π Black Diamond Auto by Zamnesia β Pheno A
Week 11 | When Every Cola Looks Like a Main Cola πππ₯
Welcome back to another chapter of the 8Γ8 Adventure! π±π
Okay...
I think Black Diamond Pheno A has officially reached the point where I don't even know which cola I'm supposed to call the main one anymore.
ππ
Because honestly...
LOOK AT HER.
Everywhere I look, there's another beautiful flower.
Another tall, developed cola.
Another structure that looks like it could have been the main top.
And another reason to stop in front of this girl and just stare for a moment.
She's big.
She's beautiful.
She's impressive.
She's making herself noticed.
And she's doing it without needing any special treatment compared with the rest of the room.
Same room.
Same environment.
Same lighting upgrades.
Same nutrition adjustments.
Same 12/12 schedule.
And yet...
Black Diamond Pheno A has decided to interpret all of that in her own spectacular way.
And I absolutely love it.
ππ₯π
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π EVERY COLA LOOKS LIKE THE MAIN COLA
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
This is probably the easiest way for me to describe what I'm seeing this week.
Every cola looks like a main cola.
π
Normally, when you look at a plant, your eyes naturally find the dominant top.
You see the main structure.
Then you look around at the side branches.
With this girl?
I'm having trouble deciding which one deserves the title.
Because one catches my eye...
Then another.
Then another.
And suddenly I'm standing there thinking:
"Wait a minute..."
"Isn't THAT supposed to be the main cola?"
ππ
She's built such a beautiful distribution of flowering structures that the entire canopy is becoming a collection of major players.
And I love that.
She's not relying on one star.
She's created a whole team of them.
ππππ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
πΏ SHE STILL MAKES HERSELF NOTICED
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Some plants quietly sit in the room.
You walk past them.
You appreciate them.
Then you continue.
Black Diamond?
No.
π
She makes herself noticed.
Every single time.
She's one of those plants where your eyes naturally go toward her.
Part of it is the size.
Part of it is the structure.
Part of it is the amount of flowering she's carrying.
And part of it is simply...
she has presence.
She's big.
She's substantial.
She's developed.
And now that the flowers are becoming increasingly dominant throughout the structure, her personality is becoming even stronger.
She's not asking for attention.
She's simply impossible to ignore.
ππΏπ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
πΈ THE FLOWERS ARE TAKING OVER THE CONVERSATION
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Earlier in the run, we talked a lot about structure.
Then we talked about flower formation.
Then resin.
Then colour.
Then weight.
Now?
The flowers are basically taking over the entire conversation.
ππΈ
They're everywhere.
And they're becoming increasingly substantial.
The beautiful thing about this phenotype is how consistently she has built throughout her structure.
She didn't create one impressive top and leave everything else behind.
She's built a whole network of flowering sites.
And now those sites are developing into substantial colas.
Which brings us back to the problem...
How exactly do I choose the main cola?
π
I don't think I can.
So let's just call them all main colas.
Problem solved.
ππ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π₯ A CANOPY FULL OF MAIN COLAS
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
There is something incredibly satisfying about seeing this kind of development.
You look across the plant...
and instead of seeing one obvious dominant flower surrounded by smaller ones...
you see a whole collection of developed flowering structures.
That's what catches my eye with Black Diamond right now.
The canopy has depth.
The flowers have presence.
The branches have purpose.
And the whole plant looks like it's putting every part of that structure to work.
She's not wasting much space.
She's filling it.
And she's doing it beautifully.
πΈπΏπ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π‘ SAME ROOM. SAME UPGRADES. HER OWN EXPRESSION.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
And once again, this is where the 8Γ8 Adventure gets really interesting.
We're not changing the rules for Black Diamond.
She's sharing the same room as everybody else.
The same overall environmental strategy.
The same irrigation system.
The same nutritional program.
The same 12/12 lighting schedule.
And now...
the same upgraded lighting setup.
We've added the two additional Future of Grow Black Series 600W fixtures.
After seeing the initial PPFD was higher than we wanted, we've brought the fixtures down to around:
π‘ ~59% power from the plug
with approximately:
βοΈ ~1,500 PPFD across the upper canopy
and naturally less depending on canopy height and position.
Black Diamond is receiving those photons just like the rest of the room.
But look at what she's doing with them.
She's building.
She's stacking.
She's developing.
She's turning those photons into an entire army of main-cola-looking structures.
πππ₯
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βοΈ MORE PHOTONS. MORE POSSIBILITY.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
I really like what the lighting upgrade has brought to the room.
Not because we're trying to force the plants to do something.
Quite the opposite.
It's about having the capability.
