Fat Vino Auto

Zengrower Week 1 – Early Growth All three seedlings emerged successfully — the two plants I’ll continue with, plus one backup just in case. They all developed quickly and looked healthy right from the start. As soon as the first serrated leaves appeared, I transplanted the two main seedlings directly into their final pots. The backup stayed in its starter plug for safety, in case one of the other ladies ran into trouble. Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary, and by the end of the first week I was able to move the backup plant to the compost pile. The Plantcam really shines this week. Watching the seedlings develop through the timelapse footage is fascinating — their growth is surprisingly fast once they get going. The Sanlight dimmer started at its lowest setting. Throughout the week, I gradually increased the intensity until it reached about 80%. My goal is to give the plants as much light as possible without causing stress. It’s a delicate balance — pushing for strong growth while keeping the seedlings comfortable — but thankfully it worked out well. I’m watering lightly twice a day with a small amount of Root Juice and Sugar Royal from Plagron. Just enough to give the young plants that little boost of energy to establish a strong root system and get off to a vigorous start. With autoflowers, there’s no real backup plan and no extended recovery time if you make mistakes. You have to get it right from the beginning. So far, everything is on track. That’s it for this week — enjoy the timelapse 😉🌿

Zengrower Two Phenotypes, Two Personalities Week two is where things start to get interesting. Both Pink Rosay Auto plants are growing fast and healthy, but what immediately stands out is how differently they are expressing themselves. Same genetics, same environment — yet two completely different growth patterns. And honestly, I love that. Discovering these variations is part of the magic of growing. One plant clearly leans towards an indica expression. She has broader fan leaves, a more compact structure, and a bushier overall appearance. The internodal spacing is tight, and she’s building a dense little framework that promises strength and stability. The other plant is expressing herself quite differently. She remains slightly smaller, with noticeably longer petioles and somewhat narrower fan leaves. Her structure feels more open and airy, almost hinting at some sativa influence coming through. It’s fascinating to watch them develop side by side. Both plants look healthy and vibrant. The leaf color is strong and even, and the new growth is coming in steadily. The Sanlight remains at around 80%, and they’re clearly comfortable under that intensity. There is one small challenge this week — fungus gnats decided to join the party. Nothing dramatic, but enough to take action early. I’ve introduced nematodes to the soil to break their life cycle, and I’m confident the problem will be under control soon. Once the gnats are gone, the plants will look even happier. Watering remains light and controlled, still focused on encouraging root development without oversaturating the medium. With autoflowers, every decision matters. There’s no extended recovery time, so keeping the rhythm steady is key. What’s especially exciting now is that the structural foundation is clearly forming. If they continue at this pace, preflower signs could appear any moment. Autos have a way of shifting gears overnight. For now, both ladies are healthy, expressive, and full of promise. More next week 🌿

Zengrower ☘️ Gaining Body & First Signs of Flower ☘️ Week three marks a clear shift in development. Both plants are really starting to gain some body now. Even the more compact, bushy pheno is beginning to stretch out slightly and find her balance. The structural differences are still there, but they’re both building a solid framework that feels strong and healthy. I received a useful tip from the breeder this week: the plants could use a little extra nitrogen. Based on that advice, I started adding 4 ml of Plagron Alga Grow daily as a gentle boost. The response has been very noticeable. The leaf color has deepened into a rich, healthy green compared to the previous weeks — always a reassuring sign that they’re getting what they need. The fungus gnats are almost completely gone now. The nematodes I introduced last week are clearly doing their job beneath the surface, interrupting the larvae cycle, while the remaining adults are being caught on the sticky traps. A nice example of working with biology instead of against it 😉 Another interesting development this week is the sudden growth of the side branches. They’ve really taken off and are now nearly matching — or even slightly overtaking — the main tops. No complaints there. In a G-tools cabinet with limited vertical space, strong lateral growth is actually very welcome… although the real stretch phase is likely still ahead of us. And then, the moment every auto grower watches for… Very subtle but unmistakable: the first early signs of flowering. Tiny pistils are beginning to appear, and preflower became visible this week. It’s still early and delicate, but the transition has officially begun. Overall, it’s been a smooth and relatively carefree week. If everything continues like this, we should have some beautiful, clearly visible pistils to photograph next week ✌️🌿 More soon.

