Northern Lights & Critical

therealgrowmie Aaaaaaand we’re off, Growmies! 🚀 Four out of five seeds have sprouted, and they’re looking lively. Once they reach a decent size, I’ll transplant them into slightly bigger pots, moving from 0.4L to 1L. I’ll let all four ride until the final transplant and then pick the best-looking candidates for the grand finale. Your Growmie is selecting like a professional now... jokes on me 😂 I’m genuinely excited for my first grow with photoperiods. There’s just so much more you can do with photos compared to autos, and I’m loving the options already. Here are the stats: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 75% RH (ideal for sprouting) 📈 VPD: ~0.75 kPa 💡 Light: ~300 PPFD

therealgrowmie The small plants are coming along nicely with solid, compact growth. I’ve just transplanted them from 0.4L to 1L pots and gave them a mild mix of fertiliser. They’ve settled in well with no real transplant shock, and the structure looks tight with short internodes; exactly what we want at this stage. A couple of leaves are slightly droopy and there’s a bit of yellowing on some lower leaves, which isn’t surprising after the pot-up and as nutrient demand starts to increase. New growth at the tops is healthy and green, so the roots are clearly starting to explore the fresh medium. The canopy is very even across all plants, which should make topping and future training nice and straightforward. Everything’s going swimmingly so far, topping is up next! 🌱✂️ Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 75% RH (ideal for early growth) 📈 VPD: ~0.75 kPa 💡 Light: ~400 PPFD

therealgrowmie Back again, Growmies — with a certain someone who absolutely soaked the soil of his freshly transplanted plants, causing a minor nutrient lockout. 😅 Anyway, I got the airflow going, let the pots dry out properly, and now we’re back on track. Plants are responding well again. Topping is up next, followed by the final transplant into 11L pots. 🌱✂️ Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 75% RH 📈 VPD: ~0.75 kPa 💡 Light: ~400 PPFD

therealgrowmie We got to the topping just 4 days ago, and the plants took it quite well. There’s some minor drooping going on right now, but the new tops are already coming along nicely. 🌱✂️ I slightly overwatered them just now, so I’ll let the pots dry out and give them at least 4 days before the next watering. Next stop: transplant number two. 💪 Lesson learned: after topping, less is more. Give them air, time, and a bit of dryness - they bounce back faster than you think. 😉 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 75% RH (ideal for early growth) 📈 VPD: ~0.75 kPa 💡 Light: ~400 PPFD

therealgrowmie Not every part of the New Year starts with a bang 😅 Before your Growmie went on a short trip, he massively overwatered his plants. I’m back now and fixing the mess I created. The strategy: After flooding the pots a few days ago, the roots were basically starved of oxygen. To make things worse, I then let them dry out a bit too much - classic overcorrection. 🤦‍♂️ Now it’s about finding balance: letting the soil dry properly, restoring oxygen to the root zone, and encouraging fresh growth. With some patience, they should bounce back within a week or so. 🌱💨 The Critical plant is also showing signs of nitrogen deficiency, which I’ll keep an eye on and address carefully once the root zone is happy again. For now, I’m not giving up on them. I’ll gladly trade a one-week setback over a three-week one any day. Feel free to follow along while I try to fix my own gruesome mistake 😂 Growmie lesson: Overwatering isn’t about how much water you use - it’s about how often. And overcorrecting can be just as stressful. Roots need air as much as they need water. Let them breathe, and they’ll recover faster than you think. 😉 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Trust the process 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 75% RH (ideal for early growth) 📈 VPD: ~0.75 kPa 💡 Light: ~400 PPFD

therealgrowmie Things are moving in the right direction again. After a rough patch, the plants have stabilised and are now showing only minor deficiencies. I decided to prune the most dysfunctional growth to focus energy on healthier, actively growing tissue and improve overall photosynthesis. That seems to have helped, as new growth is coming in stronger and recovery is underway, though they’re not fully there yet. We’re back on track for now and have also transplanted into 3L pots. The next days will be about monitoring and letting them settle in. Growmie lesson: Sometimes correcting a problem means acting decisively, but recovery still takes time. Removing damaged leaves can help, as long as it’s done carefully and not rushed. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 24–26°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~400 PPFD