We're not running the fixtures flat out just because we can.
We're controlling the output.
We're finding the level that makes sense for the room.
And then we let the plants respond.
Black Diamond is certainly responding.
She's looking strong.
She's looking substantial.
And she's continuing to develop beautifully.
The artificial sun is there.
The photons are there.
The plant decides what to do with them.
And this girl has apparently decided:
"Flowers."
Lots of them.
πππΈ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π± LET THE PLANT DO THE WORK
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
This is something I keep appreciating more and more as the run progresses.
At this stage...
we don't need to be constantly interfering.
The framework is established.
The plant knows what it's doing.
The flowers are developing.
And our job becomes much more about observation than intervention.
Keep the environment stable.
Keep the irrigation consistent.
Keep the nutrition appropriate.
Keep the air moving.
Keep the lights where they need to be.
And watch.
That's it.
Black Diamond doesn't need us to tell her how to grow.
She's already made that decision.
ππ
She's just doing what she does.
And she's doing it beautifully.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
πΏ BIG, BEAUTIFUL & COMPLETELY HERSELF
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
At around 169 cm, Black Diamond Pheno A remains one of the substantial girls in this room.
She's big.
But again...
her height isn't what impresses me most anymore.
It's what she's doing with that height.
The structure.
The branches.
The flower distribution.
The number of developed colas.
The way the entire plant seems to have become a flowering machine.
That's what makes her special.
She's not tall just for the sake of being tall.
She's using that architecture.
And she's filling it.
ππΈπ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βοΈ THE FROST IS STILL THERE
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
And of course...
we can't talk about Black Diamond without talking about the frost.
βοΈπ
The resin-covered surfaces continue to give her that beautiful crystalline appearance.
Get closer...
and the story changes again.
The flowers aren't just flowers.
They're texture.
They're resin.
They're pistils.
They're tiny details.
They're little landscapes.
And when the light catches everything correctly...
she really does shine.
Which is probably why the name Black Diamond continues to feel so appropriate.
She has that combination of darkness, colour, structure and sparkle that makes her incredibly photogenic.
πΈπβοΈ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π¨ COLOUR + GREEN + FROST
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Another thing I really appreciate is the combination of colours we're seeing.
The green foliage.
The developing flower colours.
The bright pistils.
The white frost.
All of it coming together across such a large plant.
It creates a really beautiful contrast.
And because she has so many flowering structures, there isn't just one place where you see it.
It's happening throughout the plant.
Everywhere.
Another cola.
Another angle.
Another little section that catches the eye.
This girl is basically giving the camera a full-time job.
ππΈ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
πΈ THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S PROBLEM
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Black Diamond is becoming one of those plants where taking photographs becomes a problem.
Not because she's difficult to photograph.
Because there are too many good things to photograph.
π
You take the wide shot.
"Okay, beautiful."
Then you move closer.
"Oh, that's a nice cola."
Then you see another one.
"Wait, this one is even better."
Then another.
And another.
And suddenly...
you've been standing there for half an hour.
ππΈπ
That's the fun of this stage.
The plant has so much going on that every perspective tells a slightly different story.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π THE BLACK DIAMOND PERSONALITY
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
By now, I think we know who this girl is.
She's not shy.
She's not trying to hide.
She's not trying to be the smallest girl in the room.
She's substantial.
She's demanding.
She's productive.
She's beautiful.
And she's very comfortable taking up space.
ππ
She's one of those phenotypes that makes you stop and think:
"Okay..."
"I see you."
And then you walk away...
only to turn around and look again.
π
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βοΈ NUTRITION β THE ROOM MOVES TOGETHER
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Just like the rest of the room, we've made the flowering nutrition adjustment.
π± Plagron Terra Bloom β 2.3 ml/L
π± Power Buds β 1 ml/L
π± Green Sensation β 1 ml/L
π± Sugar Royal β 1 ml/L
βοΈ pH adjustment as required
Current solution parameters are around:
βοΈ pH β ~6.02
β‘ EC β ~2.14 mS/cm
Again...
nothing special just for Black Diamond.
Same general nutritional strategy.
Same room.
Same philosophy.
And she's responding beautifully.
Which is exactly what we want to see.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π‘οΈ WEEK 11 ENVIRONMENT
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
The room continues around:
π‘οΈ Day temperature: ~26.5Β°C
π Night temperature: ~26Β°C
π§ RH: ~61%
βοΈ pH: ~6.02
β‘ EC: ~2.14 mS/cm
π¦ Nutrient solution: ~25Β°C
π± Substrate temperature: ~25Β°C
π¨ COβ: ~693 ppm
π‘ Light schedule: 12/12
? Pot size: 15 L
π§ Irrigation: ~1.45 L/plant/24h
Same environment.
