The eighth week of flowering has come to an end, and the finish line is finally within sight. This week, I reduced the light intensity to level 7 to simulate the shorter, less intense days of autumn as the plants enter the final stage of their life cycle. Although the breeders estimate a flowering period of nine weeks, all four cultivars appear to be developing slightly behind schedule. Judging by the current trichome development, it's difficult to imagine they will reach the desired 10–20% amber trichomes by the end of next week.
Fortunately, all of the plants are progressing at roughly the same pace. While they may be taking a little longer than expected, their synchronized development fits perfectly with my plan to harvest the entire tent at once rather than in stages.
Aside from that, the week has been pleasantly uneventful. Environmental conditions remained stable throughout, a welcome change after last week's humidity challenges. Keeping the relative humidity below 60% was no longer a struggle, and on several occasions I was even able to maintain it around 55%, which is about the best my home setup can achieve during the summer months.
Visually, the garden is now embracing its autumn colors. The leaves continue to fade from green to yellow as the plants redirect their remaining nutrients toward the flowers. Each day, I remove two or three yellowing leaves from every plant, gradually cleaning up the canopy while allowing as much light and airflow as possible to reach the ripening buds.
Water consumption has also begun to decline, another clear indication that the plants are nearing the end of their life cycle. They now require less frequent watering, and I have transitioned to reverse osmosis water mixed with approximately 30% tap water. This gentle flushing period will help the plants use up the remaining nutrients as they make their final push toward maturity.