👑 8×8 Adventure – Week 14 🌿 Godfather OG – Pheno B 👑🔥 💪 BIG MAMA Is Still BIG MAMA — Heavy, Beautiful & Getting LOUD! Hello everyone, and welcome back to another chapter of the 8×8 Adventure! 🌱💚 GUESS WHAT?! 😂😂😂 BIG MAMA IS STILL BIG MAMA! And when I say BIG MAMA... I mean BIG. I mean HEAVY. I mean this girl is getting to the point where the yo-yos are becoming part of the family. 😂👑💪🌿 Seriously, look at this girl. She's big. She's beautiful. She's carrying some serious weight. And she's demanding support like she owns the entire tent. Actually... she might have a point. 😂😂😂 This is no longer a situation where we simply look at her and admire the flowers. We look at her, admire the flowers, check the branches, check the support, and ask ourselves: "Okay, Big Mama... what else needs a yo-yo today?" 😂💪🌸 But honestly, I absolutely love seeing her like this. She's a substantial plant, with beautiful flowers and a presence that's impossible to ignore. And the aroma? Oh, Mama... You're doing very well in that department too! She's not quite as aggressively loud as her sister, Godfather OG Pheno A, our famously unhappy girl who seems determined to announce her presence to the entire neighbourhood. 😂👃💨 But Big Mama has that same wonderful aromatic character. That same kind of appeal. That same beautiful profile. Just with a little less volume turned up to eleven. For now, anyway. 😂🔥 So this week, we're giving Big Mama her own spotlight again. Because she deserves it. Let's get into it! ──────────────────────── 👑 WEEK 14 — BIG MAMA MEANS BUSINESS If you've been following this diary, you already know this girl. She's not exactly the kind of plant that quietly disappears into the background. 😂👑 Big Mama has presence. She's got size. She's got structure. She's got flowers. And now she's got weight. A LOT of weight. She's continuing to develop, and as she progresses, supporting her has become an important part of keeping those heavy branches where they need to be. The yo-yos are doing their job. The support is doing its job. And we're doing ours by keeping an eye on the plant and making sure she has the support she needs. At this stage, we're not trying to reinvent her structure. We're not trying to force her into a different shape. We're simply helping her carry what she's built. And what she's built is pretty damn impressive. 💪🌸👑 Big Mama has earned her name. No arguments. ──────────────────────── 💪 HEAVY MAMA NEEDS HER YO-YOS! Let's talk about the obvious. This girl is heavy! 😂😂😂 The flowers have developed to the point where the branches need plenty of support. And when I say plenty... I mean we're using yo-yos, checking the structure, and making sure the plant is supported properly. Because a plant can look beautiful in photographs, but when you're standing in front of her, you also have to deal with the physical reality of that structure. Branches carry weight. Flowers add weight. And as the plant develops, the support system becomes part of keeping everything stable. Big Mama is giving us a very practical reminder of that. She's not asking us to do some elaborate training routine. She's asking us to help support the plant she has become. And that's exactly what we're doing. No unnecessary drama. No trying to turn her into something she's not. Just supporting the structure, observing how she's carrying herself, and making adjustments when needed. Sometimes growing isn't about doing more. Sometimes it's about making sure the work the plant has already done doesn't become a problem. And Big Mama has certainly done plenty of work. 😂💚💪 ──────────────────────── 🌸 NOT JUST BIG — BEAUTIFULLY DEVELOPED Size is one thing. But what I really want to appreciate here is the overall plant. Big Mama isn't simply occupying space. She's developed her own structure, her own flower formation, and her own expression of these Godfather OG genetics. And that's what makes her interesting. We've followed her through the earlier stages. We've watched her grow. We've watched her fill her space. We've watched the flowers develop. And now we're looking at a substantial plant that needs a substantial amount of support. 😂👑 She's not the same plant we were looking at weeks ago. That's the whole point of documenting the journey. The photographs give us the visual timeline. The weekly updates give us the context. And when we put them together, we can appreciate the progression rather than judging the plant from one isolated moment. Big Mama has continued to evolve. She's carrying plenty of weight. She's looking beautiful. And she's approaching the later part of her journey in her own way. Let's give her credit for that. ──────────────────────── 👃 AND THAT AROMA... MAMA KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING! Okay. Let's get to one of my favourite subjects. The smell! 😂👃🔥 Big Mama is smelling amazing. And I really mean that. Her sister, Godfather OG Pheno A, has been particularly aggressive with her aroma. That girl has been making herself known from a different postcode. 