Week 25 overall, corresponding to week 3 of flowering for the Pineapple Upside Down.
Flowering has now clearly declared itself. Bud sites are visible everywhere, with consistent pom-pom formation across the canopy. Despite being at a relatively early stage of bloom, terpene expression is already strong. Upon opening the tent, a distinct pineapple aroma is noticeable, which is very encouraging for such an early phase.
Vegetatively, the plant will not recover its original leaf coloration. This is accepted at this point. However, flower development appears to be on track, and the plant is allocating energy toward reproductive growth rather than foliage recovery.
A light defoliation was performed, along with the removal of lower, non-productive flower sites. This cleanup aims to avoid wasting energy on underdeveloped buds and to focus resources on the upper canopy.
A fresh flowering nutrient solution was prepared. PK has been introduced lightly, in accordance with the Athena feeding schedule for week 3 of flowering. Electrical conductivity is set around 2.1 EC, with a target pH close to 6.0 to ensure stable nutrient uptake.
Light intensity will be increased progressively, with PPFD moving toward approximately 600 to support proper bud development and flower density.
Although the foliage remains visually poor, flower formation, structure, and aroma remain the key indicators at this stage. Given the short flowering time of this cultivar (around 45 days), timing is critical, and the next weeks will be decisive.
The focus going forward will be on stability, controlled feeding, and optimized light management to extract the best possible outcome from this cycle.