German Summer & Pineapple Poison

Week 1: Pineapple Poison Emerges - A German Grow Warrior is Born! Yo, growmies! Week 1 of the Pineapple Poison adventure is in the books, and let me tell you, this little lady ain't messing around! She started as a feisty seedling with a tap root like a tiny tree trunk, and in just seven short days, she's transformed into a proud 7cm beauty! Check out the pics - the first one captures her repotting ceremony (gotta give those roots some room to roam!), and the last one showcases her epic 7cm growth spurt in week one! Those roots, though! Seriously, they look like they could anchor me on a good old floating Sativa high. This Pineapple Poison is clearly destined for greatness. Now, the weather outside? Let's just say Mother Nature's throwing some sub-zero curveballs at us German growers. So, for the first week, the Pineapple Poison chilled out in my cozy indoor grow room with her plant buddies. No worries, though, she'll be getting the same VIP treatment for another week as things warm up outside. Stay tuned, growmies! Next week, we'll see if the Pineapple Poison lives up to its hardy reputation when we (hopefully!) transition her outdoors. Wish us luck, and high fives all around!

Week 2: Pineapple Poison Goes Outdoors! Operation Sun & Soil Commences! ☀️ Yo, growmies! Week 2 with the Pineapple Poison was a lesson in patience and the power of Mother Nature. Remember that whole frigid German weather situation? Yeah, Brandenburg saw a nasty surprise this week with temperatures plummeting to a bone-chilling -2°C! No way was my precious Pineapple Poison venturing outdoors in that. So, she enjoyed another week of VIP treatment in my grow room oasis, basking in a toasty 25°C all day, every day. But enough with the snuggle time, because this weekend, the Pineapple Poison finally reached her final destination: my awesome raised bed in Brandenburg! (If you missed the prep work, check out the Week 0 pics - that bed is ready to rock!). And let me tell you, when I lifted her out of her pot, I discovered a root system worthy of Rapunzel's tower! This girl's got the underground game on lock! To make her outdoor experience even more magical, I spoiled her with a cozy straw blanket. This isn't just for show, though. The straw will attract beneficial insect buddies, help keep the soil nice and moist, and even provide some extra nutrients. Plus, to ensure she never goes thirsty, I've hooked her up with a smart watering system. We'll dive deeper into that tech marvel another time. The real test begins now! I'm so stoked to finally have the Pineapple Poison basking under the German sunshine. Today was a glorious 25°C, but those temperature drops are still a concern. Let's hope they're gentle, because this hardy Pineapple Poison is ready to dominate the outdoors! Stay tuned, growmies! We'll see how the Pineapple Poison handles her transition to sun and soil. High fives all around!

She's thriving! My little pineapple warrior. 🍍💪 The sun was her best friend this week, stretching her to nearly double in size. Talk about making a statement! That stalk? Strong. Those leaves? Even stronger. I'm digging these genetics. Taking off the protective dome felt like a big moment, like setting a baby bird free. She looked a little windblown, but hey, who doesn't after a few days of spring gusts? Overall, I'm feeling pretty proud. This pineapple has spunk.

Week 4: Heartbreak and Hope 🍍💔 The sight that greeted me today was devastating. Snails. Everywhere. They'd turned my once vibrant pineapple into a skeleton of its former self. I could barely bring myself to take a single photo, the sight was just too painful. Fueled by anger and determination, I launched Operation Snail Removal. Every half hour, armed with a flashlight and a bucket, I combed the raised bed and surrounding area. By the time darkness fell, I'd collected a horrifying 19 snails from her bed alone. Ugh. The next night, thankfully, was snail-free. I can only hope that the damage is done and my pineapple warrior can rally from this. I believe in her strength, her resilience. She's got to pull through.

