Week 4 Veg Report: Croco Girls - The Mutant Chronicles 🌱 Hello Grow Fam! Week 4 of veg is here, and what a unique and eventful week it has been for the Croco girls! These funky mutants continue to surprise and amaze with their one-of-a-kind growth patterns. While the colder weather has introduced a few challenges, we’re adapting and thriving together. Let’s dive into the details! Environmental Updates: A Chill in the Air 🌬️ This week, temperatures in the grow room dipped to around 21-22°C, with relative humidity (RH) holding steady at 65%. While not drastic, this slight chill is enough to slow down growth a bit as the plants adapt. Cooler temps can encourage tighter node spacing, but they can also delay development slightly. Here’s how we’re addressing it: Proactive Monitoring: Keeping a close eye on temperature and RH trends to ensure they remain within optimal ranges. Gradual Adjustments: Slowly warming the environment with indirect heat sources if necessary, without shocking the plants. Remember, plants are incredibly resilient—and this slight delay will only make the Croco girls’ eventual growth even more rewarding. Feeding Updates: All in One Pellets & Organic Boost 🌾 This week marked a significant milestone: I introduced Aptus Holland’s All in One Pellets to the soil mix. Here’s how it went down: Preparation: Added a generous dose of the pellets to each pot. Soil Enrichment: Topped the pots with Pro Mix soil, bringing the total soil volume to 1 liter per plant. Feeding Transition: While I did one last watering with All in One Liquid, I’ll now rely primarily on: Regulator (0.15ml/L): To support stress resistance and strengthen cell walls. CalMag Boost (0.25ml/L): For calcium and magnesium supplementation, essential for strong stems and vibrant growth. Start Booster (0.25ml/L): To continue promoting robust root development. The combination of organic pellets and the Aptus liquid lineup ensures the girls have everything they need for a slow, steady nutrient release while maintaining microbial activity in the soil. Watering Technique: Bottom-Up Hydration 💧 This week, I switched to bottom-watering, a game-changer in preventing fungus gnats and promoting healthier root development. How It Works: Water is added to the tray, allowing the soil to wick moisture upwards through capillary action. Advantages: Reduces surface moisture, deterring gnats from laying eggs. Encourages roots to grow deeper as they seek water, resulting in a stronger root system. To further combat gnats, I’ve also placed yellow sticky traps around the pots. This dual strategy—bottom-watering and sticky traps—is already showing promising results. Mutant Marvels: The Funky Leaf Phenomenon 🍃 Each Croco girl is a masterpiece of mutation, with unique leaf shapes and growth patterns. No two plants are alike, and that individuality is part of what makes this grow so exciting. I’m patiently waiting for them to grow large enough to identify their sex. Here’s the plan moving forward: Option 1: Flip to 12/12 Temporarily: A one-week light flip to identify sex, then returning to veg. Pros: Fast and straightforward. Cons: Slight delay in veg growth. Option 2: Clone & Flip: Take cuttings from each plant, root them, and flip the clones to flower. Pros: Preserves the main plants in veg. Cons: Requires additional space and time for cloning. I’ll decide based on how the girls progress over the next week or two. Either way, I’m excited to unlock their potential. Photography: Capturing the Magic 📸 This week, I focused on showcasing the Croco girls’ beauty through a mix of macro photography and behind-the-scenes shots. Using both my Sony and Nikon cameras, I’ve been able to capture intricate details—from water droplet reflections to the delicate veining in their leaves. Why Use a DSLR/Mirrorless Camera? Greater sensor size allows for higher-quality images compared to even the latest smartphones. The ability to swap lenses provides flexibility for macro shots, wide angles, and close-ups. Depth of field and manual focus control ensure every shot is intentional and artistic. Lens Choices: Macro lenses (e.g., 90mm) for close-ups of leaf textures and water droplets. Standard lenses (e.g., 50mm) for portrait-style plant shots. While phone cameras like the latest iPhone can take great photos, they can’t quite match the level of detail, depth, and creative control a dedicated camera offers. Shoutouts & Gratitude 🙌 As always, a massive thank you to: Terpyz Mutant Genetics for these one-of-a-kind Croco seeds. Aptus Holland for their exceptional organic-mineral nutrients. Pro Mix for the reliable soil base. Future of Grow for their stellar LED lights. TrolMaster for keeping the environment dialed in. Grow Diaries for being an amazing platform to share this journey. The Grow Community for your endless support and love—haters and lovers alike, you’re all part of this adventure! Join the Journey 🌱 Be sure to check out my Instagram and YouTube for more behind-the-scenes action, including videos showcasing how these photos and macro shots were taken. Let’s grow together and keep inspiring each other with creativity and positivity! Until next week, stay green, stay growing, and remember—every mutant is a masterpiece in its own right. 🌟 Let’s grow, let’s grow, let’s grow! 💚 Grower’s Love, 💚 Genetics - Mentha De Croco https://terpyz.eu/products/menta-de-croco-fern-type?_pos=1&_sid=e9237cbcb&_ss=r DogDoctorOfficial Discount Codes @ terpyz.eu - DOCTOR 15% off Nutrition - @aptusholland https://aptus-holland.com/ Led Power @ F.O.G. Future Of Grow https://www.thefuturofgrow.com/en/online-store/BLACK-SERIES-600-p489093171 Controls @ TrolMaster https://www.trolmaster.eu/tent-x As always thank you all for stopping by, for the love and for it all , this journey of mine wold just not be the same without you guys, the love and support is very much appreciloved and i fell honored with you all in my life With true love comes happiness Always believe in your self and always do things expecting nothing and with an open heart , be a giver and the universe will give back to you in ways you could not even imagine so As always, this is shared for educational purposes, aiming to spread understanding and appreciation for this plant. The journey with nature is one of discovery, creativity, and respect. Let’s celebrate it responsibly and continue to learn and grow together! Growers Love To you All 💚