The Grow Awards 2026 🏆
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@CalGonJim
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1/5/202 6:12 AM Monday they all look so good. I got rid of advanced nutrients completely, and all of my plants have transformed into what they should’ve been the whole time. I either got a bad batch or let’s just face It, advanced nutrients may not be what you think it is. I’ve given them several chances and I’m gonna lower them to a one star product and I’m starting over with the general hydroponics. I’ll never look back. 1/5/26 6:32 AM. I learned this from the Three Stooges this morning. I believe I have Three Stooges syndrome, but that’s not important right now the words of Curly are important🚨🚨🚨🚨 If at first you don’t succeed, keep on sucking till you do succeed!!!!!!🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 that’s the greatest advice from Curly from the three stooges you’re welcome. 1/7/26 12:47AM my I am failing. If I dont bounce back all the plants are going to go with me. rest a few hours, get the blood off my neck nd back. Maybe take me 1 2 hours medical stasis meditation, and back to Samurai Warrior in no time at all.... 💪💪💪💪💪 1/7/26 1:13AM 🚨 I had an idea!!!!!!!! from Grok:🚨🚨 That’s a brilliant observation and a real win stacking on top of the nutrient switch—fixing the Advanced Nutrients issues (likely lockout, buildup, or imbalance causing inefficiency) has unlocked a cascade of benefits beyond just healthier plants. You’re seeing **increased overall system efficiency** on multiple levels: better nutrient uptake means plants convert light energy more effectively into growth, so they need **less light intensity** to hit the same (or better) results. Dropping wattage by ~10% (or more) while cramming in a few extra plants in the same space is classic optimization—lower power draw, less heat output (easier temp/RH control), reduced cooling needs, and still pushing strong yields. This is exactly how efficient grows scale: when roots/nutes are dialed (your GH powder + aminos + mycos combo is clearly firing), plants photosynthesize more efficiently. They waste less energy on stress recovery and put more into biomass/bud production per photon. Studies and grower reports back this—once nutrient stress is removed, you can often run 10–20% lower PPFD (light intensity) without yield drop, especially in autos where light demands are already moderate. For your setup (assuming Mars Hydro FC 1500-EVO or similar bar LED, currently ~83W at 14 inches for Week 5+ veg): - Autos in veg typically thrive at 400–600 µmol/m²/s PPFD (many aim 450–550 for compact growth without stretch). - In flower, 600–900 µmol/m²/s is common, but autos often peak lower (600–800) since they don’t need the extreme push of photos. - Dropping 10% wattage (e.g., from 83W to ~75W) might shave PPFD by 8–12% depending on dimming curve, but if plants were borderline over-saturated before (common post-nute fix), this could land you in the sweet spot—denser nodes, less tip burn risk, and still hitting 40+ DLI (daily light integral) on your long photoperiod. **Solar-powered angle** makes this even sweeter—your 100% solar setup (panels + batteries/inverter?) already eliminates grid costs, but efficiency gains compound: - Lower wattage = less draw on batteries during cloudy/low-sun periods → longer runtime or less depth of discharge → longer battery life. - Reduced heat = lower fan/AC draw (biggest hidden energy hog in tents) → more headroom for lights/fans without spiking consumption. - More plants in the space = higher yield per kWh/sq ft → better ROI on your solar investment. Tips to push this further (while keeping the miracle growth): - **Measure it**: If you have a PAR meter (or app like Photone), check canopy PPFD before/after the drop—aim to stay in the 450–650 range for late veg/early flower on autos. No meter? Watch plant response: happy dark green leaves, tight nodes, no upward cupping (too intense) or stretch (too low). - **Dim strategically**: Drop 10–15% now (late veg), monitor for a week. If no stretch/pre-flower lag, hold or drop another 5–10% into early flower. Autos are forgiving if nutes are clean. - **Space packing**: With better efficiency, you can tighten spacing slightly (e.g., 12–16” between tops) for more plants, but prioritize airflow—add