Zengrower Week four marks the true beginning of the flowering phase. Both Pink Rosay ladies have shifted gears and are now growing explosively. The first pistils are clearly visible across both phenotypes, and they look fresh, vibrant, and full of energy. It’s always a beautiful moment when that transition becomes undeniable. The difference between the two phenos is becoming more pronounced. The left plant is stretching much more vigorously, while her sister on the right remains more compact and reserved in her growth. Running two different expressions in the same space always comes with a bit of uncertainty — especially without clones — but that’s part of the adventure. Let’s see how it plays out. For now, I’m deliberately avoiding any defoliation. I don’t want to encourage additional stretch, as they’re already growing fast enough as it is. Sometimes doing less is the better strategy, especially in a limited vertical space like this. At this stage, everything looks healthy and well-balanced. The structure is forming, the flowering sites are multiplying, and the energy in the tent is clearly shifting. The real show is about to begin 🌸

Zengrower Week five brings a combination of continued stretch and the first real signs of bud formation. The flowers are now clearly developing, and the structure of the buds is starting to take shape. At the same time, the explosive growth of the left pheno continues almost unchecked. She’s really pushing upwards and outwards, while the right pheno is starting to struggle to keep up and risks getting overshadowed by her bigger sister. It’s a classic scenario when growing from seed — different phenotypes competing for the same space and light. For now, I’m still holding back on defoliation or lollipopping. I want to let them express themselves naturally a bit longer, but I’m already planning to step in next week. Opening up the structure will help improve airflow and prevent the plants from putting energy into lower, fluffy bud sites. One thing that really stands out this week is their water consumption. These ladies are thirsty — easily drinking close to a liter per day already. And considering the buds are only just starting to form, it makes me very curious about what’s coming next. So far, everything is still on track, but the balance inside the tent is becoming more dynamic. The coming week will be important in managing structure and directing energy where it matters most. Exciting times ahead 🌿

Zengrower Week six is where things really start to accelerate. The buds are now developing rapidly, and you can almost see them gaining size day by day. What stood out before as “early formation” has now clearly shifted into real bud growth. These ladies are not holding back. At the same time, the differences between the two phenotypes are becoming even more pronounced — not just in structure, but now also in aroma. The smaller pheno on the right is developing a surprisingly sweet and unique scent. It’s a mix of raspberry and something slightly rubbery — an unusual combination, but very intriguing. The larger pheno on the left leans more towards a sweet citrus profile, layered with earthy undertones. A completely different expression, and exactly why growing from seed can be so rewarding. This week also called for some intervention. The plants were already getting dangerously close to the top of the G-tools cabinet, so defoliation became necessary to open things up and improve airflow. On top of that, I had to supercrop a few of the tallest shoots to keep the canopy under control. What really impressed me is how resilient these plants are. Compared to the Erdbeer I grew last winter — which showed light stress fairly quickly — these ladies seem to say: “bring it on.” They’re absorbing the light as if it can’t be intense enough. And it shows. The buds are stacking at an above-average pace and are already getting quite thick — and we’re still a few weeks away from the finish line. If they continue like this, this is going to be a very interesting run 🌿🔥

Zengrower Week seven is all about momentum. The explosive stretch has clearly slowed down, and the plants are now fully focused on bulking up their flowers. Every day the buds seem to swell a little more, stacking calyx on calyx and becoming denser by the moment. Most of the work right now comes down to consistency. Watering has become a daily routine — and quite a serious one. These ladies are drinking heavily, and keeping the balance right is key. Too little and they’ll slow down, too much and you risk suffocating the roots. So it’s a matter of staying in rhythm. The canopy is now nicely even after last week’s adjustments. The supercropped branches have recovered well and are contributing fully to the overall structure. It’s always satisfying to see how quickly cannabis adapts when handled at the right moment. The aromas are becoming more pronounced as well. Opening the cabinet releases a wave of sweetness, with each pheno still holding onto its own distinct profile. At this point, it’s mostly about maintaining a stable environment and letting them do their thing. And they’re doing it very well

Zengrower Week eight is where things start to feel serious. The buds are now clearly dense and gaining real weight. What were once airy flower sites have transformed into solid, well-defined colas. The stacking continues, and the overall structure looks promising for a good yield. Resin production is kicking in more noticeably. The sugar leaves are starting to sparkle, and the buds are becoming increasingly sticky to the touch. That unmistakable sign that we’re moving deeper into the final phase. The difference between the phenos remains one of the highlights of this grow. The smaller plant continues to surprise with her unique, sweet aroma, while the larger one leans into a richer, citrus-earth profile. Water consumption is still high, though it’s beginning to stabilize slightly compared to the peak of the stretch phase. From here on, patience becomes the main ingredient. We’re getting close 🌿✨

