🌱 Amnesia Skunk — Week 5 (12/12 from seed) First real signs of flower & structural development Welcome to everyone joining the diary at this stage 👋 Here’s a quick recap, followed by a detailed Week 5 update. ⸻ 🔁 Quick recap — how we got here • 12/12 from seed from day one • Winter run, cold & humid external conditions • Focus on plant-led growth, minimal stress • No topping, no aggressive defoliation • Structure built through leaf tucking, gentle bending, and light LST Both plants have developed very similarly, with compact structure and strong lateral branching. No major phenotypic differences so far — which makes this run especially interesting to follow. ⸻ 🌸 Week 5 overview — transition into flower This week marks what feels like the first “real” flower week: • Clear bud sites forming • Vertical growth slowing slightly • Side branches pushing up evenly • Plants staying compact and well-balanced They’re stacking nicely and responding very well to the gentle training approach. ⸻ 🌿 Training & canopy management No heavy interventions here: • Continuous leaf tucking • Gentle branch bending • Very light LST, only where needed to open the canopy No defoliation beyond what’s absolutely necessary. The goal remains: let the plant decide, we just guide So far, this approach is paying off. ⸻ 🍽️ Nutrition & irrigation strategy (important update) ➕ CalMag introduced this week Not because the plants are deficient — but because: • We’re using rainwater + dehumidifier water • These sources are very low in minerals • Calcium & Magnesium need to be present before demand spikes This also explains the EC adjustments this week. ⸻ 🚿 Hand-watered plants • EC: 1.43 • pH: 5.9–6.0 • Water temp: 22.8°C Carefully adjusted to support flower transition without pushing too hard. ⸻ 💧 AutoPot-fed plants (6 plants) • EC: 2.29 • pH: 6.01 • Water temp: 22.8°C AutoPots are running mineral-only inputs, as organic inputs don’t perform well in this system. Higher EC here is intentional and controlled. ⸻ 🔍 Plant handling All plants are regularly: • Taken out of the tent • Checked for weight, water demand, and overall condition • Then returned to their position This helps ensure each plant gets exactly what it needs. ⸻ 🌡️ Environment (winter realities) • Outside: ~5°C, RH 92–96% • Grow room: • Temp: ~21.8°C • RH: ~58% Not ideal on paper — but the plants are not complaining, so we adapt and keep observing. ⸻ 💡 Lighting • PPFD: ~700–850 (depending on plant size and position) • Plants are praying consistently, showing good light response We let the plants “decide” how much they want to push. No forcing — just monitoring. 🔦 Under-canopy lighting — phased introduction By the end of this week, we’ll be plugging in the under-canopy lights. The canopy has already grown past the main light plane, and the goal here is not to blast the lowers — but to signal the plant that light is present from all directions. Why we’re doing this: • Encourage lower and inner bud sites to stay active • Reduce the “shade shutdown” response • Support more uniform flower development • Improve airflow and plant posture as branches respond to multidirectional light Important note: This will start very gently — low intensity, just enough to be perceived. PPFD and intensity under the canopy will be increased gradually, only if the plants respond positively. The idea isn’t forcing production — it’s communication. We let the plant decide how much it wants to use. ⸻ Fungus gnats — honesty section Yes, we’re seeing a small fungus gnat presence: • Yellow sticky traps installed • More intentional dry-downs • Actively monitoring, not panicking Personal thought (not science, just observation): A mild, controlled pressure may trigger subtle defense responses. Whether that translates into anything meaningful later… we’ll see. Either way, it’s under control. ⸻ 👽 New team member Meet Mr. Baggy Our new fluffy alien/beaver/whatever-he-is friend, won through a Grow Diaries contest. Expect to see him around — he’s officially part of the grow now. ⸻ What to expect next • Continued flower site development • Possible stretch differences emerging • Increased nutrient demand soon • Close monitoring of environment as winter progresses No big changes planned unless the plants ask for it. ⸻ 🤝 Final thoughts Same genetics don’t mean same results. Different environments, water, climate, and handling all shape how plants express themselves. I encourage everyone to: • Test • Make mistakes • Observe • Learn • Build your own understanding That’s how real cultivation knowledge is formed. Thanks to everyone following along — this journey is just getting interesting 🌱 Week 5 Veg/pre-flower | 8×8 Tent | Master Conditions 🌍 External Environment (Context) • Outside temperature: ~5 °C • Outside RH: 92–96% (very high humidity) • Strong seasonal pressure influencing internal stability ⸻ 🌡️ Internal Tent Conditions • Tent temperature: ~21.8 °C (noted drop due to cold external temps) • Tent RH: ~58% → Very good considering outside conditions ⸻ 💨 Airflow & Circulation • Primary airflow: Bottom → top → wall return • Pattern: Full-room vortex circulation • Additional fans: Central airflow to break blind spots and mix layers • Goal: No stagnant pockets, uniform VPD across canopy ⸻ 💧 Water Source & Rationale • Water: Dehumidifier water + rainwater • Base EC: force • Systems designed to support plant intelligence, not override it FOR DISCOUNT CODES AND MORE JUST FOLLOW THE LINK https://website.beacons.ai/dogdoctorofficial 📲 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: 🔆 Lighting & Environmental Control • Future of Grow — Advanced LED lighting technology https://www.futureofgrow.com/ DISCOUNT CODE: DOG20 • Lumiflora — Under-canopy LED lighting https://lumiflorade.com/ • TrollMaster — Environmental controllers and automation gear (past collaboration) ⸻ Genetics • Zamnesia Seeds — Genetics used in this project https://www.zamnesia.com/ ⸻ 🌱 Soil, Substrates, Boosters & Root Support • Plagron — Substrates, bio mixes, and supportive products https://plagron.com/en/ ⸻ 🎒 Storage, Curing & Preservation • Grove Bags — Curing and storage solutions https://grovebags.com/ ⸻ 📸 Photography Equipment & Tools (Not sponsors, but part of my creative toolkit) • Sony A6700 • Sony full-frame macro lens + few more • Stacking photography workflow - learning • iPhone (for behind-the-scenes shots) 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 💚 📸 P.S. – The Eye Behind the Lens All photos in this diary (for now — except for the ones showing the camera, which I took with an iPhone) are taken with a Sony A6700 paired with a Sony full-frame macro lens and a few more. Photography is part of the story — it’s how we share the fine textures, the glow, and the quiet details that words can’t always capture. I’ve also started experimenting with photo stacking — a technique where multiple images, each taken at a slightly different focus point, are layered together to create one perfectly sharp image from front to back. It’s not digital enhancement or AI; it’s pure photography — a way to reveal the plant’s beauty in microscopic depth, from trichome to petal. You’ll even see a few shots of "ghost me" capturing the shots — camera, lens, setup — because every grow deserves not just to be cultivated, but documented like art. FOR DISCOUNT CODES AND MORE JUST FOLLOW THE LINK https://website.beacons.ai/dogdoctorofficial NEW DISCORD - Official Server Invite Link : https://discord.gg/ksjAkA5T74