Week 21 of the Pineapple Upside Down has been a slow, steady week of adaptation.
Nothing dramatic happened, but this phase is crucial, because the plant is still adjusting to the new light spectrum.
At the start of the week, I had bumped the PPFD up to around 500.
But it became obvious pretty quickly that she wasn’t handling that intensity well.
The apex looked tired,
the leaves were curling downward like a soft saddle,
and the whole plant was signaling that the metabolic shift wasn’t complete yet.
So I made the decision to step the intensity back down to 300 PPFD.
A gentler light, less metabolic pressure,
and a better environment for the plant to recalibrate after the spectrum change.
These adaptation phases always take time—
forcing it only delays the recovery.
Over the next few days, I started noticing some very subtle signs.
The apex seems to be lifting again,
and the leaves that were curling now look like they’re slowly opening back up.
It’s still too early to confirm anything,
so I’m keeping expectations realistic.
Right now, visual impressions are all we have,
and the plant still needs space to stabilize.
For this stage, the strategy is simple:
no adjustments, no extra stress, no forced progression.
We keep the light at 300 PPFD
and let her rebuild her momentum naturally.
Only when she gives a clear, confirmed sign of vigor—not just a hint—
will we start considering the transition to flower.
So Week 21 was a quiet-looking week,
but an important one metabolically.
The plant is processing the spectrum change,
resetting its rhythm,
and hopefully setting the foundation for a clean, strong pre-flower phase.
We’ll check back next week to see if the recovery continues
and whether she’s finally ready to move forward.
😎