'Northern Lights' by i49

Welcome to end of Week 6, Bloom w/ Northern Lights #1 and #2. The (short) deets: The Good: -Both NL's are holding in there very well, but still slowly turning in and wrapping up. Starting to see purple/blue phenos showing on leaf edges and leaflets. Markings on some of the top leaves, at the largest cola sites, are turning faster then the rest and these two are the first to start giving me the show I was hoping for. -As with the others, both NL's are forming very well and stacking nicely. Getting a little fatter and firmer by the day and I'm really starting to itch for a taste. Patience!😑 -Terpene profile is strengthening but Blue Cookies still takes the cake for strongest aroma. As mentioned in previous entries, the NL's are a great source of Caryophyllene, my favorite little terpene -Re-braced NL #2 and didn't break anything, so that's a win👍. NL #1 holds her own, she's good. -PPM's have dropped to an acceptable level, even with a full feed. I repeated what I did in week 14 and it knocked it down by another 15%. I'm now comfortable with this level, kicking around 1050-1275ppm. Got some advice about potassium humate and will look into this next time I find myself with an excess of salts I need to drop fast. This process to knock down these numbers probably took an actual nutrient feed from her. The Bad: -No bad this week, again. Was sick for the entire week but plants are good. The 'Meh': -NL's missed a feeding this week at a pretty crucial time but there was no other choice. They got a big, full feed yesterday and did very well with it. Back on track and will finish them up with my tentatively planned schedule. Notes of the Week: -All girls may actually line up with one another when it comes to harvest, but I won't bank on it. The NL's are a 7-8 week w/ DSD and Blue Cookies @ 8-9 week. However, according to all trich pics they seem to be at the same pace and ripeness (for the time being). If it works out, that'd be cool... but I wouldn't put money on it. -Was concerned about drying my NL's and where. They are at the same pace as BC and DSD but I do expect that they will need an earlier chop to acquire an optimal product. I wasn't sure where to put them, even though I came into this grow KNOWING that they would wrap up early. I plan ahead a lot, but not for this one... Anywho, I had my solution staring me right in the face. I will be taking my 2x2x3' germination/seedling/sapling tent and flipping it on it's head to be 3' tall, not wide. Going to jury rig all my circulation and create an optimal environment as a test, before the chop occurs. The longest lateral that needs to be hung is 22 inches, with the tent at 36 inches. More then enough room to dry these two girls while the others have a chance to wrap themselves up in the big tent. Again, it was right in front of my the whole time and I just didn't see it. No need to build a DIY drying unit anymore👍. -Dropped temps by 1-2 degrees in day and night cycle. It's time for a show, I feel, and these girls have a good promise of one. I greatly look forward to seeing their character and form in late flower. I've been waiting for this...! -Allowed BC and NL #2 to purposely splay a little bit, while loosely braced. There was a lot of tops that needed exposure to light and air so this was my way of allowing them to get it. Now that growth has officially ended (no movement, 2 weeks) and those tops have reached further through the canopy, it was time to tighten them both back up. Good timing, as they were starting to interfere with one another and needed to be re-braced. Nothing is pulling, only leaning and supporting. Movement of plants is much easier with the two biggest girls and tops are no longer getting hung up. After the re-brace, all the tops have access to the light and air they need to flourish👍. There was a reason why BC and NL#2 looked a little unkempt, compared to the others. This is the reason why (never explained myself in the past updates). Updated photos do show a much nicer form on both ladies and they aren't so "wild" anymore. -I'm very reluctant in listening to flushing advice anymore. I'm starting to truly believe this is another form of stoner logic... The most educated and intelligible master growers in the world have stated that there is no need to flush... (Example: Greg Green). I didn't believe or trust that when I first read it because everywhere I looked said "Flush or else". Now, after even further research, articles and practical proof from highly competent/master growers (personal and Micro LP) flushing seems to be largely false and I'm not sure why or how this became a mandatory rule of thumb. I'm not ballsy enough to go with no flush at all, even with my convictions, but I will not be starving my plants for 10-14 days. This is a quarter of my NL's flowering time. Completely counter-intuitive to me. I will be running a 5-7 day flush, max, with both NL's. Flawless Finish will be used on one 5-7 day flush and only tap flush for the other NL. I want to see if there is a difference, if at all. After the flush, chop and dry of the NL's, if all flavor and taste is present without acrid smoke, BC and DSD will be receiving the same 5-7 day flush with FF. Next grow, I will be experimenting with a 0-3 day flush cycle to see if that even makes a difference...or are we starving our girls for no reason? -I'd wager my talk on the flush may not sit well with some people, and that's cool, but this is my belief and it is a belief held by many influential growers. The more I read, the more this notion of mandatory flushing seems wrong and we are willfully harming the full potential of our plants, their quality, quantity and potency. I'll report back if I'm wrong, but this is the course of action I am taking. Thanks everyone for dropping by and checking out the NL's progression. Any concerns you see in the pictures, please don't hesitate to drop me a line and let me know! Please and Thanks! Cheers and happy grows this week everyone. Enjoy the kids😉👍