Staying In Your Lane
The Past, Present, and Future of Cannabis with Duke Diamond
"I like all types of weed. I like stuff that'll knock you on your ass. I like stuff that'll have you zipping around the yard doing work. I like stuff that's fruity. I like stuff that's stanky. I like stuff that's sour...I try to put out the stuff that I like, and it would turn out [that] other people are into that, too."
While many newer growers like myself may know Duke for his Skunk lines, there's way more to his story (and stable) than Skunk alone.
Originally from Virginia, Duke's currently working in Southern Colorado, but his journey growing and breeding started decades ago.
Back then, it was difficult to obtain weed and Duke wanted to reduce his risk and exposure. So, his cousin helped him get started and taught him how to grow on a larger scale.
"WHEN I FIRST STARTED BLAZING—THAT WAS EARLY IN 1994—IT WAS A HASSLE. A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE OF JUST GETTING SOME WEED BACK THEN."
These days, the idea of a "dry" time of year without weed may sound like a bad nightmare, but Duke reminds that there were often times when there wasn't any weed to be found, or there was weed, but it wasn't something you'd want to smoke. On top of that, law enforcement treated weed just like any other drug, which made getting it that much riskier.
"You had dry parts of the year where it just wasn't around...where I'm from, the cops...were treating weed like it was heroin or crack...They had these full on task forces dedicated to getting your ass. You were taking a lot of risks just trying to get some weed."
Rather than risking his life buying weed, Duke decided growing would be easier and safer.
"It's a plant. I grew up on farms and growing a lot of tomatoes and all types of other things. I could just grow my own. It'd be a lot cheaper and less risk. So to me, that made more sense."
The first seeds Duke popped were bag seeds, but before he even got started, his cousins caught him.
"I had them probably eight inches, twelve inches tall... And my cousin fucking spotted me with them...And they were like, 'You're going to get caught doing it like this'...Then, they kind of took me under their wing because they were doing the same shit, but much larger scale outdoors...And that's what kind of got me going down the path."
As someone who has actually spent time in jail for growing, Duke's acutely aware of how much has changed since he began, and yet, how people are still getting arrested and dealing with the way the system treats weed.
For example, as a condition of his recent parole, Duke was required to submit to drug tests (including weed), even though he's in a state where weed is legal.
As a breeder, selecting specific, special plants is crucial to your ability to produce the best offspring.
Without the ability to sample selections himself, Duke had to rely on his trusted "Board of Advisors" with a broad range of consumption preferences and patterns, who he would ask for input in addition to what he was seeing and selecting for during the grow.
"I had some that blaze, but they're not chiefing sun up to sun down, but then I got other friends that chief sun up to sun down that also grow that have tolerances through the roof...I would give like nice samples about an 8th to a quarter ounce for each one of these people and get them to really go through it and then give me their input back on effects."
This group evaluation also helped account for a range of effects and intensities that different people and different environments can create from the same plant.
"What puts me to sleep might have somebody else kind of peppy. You know what I mean? I might not feel anxiety, and somebody else might be peeking out the blinds. So I like to get a good baseline from a broad array of people on the nose, the flavor, and get that consistent baseline."
DUKE'S SELECTION PROCESS
Selecting is a nuanced process that even the most experienced growers struggle describing.
When selecting for breeding, that process becomes even more subjective based on how a plant's expressions carry into its offspring.
"Of course you're looking to check every single box. Of course everyone wants the highest-yielding thing. The frostiest thing that also washes that also stinks. That also cuts your mouth. That also fucks you up...You want to check all these boxes for people. Some things just aren't going to yield huge baseball bats. It's just not in there. So, you do your best to get it as good as you can."
For Duke, cannabinoid and terpene production are top priorities, but he's also focused on selecting plants based on structure, pest resistance, and ability to grow both indoors and out.