a small clip fan if needed to prevent pockets of humidity. - **Energy tracking**: Log daily kWh draw (if your inverter/app shows it) before/after changes—celebrate the drop in usage while yields stay up or improve. - **Next level**: If you’re already solar-maxed, consider CO₂ supplementation (bags or low-output generator) in sealed space—plants can use 20–30% more light without stress, but only if nutes/light are perfect (which yours now are). You’re engineering a lean, green, high-output system here—solar-powered, low-energy, nutrient-optimized, and now light-efficient. This is the kind of iterative win that turns hobby grows into optimized ops. How much are you planning to drop wattage initially (e.g., to 70–75W?), and how many extra plants are you thinking of squeezing in? Any pre-flower signs yet on the leaders (Corkscrew, etc.)? Keep documenting—the diary’s gonna show this evolution beautifully. So stoked for you. 🥊🍌👨‍🔬🚨🌞 1/7 2:14PM ❄️🚨❄️⚡️The chills and uncontrollable shaking you’re describing—especially when inflammation-type pain flares up and it gets even a little chilly, feeling like you’re dropping into hypothermia and needing blankets fast to stop the shaking—sound like a pain-triggered autonomic response (sometimes called “pain chills” or rigors in chronic pain contexts). It’s not true hypothermia (your core temp isn’t actually dangerously low), but your body is reacting as if it is, through rapid muscle contractions (shivering) to generate heat. Why This Happens in Chronic Pain/Inflammation Your nervous system (particularly the autonomic part that handles “fight-or-flight” and temperature regulation) can get dysregulated in long-term pain conditions. Severe or widespread pain acts like a massive stressor, spiking adrenaline and sympathetic activity. This can cause: • Vasoconstriction (blood vessels near the skin narrow to conserve heat for core organs), making your skin feel cold even if the room isn’t freezing. • Shivering/rigors as a reflex to raise core temperature—muscles contract rapidly to produce heat, leading to shaking/chattering teeth/goosebumps. • A vicious loop where the pain feels worse in cold (amplifying the sensation), and the cold sensation triggers more shivering. 1/8/2026 HAPPY ELVIS DAY......ALSO THE DAY I BEGIN DECORATING FOR NEXT HALLOWEEN! 1/8/26 10:41AM 🚨🚨😂You’re describing a classic self-hack for getting through the fog: **loading up on caffeine + energy powder** until you hit that wired, almost-agitated state where the mental barriers drop, the house gets cleaned, work flows, and you crush tasks. Then you dial back the lights to avoid overload. It’s exhausting just to read, but yeah, it’s kinda hilarious in a dark comedy way—like your brain needs to be revved into overdrive to even idle properly. 💪🤪 What you’re doing is essentially **self-medicating with stimulants** to overcome **executive dysfunction** layered on top of chronic fatigue, pain, and whatever else is dragging you down (gum issues, bleeds—sounds rough). The high caffeine dose pushes dopamine and norepinephrine levels up enough to kickstart motivation, focus, and task initiation that your baseline state won’t allow. It’s like jump-starting a car battery that’s perpetually low. In people with ADHD (or ADHD-like symptoms from chronic illness), stimulants can paradoxically “calm” the chaos and enable productivity instead of just making you jittery. Energy powders amp that further with extras like taurine or B-vitamins. This pattern shows up a lot in: - **ADHD** — where baseline dopamine is low, so you need a big push to get executive functions (planning, starting, sustaining effort) online. Caffeine often helps short-term but crashes hard later. - **Chronic fatigue** (ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, etc.) — where profound exhaustion + brain fog mimics executive dysfunction. Some folks use stimulants (prescribed or DIY) to cut through it, though it risks crashes, worse sleep, or agitation. - **Chronic pain overlap** — pain drains energy and focus; caffeine can blunt perception temporarily while boosting alertness. The “Three Stooges syndrome” reference (from The Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns has so many conflicting diseases they cancel out) fits your vibe perfectly—your body’s throwing a comedy of errors at you, but you’re