Sugar Black Rose

Second grow. First was a bit underwhelming, but that's how we learn, right? 😉 I've got two 5 gal plants growing in some goodied up organic soil, under 2 300w LEDs (150w actual draw each), so here we go again.

The only notable difference this time around is the soil gnats, due to the fact that this round of soil came from an opened bag, stored in my garage. I've never had this issue before, so still reading up to figure out what to do about them. Obviously, any input is welcomed! Also, being a noob, I'm still building my grow setup and am just now getting around to getting a thermometer/hygrometer and a digital pH reader. As far as this particular strain, it seems about average. Nice thick stemming and tight nodes with the newest outgrowth at a 7 pointer.

BIG changes this week! This is my very first attempt at main lining/manifolding and it was not without it's frights. To top a wee bit of the next shoot is one thing... To cut half the plant off feels brutal and terrifying! Then, if that's not offensive enough to the poor plant, then I went and chopped everything else below the node I'm working with. 😮 It felt savage! Funnier still was my cat that could not wait to ravage those discarded leaves. 😂 Pot head, just like his mommy.😏🐱 Immediately after taking my journal pics I cleaned up and decided to place the stakes on my new mains. Even though I was being pretty gentle, one of the mains partially snapped. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO THROW UP! I was thinking that I just lost the whole plant because of the manifolding symmetry principle which I just royally screwed up. Thankfully a hardy strain mixed with some duct tape seems to be keeping her going. I'm still dealing with the friggin soil gnats though. They are getting really annoying, so now I'm trying a different product. As for the growth, it seems to be growing at an average rate. Good genetics are likely responsible for the stem snap recovery. 😉

Nothing notably new. At week 3, I'm still dealing with gnats, and my girls are taking quite the beating from the neem oil solution. 😖

After a pretty dramatic slowing from the stress of pesticide treatment, growth has finally picked back up after adding some nutes and cal mag. I still have gnats, but I had to stop the neem oil treatment, because it was killing the foliage. I have no idea if there will be a greater threat from the gnats, or if they are just more of an annoyance than anything else. For now, I've got to focus on growth, being so behind because of the main lining technique, so my pest problem will have to take a back seat. My guess is that main lining will add several weeks on to my total grow time, so I'm making a mental note to myself for future grow schedules. The whole point of trying this technique is to maximize your micro-harvest, so we shall see. 🤔 Despite everything, the stem snap damage is repairing and recovering nicely, despite the overall stress from the neem treatment. Should I keep treating the gnats, or should I leave it alone and chalk it up to a learning experience about soil prep? If I continue to fight the gnats because they pose a danger to my girls, should I try something other than neem oil? I have been using Garden Safe's, Neem Oil Extract.

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After some adjusting to the mess from the fossil powder and a little extra food and water this gal is exploding! Finally,a pot plant that looks like a pot plant!

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So as life does what it does best... Murphy's law came to rule at my home, I ended up sick in the hospital for a week. 😫 Therefore, I have no photo goodies to share for week 10, which would not have been very pleasant to look at anyhow..... Especially if you're squeamish. I thought I was going to throw up when I finally came home to them wilted, shrunken, droopy, and looking way beyond the need for simple intervention or any other form of TLC. I gasped and then cried a little. My 8 beautifully placed and spaced mains were all over the place, some growing extremely close to the light and already burning and some got starved out for light and did not grow at the same height. My mainlining symmetry was gone! But to my astonishment, she came back for me with some watering, feeding, defoliation, and light LSTing. I've been fiddling with the gardening wire that I use for LSTing to get the tops even again and it's going pretty well. I even dropped the LED on her by accident two days ago and thought... this is the end. But nope! She's my rock star, this plant! 😍😎

After a long break of recuperation from so much abuse, she's back on track and growing gloriously. 😊 Finally some more beautiful pics to share! 😍

Getting close to lights, due to late flipping. Definitely need to make sure I don't veg past week 5 in the future, due to height limitations. May have to move the plant into my closet if it stretches any further north. Doh!

So my plant outgrew my tent and caused some serious scorching to my flowers, as you can see. She had to be moved to my closet for her final week(s). Buds are thin and pathetic looking and I worry that it's just been too much abuse and trauma to regain much from this plant. Take note: Enemy to your plant..... *Soil gnats *Getting stuck in the hospital *Grow lights too close I just don't know with this poor gal. I flushed and fed her black strap molasses for her final days. Wish me some kind of crop!! This is my medicine and really important to me. The fact that this girl will not yield much is bringing much anxiety.

Something hot messed up in my weeks, so I'm posting duplicates from week 13. Not sure what happened...

Her leaves are about gone but her pistils are still white. I cut two mains to test, but I'm thinking still not ripe. At this point I'm not expecting a fantastic yeild for this plant.

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With everything that went wrong with this grow, it's hard to say how much better things could have turned out.