Week 5: Comeback Queen 👑🍍 The relief I felt this week is immeasurable. My pineapple is BACK! Not only has she recovered from the snail attack, but she's thriving. She's getting bushy, pushing out new leaves and reaching for the sky. I knew she had it in her. Given her impressive height, I decided it was time for some strategic intervention. FIMming to encourage even more branching, defoliation to let the light reach those lower leaves, and some gentle LST to keep her shape in check. She took it like a champ. The best part? I took some of those trimmed branches and dipped them in cloning gel. Fingers crossed for some pineapple babies! This girl is a fighter, and I have a feeling her offspring will be just as resilient.

Week 6: High Anxiety and Happy Surprises 🍍💨 Okay, okay, I'm a bit behind on this entry. Blame it on the Gelato harvest from last year. 😜 But hey, who can resist a little celebratory smoke after a successful grow? Anyway, back to the pineapple. She's exploded! Last week's trim had me sweating a little. You know how it is – defoliation anxiety: Did I take too much? Will she hate me forever? Turns out, she's totally cool with it. In fact, she's loving life. New growth is popping up everywhere, more focused and determined than ever. Guess Super Sativa Seed Club knows what they're talking about when they say cropping increases yield. So, I took their advice to heart and FIMmed her again. She didn't seem to mind one bit. Score! She's still got that bushy shape and those wide leaves, though. Maybe I've got myself an Indica-leaning pheno? Either way, she's beautiful and I'm one proud plant parent.

Week 7: Branching Out & Embracing the Unknown 🌱🍍 Okay, I'll admit it: This whole FIMing outdoors thing is uncharted territory, but hey, isn't that half the fun of growing? The FIMing worked like a charm! Three sturdy branches are shooting out, and the original main stem is actually the runt of the litter. 😅 I guess that's a new one for me. Normally, my outdoor girls turn into towering 2-meter trees with popcorn buds galore. But this year, I'm after quality over quantity. A few strong colas, please and thank you. Am I following any hard science? Nope. Just going with my gut and the good vibes my pineapple is giving off. She's still in veg mode, so I did some more defoliation and LST to keep her energy focused. Feeling good about this experiment so far. Who knows, maybe FIMming outdoors is my new secret weapon? Time will tell!

Yo growmies! While all of Berlin was getting high at Mary Jane 2024, I paid my ladies a visit: Remember last week's manic defoliation? Yeah, let's just say I went a little Edward Scissorhands on the Pineapple Poison. It's because last year's monstrous Gelato that took two days to harvest (my arms were killing me!). This year's mission: big, juicy colas and a speedy harvest (last year it took us 2 days!). Well, the good news is, the Pineapple Poison is a tough cookie (or should I say, pineapple?). She bounced back like a champ! She's still on the short and bushy side, so I'm giving her a break from the shears this week. Just a few tiny shoots close to the main stem got evicted to keep those main colas in the spotlight. Speaking of spotlights, I also made a trippy video to test visuals for the contest. Let me know what you think of the hazy, dream-like vibe. Is it artsy or just accidentally blurry? You be the judge! Oh, and I discovered a couple of resident snails on the Pineapple Poison. Thankfully, these little guys seem to be no harm. We'll call them our "ganja garden guardians". In fact, I noticed with every outdoor grow that Cannabis plants create a tiny ecosystem for all kinds creepers and crawlers who like to soak up the flower fumes and chill out in the leafy shade, Stay tuned, growmies! Next week, we'll see if the Pineapple Poison keeps on churning out those juicy colas. And who knows, maybe I'll find a way to channel my inner pruning master without turning this into a harvest marathon again! High fives all around!

Week 9: Pineapple Poison - My Neighbour, The Hero & A Bushy Beast Emerges! Yo growmies! Life threw a curveball this week, but luckily, my amazing neighbour F came to the rescue! Big ups to F, the ultimate grow-bro, for keeping an eye on my girls while I was away. And let me tell you, the Pineapple Poison is looking like a whole new beast thanks to sunshine and strategic defoliation! Growth spurt alert! This girl shot up a whopping 16cm in just a week! Looks like all that leaf-trimming and training paid off big time. Plus, we've been blessed with some serious German sunshine, and the Pineapple Poison is soaking it all up like a champ. The result? A bushy beauty with sturdy stems that could each hold a pineapple (or ten!). She's definitely not shy about branching out, but don't worry, I've got a plan. Next week, it's operation defoliation: round two! We'll be trimming some excess leaves to keep those main colas nice and chunky, and make harvest a breeze (no more fighting through a jungle of leaves!). The one thing missing? Flowering hasn't quite shown its face yet. But hey, patience is a virtue, right? I have a feeling this Pineapple Poison is just getting warmed up. Stay tuned, growmies, because next week, we'll see if the flowering fairy finally visits our bushy beauty! High fives all around!