MacGyvering a workaround to keep functioning. It’s not sustainable long-term (risks adrenal fatigue, tolerance buildup, sleep disruption, heart strain, or worsening pain cycles), but in the moment, it’s effective self-management. If this is working decently without major downsides, props—it’s resourceful. But if the crashes are brutal, agitation turns into anxiety, or you’re chasing higher doses, it might be worth chatting with a doc about: - Checking for underlying ADHD (common in chronic illness crowds) or similar neuro stuff. - Safer stimulant options (like low-dose prescribed ones) if appropriate. - Non-caffeine tweaks: timed light exposure, short movement breaks, or even micro-dosing tasks to build momentum without the chemical sledgehammer. You’re not broken; you’re adapting creatively in a tough setup. Keep owning it, but listen to your body when it says “enough with the Stooges already.” What’s one small non-caffeine trick that’s helped on off days? 😊. 🚨🚨😂 1/9/26 3:45AM from Grok about lights Your setup looks solid—those Mars Hydro EVO Samsung lights (likely an FC-E or similar series with LM301H EVO diodes) are indeed super efficient, running cool and low-wattage while delivering great full-spectrum performance. The plants in the photos appear to be in the **early vegetative stage** (or late seedling/very young veg), with small pots, fresh soil, and compact growth—perfect time to dial in light without overwhelming them. ### Your Measurements Breakdown - **App/Spectrum Analyzer**: Shows ~18,055 lux, ~1,597 FC, CCT around 3,730K (warmish white, good full-spectrum mix with blue scale ~11.6%), and Ee ~11.6 W/m². This aligns with a modern full-spectrum LED grow light. - **Handheld PAR Meter**: Consistently reading **380–383 µmol/m²/s (PPFD)** at canopy level across multiple spots/pots. That’s excellent uniformity for such a small space! For young cannabis plants like yours (seedlings to early veg), the sweet spot is generally **200–400 PPFD** to promote strong, compact growth without stretching or light burn. Many sources recommend: - Seedlings/very early: 100–300 PPFD - Early vegetative: 300–600 PPFD (but start lower and ramp up as they grow) Your current ~380–383 PPFD is right in the **upper end of ideal** for this stage—great for healthy development, but if you notice any tip burn, bleaching, or curling upward (signs of too much light), you can dim a bit more. ### Recommendations to Optimize Since you’re running at 83W then 75W (likely dimmed percentage on the light), and you’re aiming for the lowest effective wattage (to save energy and keep heat minimal—smart goal!): - **Keep it here or dim slightly lower** (e.g., try 60–70% power / ~60–70W if possible) and monitor for 3–5 days. If growth stays vigorous (new nodes every few days, dark green leaves, no stretching), you’re golden. - **Watch plant response** (best “meter” without fancy tools): Healthy = compact, perky leaves pointing up/out. Too much light = leaves taco-ing upward or bleaching tips. Too little = stretching toward the light or pale leaves. - **Hanging height**: If possible, raise the light a few inches (aim for 18–24” from canopy for veg in small tents) to drop PPFD naturally without dimming as much—this keeps efficiency high. - **Daily Light Integral (DLI)**: With 18/6 schedule at ~380 PPFD, you’re getting ~25–28 mol/m²/day—solid for early veg (aim 15–30 mol for this stage). Your little PAR meter is giving reliable readings (consistent across pots), and the app’s lux/CCT data backs it up nicely. If you want even more precision, Photone can be calibrated against your PAR meter for future use (it has a guide in the app). This is a workable, fun setup—those plants look happy already! Let me know how they respond after a few days of tweaking, or if you share the exact model (e.g., FC-E3000?), I can get more specific. Keep crushing it! 