RQS - The Littlest Dwarf

Happy is now officially the only Royal Dwarf to have lived. Which is a shame, but... Happy is looking very happy and reaching for the sun. His relationship with the mushrooms is changing in that he is now the biggest flora in the pot. The fibre cup is still there, but it is rapidly disintegrating. I've only had to water the pot once since he sprang up, as this indoor houseplant mix tends to keep its moisture very well. // a little too well, with the fibre cup too, I found out later..! It's also supposed to provide enough nutrition for the entire cycle, but we'll see about that later. The cotyledon leaves are nice and broad and still look healthy, without any signs of yellowing despite that the young leaves are looking strong enough and there are even the beginnings of real leaves starting to grow. Stem is firm and strong, with fine white hairs that aren't necessary to deter predators right now. I wish that the soil was a little warmer, but there's not much to do about that. The cost of electricity has rocketed in the EU this week, so I'm loathe to put on the heater when the air temperature is not so bad. I've started cheating on cloudy days and have put him under a 300w pink grow light to top up the sunlight from the South facing window. The diffuse overcast light doesn't seem to have him turning to face as well as the warm, direct sunlight. I'm wondering how realistic is will be to keep moving him every day from the window to the plant room, but hopefully by the time he gets to start to flower - it will not be necessary to put him under a light, or move him to the window (I'd prefer him to be at the window, tbh...). This is simply to get him nice and healthy to start. The soil could do with being a little more dry, but right now it's not much of an issue. // HA! How complacent of me - The soil was not dry enough and now he's suffering! (08/04) The temp. has been pretty steady this week. Everything seems to be going ok. I'm feeling confident that this one will survive past the end of the week. As for the others... well... nothing. Since the 3 in the Aerogrow turned to mush, I'm not holding any real hope that they will pop up. Still. It doesn't hurt to leave the pots out for a little longer. I've had some seeds take a few weeks before, but these autos are supposed to be pretty fast, right..? If this guy popped up last week, and the others are a no-show, with the other 3 being mush. Perhaps they are also non-viable. 1 / 7 for RQS Royal Dwarf, this batch. If Happy yields more than 7-8g then he will be cost-effective. // Well, today (08/04), I noticed that Happy's leaves started to droop a bit. The soil is a bit moist so, I'm not sure if it's that. I've Let the day progress and now I see some slight curling and they are really drooping hard, like seagull wings! I'm unsure what this is about, so I guess I will ask the growers. // 😱 Seems as if the soil is too moist, everyone says overwater (thanks guys!) which seemed strange as they've been watered once since potting. I've been warned about it twice and have gone, "oh dw it's fine..." WELL I SHOULDA LISTENED..! I dig up the fibre cup to have a look inside and the bottom of the cup is very squishy. So I went ahead and mushed this up and squeezed it out into the soil. I'll leave Happy under the lights after a re-pot and hopefully he'll recover tomorrow and not die. I'm hoping that as he grows, he can overcome this bump in the road, but I've read autos have a very short veg life... I really did think it was some trait of autos to bow the leaves this way. Over-watering is very easy to spot with my other plants, as they show it rather fast (esp Bay - those trees go brown leaved and they refuse to come back, I lost one to the rain this year...) // 😰 Happy is now re-potted, and the port has had the muddy potting mix out from the bottom removed. Those fibre cups retain a LOT of water, and Happy was growing right against the edge. You can see that the fibre cup was soaked in the video, and the potting mix underneath was muddy. It's all replaced. Interestingly, I found his shell just under the surface, and I had to extricate him from the fibre cup (I pinched a few side-roots, but the tap root is intact - nothing dried out - he'll be good). You can see how long the tap root has grown, mirroring the growth upward. In some plants, nipping off the end of the taproot causes it to start to grow outward (well, with my bonsai, anyway), but Happy's was fine. He's settled in and I've not wet the soil, as the potting mix is a bit damp as it is. He can get some air for a while. Crisis averted (I hope)..! //😖