😂💨 But Big Mama? She's giving us something very similar in character, with a little less intensity at the moment. And I love that comparison. Because we're not talking about two completely unrelated plants. We're looking at two individual Godfather OG phenotypes growing in the same room. And we're noticing similarities in their aromatic character, alongside differences in how strongly they express it. Pheno A is louder. Pheno B is a little more reserved. But Big Mama is absolutely holding her own. Her aroma is beautiful. Her presence is there. And she's giving us another reason to be curious about what the finished result will be like after harvest, drying, and curing. Of course, the aroma can change throughout those stages. What we're smelling now is part of the story, not the final verdict. We'll wait until the journey is complete before making any final claims about her cured profile. But right now? I'm very happy with what she's giving us. 👑👃🌸💚 ──────────────────────── 👯‍♀️ TWO SISTERS — SIMILAR CHARACTER, DIFFERENT VOLUME This is one of the most interesting comparisons in the Godfather OG diaries. Godfather OG Pheno A and Godfather OG Pheno B. Two individual plants. Shared room. Shared general environment. Shared lighting ecosystem. Shared nutritional philosophy. And yet, each has her own personality. Pheno A has been our famously unhappy girl. She's had her difficulties, but she's also become incredibly aromatic. Pheno B, our Big Mama, has her own challenges and characteristics. She's substantial. She's heavy. She needs plenty of support. And she's giving us an aroma that reminds me of her sister, even if she isn't quite as loud right now. That's the beauty of following individual phenotypes. We can notice the similarities without pretending they're identical. We can appreciate the differences without automatically deciding one is better than the other. And we can remain curious about how those differences might develop through the rest of the journey. Same family. Different expressions. Two very interesting girls. And I'm looking forward to finding out how their final stories compare. 😂👑🌸 ──────────────────────── 🌿 OUR JOB RIGHT NOW? SUPPORT, OBSERVE & LET HER FINISH This week, there's no dramatic new intervention to report. We're not trying to keep ourselves busy just for the sake of doing something. Big Mama has already built her structure. She's already developed her flowers. And she's already carrying a considerable amount of weight. So our focus is straightforward. Observe her. Maintain the shared environment. Provide the support she needs. Keep an eye on her overall development. And let her continue toward the finish. The yo-yos are doing their part. We're doing ours. And Big Mama is doing hers. 😂💪🌿 I genuinely enjoy this stage because it reminds me that being a grower isn't always about actively changing something. Sometimes it's about recognizing what the plant needs from you at that particular moment. Earlier in the cycle, our attention may have been on structure and development. Now, with Big Mama carrying so much weight, support and observation are a big part of the picture. We don't need to interfere unnecessarily. We need to pay attention. And when the plant needs us, we respond. Simple. Practical. And very much part of growing. ──────────────────────── 🔬 SAME ROOM — TWELVE INDIVIDUAL STORIES For anyone discovering the 8×8 Adventure for the first time, here's the idea behind the project. We're following twelve individual plants and phenotypes sharing one room. They share the same general environmental strategy, lighting ecosystem, irrigation approach, and nutritional programme. But they don't all develop in the same way. Some are compact. Some are tall. Some develop different flower structures. Some move faster. Some take their time. Some need more physical support than others. And some make their presence known through their aroma. Big Mama is giving us a combination of several of those characteristics. She's substantial. She's heavy. She's beautiful. She's aromatic. And she needs plenty of support to carry the structure she's developed. That's her story. And it's different from her sister's story, even though they share the same genetic name. This is why we keep individual diaries. If we only documented the tent as a whole, we'd miss so much of what makes each plant interesting. Twelve plants. Twelve personalities. One shared adventure. 🌱💚👑 ──────────────────────── 💡 THE ARTIFICIAL SUN — FUTURE OF GROW BLACK SERIES Our upgraded lighting setup remains part of the 8×8 Adventure. The Future of Grow Black Series LEDs continue providing the main lighting, with the two additional Black Series 600W fixtures supplied for this experiment included in the setup. We've been operating the upgraded setup at approximately 59% power from the plug, with our previous upper-canopy reference around 1,500 PPFD. Actual light intensity varies throughout the canopy depending on plant height, position, and distance from the fixtures. And that's important when we're looking at a plant like Big Mama. She's a substantial, three-dimensional plant, not a flat surface. Different parts of her structure sit at different heights and receive different amounts of light. The goal of this project is to observe how the different plants develop under the shared lighting environment, rather than assuming they'll all respond identically. Big Mama is giving us her own answer. She's developed a substantial structure, she's carrying plenty of weight, and she's moving through the later part of her journey. A huge thank you to Future of Grow for supplying the additional Black Series 600W fixtures and allowing us to explore this upgraded setup across twelve different phenotypes. More lighting capability, controlled output, and plenty of interesting differences to observe. 