Topped 2 of 4; 1 Pheno (BOTTOM RIGHT) showed phenomenal girth and, for some reason, broke its own apical dominance, which is very unusual: lateral branching growth reaching the same height as the apex, which is not really supposed to happen by itself. So there was no need to top that one. The others are what was expected and topped accordingly. Weeks will be added more often than 1 per week, with timestamps, growing rapidly already. Keeping a personal Phenotype Growth Log and Analysis. The behavior the unique phenotype is showing is a rare genetic expression typically related to a breakdown in auxin transport or synthesis. In a standard plant, auxin produced in the apical meristem travels downward, suppressing lateral buds (apical dominance). The mutant phenotype has likely bypassed this pathway or has heightened sensitivity to cytokinins (the hormones responsible for lateral branching), allowing the side branches to keep perfect pace with the main apex on its own. Combined with its phenomenal girth and condensed internodes, this plant features a highly optimized vascular system (xylem and phloem) capable of shifting water and nutrients rapidly enough to feed multiple main heads simultaneously. Definitely keeping an eye on this; look to take clones prior to flip if she continues to show rare trait. 8 to 9 weeks, 58–63 days of flower. SETUP -2: MOVING WATER BLUEPRINT ΦSIS. Transpiration, Evaporation, and Evapotranspiration. Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum (SPAC): An ecological concept referring to the pathway of water moving from the soil, through the plant, and into the atmosphere. There is no such thing as too much water; only water that remains in the same atmosphere too long. (ofc not literally, but practically). Humidity of the air dictates the moisture in the medium, which dictates the rate of pull from the terracotta stakes 15 in total. (3.5 Gallons capacity total) Terracotta (unglazed, low-fired clay) is highly porous, acting as a breathable, permeable membrane that transports water based on the moisture gradient between the potting medium (soil) and the surrounding air. White terracotta and brown terracotta often have different pore sizes and overall porosity, primarily driven by differences in clay composition, impurities, and firing temperatures. While both are considered porous, brown terracotta often has higher iron content and impurities that behave as fluxes, affecting how the pores form during firing, while white terracotta is generally derived from more refined clays, with smaller pores making it more suited to pure water. This mechanism is driven by capillary action and evaporation. When the surrounding soil is dry, the terracotta acts as a wick, pulling water out of the pot and into the soil. If the soil is very saturated, the terracotta absorbs water from the soil and allows it to evaporate from its outer surface, increasing the drying rate of the soil. Terracotta tends to keep the potting mix at an optimal saturation point, wicking up more water when the outside surface evaporates water into the air. The greater the difference in moisture between the soil and the outside air, the faster the water transfers through the ceramic. In low humidity and hot weather, the evaporation rate from the terracotta surface is high, creating a rapid drying effect. Newer terracotta pots often have a denser, lighter-toned structure that is less porous than traditional, red-orange terracotta, slowing down the moisture transfer rate. Over time, dissolved salts from fertilizer or tap water build up and block the pores, reducing the permeability of the clay. Water is all that is used or needed, thanks to the biochar and the massive storage bank of nutrients. Just waiting until something creeps up. Perfectly stable, optimally efficient soil moisture composition 100% of the time, 24/7, no up, no down, no spikes. Clay pot irrigation (Ollas), an ancient farming practice, utilizes this property by burying unglazed jars in the soil, allowing water to slowly seep into the surrounding soil only when the soil dries out. Remember to clean terracotta stakes in mild acid after each grow. Submerge the stakes in a solution of 1 part distilled white vinegar to 3 or 4 parts water. Let the stakes soak for 20 to 30 minutes. You will hear a fizzing sound as the acid reacts with and dissolves the mineral salts. Use a stiff-bristled brush or an old toothbrush to scrub away the loosened residue. Rinse the stake thoroughly in clean water to wash away any leftover vinegar. BOOM good for next grow! Electrical Conductivity (EC) dictates plant water and nutrient availability by altering the soil solution's osmotic potential, which controls whether a plant can pull water into its roots or lose water to the surrounding soil. If you can't control what's going in (rate of nutrient release) and you can't control the rate of what's going out (growth), as soon as the immediate medium's EC deviates, osmotic potential goes with it, and so with it, bulk flow and all the rest. EC is not just a measurement of food in and food out; it is a balance of electrical conductance that must be maintained in order to control the flow of water. Generally speaking, synthetic nutrient delivery relies on precise measurements and keeping a close eye on the wet-dry cycle to prevent constant spiking back and forth of EC from excess moisture loss. Failure to acknowledge EC for what it actually is oversimplifies its importance as merely a measure of "feed" and is a severe disservice to the beauty and potential of a true rhizophagy cycle in all its respiratory glory. There is no true "organic" until there is biological cycling linked to hydrogen exudation. 99% of growers don't know what that even means. But it's not their fault; there are lower profit margins when you use fewer mass consumables rather than using nothing but water from start to finish. Growers are left in the dark; it comes down to capitalism, not chemistry. Shifting focus from "feeding the straw" to nurturing the almost infinite soil food web, the plant regains autonomy over its own rhizophagy cycle, regulating its own nutrient intake dynamically without a single digital EC pen in sight. Leaving one's entire focus on optimising the environment rather than the micromanagement of feed. Just need to unlock the limits of growth, then we are the golden ratio. To be considered truly organic, especially in a way that unlocks the rhizophagy cycle, the cultivation approach must shift from feeding the plant directly to feeding the soil microbiome. Without the knowledge that goes with it, and the slight nuances and variations in the process, this becomes nearly impossible to grow efficiently with today's knowledge base and approach of the community as a whole, guided nearly entirely towards synthetic. Profit margins highlight why this knowledge is rarely centralized. The hydroponic and synthetic industry is built on a recurring revenue model of bottled minerals, flush agents, and sterile mediums. A self-sustaining living soil system requires minimal external inputs after the initial build, shifting the grower's role from a chemical manager to a biological custodian. Managing biology requires observing nuanced environmental factors (like soil moisture consistency, oxygenation, and temperature) rather than reading a digital EC meter. When the soil food web is fully unlocked, the plant takes over the driver's seat, operating with an efficiency that synthetic lines cannot replicate. Anyone bound to protect corporate interests is, in a way, required to protect shareholders as a priority over promoting correct and accurate growing practices if it affects the bottom line of the same corporate umbrella from a legal POV. Under modern corporate law, most notably the principle of shareholder primacy, directors and executives are legally bound to maximize financial returns for investors. If a corporation's primary revenue stream is selling bottled salts, plastic consumables, and regular replacement mediums, it cannot market a method that renders those products obsolete. Doing so could be viewed as a breach of its fiduciary duty. The system is legally incentivized to market the plant as a "passive straw" that requires constant human intervention, rather than the marvelous autonomous biological hydrostatic engine that it is. What's legal is not what is lawful.