Well, this week is off to a rocky start for the only remaining Royal Dwarf. Happy is looking very sad, which is a shame - his leaves from last week when there was too much water in his pot will never recover. But, from this we can learn: - The substrate (Miraclegro houseplant mix) is very good at retaining moisture when saturated, and dries out well when it is not. Additionally: - Cannabis is the "grows anywhere and under all conditions" plant. So: - Why does everyone make out that it needs so much attention and you must do this and should do that and all that stuff, and not to pollinate your autos? I'll tell you why - it's to sell you, the average home grower, stuff you don't need, and keep you buying seeds. What looked like over-watering was not a case of "oh it's how Royal Dwarf grow" and was that it was growing in a super-saturated, airless bog. This has been rectified and the substrate is now nice and fluffy and airy and makes a lovely popping sound when the water is being sucked up. So - I have hopes for the next week that Happy will spring some leaves that aren't ragged, and start to look a bit more healthy. I'm considering giving him a little feed, but would prefer him to have shown signs that he is recovering better from the boggy soil. Each day, I'm dropping maybe 150ml water around his base. Any excess drains through and sits in the pot's saucer. My pH meter is broken, so that sucks. Later on, if he recovers and is doing ok, before he develops more root - I will transfer him to a slightly larger, plastic pot and have him sitting on a saucer inside. He'll be moved away from the window and under 100w LED and 30w LED white that I'll be using to raise autos and also veg some who will - hopefully come into flower around the same time as the autos are finishing. This way there'll be more space - I might have to put the fems outside for a while, but they are still seedlings, and have only just popped. I think I have too many... I gave away 10 of them yesterday, and have 10 remaining. Shit... I don't want that many - I only want 2 fems 1 male and a few autos... When I look at Happy's leaves and how they might grow with the raggedy weird looking thing they have going on - I remember ImpatientGrower's Royal Dwarf: https://growdiaries.com/diaries/137489-2-grow-journal-by-impatientgrower/week/753455 I think that the leaves will end up looking like this - although his started off looking like a Brussel's Sprout xD lol // 14/04 I've repot the guy in his square pot, because I think it's gonna be an indoors one from now, as the weather is overcast and very cold. Plus teh snails... :/ Oh shit... I just looked at the photo from the top and I can see the leaves curling a bit at the edges and a yellowish line - that looks like sunburn from the lamps..? wtf... he was under them for 2 days only when it was pouring with rain so hard. This guy is proving to be a pain in the ass to grow. All those false starts with the seeds, and the "easiest" auto is proving to be a right dick..! Happy is being re-named. He's now called Grumpy. Fuck this guy. He better start behaving when he's inside.

This is a good week for Grumpy..! He's really starting to enjoy the new conditions. I was so ready to throw him away, due to the initial problems with this very easy to grow strain, but I'm glad I didn't as he looks so nice... The node spacing is very short, and the leaves - although a little turned toward the light - are very regular and starting to bush out a fair deal..! He's looking after himself, but I see that Grumpy will need to start some bonsai LST soon... I've no idea how tall he will get, but looking at it at this stage - I think calling it a Dwarf is a good choice :D Still putting under the MarsHydro out-of-hours, for a bit of a boost, and I think this is really helping! Lovely li'l fella..!

The Dwarf is going ok, I guess... The leaves are continuing to feel quite crispy and look a bit scraggy, like an unkempt beard. When they are touched, they are more like the surface of a dock than the nice soft feel of a nettle - he's never been soft or hairy, and the new growth is vibrant, so I guess this might be normal... I really don't know. There's not much to do except ensure he's tied down ok, but I have moved him under the TS-1000 with the widow, since that one is starting to flower now. It's so soon..! These autos really do go fast - they're so tiny..! Another journal has their dwarf still not flowering after seven weeks, so we will see how this guy goes. So long as Grumpy keeps growing like this, it'll be fine. I'm upping the humidity in the grow space by leaving some moist blocks around and I've put a little more water than usual into the soil. Hopefully this will help the leaves plump up a bit. Looking at other Royal Dwarf plants, they all look very different to this - but they all look very different to each other, too..! I've another pack of Dwarf coming again soon, for the future - Since this guy is so short and looks to be bushy, it's a candidate for SoG (also, it's 2-3e less expensive than others), so I'd like to become more familiar with the variant.

This little one has really started to bush out, now..! I was a little concerned at how tiny it was, so I'm glad it took a bit longer to flower. The issue with the leaves going into a "seagull" shape is back, which was said to be overwatering by the guys - but the soil is dry enough and a few of the older leaves (with the more lizard-like feel) have started to do it. If I push in the centre, then they twist upward, so I am wondering if this is the plant actually trying to twist the leaves up, but getting stuck and so it only appears down - in which case it would be simply a genetic issue, and nothing to do... Either way - the Dwarf is looking good, and I can see why it is called "Dwarf" now :D // The dwarf is now even shorter..! :D haha I've managed to get it another inch lower, and it is around 1/2 of the way along one side of the pot only... Very uncertain that the Dwarf will make it even to the next corner for the bend, but eh well :p Today was tying again for the LST, and tucking - I've stressed the stem so hard, I can hear it wanting to relax. Well, Dwarf..! The only way to relax is to grow more! I've uncovered a few buds that were caught growing out of place, and put them back in line. Looking good! The leaves might not be the most attractive, but they are certainly small enough (and the starter buds, they are tiny formations!) to be a potential bonsai candidate..! Shame it's an auto - I'll have to ask RQS about finding some stock that hasn't been flowering so well and needs switching :) These autos - I am starting to love them. It's just a case of put in the seed and that's it - although... tbh... I would like to defoliate and train a bit more than simply bonsai-bending them. This guy responds well to LST, and it very pliable. Bounces back within one light cycle. Not very thirsty, so I guess the roots are not so big as I expect - but with the growth spurt this week, hopefully it will start drinking up everything it can get! :D So - even though all the other Dwarfs died before they were born (pretty much) - I am glad this one came up and, tbh... I will do it again to make sure this isn't a fluke. So +1 for RQS Royal Dwarf - I will not be so harsh with the review as I have been in the past, now that there is the plant to actually look at and enjoy growing :D The TS-1000 is really helping it get budding, so that was a good move. The initial light burn has been resolved now that it's using it, and getting an even bathe :) // Today I have restrung the LST wires, and released the Dwarf from its bondage in a few places. With so many little buds and branches (every single one is going..!) I'm finding it difficult to locate the leader sometimes! I'm glad, now, that I finally managed to have a Royal Dwarf that lived past birth! It's actually a nice little plant, and you could easily fit this guy inside a computer case or something, with a small light - I think that 100 / 150w is more than adequete. You could probably get away with 30-50w, maybe, which would be fine inside a computer case with the fan running, powered off the block, there. It could be super-stealth in your office space, most def. He is a pocket rocket, for sure..! // Again with the LST tightening - it is now about 1/2 way along the side of the pot, having gone diagonal and been pulled back 180, same as the Widow. The Dwarf is even shorter again!!! :D Now less than half a pencil high! haha I think that, even though the leaves aren't the most attractive - and the bud formations are very tiny - that this is an excellent candidate for bonsai! Shame it's an autoflowering strain, so I'll have to talk to RQS about if they have any that have not been flowering without a switch - perhaps there's a similar strain..? There were a few flower clumps that were out of place, so they've been uncovered (found a few idk existed) and brought back into line. The spiral is going ok, but it definitely won't make it even a third of the way I had hoped :)

