🌱 Grow Diary Update — Sour Diesel Week 4 | First week of flower (12/12) This week, the spotlight is on Sour Diesel, because she clearly stood out from the rest of the room — and when one plant speaks louder than the others, we listen. ⸻ 📍 Quick recap (so everyone is on the same page) • Sour Diesel just entered week 6 / first week of flower • She was running on Autopots with mineral-only feed • Organics and amendments were removed from the Autopot system • The rest of the room handled this change fine • She did not She started showing: • Droopy posture • Loss of vigor • Early deficiency-type signals • A general “I’m not comfortable” look Important detail: 👉 She was the only plant reacting like this. ⸻ 🌿 Why this happened (the key lesson) Sour Diesel is an old-school genetic, and not all strains respond the same way to abrupt system changes. In her case: • She was previously thriving with organics + minerals • Removing organics reduced: • Nutrient complexity • Biological buffering • Availability of secondary elements • This happened right at the transition into flower, when demand increases sharply On top of that, we had environmental pressure: • Outside temps: ~4°C • Outside humidity: ~98% • Room stabilized at: 21°C / 58% RH Those conditions are acceptable — but combined with: • Feed change • Flower transition • Genetic sensitivity …it was enough for her to react. ⸻ 🚿 Why we took her off Autopots Autopots are great — but they’re not universal. We removed her from the Autopot regimen because: • She needed immediate, tailored feeding • She wasn’t responding well to mineral-only delivery • Hand-feeding lets us: • Adjust EC gently • Reintroduce organics • Observe response feed by feed This wasn’t a system failure — it was a plant-specific decision. ⸻ Current feeding strategy (now) • Medium: hand-fed (off Autopots) • EC: 1.43 • pH: 5.9 • Full recipe: organics + minerals • Added: CalMag Pro Why CalMag Pro? • We’re using rainwater + humidifier water, which is very soft • Low calcium & magnesium availability can show fast in flower • This is both: • A corrective move for her • A preventive move for the whole room Meanwhile, the rest of the Autopot system is running: • 2.29 EC • pH 6.0 • Mineral-only • Other plants are stable and happy ⸻ 🌬️ Environment (current) • Lights: stable • Airflow: good • Temp: ~21°C • RH: ~58% Nothing extreme — but this shows how context + timing + genetics matter more than numbers alone. ⸻ 🔮 What we expect (and what we don’t) What we expect: • Gradual recovery, not overnight • Leaf posture improving first • New growth responding before old leaves • Stability over speed What we don’t expect: • Instant “fix” • Old damage to reverse • Her to behave exactly like the rest of the room From now on, she’ll simply need a bit more attention than her sisters — and that’s okay. ⸻ 🧠 The bigger takeaway This is a perfect example of why: • There is no single “best way” • Systems are tools, not rules • Genetics always get a vote • Listening beats forcing We’re not chasing perfection — we’re responding with intention. We’ll keep monitoring her closely over the coming week and adjust calmly, step by step. As always, this is just our experience and observation — not a universal recipe. Plants teach, we adapt 🌱💚 👽 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. 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