The Grow Awards 2026 🏆
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day 22: the plants are beautiful, they are all starting to produce trichromes.. no sign of deficiencies! I did one of the last defoliations. the smells are starting to appear for some, the ones that struck me are: - code red #1 and #2: strawberry and cream terps.. a bit like strawberry milk! it's crazy - B45: citrus and bug terps.. on a background of exotic fruit and gas! it's incredible - LA vanilla cake: vanilla ice cream terps - Cherry gar see ya #4 clone: a puree of exotic fruits, especially mango and pineapple.. I'm a fan my two papayas have herm, I found some bananas.. I really don't understand, they are in the perfect ecosystem!! I removed the bananas and left the plants for the moment, to be continued in my flowering TCO, I put: - kelp hydrolysate - epsom salt - bat guano - mealworm guana - castor bean shell ash - palm ash - vermicompost - blackstrap molasses - elycitor -Yeasts Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Bottom right: Papaya Bang Bang #1 Bottom middle: LA Vanilla cake #2 Bottom left: Papaya bang bang #2 middle right: Code red # middle: cherry gar see ya #4 clone middle left: White runtz x Hollywood Top right: Code red # Top middle: B-45 Top left: LA Vanilla Cake #1
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@4F1M6
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Pollen was dropping like crazy as the male flowers got ripe and ready. The females got good and coated and fully pollinated. I harvested the males to collect and preserve the pollen. Some dried and I veiled it up. But the bulk majority is still drying up. I left just the bottom portion of the male kicking for some extra pollen well the females throw off. The diary will now begin to focus on the pollinated females. The journey to beans is well under way! Until next update. Happy growing and stay lit fam.
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@CalGonJim
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1/12 4:14AM MONDAY!!!!!!!! CBG IS GOOD!1 LOWERD THE WATTAGE, EFFICIENCY IS GOOD. GREAT WHITE MYCO HAS INCREASED UPTAKE AND AND!!!! PHOTOSYNTHESIS EFFICIENCY ......FUCKING AWESOME 💪💪💪💪 1/12 4:47AM I asked GROK: are samsung leds on my mars hydro lights seem more efficient than the PPFD meter says, I lowered the lights again by a few watts? 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. 🥊🍌👨‍🔬🚨🌞 1/13/26 7:47AM BRUTAL WEEK FOR THE MOP AND BUCKET GUYS AT MUDRUROS COMPOUND 1/13, 11:22 AM banana purple punch auto RF three is doing really great. I haven’t really needed to do anything. I decided not to top. I didn’t want to do anything except light stress training. I think she’s gonna turn out just great. Her stock is one of the thickest. She’s just perfect.😍😍😍
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HAD THEM OUTSIDE FOR LIKE 3 WEEKS BEFORE I TOOK LOADS OF CUTS OFF IT THIS PLANT HAS BEEN GIONG FOR 9 MONTHS LOL SHES MOTHER PLANT
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1 moth passed from germination. In result we have 12 strong plants and 4 reduced. They begin presenting wonderful scent! Increased my led on 40 % of power and it seems great. Buen fin de semana a todos !
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***** Week 5 - Jan 9 to 15/21 ****** This week the girls saw lots of change! They have seen a light change and now they have been transplanted and topped. Push the girls harder and see how they react😃 They have been in very good shape and healthy so they have been reacting well to the stress. These girls are pretty strong considering they are a week behind the others. They were topped this week but not much material removed from the tops of these girls. They have bounced back very well. Topped all of the ETS girls and left them with 4 sets of branches on each. If the lowest set of branches were tiny, I have stripped them off already. Not sure if I am going to SCROG or not.....I don’t really want to but it is the best way to fill the canopy and test out the light spread......will see. These girls seem to be growing strong and may need to be tied down or stretch could be a bitch😂 They have continued to be fed once a week roughly and supplemented with calmag and microbes. Little more detail....... Jan 9/21, Day 29 Veg - Transplant day today!!!!!! She went into a 5 gal pot - Root mass was much better than in the solo cups......not as strong as Gorilla Girl for comparison but just about perfect and didn’t need to prune them. - 1.5L watering of the pots after transplant with CalMag @ 2ml, Microbial Mass @ 3ml, Piranha @ 2ml (effectively microbes, fungi and CalMag watering) Jan 10/21, Day 30 Veg - 1.5L Feed with full strength week 2 nutrients - added CalMag @ 1ml as well. New coco in the pots that have not been buffered so added a little more. - 1,300ppm and 5.9pH.......feeling it might be a little high.....target was 1150ppm. - no run off water from the pots. Didn’t want to “soak” the pots, jet wet them. - New light in the tent today. 650watt but dialled down so the girls have roughly 10,500 LUX, drawing 135 watts - Topped the girls today as well😃 - left 4 sets of branches on each girl. Topped them up high on the node above to help avoid splitting the main stem. Jan 11/21, Day 31 Veg - Dry out day - girls reacting well to the high ppm feed from yesterday. Jan 12/21, Day 32 Veg - 1.5L watering with CalMag @ 1ml - 200ppm and 5.9pH Jan 13/21, Day 33 Veg - Dry out day Jan 14/21, Day 34 Veg - 2L watering with CalMag @ 2ml - 250ppm and 5.9pH (actually added 1ml of Micro as pH was a little high) - IPM spray tonight with Lost Coast Plant Therapy @ 3ml/L. Done at lights out. - This product been working well and nothing has been a set back so not going to stop now😃👍 Jan 15/21, Day 35 Veg - Dry out day. - Girls doing well. Still have some strong purple in the fan leaves coming off the main stem.