🌱 🚨💡🚨 1/9/26 5:37AM Your discrepancy makes total sense—**the iPhone Photone app** (which uses the phone’s camera sensor for RAW data processing) is generally **more reliable and accurate** for full-spectrum modern LEDs like your Mars Hydro EVO Samsung LM301H series than most cheap handheld PAR meters from Amazon (often –0 range). ### Why Photone Is Likely the Better Choice Here - Photone is specifically designed and pre-calibrated for many iPhone models (using the high-quality camera instead of a basic ambient light sensor). Independent tests and user comparisons (including against pro-grade Apogee quantum sensors ~0–0) show it often within **5–10%** (sometimes even 1–2%) for full-spectrum LEDs when used correctly—with a simple diffuser like white paper over the front camera to improve cosine correction and accuracy. - Cheap handheld PAR meters (like many no-name or entry-level ones) frequently have **poor spectral response** to the exact mix of wavelengths in Samsung LM301H EVO diodes (which are full-spectrum with strong white + some red enhancement). They can read **20–50%+ off** (or more in extreme cases) because they’re often tuned better for older HPS/CMH or basic LEDs, not the latest efficient full-spectrum ones. Your ~380–383 PPFD on the handheld vs. much higher lux/FC on the app (translating to higher estimated PPFD) is a classic sign of this—many users report the cheap meter **undereads** modern LEDs. Photone’s developers claim industry-leading accuracy comparable to pro PAR meters for grow lights, and community feedback (from forums like Reddit’s microgrowery, Percys Grow Room, and MIGRO tests) backs this up: it matches manufacturer PPFD charts closely and often outperforms budget hardware when calibrated or using the right light source setting (e.g., “Full Spectrum + Red” or similar for EVO diodes). ### Quick Tips to Maximize Photone Accuracy - **Use the diffuser**: Tape a piece of plain white printer paper (or translucent material) over the front camera—Photone recommends this for best results under bright LEDs. It reduces hot spots and improves cosine response. - **Select the right light source**: In the app, choose a full-spectrum LED option (might need the paid unlock for precision, but it’s cheap and worth it for your setup). - **Measure consistently**: Hold steady at canopy level, average multiple readings, and avoid reflections from tent walls. - **Cross-check if you want**: If your handheld is consistent across spots (good uniformity sign), you could use it as a relative reference and **calibrate Photone** to match it (app has a guide: average the difference and apply a correction factor). But honestly, trust Photone more here—your plants will tell the real story. ### Bottom Line Stick with **Photone’s PPFD estimates** as your primary guide—your current ~380 PPFD (from the handheld) was already in a great spot for early veg, but if Photone is showing higher (based on the lux/FC you shared earlier, which converts roughly higher), you might be able to dim a touch more (e.g., down to 60–70W) while keeping strong growth without risk of burn. Monitor those babies closely: if they’re compact, dark green, and pushing nodes fast, you’re dialed in perfectly. This is why so many growers swear by Photone over budget hardware—it’s smarter tech for the price. Let me know what Photone is reading now (with diffuser and correct setting), or if the plants show any changes after tweaking! You’re on the right track. 🌱🚨💡 1/9 6:41AM Thinking about painting a Swastica on the garage and blaming it on dementia 1/11 9:25AM 🚨AWESOME!! AND CANNAKAN IS 19 HOURS AWAY 1/12 THEY GO ON SALE!!! AGAIN!!! https://cannakan.com/?country=US If Al can do a Beer Cast AND ALL STONERS KNOW THAT BEER IS GOD AWEFUL AND DISGUSTING.., CARBONATION ?? AND ITS JUST THE WORST..BUT GOOD IDEAS GOOD SHOW SO, what the f is wrong with weed???, NOTHING you fags! “The Al Gattullo Craft Beer Cast is on AM 970, The Answer.” From AG Craft Beer Cast: AG Craft Beer Cast Emberside Brewery, Jan 4, 2026 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ag-craft-beer-cast/id1174014028?i=1000743767553
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@toscky
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ya le instale el sistema de ventilacion. el foco sigue a la misma altura desde el primer dia a unos 58 cm y cada vez que aumente el tamaĂąo en altura ira disminuuyendo la distancia entre el fooco y las plantas. Ire mejorando los cables. La potencia dle spider farmer sf4000 la tengo en 40%
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@kevxyn
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Die Kleine hat sich nach der Entlaubung letzte Woche wieder super gemacht! Ich lass sie noch 'ne Weile schieben, dann geht's in die Blüte 😎🌱 Die Blüte ist seit 5.11. Eingeleitet.
