25.10. F22
Chapter 9 – Day 22 of Flowering: The One Nobody Wanted to Lose
October 25th. Three days since the last update, and the RS11 tent has reached another turning point. The stretch is gradually giving way to flower development, fresh white pistils are appearing across the canopy, and the differences between the individual phenotypes remain impossible to ignore. Some plants have reached impressive heights, stretching their long branches towards the light, while others have taken a completely different route, staying compact and building a much denser structure. There is plenty to be excited about when looking at these pictures, but today’s update comes with a bitter aftertaste. During the latest inspection, I discovered that one of the plants had started showing hermaphroditic traits. And at this stage, with the flowers developing and the surrounding plants already well into bloom, this was not something I was prepared to gamble with. Nobody wants to remove a plant after investing weeks of time, attention and effort into it, especially when the whole point of a run like this is to see what the genetics can deliver. But sometimes growing means making the decision you’d rather not have to make. So, as difficult as it was, the affected plant had to leave the tent. No drama, no second-guessing the decision afterwards — just one of those moments when protecting the rest of the run has to come first. It’s a disappointing development, particularly in a grow that has already shown considerable variation between phenotypes. Still, the remaining plants are standing, the flowers are progressing, and the journey continues.
This run has been a reminder from the beginning that a label alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The differences in structure, branching and stretch have been striking, and now we’ve encountered another unwanted surprise. It would be easy to turn this into a sweeping verdict on the genetics, but one plant showing hermaphroditic traits is not enough to establish the cause or judge the entire line. Genetic predisposition can play a role, while environmental or other stress factors may also contribute. For now, I’m simply recording what happened and keeping the focus on the plants that remain. The close-up shots show how quickly the flowers are developing, with fresh pistils emerging and the first signs of resin becoming visible on some of the sugar leaves. The taller phenotypes continue to dominate the upper canopy, while the compact plant presents a completely different picture, with its tighter structure and clusters of developing flower sites. It’s a fascinating contrast, even if today’s discovery has taken some of the excitement out of the room. The affected plant is gone, but the experience stays with the grow. I’ll be watching the remaining plants closely for any further signs of unwanted pollen-producing structures and keeping a careful eye on the environment. No premature conclusions, no pretending that setbacks don’t matter. Day 22 of flowering, one plant removed, and a reminder that even the most promising run can take an unexpected turn. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a grow is accept a disappointing outcome, make the hard call, and keep moving forward. The RS11 story isn’t over yet.