The Grow Awards 2026 🏆
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Update Day 22 flowering: A good week of bud building this week for the Fft Girls. FFT#8 Is still in here but not a lot tonsay about her really sadly I didn't get to try this one out properly but will try again sometime. FFT#9 Has been a dream to work with and build so far . Her progression this week on her flower building has been perfection. Her ruderalis traits had her stretch about finished at day 12 and she had begun to flower properly. I did a defoliate at day 19 instead of day 21 due to their faster genetics. They looked stripped below decks but by day 21 they refilled a few back out and now look leafed up again. lol She has a little tackiness tot her stems now and is picking up a nice piney smell. She has some great looking mains now and should be a good yielder. FFT#10 Another winner in my book. This lady wanted to grow her own way initially but has now accepted her fate and behaves as i wanted niw. lol. Her budstacks are a little wider apart due to her indica/sativa ratios being more indica I feel . Her dark green colour is so stark in contrast to the other strains too. Her stacks look more leafy orientated than the other strains too. i defoliated her too but she responded quickly with sugar leaf growth. Her bud sizes are looking promising to say she has 4-5 weeks to go so fingers crossed for baseball bat colas. She has been easy to grow with no issues at any point so far. prior to the defol , I had purposely dried them out to get a cycle going better of wet /dry. She showed her disapproval first with major leaf drooping across her whole frame. She is a thirsty girl too. I am happy with all of these testers and impressed at their rapid development too. I do think the new sp3000 has plated a part in this development too as the extra reds and stuff added are more for the flowering cycle than previous sp series ones. the Sp250 is giving me a great addition to the outside edge of the girls so should keep them all in max lumens until the harvest. Be safe and well folks. Thanks for stopping by.
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All plants have been repoted into 20 litre fabric pots, 6 topped and LST will begin this week. One plant has already been bent over abit as you can see in the video as it was getting abit taller than the rest. Growth now seems to be picking up I went away for 2 days and when I come back it looked liked they'd doubled in height! Some Cuttings are abit slow but that is down to my impatience. Nutrients are now been given at full dosage. From now on the plants should grow significantly every week giving me chance to bush them out whilst also getting the desired height before filling to flower and scrogging!
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@LAShugars
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So excited to see how FastBuds Photos do
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Week 7 flower, about to flush bm 2 as I feel it’s time.. bm 3 and 1 need longer. All 3 smell and look mad different. My bad for the shaking will turn the fans off for next vids lol More pics soon..
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End of veg for this beast. Maybe not the most flattering term for a lady but that's what she is 😂. She has taking the training well and I can't wait to see what sort of canopy she will give.
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Super hype to try, lowest yielding strain in the tent. But had the best smells. Buds look fairly dense with a lovely dark deep purple color.
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MATARO BLUE by KANNABIA Week #6 overall Week #5 Veg This week she's doing great She's a nice green color and growing strong. She's got topped this week. Hoping she splits with no issues. No issues this week. Stay Growing!!
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She had a tough life, I messed up her roots at the beginning and then overwatered, was really stunted and not growing for a while. Finally started growing normally, a bit late but looked fine. I had to hand her over to a friend for the last 4 weeks and she looked strange and buds were quite solid hard and dry.
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@PikesRSA
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Setting bud sites real nice. Waiting to remove branches on lower half of plant.
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@PoppaJoe
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Only adding water at a Ph of between 5.5 and 7…still No extra nutrients…switched placement of the plants because the Big Bang was starting to cone and figured the mist from the humidifier was giving too much extra moisture (Not sure how much sense that makes but it healed after the move so I guess🤷‍♂️🏾) Other than that everything was fine.
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This plant is beautiful, wish I had taken a clone! Reaching peak flower now so added PK into the mix for extra Potassium and Phosphorous over the next 10 days or so. Never had plants soak up this much nutrients without any burn (touch wood) so I'm really impressed with the Vitalink range. This plant is at the front left of the tent, and to the rear of the screen in the timelapse. Heavily defoliated for the final time this week, allowing for the light to reach as many bud sites as possible.
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Little clean up in the tent things got out of control. By removing lowers and inners that would possibly not produce much will definitely let those tops stack up nicely. These buds will without any doubts be rock solid, I can tell by how sturdy those stems already are. I transplanted this week was a nightmare root mass caught everywhere in the 3 Gal, now into 5’s. 👍✌️
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This girl looks waaaaay better than the last blue toof I grew. Gave her a tea yesterday and she is loving life. Decided not to top her so I'm hoping she produces a little bit of weight.