therealgrowmie We’re very much back with three relatively healthy plants, even though they’re a bit stunted. I clipped a few leaves here and there, applied some LST (because I just can’t help myself 😅 probably not really necessary), and have now topped them for a second time. At this point it’s all about keeping conditions stable and letting them grow out. Onwards and upwards, keep on growing. 🌱 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 70% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.13 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie Alrighty, we’re closing in on the final transplant (moving from 3L to 11L) which should really encourage lateral growth. The two Northern Lights plants are very compact, so I’m already working on opening up the canopy early to prepare for a proper SCROG. If we transplant within the next 7 days, we’re likely looking at flipping to bloom in about three weeks. As a newbie to photoperiods (I’ve only run autos before), the growth pace feels very different; slower and more deliberate. But I actually enjoy how much more control you have. You can really shape them the way you want. Next step: stretch that canopy wide and let the net do its magic. The screen is coming soon; let’s weave a green carpet. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 70% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.13 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie The plants have now been moved into their final 11L pots after showing slight root-related issues. I’m hoping the extra space will resolve that and allow them to fully establish themselves again. In about a week, I’ll install the SCROG net, and roughly a week after that we’ll consider flipping to 12/12 — but only if the net is around 70–80% full. No rushing. The goal is an even canopy before making the switch. For now, it’s all about letting them settle in and monitoring how they respond to the transplant. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 70% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.13 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie There’s still a lot to learn. Just when I thought things were back in the sweet spot, moderate signs of nutrient burn started to appear. Several older leaves are showing the typical symptoms, so I’m cutting back on feeding and switching to pH’d water for the next couple of weeks until they stabilise and it’s time to flip. I’m also hoping the move into the 11L pots encourages more lateral growth, because what I have right now can’t really be called a canopy yet 😅. The goal is to fill things out properly before installing the net and thinking about 12/12. For now, it’s about restraint and letting them rebalance. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie We’re making substantial progress now. The root and nutrient issues have evened out, and the new growth is looking strong and healthy. The net is starting to fill out nicely. I honestly didn’t expect it to be such a bumpy road coming from autoflowers that just let it rip from day one. This has been a very different — and very interesting — experience. I’ve definitely learned a lot, especially when it comes to watering and patience. Now it’s just a matter of seeing how long it takes to hit that 70–80% canopy fill before the flip. Cheers. 🌱 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie The canopy has spread out nicely, and I’ll be moving to 12/12 any day now. The structure looks balanced, and we’re close to that ideal fill before the stretch kicks in. The single Critical Mass plant is still a bit limey in colour, but I won’t wait for it to fully even out. The fresh growth looks healthy, which is what matters most at this stage. Now it’s time to flip and let them show what they’ve got. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~600 PPFD