"You want it to have a good, strong frame so it's not flopping over and breaking on itself. [I like] things that have good, productive stretch...But I'm not into the textile industry...So all that fibrous growth with no flower on it, it's like bullshit. I don't mind the stretch so long as it's productive stretch, that it's producing flower along its journey up to the roof."
Selecting for a female plant is one thing, but having a selection process for males is something Duke reminds is also important.
Specifically, Duke pays attention to morphogenesis of the male buds, an indicator of bract-to-leaf ratio, and flower site onset, an indicator of overall flowering time.
"Examine the floral patterns: Are they big chunks? Is there a lot of leaf growing out of that? These things can translate to your bract-to-leaf ratio. Seeing how much they stretch, seeing what day bud set starts on, which can kind of translate to overall flower time."
It's important to examine a male plant's structure and expressions, as well as the feminine traits they exhibit when reversed.
Duke recommends using ethephon to reverse males:
"Use ethephon to reverse those [males] into females. Feed them like you would a female grow them full term. See the terpene profile that these particular males have within them...That way you can really hone in on what you're passing along," going on to say that this method has been much more accurate than ‘stem rubs’' commonly used as an indicator of terpenes.
"When you're looking at specific terpene profiles and you're not looking to really roll the dice, and you're really trying to hone in on a very specific profile, [reversing] does wonders. You're not wondering or guessing...You're taking control."
But, like many modern breeders, Duke also produces feminized crosses using only females. He says all of his plants are "tools in your toolbox to get to your overall goal," but makes an effort to weave a true male in every now and then.
"On a longer term project, say something that might go on for years, on one side of a line, I might have a female that I'm reversing and pollinating another female to select yet another female. And on the opposite side of the line, I'm breeding in males...You got a lot of different techniques that you can use...You might have to use a hammer over here, and you might have to use some snips over here...Use all those tools in your toolbox to get to your overall goal."
STAYING IN YOUR LANE
One thing that has remained unchanged about Duke's work with Dominion Seed Company over the years is his ability to focus on projects that bring personal joy as well as positive reception from Dominion growers, a balance that many stray from in pursuit of the latest trends and demands.
Duke and I both ended up at a seed event prior to our conversation where a majority of the buyers seemed to have an interest in bubble hash-producing varieties, but Duke says, overall, outside influence doesn't affect his focus.
"It really goes back to the same thing of like, I'm just going with what I like, not what everybody else likes. And if they like it, too, that's cool. You know what I mean?...If you look at markets and how the waves go....You'll see these waves happen...And then all of a sudden, boom...They come back. It's almost like clothing...With what I'm doing, I'm [more] along the spectrum of different stuff...They might really find what they want, or maybe they don't...There's a lot of other people that really dig it. "
This dedication to personal projects only intended for those that enjoy them has also helped Duke retain a loyal fanbase as the seed market has evolved and expanded over the years while also avoiding the drama that often accompanies niche industries like cannabis seeds.
"There's a lot more seed makers out there. I wouldn't necessarily really call them breeders, but they are definitely making seeds," Duke explains, going on to say that there's a balance between new seed makers who are trying to put in the work to make good seeds, and others that are just making quick crosses for a quick buck.
"They're popping less than a pack of seeds in a tent of seed maker A and seed maker B, and then they're just smashing them together and winging it...It seems like some people kind of deviated off from what they were doing, and now they're smashing Hype and Hype."
One of the problems with this aside from the never-ending chase is that the market has become saturated with a bunch of new seed makers all selling similar seeds with similar genetics.
"It's literally the same stuff, crisscross, applesauce, with a lot of different companies. They're literally doing pretty much like the exact same thing...There are some people that are keeping true. They're doing their original workings and stuff. So that's cool. But, it's just a lot of the same exact thing."
It all goes back to staying in your lane.
Duke and Dominion are one of only a handful of brands I could name that come without negativity and drama; I've yet to meet someone with an "axe to grind" against Duke, though he swears they're out there.
