Hey there!
Welcome to the craft. There’s nothing quite like that first run, especially with a classic like Barney’s Bubba Kush. It’s a pleasure to meet a fellow gardener getting their hands dirty! 🌿
The Bright Side 💡
First off, credit where it's due: your VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit) is absolutely spot on at 1.02. Managing that balance between temperature and humidity is usually where beginners stumble, but you’ve nailed the "sweet spot" for nutrient uptake and transpiration. Your environmental monitoring is already ahead of the curve!
What’s Happening in the Tent? 📉
The drooping you’re seeing is likely a "double whammy" of Transplant Shock and Light Stress Adaptation.
The Culprit: When you transplant, the roots suffer microscopic tears and lose their "grip" on the soil. During this recovery window, the plant's ability to pull up water is temporarily weakened.
The Light Issue: Moving to 400 PPFD immediately after a transplant is like asking someone to run a marathon right after minor surgery. The plant is trying to photosynthesize at a high rate, but the roots aren't ready to supply the necessary water to keep up, leading to that "heavy" drooping look.
How to Fix It:
Dim the Lights: Drop your PPFD back down to 250–300 for the next 48 hours. Let the plant focus on root establishment, not light processing.
Check Moisture: Ensure the soil is moist but not swampy. Since the roots haven't explored the new pot yet, it's easy to overwater the "empty" soil.
Stability: Keep your temps exactly where they are; 23°C is perfect for recovery.
How to Avoid This:
Next time, keep your light intensity lower for 3 days post-transplant. Think of it as a "recovery room" period before moving them back into the "gym."
The Secret Weapon: Microbes
If you want to play in the big leagues, you need to focus on the Rhizosphere (the root zone). This is where the real magic happens.
Mycorrhizae: When transplanting, dusting the root ball with Glomus intraradices helps create a fungal bridge that extends the root system's reach by up to 10x.
Beneficial Bacteria: Introduce Bacillus subtilis or Veloce. These microbes act like a "security team" and growth stimulator. They produce enzymes that break down organic matter into plant-available food and help the plant produce natural anti-stress hormones.
The Pro Tip: Use a light Compost Tea or a kelp-based microbial inoculant during your first watering after transplanting. The hormones in kelp (cytokinins) combined with microbes will virtually eliminate transplant shock.
You’ve got a great setup and the right instincts. Once those roots settle into that fresh soil, that Bubba Kush is going to explode with growth. Keep that keen eye on the details, and you’re going to have a stellar harvest! 🌬️🍃
Good luck, and happy growing!
Grow on ✌️ 💚