Week 3 - It’s Friday again, and that means a new update! Today’s update comes a little earlier, at least in terms of time. It’s been an exciting and eventful week in the grow tent, with a lot of progress and key changes taking place. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key Growing Parameters -Humidity: 60%, reduced to 50-55% today -VPD: Max 1.4 -Airflow: Always active at level 1, auto-adjusts when needed -Day Temperature: 25-26°C -Night Temperature: 22°C -Light Cycle: 20 hours light / 4 hours dark -Lamp: IONBOARD S24 from AC Infinity (240W) Watering Schedule: -Day 14: 600ml -Day 16: 600ml -Day 18: 700ml (with full BioBizz nutrient dosage) -Day 21: 1 liter -Nutrients are applied with every watering Light Adjustments: -Started at 60 cm distance, intensity level 6 -Increased to 75 cm distance, reduced intensity to encourage stretching -After pre-flowering began, gradually reduced distance and increased intensity: -70 cm distance, intensity level 7 -65 cm distance, intensity level 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Watering and Nutrient Adjustments On Day 14, I increased the watering amount to 600ml per plant, marking the beginning of more intensive care. Alongside this, I started regulating the water’s pH to 6.5 to ensure the plants were receiving the best conditions for growth. At this stage, I also introduced nutrients into the watering routine, but I began cautiously, using only half of the recommended dosage of BioBizz nutrients to see how the plants would react. By Day 16, the plants received another 600ml of water, and since they responded well to the first dose of nutrients, I increased the nutrient concentration to 3/4 of the recommended dose. The plants continued to thrive with no signs of stress, and they appeared to be absorbing both water and nutrients efficiently. On Day 18, I increased the watering amount again, this time to 700ml per plant, while applying the full BioBizz nutrient dosage for the first time. The plants showed no adverse reactions, and the soil remained moist even 48 hours after watering, indicating the plants were getting sufficient hydration without any issues. As we progressed through the week, I established a pattern of watering the plants 2-3 times per week, depending on how quickly the soil dried out. I’ve continued to use the full nutrient dosage with every watering, as the plants are now in a more advanced stage of growth and require more resources to support their development. On Day 21, after closely monitoring the moisture levels, I decided to increase the water amount to 1 liter per plant for the first time. This adjustment came at an ideal moment, as the plants are now in the pre-flowering stage and seem to be taking up more water and nutrients. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusting Light Intensity and Encouraging Stretching At the end of last week, the light was set at 60 cm distance, but the plants appeared shorter than expected. To encourage vertical growth and stretching, I decided to increase the distance to 75 cm and reduce the light intensity. The goal was to stimulate the plants to reach upwards. This adjustment seemed to work well, as I noticed increased height in the plants as they stretched toward the light. However, once pre-flowering began around Day 18, I shifted the strategy. I started gradually reducing the light distance and increasing the intensity to optimize conditions for the flowering phase: After the plants stretched, I reduced the distance from 75 cm to 70 cm and increased the intensity to level 7 Finally, I lowered the light to 65 cm and increased the intensity to level 8 These changes were made over 24-hour intervals to ensure the plants adapted smoothly. They responded positively to the adjustments, with no signs of light stress. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Signs of Pre-flowering and First Scent On Day 18, I noticed the first signs of pre-flowering. Several plants have begun to show small pistils, indicating that they are transitioning into the next phase of their life cycle. This timing aligned well with the increase in water and nutrients, ensuring the plants have everything they need to support their upcoming flowering stage. In addition, over the last 3-4 days, I’ve begun to notice a distinct smell when opening the tent. As a beginner, I’m still not sure if this is the smell of cannabis itself or just the scent of young plants in general. Since this is not only my first time growing cannabis, but also my first real interaction with it, I find myself a bit uncertain and naïve when it comes to identifying the typical smell. So far, I can’t really tell the difference in smell between the Gorilla Cookies and Amnesia Zkittlez plants. However, I am noticing the first differences in growth behavior. While the Gorilla Cookies had a height advantage at the beginning of the week, the two previously smaller Amnesia Zkittlez plants have now outgrown it. The Gorilla Cookies is growing more bushy and compact, while the Amnesia Zkittlez is starting to spread outward and gain height. It’s interesting to see these early variations between the strains as they move into the pre-flowering stage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personal Reflections and Lessons Learned It’s fascinating to see how much I’ve learned in just a few weeks of growing. Every adjustment—whether it’s with the light intensity or watering—has a direct impact on the plants, and I’ve become more aware of how sensitive they can be to their environment. As a beginner, it’s exciting to realize how flexible the plants are in adapting to the different conditions I’m testing out. The responses to the light adjustments, in particular, have shown me how much control I can have over the plant’s development, even with small changes. This journey has been a humbling experience, reminding me that growing plants isn’t just about following steps, but also about observing and learning from the plants themselves. Every day brings new insights and challenges, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see these changes reflected in the health and growth of the plants. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking Ahead In the next week, I’ll continue to monitor the pre-flowering phase closely. I expect the water and nutrient demands to increase even more as the plants transition into full flowering, so I’m preparing to increase the watering amount to 1.2 liters per plant soon. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the structure of the plants, especially the differences between the Gorilla Cookies and Amnesia Zkittlez. I may begin defoliating some of the lower leaves to give the plants more room to breathe and allow light to penetrate deeper into the canopy. There’s a lot of excitement ahead as the flowering phase approaches, and I’m eager to see how the plants respond to these new stages of growth. I’ll also be paying attention to how the aroma develops, as this will be another clear sign of progress! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conclusion As I wrap up this week’s update, I’m excited to see how the plants will continue to develop, especially as they enter the flowering stage. With each passing day, I’m learning more about their needs and how small changes in the environment can have a big impact. The next week will be crucial as I adjust the watering and nutrient amounts to match their increased demands. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the differences between the Gorilla Cookies and Amnesia Zkittlez strains evolve in both structure and aroma. If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions, feel free to leave a comment—I’m always open to learning from others and improving along the way. Let’s grow together, and I can’t wait to share next week’s progress with you all!