Kosher Kush - DNA Genetics : Holy Smokes in 40x40x160 - 1 Plant

... the beginnings!

Slowly but surely, it’s starting to grow. Thick leaves are forming, almost resembling lettuce as they develop. There’s even a leaf mutation happening. Watering follows the 1/3 rule, but at the beginning, it’s done with higher soil moisture (around 65%).

Progress is a bit slow. Maybe I overdid it with the light at the start? Also, the relatively well-fertilized Plagron Batmix might have been a challenge for the young plant. Some leaves were almost leathery. But there was growth. At this stage, I had 90 mg/l calcium and 30 mg/l magnesium in the water. I was still using reverse osmosis water at the time, which I lightly salted with OsmoFit and added calcium sulfate dihydrate and magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. Since I miscalculated at first, the sulfate levels were quite high in the water. That might have been a factor in the stress during this phase.

This week (Days 21-28), I had the feeling that it finally started to take off explosively. After the topping, there was 1-2 days of calm before it took off. Once the apical dominance was broken, the plant grew bushier and bushier. Soon, it reached the scrog net and was threaded through. Light intensity is now at maximum.

Day 30 marked the start of flowering – the plant is now developing well. The initial growth struggles seem to be fading as the growth speed increases. Watering is now done every other day with 2.6 liters. In the meantime, the water source has been changed. Calcium is now at 120mg/l, magnesium at 60mg/l—adjusted for flowering with a bit of magnesium citrate. Sulfate levels are now unremarkable, and the citrate value is safe. I’m trying to fill as many of the mesh squares as possible.

We’re now in the middle of the stretch. Scrog net is now well-filled, and the box is bursting. I’ve tried to spread it out as much as possible to give the weaker branches a chance and also to help mitigate the notorious stretch a bit. The plant is growing 2-3 cm upwards every day. I’ve done some defoliation under the net. Towards the end of the week, a stronger earthy smell is starting to emerge – the flowering phase has begun.

This week continues to be all about the stretch. The plant is still growing steeply upwards. I’m holding off on a more aggressive defoliation in the center for now to avoid stressing the plant too much during the stretch. However, I’ve been gradually trimming underneath the net. Small flower sites are now appearing everywhere. I'm curious to see how long it will keep stretching. Watering continues every other day with 2.6 liters, with minimal drainage. On day 49, I was asked why I had started defoliating the top—but no, it’s actually just the stretch. Growing 3-5 cm per day! Crazy stuff.

On flower day 23, the stretch finally (! 😅) seems to be coming to an end. Vertical growth has noticeably slowed down. I flipped my Kosher Kush into flower at 25 cm, and she stretched like crazy, reaching 78 cm – a 212% stretch (so far). Hoping the second layer catches up a bit. The internodal spacing on the first level is alarmingly large - hope that doesn’t impact yield too much. But it really seems to be a phenotypic trait since I’ve been blasting it with plenty of light... Starting this week, I’ve introduced Plagron’s Green Sensation as an additive. To support the high light intensity, I’m also adding some silica (Plagron’s SilikRock) for the first time. Some upper leaves are showing slight signs of iron excess, likely due to the previous foliar feeding - possibly exacerbated by the intense light exposure. Buds are forming everywhere now, and the scent is changing - strangely enough, it reminds me of fresh laundry hung up in a forest! 😄

New week - let’s go! Since winter has really kicked in and the temperatures have dropped, I had only around 22°C in the tent for a while. That was too low, especially with the rising humidity. So, I programmed my dehumidifier. In my small grow space, it not only reduces humidity but also raises the temperature. With timed activation, I now have 25-26°C during the day, keeping the growth pedal pressed. At night, the dehumidifier is off, but humidity stays in a safe range (..to achieve the temperature differences appreciated by the plant during the dark phase). Air circulation is well managed, especially during the dark phase. Also, no more PureZym from this week on. The smell has changed - it’s now much heavier. No more fresh laundry scent 😆 Instead, it’s rich, leathery, and intensely earthy when opening the tent. I’m really curious to see if those massive node gaps will fill in. Thankfully, the second layer doesn’t have those gaps, though the stems there are thinner... It remains exciting! The "iron spots" and burns on some leaves of the first layer, probably caused by too much Vitarace, are really annoying me! But too late now!