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@Bncgrower
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Another successful grow! This strain has an intense, sweet aroma and resinous buds. Despite their small size, I'm happy with the result. ✌️
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@OGgrows
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14.10.2022 56 days from seedling. This beauty hasn't stretched anymore but she looks amazing. Slight increase in flowering nutes. She is consuming more amount of water in irrigation. The plant is a little dark green so I took a few more days to fertilize. The buds are gaining weight at a good pace, I can already see the size of some trichomes by eye. Good weekend to everyone. Happy growing 💚🌱🙏
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-Germinated seed in peat pellet and 3 days later sprout popped up -Put peat pellet with sprout in a 5 gallon fabric pot containing Pro-Mix HP -Placed into tent where temp/humidity is constant at 78F 70% -Gave a 3tbsp top dress of Gaia Green all purpose on day 6 -Watering a bit every 3rd day or so
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@Bdizzle
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Growing strong and healthy!! Baby buds are coming in all over :) Can’t wait to watch them grow!! She has doubled in size over the past few weeks & has started to slow down to focus on flowering. Stems/stalks are growing strong & thick ready to support some good bud growth :)
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@Dico29
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Seems like I got about 2-4 weeks I guess, gonna just give it plain water and molasses rest of life until last week or two
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I am pretty happy for this being my 1st grow ever! Nice looking buds and lots of fun! I did expect the nugz to be bigger but I an happy with the experience!
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Ficando super tricomada ,gorda e cheirosa,lembra limão e chiclete de Tutti fruit.
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I accidentally snapped a main branch off attempting to lst she is still the gassiest in the tent and the most frosty..this is my first grow I plan to harvest her in 2 weeks
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@Hydronaut
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Big healthy plant for the most part, but the flowering just won’t kick in! This is the week that says she’s running behind or that she’s going to be on a cocaine diet till the end? Need some bulk, it’s week 8 already. I don’t like my girls fast anyways, so I’ll be a patient gent. Day 51: Early AM: It seems that the flowers are starting to fatten up at a familiar rate now. Stretch is definitely over to boot. Feels like a week or so behind my other Auto grows, but I am gathering from the peeps on GD that grow times can be all over the place with Autos; even with seeds front the same plant. I won't be a Debbie-downer, but I cant help but think what this thing would have done in a bigger space. I left her alone a couple days ago as her stretch slowed noticeably. A pluck here and there moving forward, but that's about it for the sadistic stuff. Day 51: Late Afternoon: She's about to take off in the flower it feels. 6 hours passed, and I was like "oh, hello there!" If nothing goes too crazy, I'm hoping she'll be a good one regardless of her 3.8 sf living quarters. I never did move the top shelf, so the light is less than 8 inches from the canopy. I'll keep an eye on the "crispy effect" out of complete laziness and fear of dropping the light on the plant! Tallest branches are around the perimeter and still hitting their DLI. The center/down the plant is getting blasted by the light, so I suspect about 6 or so runners to hit the canopy and hang out with the FIM family in the next week or so? Day 51: Evening: Bigger bucket = bigger plant in hydro? One heck of a root mass going on in her trough. I tried pushing the roots to the back of the bucket so I could ph without getting roots directly. Nope! That bucket is filled with roots, and its an 8 gallon bucket. I would have never thought an auto would have enough time to grow into an 8 gallon bucket. I was banking on some extra nutrient volume, so I could go out of town for 4-5 days. Hard to say on bucket size though, I have grown 10 foot tomato monsters in 3 gallon Ebb/Flow pots so maybe she would have grown the same in a 5 gallon bucket? I don't think that much root volume could grown in an 5 gallon bucket, so bigger bucket = bigger plant here? Things that make you go "hmmm..." Day 53: A lot of undesirable undergrowth that blew up during stretch. Like a ton of it, but I’m done messing with her. Took out the top shelf and reconfigured exhaust. What a pain. I didn’t drop the light but the IP cam took a nose dive on a branch. Now the light is about 12-14” from canary instead of 6-8'. She started to get some light burn so I had to do the deed. Wider IP camera view with added distance so that's a plus! Plant is very happy at 550-575ppm. 600ppm seems to be the number without burning plants? Humidity, temp, and ppm AND light distance in check. Raising the light opened the focal point of this light quite a bit; especially in the center where the PPFD was