Zengrower Week nine turned out very different than expected. Going into this week, I honestly thought the buds were more or less done building and would mainly focus on swelling and ripening. But that assumption didn’t hold up at all. Especially the main colas just keep producing new calyxes, which in turn slowly start to swell as well. Compared to last week, the main tops have almost doubled in width — and it doesn’t look like they’re planning to stop anytime soon :)) Water consumption is at an all-time high now. Each plant is drinking well over a liter per day, and it’s clear that every drop is being used to fuel bud development. This is one of those moments where you really see the plant converting energy into mass in real time. What’s also interesting is that the smaller pheno is now seriously catching up in terms of bud size. Her tops are swelling noticeably, and she’s no longer being overshadowed by her bigger sister. It feels like she took her time… but is now making her move. Another thing that continues to impress me is how well these plants handle the intense light from the Sanlight. The leaves are starting to show some wear and fading — which is expected at this stage — but the buds themselves show zero signs of light bleaching. They just keep pushing forward, unfazed. At this point, it’s clear we’re not quite there yet. If anything, they’re still in full production mode. Looks like they’ll need at least another week to really finish things off. And honestly… I’m not complaining 🌿🔥

Zengrower Week ten brings the moment every grower both looks forward to… and hesitates over. The larger Pink Rosay on the left just keeps producing thicker and heavier buds. The main colas are now approaching the size of my fist, and they’re still swelling daily. It’s honestly impressive to watch — this plant clearly had no intention of slowing down anytime soon. At the same time, the signs of maturity are becoming undeniable. The pistils are gradually turning brown, and upon closer inspection, most of the trichomes are now milky with a touch of amber. Right in that sweet harvest window. So, it’s time. But instead of taking the whole plant down at once, I’ve decided to harvest in stages. The main colas are fully ready, but the lower buds still have some room to develop more density. The plan is to take the top colas first and give the lower sites a few extra days to bulk up. Perfect timing as well — the new granules for the Dryrocket arrived today, so the first harvest can go straight into a controlled drying environment. Meanwhile, the smaller Pink Rosay on the right is quietly proving she’s no lightweight either. Her buds have thickened up significantly, and her main cola is now nearly as massive as her bigger sister’s — just a bit less stretched in height. Her pistils are still mostly white, so she clearly needs more time. I’ll likely harvest her when I take down the remaining lower buds of the left plant, allowing both to finish at their own pace. And then there’s the smell… A rich, spicy aroma with strong citrus notes fills the space every time the cabinet opens. From experience, I know this can still evolve quite a bit during curing — but usually only for the better 😉 I can’t wait to test the first samples. The finish line is finally in sight 🌿✂️

Zengrower Harvest time didn’t come all at once this round — it came in waves. Due to the sheer size of the buds on the left plant, I decided to harvest in stages. The main colas had become so massive that they were blocking light from reaching the lower buds. So I started by taking down the top colas first. And what a harvest that was. The sheer weight of those tops was incredible — nearly two kilos of dense, heavy flowers. In fact, the weight was so extreme that I had to secure the scrog net to the top of the drying tent to prevent it from collapsing under the load. Not something you run into every day 😄 About eight days later, I harvested the remaining lower buds of the left plant. My original plan was to freeze them for bubble hash, but once I saw the quality and size of some of those lower flowers, I couldn’t resist keeping the best ones for drying alongside the main harvest. With the left plant mostly cleared out, the right Pink Rosay finally had room to show her full potential. And she did not disappoint. She developed three impressively large main colas that really stood out once the canopy opened up. I gave her another five days to fully swell, allowing the calyxes to mature properly before taking her down as well. Since the drying tent was already packed with the first harvest, the second plant is now drying in the G-tools cabinet — making full use of the available space. Nothing goes to waste in this grow. The smaller buds were used to make bubble hash, which I then pressed into beautiful rosin. Freezing the material right after harvest really paid off — the flavor is incredibly rich and well-preserved, delivering a clean and expressive taste. All in all, this was a harvest full of surprises, abundance, and character. Now it’s time for the slow cure… and eventually, the final verdict 🌿🔥