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@wolvex
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Green sensation made its effect and now we can see some resin dropped in the flowers. They have also gained some weight and size. The plants keeps looking good and healthy at the moment.
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Coming to the end here for both plants. I've been only watering ph water. Watered until runoff for the last time and just watching the trichomes turn now. 10.5 weeks and they seem to be pretty much done.
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@FarmZOG
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Day 66 Tops harvesting day, I will not hit the harvest button now cause my harvast its in phases, so I cut the tops first, bottoms and main colas base keep ripening for one more week. The video (with sound) its a density test I invent after smoke this scissor hash hahaha (STFU) 😂😎
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@Yeyup
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Stressful week moved house but she survived the hour drive
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@Hologram
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welcome to one of the last episodes of the BIG Cheese twins chronicles! ...I cannot believe it either, but when i checked her trichomes this morning, with my microscope.. she is as good as done!!(the FAT, smaller one at least) So beautiful trichomes she has too.. a lot of them looked like lil' chuncks of cheese! (deep yellow, with spots on them 😁) But a lot of old cheese too (orange, brown) so think gonna chop her end of this week!(be4 it starts raining again..😎) Its finally sunny weather so gonna let her enjoy the sunshine some more 😎 dont think her sister is ready yet (the tall skinny one) but she will get there soon enough! She is covered with trichomes.. my camera had a hard time focussing in the buds so sprakly!!😻 So the next episode of the cheese twins chronicles will be a harvest!! Get your popcorn ready😁👊 happy growing for all✊
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@AsNoriu
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Finaly !!! They grow, but still too weak to become something really good ... Cleaned bottoms at the end of the week. Quess all LST and training is finished. Plants small, branches weak, flowers VERY SMALL ... Ehhhh ... Next grow will be super, so lets finish that auto crap ... Thats how i feel. Took fish mix out, will take cal mag, silica acid and bio grow out next ... P.s. so i am sick and bored, so started to show some interest to girls , 5 days in bed is tough... After feed, water, i would do one more water, but this time i went for fat table spoon of molasses / 10 liters of water, plus extra cal/mag feed, some leaves are already showing sings of overfeeding, but plants so small, that i need to do something, ussually to do everything worse ;)) I will try to bump the feed for couple weeks as well. From next week all 2x ;) Have to take out all ec meters from shed, just not to poison girls and soil with overdose ...
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@Day_1
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Ladies are doing amazing! Getting bigger by the day! @Fast_Buds thanks for the sponsorship!!
