04/20/25:
This week brought a bit of a lull in growth, and I鈥檒l admit it鈥檚 been a little disappointing. While the plants still appear healthy overall, vertical and canopy expansion has slowed, and I鈥檓 still not seeing any clear progress in preflower development. I was hoping for more definitive signs of sex by now, but unfortunately, the plants are holding onto their mystery a bit longer.
That said, it鈥檚 not all stagnant. There has been noticeable thickening in the stems and branches, which tells me the plants are shifting some energy into building structural support. That kind of development is a good sign鈥攊t鈥檚 almost as if they鈥檙e preparing to bear some weight, even if the upper growth hasn鈥檛 taken off just yet.
If you鈥檙e looking at the photos and thinking they look a bit droopy鈥攄on鈥檛 worry. The plants were intentionally allowed to dry out. I like to let them go a little longer between waterings at this stage to encourage root expansion, forcing the roots to explore the full volume of the pot in search of moisture. That strategy continues to pay off in strong root development and better resilience going into flower.
I also finally got around to the defoliation I had planned last week. The plants are looking a little bare at the moment, especially after just being watered, but that鈥檚 by design. Over the next few days, they鈥檒l perk back up, and all of the exposed growth tips should bush out and push new growth as the plants respond to the open canopy and fresh airflow.
We鈥檙e about a week out from transplanting into the final 6.9-gallon AutoPot XLs. My hope is that sexing becomes more obvious before then, so I can make informed decisions about which plants to move forward with. I鈥檒l be watching closely and will update sooner if anything changes on that front.