💡🌱💚 ──────────────────────── 🔴 THE RED-LIGHT UPDATE — KEEPING THE SCIENCE HONEST As with the other reports this week, let's also talk about our additional 15-minute red-light period after the main lighting period. We're documenting this as part of the lighting routine used in the room. Plants respond to the spectrum and timing of light through several photoreceptor systems. One important example is the phytochrome system, which responds to red and far-red wavelengths and helps plants interpret their light environment. Those signals can influence plant development, but the response depends on the spectrum, intensity, timing, duration, and the plant's physiological state. That's why we need to be careful about making claims. Our additional 15-minute red-light period is an experimental part of our routine. We're not claiming it automatically increases yield, makes flowers denser, or guarantees a better finish. Those outcomes would require proper comparisons and measurements. We're documenting what we're doing, discussing the relevant science, and remaining open to what the evidence tells us. That's the approach I prefer. No magic promises. No pretending we know something we haven't measured. Just curiosity, observation, and honest documentation. 🔴🌱💡 ──────────────────────── 🔬 THE EMERSON EFFECT — WHY WAVELENGTHS MATTER While we're talking about light, it's worth revisiting the Emerson effect. The Emerson effect is an established phenomenon in photosynthesis in which combining certain red and far-red wavelengths can produce a greater-than-expected photosynthetic response under the relevant experimental conditions. This involves the cooperation of two major photosystems: 🌿 Photosystem II (PSII) 🌿 Photosystem I (PSI) Both are essential components of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Their light-absorption characteristics differ, and supplying suitable wavelengths together can improve the balance between their activity under certain conditions. That's the fascinating science behind the phenomenon. However, the Emerson effect doesn't mean that every red-light treatment automatically produces the same response. Red and far-red light are not interchangeable, and the results depend on the specific wavelengths, their intensity, and the conditions of exposure. So while it's interesting to discuss the Emerson effect alongside our lighting experiments, we shouldn't automatically assume that our additional 15-minute red-light period reproduces it or provides a measurable benefit. To establish that, we'd need suitable spectral information and controlled comparisons. The science is real. The potential interactions are fascinating. But the outcome of our particular routine still needs evidence. And I think it's much more valuable to explain that honestly than to promise results we haven't demonstrated. 🔬🌱💚 ──────────────────────── 🌱 NUTRITION — CONSISTENCY WHILE WE OBSERVE The previous nutritional reference for the room was: 🌱 Plagron Pure Zym — 1 ml/L ⚗️ Plagron pH Plus — 0.03 ml/L 🍋 Plagron Lemon Kick — 0.03 ml/L 🌸 Plagron Terra Bloom — 2.0 ml/L 🌿 Plagron Power Buds — 1 ml/L 🍯 Plagron Sugar Royal — 1 ml/L 🌱 Plagron Green Sensation — 1 ml/L The previous solution readings were approximately pH 6.04 and EC 2.05 mS/cm. These are the last recorded room reference values, rather than a claim that every measurement was repeated this week. We're keeping the overall approach consistent while observing the plants' individual progress. For Big Mama, the physical side of the story is becoming particularly noticeable. She's heavy. She's carrying substantial flowers. And she's asking for plenty of structural support. That's where our attention is going right now: observing her development, supporting the plant where necessary, and allowing her to continue through the final part of her journey. ──────────────────────── 🌡️ WEEK 14 — ROOM CONDITIONS The previous shared room reference readings remain: 🌸 Flowering — Week 14 💡 Light schedule — 12/12 💡 Lighting — Future of Grow Black Series, upgraded setup 🔌 Approximate lighting output — 59% from the plug ☀️ Upper-canopy PPFD reference — ~1,500 🌡️ Day temperature — ~26.5–27°C 🌙 Night temperature — ~25–26°C 💧 Relative humidity — ~60–61% 🌱 Substrate temperature — ~25–26°C 💦 Nutrient solution temperature — ~25°C ⚗️ Previous pH reading — ~6.04 ⚡ Previous EC reading — ~2.05 mS/cm 🌬️ CO₂ — ~693 ppm 💧 Previous irrigation reference — ~1.4–1.45 L per plant / 24h 🌱 Pot size — 15 L Same general room. Same shared environmental strategy. Same lighting ecosystem. But a very individual expression from Big Mama. She's heavy, she's beautiful, and she's becoming increasingly interesting as we approach the end of the journey. 👑🌸💚 ──────────────────────── 📸 BIG MAMA DESERVES HER PORTRAITS One of the things I love about these individual diaries is being able to look back through the photographs and follow the progression. The early structure. The development. The flowers. The changes. And now, the substantial plant we're looking at today. Big Mama has a presence that's difficult to miss. And as she gets heavier, the support system becomes another part of her visual story. Those yo-yos aren't there for decoration. 