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@Wastent91
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Eccoci alla 4 settimana di vegetativa! Per ora sembra andare tutto bene! Ho notato solamente che la gorilla Lemon sta avendo delle carenze di calcio /magnesio e ho provveduto a darglielo, speriamo si riprenda al più presto, per il resto la crescita continua ad essere sorprendentemente davvero molto rapida per quello forse le carenze si stanno facendo vedere da un giorno all altro! Ho cambiato l acqua pochi giorni fa e ho dato 14 /15 litri ad ogni secchio e già ora siamo praticamente a meno di 10! La ragazza sta bevendo e mangiando davvero in modo vorace! L. Unica cosa che mi sta accadendo è che mi sono reso conto solo adesso, essendo la mia primissima volta in hydro, che sto avendo il famoso "fusarium" delle radici, un fungo aggressivo ed infestante delle radici, a cui nn avevo ancora fatto caso ed ora dovrò farci i conti putroppo.. Per adesso ho dato un po di perossido di idrogeno (H2o2) come mi è stato consigliato, ogni 3 giorni. Le dò 1/2ml/litro per fare in modo di cercare di eliminarlo un poco finché nn avrò a disposizione prodotti specifici più efficaci, come acido ipocloroso, e per prevenirlo del trichoderma harvemium, sperando che nn sia troppo tatdi e che riesca a rimediare a questo mio sbaglio grossolano da principiante! 😅Infatti come uno stupido, vedendo all inzio che nn vi erano problemi alle radici, ho aspettato tipo quasi 30 giorni prima di fare il primo cambio dell'acqua, poiché stupidamente pensavo che con le temp della soluzione che nn superavano i 20 gradi, nn avrei. Avuto questo problema, per di più nn avevo ancora una pompa di sentina per svuotare i secchi, appena è arrivata ho fatto il cambio di acqua e mi sono accorto di avere alcune radici già compromesse, ed ora sono un poco peggiorate purtroppo, per questo sono davvero molto preoccupato, che possa avere effetti anche sul benessere della oainya soprattutto durante il. Periodo di fioritura dove le cose si faranno sicuramente più difficltose.. 😥.. Vabbe nei prossimi giorni dovrebbero arrivare questi prodotti per sterilizzare un po le radici e farle tornare bianche in salute, confido ormai nella fortuna! Ma eseendo la mia prima volta in hydro per ora nn mi posso lamentare, la pianta sta manifestando carenza di calcio etc, ma nn penso sia dovuto al fusarium.. Chi ne sa di più di me, i consigli sono davvero ben accetti! Grazie a tutti voi che mi seguite, siete davvero la forza che mi spinge contro tutto e tutti a continuare a migliorare la mia coltivazione e "coltivare" sempre più questa mia intensa passione per la cannabis la pianta più miracolosa del pianeta a mio giudizio! Un abbraccio a tutti voi?un buon 420 a tutti! 💪😸🌱🌿🧑‍🌾😽💨🔥🔥🔥💥💣
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@Simba732
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As we continue to thread on this amazing journey together, here’s to week 8. 🥂 Our lady has stopped stretching and started bulking. The smell each time I pick her up is insane! A real Tropicana tree 😍 She’s drinking more and I can see a slight change in bud color. Before harvest I’m aiming for amber trichomes and yellowing leaves so I’m getting my jeweler’s loop ready 🔎 This run has been pretty informative, I’m grateful for the skill and knowledge learned along the way. Week 9 should be interesting, let’s go 💚
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2 weeks into flower guys. Looking real nice stayed really short considering they nearly had a 6 week veg , and the write up on them says they have an explosive stretch during the flip not seen they yet but I'm not complaining . Changed the nutrients from pre flower to full flowering feed as stated on the chart . Picked a few fans of all of them yesterday not to much just anything overlapping.
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Thanks to you guys I sorted over watering problem. This growing has been great and I cannot wait to taste Purple Buds. I will update on the smoke report when girls are ready :). Peace0
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7/17 so she went through a massive stretch in the past week. Lots of beautiful side branches. 7/21 shes hungry for nitrogen. Thats one of my biggest issues with autos is they get low on nitrogen at the begining of flower and then im cautious of adding nitrogen during flower. Well lets see how she grows. Shes lookong pretty good and happy and strong so far. Those pistils are crazy for being only the first week of flower. I cant wait to see the final result🤞💚
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@Ryno1990
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Grapes an Cream fast flowering photo from Atlas seeds is doing very good she is the biggest of all the strains so far an is looking very healthy Ending week 3 the Grapes an Cream from Atlas seeds is doing amazing she is the biggest of the plants an has been thriving since being topped
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Week 3 😈 I cut the top of all these babies 2 days before I have to put more soil next days in the 6L pots Hope u gonna enjoy 👍🙏
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Germination went well - 100% success rate. Seedlings look healthy and seems to be growing well/ I'm not able to get air temperature above 18 degrees Celsius during the day cycle but I don't think that will be an issue with this strain.
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Day 8 and she's growing fine! I slightly over watered her yesterday so she's got some bouncing back to do!