"At some point. You will encounter somebody who will be like, 'Yeah, that guy is an asshole.' And I'm going to tell you," pausing for a laugh, 'Hey, that guy was probably telling you the truth,' but the thing is he's going to leave out the reason why I was an asshole."
But overall, Duke tries to avoid soap boxes on the internet or otherwise, and treats people as individuals, rather than lumping them into groups, something that has helped him avoid unnecessary conflict.
"Just do the work. And if people dig the work cool. If you don't, that's cool, too. It's impossible to make everyone happy and that's just a fact of life. But I've always just lived by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as I would have done unto me. Just try to be good to people and I just keep it 100%."
But one of his hottest takes is that time in prison would be good for a lot of people; a lesson in humility and social awareness, and the consequences that come from getting involved in other people's business.
"As much as I hate to say it, prison would definitely teach a lot of these other people how to go about their life because...It's not the Internet. People get stabbed...Maybe it would teach people [that] nobody's asking your opinion. So maybe shut the fuck up and keep that to yourself, right. And just get along and just focus on their work versus spending all day on the Internet talking and arguing. It's like, man, I don't know how they get all this time. They claim to be doing all this growing and all this work…It's like, how are you doing any work? Did you invent the 26-hour day?"
CREATIVE LICENSE & ORIGINAL WORK
In cannabis, "cuts" are often the basis for conflict, especially when people start breeding with them. At what point does a new cross or new genetic line become "original" to the breeder?
Duke's advice: Getting the blessing of the people who worked the lines before you is the best way to move forward while giving credit where credit is due.
"When it comes to stuff like that—whether it's a clone or from seed—Instead of just taking that and just rolling with it...[asking], 'Would you want to do that [cross] with me?'...Working with other people versus just taking it and just running with it."
Even if they're too busy to collaborate, you may still get the blessing to move forward.
At the very least, Duke encourages people to list the lineage, because there are times when it isn't possible to link with the seed maker, and, as you work the line, it becomes distinctly different from the parent you started with.
"There's things that maybe don't exist anymore. Maybe a pack of something you've had for a long time...The person that made it fell off the map...maybe you take that and you cross it to some other work that you've done...You hit that, and then you make a male...that you're going to continue to work in.
There is a point where it's been furthered so much that it's far removed from what it originally was. As long as they're crediting the lineage and the breeder that was involved."
But he knows that it's an imperfect world, and acknowledges that any seeds that are released will be used as the grower sees fit, regardless of how he as a breeder feels.
"I see a lot of people...get very upset when they sell a pack of seeds, and someone uses progeny from that to work into their own stuff...If you're going to put seeds out there for sale at that point, even if they F2 it and sell it or whatever they're going to do, that's what people are going to do. And if you're not willing to have people do that, don't put it out there. Is it frowned upon? Yes, of course. Is that like being kind of a shitty hack? Yes, it is. But, you just got to know people are going to people."
ADVICE FOR NEW SEED BUYERS
It's worth noting that seeds used to be much harder to come by, and growers would often share seeds made to avoid the risk of buying more.
"You're having to either mail cash—which was sketchy—or you need to go get your money order. Then you need to mail that out. Then they're going to process it. Then they're going to mail it back. You hope it doesn't get picked off in customs. You hope that there's not a DA task force waiting at the mailbox to jump out the bushes at you. It was like a big deal to get a pack of seeds over here....Back then, they were definitely making another filial generation making a shit ton of seed because a lot of it's being grown outdoors...So it'd be like way easier for you to have to grow those F3 grow those for a few years...Those are sketchy days, dude."
Where buying seeds once required international travel and risky dealings, you can now order from the comfort of your home in most cases. Now, the problem seed buyers face is an overwhelming amount of access, and a difficulty sifting through all of the options.
Duke's advice is to start with the people; who is making the seeds and are they reputable?
"Start off with research on who's making these seeds....People will have a reputable reputation that will be seen online...There are a lot of scammers out there that will buy up a .com and the real breeder doesn't even have a website."
