Week 2: Light Struggles, First Adjustments & the Patience Test Update: 14.03.25 Good morning, grow fam! Week 2 of my photoperiod journey is running – a mix of challenges and small wins. Here’s a look at the early days of my Blueberry and Durban Poison seedlings. Current Observations: Light Deficiency & Stretching Stems The first days post-germination were intense: The seedlings developed extremely long, thin stems (check the photos!), a clear sign of insufficient light. Since I’m intentionally avoiding extra lighting to save resources, I had to improvise: - Tray Rotation: I rotate the seedling tray multiple times a day to ensure even exposure to the weak March sunlight. - DIY Support: For the most stretched seedlings, a bent wire acts as a crutch to prevent them from collapsing. Interestingly, the tomato and cucumber plants in the same tray show no issues – their stems stay compact. Seems like veggies are better adapted to low-light conditions than cannabis! Nutrients & Alfa Boost: An Experiment Even though my Biobizz Lightmix should provide enough nutrients for the first weeks, I tested a sample of Alfa Boost (freebie from the grow shop) during watering. The product claims to boost roots and stress resistance – perfect for my light-stressed babies. So far, no negative reactions, but no explosive growth either. Slow Growth – No Cause for Concern The plants are growing just millimeters per day, but that’s okay. My focus is on building sturdy, resilient plants, not speed. Once days get longer and sunnier, growth should pick up. They’ll stay indoors until mid-May anyway – plenty of time to bulk up. Next Steps & Tweaks - Transplanting in 1–2 Weeks: Once the first true leaf pairs emerge, they’ll move to small pots with my Biobizz All-Mix blend. - First Topping Soon: Once the plants hit 4–5 nodes, I’ll top them to encourage bushier growth. Week 2 Takeaway: Patience is key! Even in suboptimal conditions, I trust Dutch Passion’s resilient genetics. Fingers crossed for greener progress next week. My goal is to stabilize the grow under the given conditions. Until then: Stay curious, enjoy the journey – stay blazing 😉 Smoking_Joe_Frazier