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@CalGonJim
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1/12/26 4:18AM MONDAY.....💪💪💪💪👌 1/12 CANNAKAN DAY MEDICINAL SLAVERY WOULD MAKE HARVEST A BREEZE!! ABOUT THE LEDS Yes, the **Samsung LM301H EVO diodes** in your Mars Hydro lights (likely an FC-E series like FC-E3000, FC-E4000, or similar) are among the most efficient horticultural LEDs available right now—individual diodes hit **3.14 μmol/J** efficacy, pushing the whole fixture to around **2.85–2.9 μmol/J** PPE (photosynthetic photon efficacy) in manufacturer specs and independent tests. That's top-tier for full-spectrum grow lights, meaning they convert more electrical power into usable plant photons than older diodes or cheaper LEDs. If they "seem more efficient than the PPFD meter says" (your plants thriving at lower wattage/height adjustments), that's actually common and not a contradiction—it's often the **real-world efficiency** shining through once nutes/stress are fixed. Here's why this happens and what your recent wattage drop (a few more watts lower) likely means: ### Why Samsung LM301H EVO Can "Seem" More Efficient Than Raw PPFD Readings Suggest - **High PPE + Uniform Distribution**: These diodes excel at producing photons in the PAR range (400–700nm) with minimal waste (heat/loss). Mars Hydro FC-EVOs achieve strong average PPFD (e.g., 750–1000+ μmol/m²/s in tests at recommended heights/power) with even spread—no hot spots wasting energy. When your nutes were suboptimal (Advanced Nutrients issues), plants couldn't fully use the light (wasted photons → stress, stretch, lower efficiency). Now dialed in (GH powder + aminos + mycos), they convert more of that PPFD into growth—making the light "feel" stronger/more efficient even if meter numbers stay the same or drop slightly. - **Meter Limitations & Calibration**: - Handheld PAR meters (especially cheap/older ones) can under-read full-spectrum LEDs like LM301H EVO (strong white + red enhancement). They often have poor spectral response to the exact mix, reading 10–30% low compared to pro tools (Apogee SQ-500) or calibrated apps. - If you're using an app like Photone (mentioned in your diary), it's generally more accurate for Samsung full-spectrum lights (especially on iPhone; Android varies but often close with diffuser/paper). Many growers report Photone matching or exceeding cheap handhelds on LM301H setups—sometimes showing higher effective PPFD than a basic meter implies. - Bottom line: Your plants are the ultimate meter. Thriving (miraculous growth, no burn/stress) at lower wattage means the effective usable PPFD is higher than a potentially under-reading meter suggests—efficiency win. ### Your Wattage Drop & What It Means Lowering by a few more watts (on top of the earlier ~10% drop) is smart and aligns with the efficiency gains: - Dimming on Mars Hydro FC series is **very linear**—tests show PPFD percentage tracks close to (or slightly above) the dimmer % because diodes run more efficiently at lower currents (less heat/loss). - Example: Dropping from 100% to 90% might only reduce PPFD by ~8–10%, not full 10%, due to that efficiency curve. - Your plants handling it (still "miraculously better") without stretch or pale leaves confirms the sweet spot: likely 450–650 μmol/m²/s veg/late veg range now, with room to push if pistils emerge. - Solar bonus: Every watt saved = less battery drain on cloudy days, cooler tent (less fan/AC draw), and more headroom for extra plants without spiking consumption. **Practical next steps**: - Recheck PPFD (if using Photone/handheld): Average multiple canopy spots at current height/power—aim 450–600 for late veg autos, 600–800 early flower. - Watch response: If nodes stay tight/dark green/no cupping, you can drop another 5% or lower height slightly for denser canopy. - Log kWh if your inverter shows it—track the drop to celebrate the savings. - If meter still "under-says" vs. plant performance, trust the plants more—Samsung EVOs are proven beasts when the rest of the grow is dialed. This is textbook optimization: nute fix → better photon use → lower power for same/better results → solar efficiency skyrockets. You're building a truly lean system. How low are you at now (e.g., 70–75W total?)? Any pistils or new growth explosions today? Keep the momentum—it's paying off big. 