over 2500 at the center and light less than 8 inches from the canopy. Feeling good. All is in check with some room to grow. She will gain another 2" in height I presume through flower. Day 54: The jury is out of this light. I hits my dli from veg to harvest with it's fixed position design, but wondering if 50watts more would have been the number. I'm going to keep the light in there to keep the data flow congruent to its original design. I hit my DLI right now from the top of the canopy to about 10-12" down the plant. Lighter specs from my last grow, but its hard to tell what is getting what once you leave top of the canopy. Hopefully it will suffice! I moved the light a few inches closer as my DLI was getting light in some of the corners/perimeter. She right 10-11" and is about as good as she is going to get given150watts. I am realizing that 200 watt is probably the optimized wattage here if some canopy penetration is desired, but light these dimensions are not plentiful[. 250 watt and that would be max with managing heat and exhaust sound levels. 250 watt would accommodate a fix state design no problem. I hate to change the light variable but I only have the luxury of one-at-a-time grows, so everything counts on some levels. Been using the PAR meter on and off throughout the day. Penetration needs to be about 25% stronger. Its a perfect light for your average auto grow, but if these results repeat themselves a 250 watt is probably in order. I am making the executive decision to install a 250 watt bar light. I found one with a small footprint at 240watts. Hard find, specs are more than adequate for 4 sf. Will maybe get down a bit deeper but things are looking really crammed with the bottom half. It is PACKED with bud sites and likely not enough light. Questioning the light change, but will definitly thin some lower stuff and "officially" let her be. Since in bumped up the CalMag to about 1.5 ml/gal the reservoir has been running ph equilibrium for 6 days now at 600ppm. I’m guessing this deficiency was driving down ph instead of the usual up/equilibrium in week 7. My first auto to eat at 600ppm for a week with no tip burn. She looks fit, I’ll keep her diet here as the max. I have never cut MicroGro out completely in a grow before. I have been faithful to GH 7 part series since for long time. This grow I took the GH feeding chart and worked backwards to a ppm level I found on the web to be an acceptable range for Autos. These ratios have traditionally been acceptable and without issue. Beautiful plants every time. On the last two runs with this concocted feeding schedule Cal/Magic was very light until week 7, and exactly when I started to see rust spots, etc. in this grow. After a 2ml/gal dose of CaliMagic plus addbacks on watering, that issue disappeared overnight. I mean zero issues with any new or progressing growth. Here's the take away with this. Although CalMag issues are easy to spot and resolve, I did learn is that in both runs they HAD A PERSISTANT DROP IN PH IN MY RESERVOIR in late veg/tranistion. Another wards, if you PH is dropping and your ppm are not doing anything, it very well could be a CalMag deficiency. An indication know before the leaves start getting spotted, etc. I guess if one were perceptive enough, you could resolve this issue as it happens, and never see the effect on the leaves? On this current run, as soon as I dosed the bucket good with Cal/Mag and kept my add/backs a 1.5/ml/gal the PH locked in big. Going on 7 days at 600ppm, 6.0 and the ph is steadily rising. Maybe another bump in ppm. No sign of tip burn yet, why the heck not!:) Not really the expected progress this week but she may just need time. I don’t think she’ll really bulk up until the end of week 9 / week 10. New light to arrive Tuesday but not sure a stronger light will get much further down. It’s almost a roadblock to get beyond the main tops and they are getting well more than they can handle light wise. Bigger light may only mean more heat.
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@nonick123
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Día 15 (27/01) Ha reaccionado bien al trasplante. A ver como se desarrolla en los siguientes días! Día 16 (28/01) Muestra un buen desarrollo con las primeras ramas formándose Día 17 (29/01) Subo a DLI 40 Muestra un color verde estupendo 😍 Día 18 (30/01) Tras subir el DLI la temperatura en el indoor ha subido a de 22ºC a 26 ºC, de modo que va a acelerar las necesidades hídricas Se sigue desarrollando estupendamente 😁 Día 19 (31/01) Seguimos a buen ritmo Creo que debería haber regado este día... (Visto como estaba de seca al día siguiente...) Día 20 (01/02) Elimino las ramas más inferiores (1er nudo) que siempre suelen quedar débiles en el stretch Riego con 350 ml H2O RO Día 21 (02/02) Empieza a estirarse! 😍 Está sedienta! Riego con 350 ml H2O En una semana a floración! Khalifa Genetics - https://khalifagenetics.com/product/lemon-blanco-v3/ 💦 BioTabs 15% DISCOUNT code "GDBT420" biotabs.nl/en/shop/ @biotabs_official 🌱Substrate PRO-MIX HP BACILLUS + MYCORRHIZAE @promixmitch @promixgrowers_unfiltered 💡2 x Mars Hydro FC1500 EVO Led Grow Light (2024 NEW FC 1500-EVO Samsung LM301H 150W LED) - https://marshydro.eu/products/fc1500-evo-led-grow-lights/ - https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0CSSGN5D8?ref=myi_title_dp