04/20/25: This week brought a bit of a lull in growth, and I’ll admit it’s been a little disappointing. While the plants still appear healthy overall, vertical and canopy expansion has slowed, and I’m still not seeing any clear progress in preflower development. I was hoping for more definitive signs of sex by now, but unfortunately, the plants are holding onto their mystery a bit longer. That said, it’s not all stagnant. There has been noticeable thickening in the stems and branches, which tells me the plants are shifting some energy into building structural support. That kind of development is a good sign—it’s almost as if they’re preparing to bear some weight, even if the upper growth hasn’t taken off just yet. If you’re looking at the photos and thinking they look a bit droopy—don’t worry. The plants were intentionally allowed to dry out. I like to let them go a little longer between waterings at this stage to encourage root expansion, forcing the roots to explore the full volume of the pot in search of moisture. That strategy continues to pay off in strong root development and better resilience going into flower. I also finally got around to the defoliation I had planned last week. The plants are looking a little bare at the moment, especially after just being watered, but that’s by design. Over the next few days, they’ll perk back up, and all of the exposed growth tips should bush out and push new growth as the plants respond to the open canopy and fresh airflow. We’re about a week out from transplanting into the final 6.9-gallon AutoPot XLs. My hope is that sexing becomes more obvious before then, so I can make informed decisions about which plants to move forward with. I’ll be watching closely and will update sooner if anything changes on that front.