The littlest dwarf is coming along pretty good! I've exterminated the gnat infestation, it seems - there's the occasional one or two, but that's it. They mostly come out at watering time... mostly... The dwarf's leaves are not big at all. It's a tiny little plant, really! :D I'm having reservations about the size of the buds, as they aren't much bigger than a daisy right now. Probably 8-12 sites blooming at the moment, maybe 3-4 of these will develop to be something bigger... The Levington Tomorite food just goes straight in without dilution, before watering. Have put some around the base of the plant, and today it has soaked up some rain with a light spray from the hose. The humidity is rising in the grow space, mostly due to the ambient temperature rising. I'm not so fussed. The little fan is noisy, but it moves the air. There's a big fan and I can always vent the space easy. I feel I must apologise to RQS, as the Royal Dwarf has grown into quite a beautiful plant. It is a very even bush (with some training and trimming) and most def is living up to its name :D I've released the LST twisty ties this week, to let the dwarf grow out of its constraints. Sad to see the shape go, but the flowers will want to rise up a little, I hope. The TS-1000 is at a height of around 60cm+ now, as I am in the middle of changing the grow space (and the Painkiller XL has turned bright green..! D:) // Tbh, I was expecting it to grow a bit more, for another few weeks before it got to this stage... As such, there's a lot of tiny buds that have only just this week been given the light - I hope that they can develop in time. Many of the flower's beards are starting to turn a demerera colour, which concerns me that it is getting close to harvest but ... there's not really anything to harvest... There's like... 3 or 4 decent buds (tiny) and a dozen mini buds (super tiny). Will have to wait and see - I'll give it some food, even though it doesn't seem to need it. There's a few rust spots on the leaves, but idk if it's anything to be concerned about. The pH is spot on and the moisture level is spot on, the humidity is a bit high and not constant, and neither is the temperature - but the bloody thing is a thick old bush and it's still going..!

The dwarf is looking so good!!! There are so many little buddites that are growing up that I didn't think would amount to anything. These are poking up and sretching out nicely, towards the light. It's as if it has more than double in size! :D Shame that the buds are about 1cm in size, and very light and airy - but we will see..! Compared to the other grow diaries... I've seen one that had this many bud sites, however it was under a much more powerful light, and allowed to grow upright. The actual length of the main stem is 45cm, so this thing is 18" tall to the base of the apical bud. I've managed to keep it under 15cm / 5", which is nice - the footprint is a lot more. It's a very thick bush, and I wasn't expecting the internodal spacing to be so short, so it's a bit cramped. Therefore, I had to clip a tonne of leaves of it, and there's still more to take. This guy will be a candidate for lollipopping, as well as hardcore LST. If I'd have not gone with a spiral, and instead rafted it - I think that every branch could easily become a main, without the need for splitting and whatever. I've another - much newer (i hope) Dwarf seed from RQS, so, in the future I will try this again and see the difference in the two methods in employing the LST techniques. It's fed with tomorite at the moment, because I am being lazy and it is doing well. Next week, I might switch to the Terra Aquatica stuff again, however I think those nutrients aren't as good as Levington Tomorite. Or perhaps its that I'm not using enough/too much/not correct ratio. I am loving the dwarf, but it looks as if it always needs a drink, has had too much to drink or is generally not happy even though it is growing like mad - it looks a bit limp at all times. I think the strain is very sensitive to moisture levels (as seen from the start) or there's a puddle in the pot that I can't access. Will have to find out! :D The smell is a little like mint, but there's definitely a strong limonene smell in there. More sativa than indica, despite the packaging claims of indica dominance. Many of the bud's beard hairs are starting to turn orange and brown, yet the buddites and budlets are still bright white. Might have to be a staggered harvest, which, in all honesty, might be good since it is so bushy :D