Week 10: Pineapple Poison - Sun-Kissed & Chopped: A Bush in Bloom (Almost)! ☀️✂️ Yo growmies! This week, the Pineapple Poison went full-on sun goddess!Thanks to that glorious German sunshine, she stretched a massive 20cm in just seven days! You could practically see her growing (seriously, I should have done a timelapse - it's like watching magic!). But with all that new growth came a jungle of shoots. So, I grabbed my shears and played hairstylist to the stars (well, the stars of my grow bed, at least). It was mostly mainlining magic, cleaning things up to keep those main colas ro bw the star of the show. Speaking of the show, there's still no show of flowering. But hey, the fimming paid off big time! The Pineapple Poison's rocking three strong branches, and I can already picture them laden with frosty nugs. Just gotta be patient, growmies, patience! Next week, we'll see if the flowering fairy finally sprinkles her magic dust**. In the meantime, stay tuned for more updates on this sun-kissed, soon-to-be-blooming beauty! High fives all around!

Week 11: Pineapple Poison - The Neverending Leafpocalypse! ☔️✂️ Yo growmies! Mother Nature decided to play catch-up with the rain this week, and let me tell you, the Pineapple Poison took full advantage! Over 20mm of rain in seven days, and this girl exploded like a popcorn kernel in a microwave! We're officially at 138cm now, which is basically towering over my raised bed. It wasn't just height, though. New shoots and leaves popped up like green confetti. So, guess who spent most of the weekend playing hairdresser again? This gal! It was a mainlining marathon. As Bobolancetti put it wisely in the comments: we need to start thinking support for those colossal colas. Less foliage also means better wind resistance, which is crucial here in Brandenburg, land of the giant wind turbines. We can't have our Pineapple Princess getting blown over by a rogue gust! The only thing missing? Flowering. Still nowhere to be seen. *insert cricket noise* Listen, this growth spurt is awesome, but the weekly deleafing routine is getting a little…well, lengthy. My arms are feeling it! Maybe next week, the flowering fairy will finally take pity on us and get this party started? A girl can dream…. S Stay tuned, growmies, because next week, we'll see if the Pineapple Poison finally decides to show us her flowers (and give my arms a break)! High fives all around!

Week 12: Pineapple Poison - Flower Power & A Towering Princess Emerges! Yo growmies! Flowering watch is officially over, and guess what? The Pineapple Poison is throwing a bud party! We spotted the first signs last week - tiny white hairs like a shy hello from the flowering fairies. This week, those hairs are getting bolder, multiplying like rabbits in a magic hat! Flower power, activate! The excitement doesn't stop there. This girl is on a vertical vacation, stretching another 17cm to a whopping 155cm! That's right, she's practically taller than my 12-year-old at this point! Speaking of growth spurts, we've been blessed with a sunshine and rain tag team this week, and the Pineapple Poison is loving it. New shoots and leaves are popping up like popcorn kernels, which is why I did a little more mainlining magic. Gotta keep those popcorn nugs at bay and focus on the main event: frost-covered colas the size of pineapples! (Okay, maybe not that big, but you get the picture.) Now, the burning question: support systems. Anyone got tips on how to keep this towering beauty from toppling over? Comments are open, growmies, because this girl might need a trellis or some kind of ganja-gardening Eiffel Tower to support her future weight! Stay tuned for next week's update, where we'll see how the Pineapple Poison's flowers develop and maybe even get a hint of that legendary pineapple aroma. High fives all around!