🥊🍌👨‍🔬🚨🌞💪💪💪💪💪 1/15/26 12:36AM L-Phenylalanine: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/L-Phenylalanine#section=Crystal-Structures That’s your Mars Hydro bar-style LED grow light setup in a compact grow tent (looks like a 2x2 or similar Spider Farmer tent branding on the mylar walls), running super efficiently right now! Breaking down what I see from the photos: • The light is a multi-bar LED fixture (probably from Mars Hydro’s FC series, like FC3000, FC4000, or a smaller EVO variant) with Samsung LM301H (or similar LM301B/H EVO) diodes—these are high-end, efficient chips known for uniform distribution, low heat, and great full-spectrum output (warm white + red/IR boosts for veg/flower). • It’s hung at 19 inches (measured from the light bars to the canopy or sensor plane, with that white dotted line marker). The tent shows a hygrometer/thermometer combo reading 76°F / 53% RH (nice stable veg conditions—cooler side helps prevent stretch). • Your PAR meter app is showing 327 μmol/m²/s PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) at that spot/height—solid reading for where you’re at. • Plants look like young cannabis in veg stage: multiple small pots (fabric or repurposed buckets like Krøger cottage cheese tubs—classic budget move!), healthy green canopy with some colorful accents (maybe early purpling or strain traits), topped or in early training, sitting in coco coir or similar media. • Power draw: ~50W current (from the energy usage screenshot), averaging super low over time (0.48–0.76 kWh daily average). That’s impressively efficient—likely dimmed way down or a lower-wattage model (e.g., 150–300W rated, but running at partial power). Total consumption over 30 days at ~14.5 kWh is pennies on the electric bill. This aligns perfectly with your earlier plan to target ~500 PPFD but getting great results at lower wattage/intensity. Right now at 19” and 327 PPFD: • That’s in the sweet spot for early-mid vegetative stage cannabis (typical recs: 300–600 μmol/m²/s for veg, starting lower ~300–400 for young plants to avoid stress, ramping up as they bush out). • Bar-style lights like this excel at even spread (no hot center like older quantum boards), so your canopy is getting consistent light without bleaching or stretch in spots. • Low power (49.6W) means minimal heat buildup—fans and passive cooling handle it easily, keeping temps/RH dialed (76°F/53% is golden for veg; prevents mold and encourages compact growth). Why it feels “great results at lower than recommended”: • Samsung diodes are top-tier efficient (often 2.8–3.1 μmol/J), so you hit usable PPFD without cranking full power. • Many Mars Hydro FC models recommend 18–24” for veg at 50–75% dim (your 19” fits right in). • Your plants are responding well—lush, no obvious deficiencies/stress, and you’re feeling physically ready to top/fill pots after the delay. To push toward your 500 PPFD goal without overdoing it: • Lower the light a few inches (try 16–18”) incrementally—PPFD scales roughly with the inverse square law, so dropping height boosts intensity noticeably (could jump 20–50% depending on spread). • Or bump dimmer % if it’s not maxed (your 50W draw suggests plenty of headroom). • Retest PPFD at multiple canopy spots for average (center often higher, edges lower in bars). • Watch for tacoing/upward leaf curl (too much light) or stretch (too little). This setup is dialed for low-energy, healthy veg growth—perfect for your “lower wattage wins” approach. Plants are happy, tent’s stable, and you’re crushing it efficiency-wise. If you drop the height or dim up, snap another meter reading/pic—I can help fine-tune further. How old are these ladies (weeks from seed/clone)? Any specific strain notes, or planning to flip to flower soon? Keep the momentum—today’s a win! 🌱💪😂 1/18 11:58AM. BRAM STOKERS TRAILER PARK DRACULA........I SHOULD BE WORKING ON THE PLANTS BUT THIS IS REALLY GOOD. MINA AND HER DAD ARE RUNNING PROPETY SCAMS, SHE CONVINSES THESE LOSERS THEY HAVE MAGIC DRACULA POWERSS....AND WE STEAL THEIR TRAILLER. REINFEILD RANDY , JULIANFIGURES IT OUT AND BLACKMAILS BOTH OF THEM. AND MUSICAL GUEST KISS!! A GREAT HALLOWEEN EPISONDE.... OH I FORGOT I AM SUPOSSSED TO BE GRWOING PIT.
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She's a little shorter than the others in the tent so I didn't top her again this week, but is looking healthy with full green leaves. Had to go out of town for a while which is why there was a little standing water in the video. Don't usually do this but was rushing before heading out for a few days. This plant is now on the left in the timelapse video. Enjoy!