🌿 Lava Cake – Week 5 (First Week Flower) | Pre-Bloom & Heat Talk 🌿 The Lava Cakes have officially stepped into their flowering tent… though, to be fair, they’re still enjoying a little extra veg time before showing pistils. Both phenos are healthy, lush, and stretching beautifully, clearly ready for the show ahead. ⸻ 📸 Photo Studio Glam We took them out for another studio shoot, bright lights, clean background, and every angle showing off their deep greens and perfect branching. Soon, their beauty will be dressed in flowers, but for now, the leaf structure alone is worthy of the spotlight. ⸻ 🌡️ Current Conditions • Room Temp: 31°C • Humidity: 50.3% • VPD: 2.23 kPa • PPFD: 766 µmol/m²/s • Soil EC: ~2.0 • Soil Temp: 25.6°C Yes, the temperature is running hot — AC unit is on the way to lock it back into our ideal zone. ⸻ 💬 Heat in the Grow Room – Risks & Benefits Potential Risks: • Faster substrate drying = more frequent irrigation needed • Higher transpiration rates can stress plants if roots can’t keep up • Slightly increased risk of light stress at high PPFD without proper cooling • Possible reduced terpene retention if sustained into late flower Possible Benefits (short term in veg/pre-flower): • Accelerated metabolism — plants grow and stretch faster • Increased water/nutrient uptake (if well-fed and watered on time) • Can improve CO₂ usage efficiency if levels are high enough Bottom line: As long as they’re hydrated, fed, and ventilated, short bursts of high temp are manageable. But for flowering, we want to keep daytime temps closer to 24–28°C for optimal quality. ⸻ 💧 Watering Strategy We water when the soil dries to about 25% moisture remaining, this encourages: • Stronger root growth searching for water • Better oxygenation of the root zone • Less risk of root rot in warm temps Right now: They’re drinking daily due to the heat, so we’re feeding daily as well. ⸻ Current Feeding (per L of water) • Aptus Regulator – 0.15 ml • Aptus CalMag Boost – 0.25 ml • Aptus All-in-One Liquid – 1 ml • Aptus Top Booster – 0.25 ml With the increased drinking rate, nutrient uptake has increased — meaning no signs of deficiency, just steady lush green. ⸻ 🚀 Looking Ahead • AC installation will stabilize temps, allowing tighter VPD control • First signs of pistils should appear within the next 7–10 days • We’ll begin adjusting feed ratios for early bloom once flowers set • Light intensity will climb further as stretch continues ⸻ 💚 Closing Note: This week is all about momentum, heat or no heat, the Lava Cakes are pushing upward, prepping themselves for a heavy flower load. The environment tweaks are on the way, and we’re building them the perfect stage for their bloom performance. 📲 Don’t forget to Subscribe and follow me on Instagram and YouTube @DogDoctorOfficial for exclusive content, real-time updates, and behind-the-scenes magic. We’ve got so much more coming, including transplanting and all the amazing techniques that go along with it. You won’t want to miss it. • GrowDiaries Journal: https://growdiaries.com/grower/dogdoctorofficial • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogdoctorofficial/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dogdoctorofficial ⸻ Explore the Gear that Powers My Grow If you’re curious about the tech I’m using, check out these links: • Genetics, gear, nutrients, and more – Zamnesia: https://www.zamnesia.com/ • Environmental control & automation – TrolMaster: https://www.trolmaster.eu/ • Advanced LED lighting – Future of Grow: https://www.futureofgrow.com/ • Root and growth nutrition – Aptus Holland: https://aptus-holland.com/ • Nutrient systems & boosters – Plagron: https://plagron.com/en/ • Soil & substrate excellence – PRO-MIX BX: https://www.pthorticulture.com/en-us/products/pro-mix-bx-mycorrhizae • Curing and storage – Grove Bags: https://grovebags.com/ ⸻ We’ve got much more coming as we move through the grow cycles. Trust me, you won’t want to miss the next steps, let’s push the boundaries of indoor horticulture together! As always, this is shared for educational purposes, aiming to spread understanding and appreciation for this plant. Let’s celebrate it responsibly and continue to learn and grow together. With true love comes happiness. Always believe in yourself, and always do things expecting nothing and with an open heart. Be a giver, and the universe will give back in ways you could never imagine. 💚 Growers love to all 💚