If i wanted the fastest start-to-finish grow possible what strain would be best? Clearly an indica, but beyond that i don't even know where to start.
It's also a lot about growing method. For a fast turnaround focus on a good 8-9 week strain like Northern Lights, White Widow, Ice -- get a good mother plant (or more than one depending on the size of your op), harvest a bunch of clones, and then throw them into a SOG. If you start counting from when you are growing in earnest, which is when you throw them in the SOG, you can harvest a strong yield per sq ft in about 2 months.
I probably should have given a bit more info then. Ill be growing in a grow box that is only big enough for MAYBE 4 3 foot tall plants. first grow im doing will be a seed grow so i can store the entire setup over the summers when i am away. After that im going to be doing micro grows and picking the best 2-3 plants of the bunch to actually make it to flowering. Id love to just clone, but situation does not permit. LED lighting is what im using if that has any effect. Edit: Also when the rating says 8-9 weeks on a site, is that referring to total seed to harvest time or just flowering time?
Typically they are referring to flowering time. The only ones I know of that will go complete from seed to harvest in 8 to 9 weeks are autos.