therealgrowmie Ladies and gentlemen, the cycle has been flipped, so flowering is imminent. The plants looked healthy (healthy enough 😅), and if I’m honest, I was also running out of patience. The canopy is set, the net is filled, and now it’s time to let the stretch begin. I’ve got a batch of Amnesia Haze ready for the next classic run, but first, let’s see what this round delivers. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie We made it to flower, fam — even though the plants almost died along the way 😅. But the train is rolling now. I’m still tucking branches under the net to keep the canopy even, and I’ve started giving mild feeds again. The plants started to look a bit limey in colour, which made me ease back into feeding carefully. I’ve begun adding nutrients again in small amounts to see how they respond while keeping watering consistent so the roots can take things up properly. From here on out it’s all about guiding the stretch and keeping things stable. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Tiny bud sites are forming all over the place now, and I’m really excited to see how the flowers will stack up over the next couple of weeks. The plants are still looking a bit limey, so the colour isn’t quite where I’d like it to be yet — but they’re clearly moving in the right direction and putting energy into the right places. My approach from here is to stay patient and not overreact: keep the environment stable, continue with mild, consistent feeding, monitor the new growth closely, and avoid making too many changes at once. At this stage, I think a calm and steady hand makes more sense than chasing perfection. If the fresh growth improves and the bud sites keep developing, I’ll be happy. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Flower sites are clearly forming now, and a sweet smell comes out every time I open the grow space. For some of you seasoned pros this might be trivial, but I’ve changed my watering routine — and it seems to be paying off. I’m now watering more thoroughly, more slowly, and with enough runoff. Well… what do you know Sometimes the basics really do make the difference. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Changing the watering and feeding schedule really did wonders during this final stretch. And honestly, I’m glad I stuck with this run — even though it took ages and I nearly killed the plants while on vacation 😅 I’ve learned a ton from this grow and I’m really looking forward to the next run with photoperiods. This hobby is something else. While others have an aquarium or tinker with their cars… we embrace the holy zaza. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie We’re making some solid progress now. 🌱 Nothing crazy, no miracles overnight; just things moving steadily in the right direction. And honestly, after how this run started, I’ll happily take that 😅 The buds are stacking up nicely and getting noticeably frosty, and that sweet smell is definitely starting to fill the tent. One of the plants is still a bit limey / faded, while the others are coming in darker and stronger; but overall, they’ve clearly settled in and are doing their thing now. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie The buds are really starting to stack and bulk up, and man… the frost is coming in nicely. Some of those tops are getting properly coated, and the smell hits you the second you open the tent. You can clearly see the contrast between the plants — the NLs are staying nice and dark green with heavy frost, while the Critical Mass fades out into those limey/yellow tones. Not perfect, but at this stage I’m letting them ride. The flowers themselves are developing well, and that’s what counts. Structure-wise, I’m pretty happy. The canopy is fairly even, multiple solid tops across the board, and everything is getting good light exposure. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 60% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie The 2x Northern Lights and 1x Critical have really stepped it up over the last stretch. The buds are noticeably fatter, denser, and frostier now, and the Northern Lights in particular are looking dialled in. Nice dark green leaves, solid tops, and a proper layer of trichomes building across the flowers and sugar leaves. The Critical is still the one fading the hardest, with more yellowing across the canopy, but the buds themselves are still developing well and stacking nicely. At this point I’m letting it ride. Overall, the tent is looking far more mature than it did just a week ago. Pistils are turning, calyxes are swelling, and the whole thing is starting to look like a proper finish is on the horizon. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie We’re really entering the final stretch now, Growmies. The buds are dense, frosty, and looking properly mature from a distance; exactly the kind of sight that makes you want to grab the scissors already 😅 But the close-ups tell the real story. The trichomes are mostly cloudy, with some clear ones still mixed in and not much amber showing yet. So while the plants look almost ready, they’re asking for a little more patience. The Northern Lights are looking especially strong: dark, frosty, and stacked with chunky tops. The Critical is fading harder and still has that limey colour going on. At this stage, I’m not going to panic-feed or chase perfect leaves anymore. The best move is to keep watering consistent, make sure pH is in range, avoid overwatering, and give only mild, balanced feeding if needed. No drastic corrections this late in flower. My current guess: around 7–12 days left, depending on how fast the trichomes turn. I’ll keep watching closely and aim for mostly cloudy with a small touch of amber. At this stage, it’s really just about not messing it up now 😂 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Looking at the canopy now, it really feels like everything came together at the right time. The two Northern Lights are stacking thick, frosty colas with that classic dense structure, while the Critical is entering her final phase, fading from green into those lime-yellow tones as she pulls the last energy from her leaves. The buds are fully formed and swelling hard. Everywhere you look, it’s just resin, a proper blanket of trichomes covering the flowers and sugar leaves. Under closer inspection, most trichomes are cloudy now, with the first ambers starting to show, especially on the edges. Pistils are turning orange and curling inward, another clear sign that the finish line is close. The differences between the strains really stand out at this point. The Northern Lights plants are darker, more compact, and absolutely dripping in frost, while the Critical leans lighter in color with a more pronounced fade and slightly airier, but still chunky buds. Together, they fill the tent with a balanced, even canopy — every top sitting right in the sweet spot under the light. We’re officially inside the harvest window now. From what I’m seeing, I’d estimate about 7–12 days left. It’s one of those moments where patience really matters. Chopping earlier would keep things a bit more uplifting, but giving them a few more days will push more amber trichomes and deepen the effect. Right now, they’re close — but not quite at their absolute peak. I’m letting them ride just a little longer to fully mature and finish strong. Overall, this run has been alright. The environment stayed dialed in, the plants responded well, and now they’re rewarding that with proper, high-quality flowers. Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie The finish line is finally in sight and these girls are looking absolutely coated right now ❄️ Buds have swollen hard over the last days, colors got deeper, and the trichomes are stacking beautifully across every surface. The tent smells louder every single time I open it 😅 Checking the trichomes closely now shows mostly cloudy heads with the first ambers starting to appear here and there. Exactly the kind of progression I was hoping for. The fade is settling in naturally, leaves are darkening and fading out, while the buds keep pushing resin production to the max. At this point it’s mostly patience and letting them finish gracefully. No more chasing growth — just maintaining stable conditions and watching them ripen day by day. If everything keeps going like this, next week will officially be chopping time ✂️🌱 Honestly really happy with how this run turned out. The canopy stayed even, buds packed on serious frost, and the colors on these flowers are just insane. Definitely one of those grows where opening the tent instantly makes the whole effort worth it. 📊 Stats so far: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Harvest day has finally arrived ✂️❄️ After weeks of checking trichomes, watching pistils darken, and waiting through one of the longest flowering periods I’ve had so far, the moment is finally here. These plants really tested my patience, but seeing the dense purple flowers completely covered in frost made every extra day worth it. The tent smells absolutely insane right now — sweet, gassy, and loud enough to fill the whole room the second the zipper opens. Looking back at the whole run, it’s crazy how much changed from early veg to these fully ripened colas. Now it’s time for the final step: chop, trim, dry, and cure. The grow may be ending, but the real magic is only beginning 🔥🌱 📊 Final Stats: 💧 Watering: Every third day 🌡️ Temp: 26–28°C 💦 Humidity: 65% RH 📈 VPD: ~1.18 kPa 💡 Light: ~700 PPFD

therealgrowmie Not every plant turns into a perfect showpiece — and honestly, this Critical run was a bit janky from start to finish 😅 She never really grew evenly, reacted strangely to feeding at times, and definitely kept me guessing throughout the whole cycle. But despite all the weird growth patterns and little setbacks, she still made it to harvest day covered in frost and carrying that classic heavy Critical aroma. This grow was a good reminder that not every run has to be flawless to be worth it. Sometimes the messy plants teach the most. Learned a lot about patience, recovery, and just letting the plant do its thing instead of forcing perfection. In the end, she still delivered some chunky buds, beautiful resin production, and another valuable lesson for the next round 🔥