😂💪 They're helping support the structure she's developed. I want to document that part of the journey too, because growing isn't only about showing beautiful flowers. It's also about showing what it takes to keep a plant supported and stable as it develops. The photographs preserve those details. The weekly reports explain what we're seeing. And together, they give us a much more complete picture of the plant. ──────────────────────── 💚 BIG MAMA DOESN'T NEED TO COMPETE WITH HER SISTER I know I've mentioned her sister's aroma several times, but I want to make one thing clear. This isn't a competition where one phenotype has to defeat the other. 😂👑 Pheno A has her own personality. She's had a difficult journey, and she's been incredibly expressive aromatically. Pheno B has her own personality too. She's substantial, heavy, beautiful, and giving us a very appealing aroma of her own. She may not be quite as loud at the moment, but that doesn't make her less interesting. They're individual plants. They can share similarities without being identical. And we can appreciate both without needing to declare a winner before the journey is complete. I'm enjoying the comparison. I'm enjoying the differences. And I'm especially looking forward to seeing how their individual stories continue through harvest, drying, and curing. Because that's where we'll get another opportunity to understand what makes each phenotype special. ──────────────────────── 💬 COME JOIN THE DOG DOCTOR COMMUNITY! If you're enjoying the 8×8 Adventure and want to discuss genetics, lighting, equipment, growing experiences, or the lessons we discover along the way, come and join us on Discord! We welcome questions, different experiences, respectful discussions, and growers who simply enjoy learning from one another. Whether you're following these diaries or running your own experiments, come say hello. 💚🌱 🔗 https://discord.gg/dogdoctorofficial Bring your questions. Bring your observations. Bring your own growing stories. Let's keep sharing what we learn and helping one another along the way. Growers helping growers! ──────────────────────── ❤️ FINAL THOUGHTS — BIG MAMA IS STILL BIG MAMA Week 14. And our Godfather OG Pheno B? She's still BIG MAMA. 😂👑💪 She's heavy. She's beautiful. She's carrying plenty of weight. She's demanding yo-yos and support. And she's smelling absolutely amazing. Her sister might currently be the louder one, but Big Mama has a similar aromatic character that I genuinely love. Different volume. Similar appeal. Two individual phenotypes with their own expressions. And I can't wait to see how their stories unfold from here. This week, we're not trying to do anything dramatic. We're supporting the plant. We're observing. We're maintaining the shared environment. And we're letting her continue toward the finish. Sometimes that's exactly what a plant needs from us. Not more interference. Not a new project. Just a grower paying attention and providing the support required. And Big Mama certainly needs that support now. 😂🌿 She's done the hard work of building herself. Now we're helping her carry it. So let's give her the spotlight. Let's appreciate her size. Let's appreciate her flowers. Let's appreciate that beautiful aroma. Let's appreciate the individuality of this phenotype. And let's remember that the 8×8 Adventure isn't about making twelve plants look the same. It's about discovering what makes each one different. Big Mama has given us plenty to appreciate. And she's not finished telling her story yet. 👑🌸💚 Keep shining, Big Mama. Keep doing your thing. We'll keep the support coming, keep the camera ready, and keep watching your progress. You've earned your place in this jungle. ──────────────────────── 🙏 THANK YOU A huge thank you to Zamnesia for giving us the opportunity to explore these Godfather OG genetics and document the individual phenotypes throughout the 8×8 Adventure. 🌸🙏 Thank you to Plagron for supporting the nutritional side of the journey. A massive thank you to Future of Grow for supplying the Black Series lighting and especially for providing the two additional Black Series 600W fixtures we're testing in this room. 💡🔥 Thank you to LumiFlora for adding another lighting dimension deeper into the canopy. Thank you to TrolMaster for helping us monitor and manage the environment behind the scenes. And, of course, thank you to everyone following the 8×8 Adventure here on GrowDiaries. Thank you for the comments, the questions, the support, and for joining us as we document the good weeks, the difficult weeks, and everything in between. Every plant has a story. Every phenotype has its own personality. And Big Mama? She's giving us a beautiful one. She's big. She's heavy. She's aromatic. She's demanding. She's beautiful. And she's still very much herself. 😂👑💚 If you'd like to join the conversation, come and find us on Discord: 🔗 https://discord.gg/dogdoctorofficial Let's keep sharing experiences, asking questions, and learning together. Until next week... Growers Love & Happy Growing! 🌱💚👑 Take care, everyone. And Big Mama... please try not to ask for every single yo-yo in the room. 😂😂😂 We've still got eleven other girls to look after! See you next week in the 8×8 jungle. 🌿🔥👑💨