The other piece of advice Duke offered is to pick seeds that work well in your space, and research the seeds you're buying as well as the person who made them.
"If you have a very tight space, don't start getting some wild ass, crazy, 16-18 week sativa. Don't do that. If you're looking to grow something outside, maybe don't get this flimsy, branchy hype hybrids that are out there.They're probably going to get blown down by the wind. Look at what your ultimate goal is. And then work around that...A little bit of research ahead of time will help you out tenfold in the long run."
As much as we all chase flavors and effects, it's equally about how a plant will grow for your space and needs.
"[Go] beyond...flavor or a certain effect...because you might find something that has that flavor and effect that you're going to grow in a small tent that's going to finish out in nine weeks. And not twelve weeks and not stretch a super crazy amount...You'll see a lot of times people will get something [and] the information is there [but] they overgrow their space. They got buds growing past their light. And then they'll put it on the breeder. Bad preparation on your behalf doesn't make an emergency on mine...Do your research and plan accordingly for where you're at...And don't cut corners."
For this reason, Duke includes detailed descriptions of not only flavors and effects, but also how a pack of seeds will grow, making it easier to do the research needed for the best chance of success.
"[These descriptions] went back to what I like to know way back when I would get some seeds, because a lot of the times you knew what the effect would be like...What the smell was going to be like. But you didn't really get a whole lot of extra beyond that. So you really didn't know how it was going to stretch...The grower needs to know these things because, at the end of it, you want them to be as successful as possible...You want to respect their time as much as they respected yours...I want people to do their best, not only just to be cool and people be happy and enjoy what they're doing. But to keep that quality high...I don't want some guy growing my stuff like shit and then people think it's shitty weed. I wanted to have a good representation all the way around. For them, for me and for the plant itself. [I want] People to be able to grow their own and be happy and not be deterred from the hobby or the profession...I want them to go through it with ease."
But when it comes to names, Duke says sometimes he's just having fun, while other times a name is used to echo a plant's description.
"If I'm going to call something Sangria Punch, I'm doing that because, hey, that's it...And then I make stupid names up too...There's a lot of things that can go in the name. It could be just some goofy thing that I do or if I'm actually nailing down a flavor then, yeah. So I made a line that was called One, Eight, Seven. All right. The 187 for the killer. But really it's 88 G 13 hash plant to C 99, so 99 plus 88 equals 187. You know what I mean? So there's a little something more behind it...just kind of dependent on the variety in the project...It could be me being just a dumbass...I don't name shit before it's done. I don't go name and then breed for it. I look for certain things and then let the name kind of come organically. And it could also be something as simple as like the local H cross to the Skelly Skunk and call it Local Skunk."
THE FUTURE: BETTING ON HOME GROWN BOUTIQUE
As more markets legalize, Duke isn't sold on the current version of "legalization," conceding that legal protections are helpful, but that examples to date have proven most regulatory efforts don't make sense for the consumer and grower.
"Let's just say federal legalization happens, right? ...Legalization with cannabis, man, that's a really loose broad thing...What does that mean? ...It's "recreationally legal" right? So, it really depends how that's enforced and what type of rules and guidelines go by. Because the feds might legalize and say, 'Yeah. It's only able to be grown by certain entities and you have to get it from these particular stores and you're only allowed to have so much'...Legalization doesn't necessarily mean good."
And as many that live in legal markets are more than familiar with, mass-production often correlates with a decrease in market quality, with only a select few putting out premium product.
"I would like to say, like, 'Hey, maybe this doesn't happen here,' but it's literally happened every single place [that has legalized]...The future looks like a lot of mass produced garbage, with a handful of real boutique...And the consumer can take their pick...The primary person that I'm looking to take care of and keep going is the home grower. [Also] the boutique people....If you put in the work and do a good job, then, hey, that's cool."
But even with legal access, Duke's more than aware that most people will still buy weed rather than grow it, just like they do with their groceries, and the market will determine how that plays out.
