at 6th node on the first plant. Both JPs started pre-flowering in late August, with flowering beginning around September 1. Stretching was mainly in the side branches on the first larger fimmed plant, since her apical tip was tied down lower. Both plants put out many side-branches. The side branches on both plants were thick and strong, putting out huge colas. Generally with this strain, the side branches were amazingly thick and strong and produced larger colas than I've seen on side-branches with any other strain.
Yield: 100 grams on the larger plant, about 50 grams on the shorter one.
The aroma was fairly strong, a fruity citrus and mango, with a hint of diesel, and it grew stronger and more intense in the weeks right before harvest. Buds quite sticky with resin.
I had no issues with mold or fungus or pests on this strain. The weather was sunny and warm all summer but in mid-October the temperatures dropped suddenly to near 0 C -- my Jamaican Pearls were not affected by the cold. I let the trichomes go until they were around 60% milky-cloudy, 30% amber on the first, larger FIMMed plant. The second JP went on for about 5 days beyond the first, and her trichomes were about 50% milky-cloudy and 35% clear and just a touch of amber, maybe 10%.
My Jamaican Pearl smoke report would be that this is among the best weed I've ever smoked. The high from Jamaican Pearl is remarkable because is just makes you feel good, this is an intensely uplifting, happy feeling. No impaired head, no couch lock, just energy and intense good feeling that puts me in a happy and thoughtful mood. That said, this is pretty strong weed and can be over-used. Half a joint being plenty for me. The effect after a three week cure is an uplifting and energetic head high, exhilarating, with a relaxing feeling that settles into a warm body glow. If Mexican Sativa is a 7 on the strength scale, my first JP is a 9 and the second JP is an 8.
Altogether a really great strain I would grow again.