We're starting a new week - it's been a few quiet days without much new or exciting happening. I'm diligently watering every second day. There's only minimal drain, and the plant is gradually needing more water again. Each time, it drinks about 2.65 liters. I water slowly and with pauses by hand. Bloom fertilizer will be increased again this week according to the schedule. I've increased air circulation a bit more by directing additional airflow from below. Thanks to the partial use of the dehumidifier, humidity and temperature remain at a good level (around 50% at 24-25°C during the day and about 21-22°C at night). Buds are growing nicely. I'm hoping for some good thickening this week.

And here we go into flowering week seven. The buds are looking impressive by now. I feel like they're starting to bulk up - hopefully, those internodal gaps fill in nicely. Temperature and humidity are stable. I aim for 25°C during the day, and at night, it drops to around 21.5–22°C. Humidity stays between 45–50%. I could probably lower it further, but that would make things too hot, so I trust my airflow and ventilation instead. On day 70, I noticed a couple of leaves showing early ‘autumn colors.’ I’m curious how much longer this will take. Plagron additives like Sugar Royale, Power Buds, and Green Sensation are said to accelerate ripening. DNA Genetics suggests 9–10 weeks of flowering, so it’s getting exciting. Amber trichomes are a must for this Kush diva! 😉 Some parts of the plant seem to be purpling! That’s interesting since nights aren’t particularly cold. Could it be phosphate-related? Light stress? Just the strain? The smell is changing more and more towards citrus - like a ‘sharp, earthy lemon.’ It almost reminds me of a wood polish! 😄 I'm gradually removing any drying leaves at the bottom, but other than that, there’s not much to do - just watering, keeping an eye on temp and humidity, and relaxing. See you soon!

The saying goes, 'Autumn has many colors' – and I feel like we're right in the middle of it now. Especially at the top, some leaves are slowly starting to show a touch of autumnal coloring. The purple hues have also intensified beautifully in some spots. In the middle section, a few leaves have started drying out more frequently in recent days. I've been removing those, but the overall proportion of healthy, green leaves is still extremely high. The buds are getting thicker by the day. Considering she probably still needs some time, I'm honestly quite impressed with how chunky they're becoming. As always, I water diligently every second day and keep a close eye on temperature and humidity. I'm still following the full feeding schedule – all organic. The activated carbon filter is slowly giving up – I'm glad it won't take much longer, the smell is already pretty intense 😃 In the past, I tied some branches down towards the tent walls to maximize light coverage for all the shoots. I've now removed those ties, letting the branches move back closer to the center so the top colas can soak up the absolute maximum light. I'm excited to see what more she has in store – and how much longer the journey will go. Let's go! Note from Day 83: The trichomes are filling up – now let's see when the amber ones start to show.

Approaching the finish line! The estimated 9-10 weeks from DNA Genetics seem accurate! Now almost exclusively milky trichomes with a few amber ones – I believe this could be the final week? The autumn colors are becoming more visible. I've once again removed dried leaves from the lower sections. Maybe this defoliation of non-photosynthetically active leaves creates a bit of stress, encouraging faster amber trichome development? I'd definitely be happy if the journey soon reaches its end. Mentally, I'm preparing for a potential harvest around day 60-62.

On flower day 60, it was finally time. Three days before the final cut, I did a last light watering with plain water. The last 36 hours, the lights stayed on. In the end, I had around 20–30% amber trichomes. I'm super happy with the result. Trim jail was exhausting but totally worth it. The harvest is now right in the middle of curing. As for the smell: a sharp, earthy, leathery diesel mix with hints of lemon. The fuel note is, to my delight, much stronger than expected. Incredibly sticky buds. Sparkling flowers. Thanks so much for following along with the grow journal! Maybe it'll help someone with planning or give a general preview for a future grow of this strain. Much love and happy growing!