"Not everybody wants to have a grow. They know [they] could do it, but [they] would rather just go to the store and buy some good weed...I can grow a shit ton of tomatoes...But my neighbors, they don't...In a city, [some people] grow some on their patio, [but] everybody else is like, 'I just don't want to fuck with it. I just don't really care. So I'll just buy them at the store.'"
Which is why the corporations will continue to co-exist with the home growers and boutique craft operators focused on quality over quantity.
"I have to make some type of money to make it make sense for me to spend day in and day out doing the work. I got to make something because there's overhead and there's a lot of cost involved...With my skill sets and my jobs, I can make double or triple the amount of money [growing for sale] versus breeding and selling seeds. I'm much happier doing what I do now. It's way more fulfilling. But if it was about money, I would just do this shit for myself and my Bros...This just feels right...I like making people happy and helping people out."
He's quick to remind us that we can all find common ground in our passions.
"If you look at what we do...We all share a very common lifestyle where we're really into horticulture or flowers...watching things grow, creating and maintaining life and being really in touch with nature...We all have the same common thing...No matter who you are, you can relate...People got really divided...It's always been a thing, but it was like it went on steroids. And I'd really like to see people put that shit back in the back pocket like it used to be...Be friendly to each other. Be good to each other. And get rid of all this negativity and hatred bullshit because the world's full of enough of that anyway. It doesn't need anybody's fucking help. Just chill the fuck out. Grow some weed...Live your life. Be happy. It's way too short. Way too short to be living like that. "
After spending years of his life locked up, Duke is well aware of the risks of this passion we all share. Duke's advice is to consider whether you're really prepared to keep your mouth shut if it all goes south.
"If you live in a place where [growing is still illegal], you have to be real with yourself...No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you got to be okay in your head with what can happen. And when it does happen, moving through that. Is it okay for you to lose your home? To lose your car? To lose your family? To put your family through stress and everything. To go sit in the can and go through riots and all this shit and lose time out of your life to eventually get released and be a second class citizen...Keep your fucking mouth shut. You don't fucking tell on people. You take your time like a fucking man, and you go do it. Now, if that all sounds well and good with you. Then move forward and do what you're going to do...I'm going to be honest with you, it's a very lonely life when you do that. I did it for many years. You're not going to live the life that maybe you think you are. If you're doing it real small scale, yeah, you can balance it, but you're going to have the second life of a secret life. And like I said, if that all sounds good to you, then right on, dude. Get it. If that doesn't sound good, maybe move to a state where you're not going to have to worry about those things."
For growers in legal states, or for non-growers that want to get into the industry, his advice is similar: know what you're getting into, and avoid investors and partners if you can.
"If you can, do it for yourself. It's a big headache. It's a big pain in the ass. It's a lot of money getting into it for not a lot of money coming out...To be successful...you got [to have] something to put on the table that other people don't."
OUTSIDE THE GROW
Since his release, Duke's spent as much time in the great outdoors as possible; fishing, hiking, and camping, as well as exploring new hobbies unrelated to weed.
"Right now, I'm doing catch up because I was away for a little while...It's important to balance out so that way you don't burn out. [Explore] different hobbies and something totally unrelated to weed...A lot of people get bogged down 24/7 into their weed stuff...Weed is supposed to enhance your life, but if you don't really get out of that bubble much...life's just going to pass you by about 10 weeks at a time, one flower cycle to the next...Make sure that you're making time for your family and staying in touch with your friends and getting out and doing stuff...Just enjoy yourself. Don't get bogged down by it because then it becomes unenjoyable and it starts to feel more like a job. And then that's not the point... [Make sure you're] using it to enhance your life rather than becoming your life."
If you want to keep up with Duke, you can find him in the Dominion Seed Co Discord—hosting his infamous Friday Night Live Q&A's—or at a variety of seed shows throughout the year.
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This article is featured in Vol. 6 of The ETHOS Magazine.
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