Same ecosystem.
Same room.
And Black Diamond continues to show us her own interpretation of it.
ππΏ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
πΈ WHEN EVERY COLA LOOKS IMPORTANT
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
This is probably what I'll remember most about this week.
Every cola looks important.
There's no obvious:
"Okay, THIS is the main one."
Because so many of them have developed enough structure to demand attention.
They're all standing there like:
"Pick me."
π
And I'm like:
"I can't."
So...
you're all main colas.
Everybody wins.
ππΈππΈππΈ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
SAME GENETIC ROOM, DIFFERENT STORIES
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
This is also another beautiful reminder of what this whole project is about.
We have so many different cultivars and phenotypes sharing the same ecosystem.
Some are smaller.
Some are taller.
Some are faster.
Some are slower.
Some are extremely compact.
Some stretch.
Some become incredibly frosty.
Some build huge individual flowers.
And Black Diamond?
She's building a whole army of colas.
ππ
That's the part I love.
We provide the environment.
Genetics provide the personality.
And then we watch the story unfold.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π WHAT AM I WATCHING NOW?
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
At this point, I'm not looking for something to fix.
I'm looking at development.
πΈ How much more will these colas build?
βοΈ How much more resin will develop?
π How much more weight will those structures carry?
πΏ How will the foliage continue to evolve?
πΈ How many more photographs am I going to take?
π
The questions are becoming more about watching the plant mature than trying to change anything.
And that's a really enjoyable place to be.
She's healthy.
She's beautiful.
She's developing.
So...
let her work.
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π SHE DESERVES THE SPOTLIGHT
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Sometimes a plant earns the spotlight because something unusual happens.
Sometimes because she has a special colour.
Sometimes because she suddenly explodes with flowers.
And sometimes...
she simply keeps being amazing.
That's Black Diamond Pheno A this week.
She's not necessarily doing something completely different from last week.
She's simply continuing to be excellent.
And sometimes...
that's more than enough.
ππΏπ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π FINAL THOUGHTS β STILL SHINING
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Week 11.
Black Diamond Auto Pheno A.
And honestly...
what can I say?
She's still beautiful.
She's still big.
She's still making herself noticed.
She's still developing.
She's still covered in beautiful flowers.
She's still carrying more and more structure.
And now...
I'm looking at a plant where practically every cola looks like it could be the main cola.
πππ
I absolutely love it.
She's doing exactly what she wants.
We're doing exactly what we need to do.
The room is stable.
The lighting has been upgraded.
The nutrition has been adjusted.
The photons are flying.
And she's doing the rest.
That's the beauty of this stage.
We don't need to force the story.
We just need to document it.
And Black Diamond is giving us a hell of a story.
ππ₯πΏ
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
π THANK YOU
ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Another week.
Another chapter.
Another beautiful girl showing us exactly why the 8Γ8 Adventure has been so much fun.
A huge thank you to GrowDiaries for giving us the platform to document these journeys, share experiences and learn together.
Thank you to Zamnesia for the Black Diamond genetics and for giving us this incredible phenotype to follow.
Thank you to Plagron for the nutrition supporting the garden.
A huge thank you to Future of Grow for supplying the additional Black Series 600W fixtures and giving us the opportunity to explore what this expanded lighting setup can do. π‘π
Thank you to LumiFlora for helping illuminate those deeper areas of the canopy.
Thank you to TrolMaster for helping keep the environment stable behind the scenes.
And, of course...
thank you to everyone following the 8Γ8 Adventure.
Every comment.
Every question.
Every message.
Every person stopping by to see what these girls are doing.
It genuinely means a lot. π
And Black Diamond?
This week...
you absolutely deserve the spotlight.
πππ₯
You're big.
You're beautiful.
You're frosty.
You're stacking.
You're developing.
You're filling your structure with flowers.
And somehow...
you've reached the point where every cola looks like a main cola.
πππΈ
So let's not overthink it.
Let's let her shine.
Let's let her keep building.
Let's keep the photons flying.
Let's keep watching.
And let's see what this beautiful girl decides to show us next.
Because one thing is certain...
Black Diamond Pheno A is not interested in being a background character.
She's making herself noticed.
And honestly?
I'm very happy to give her the spotlight.
ππΏππ₯
Growers Love, my friends, and happy growing! ππ±
See you next week in the 8Γ8 jungle...
where the crowns are temporary,
the genetics keep surprising us,
and apparently...
every cola on Black Diamond wants to be the main cola. ππππΈ