? Blueberry Muffin – Pheno A Week 5 | The Beginning of Automation Some weeks are about explosive growth. Others are about building the foundation for everything that comes next. This week was definitely the second. Blueberry Muffin Pheno A has officially entered that fascinating transition where vegetative growth begins to merge with the first signs of flowering. The structure is now well established, side branches are reaching confidently toward the canopy, and every day she looks a little less like a seedling and a little more like the productive plant she’s destined to become. One of the biggest milestones this week wasn’t something the plant did… It was something I changed. ⸻ 🤖 Welcome to the AutoPot System This week Pheno A officially moved onto the AutoPot irrigation system. For anyone unfamiliar with it, an AutoPot is a passive watering system that feeds plants from the bottom rather than from the top. Instead of watering every day, a reservoir supplies nutrient solution through tubing to an AquaValve located underneath each pot. The AquaValve is actually the clever part of the entire system. Rather than continuously flooding the tray, it works like a mechanical float valve. As the tray empties and the plant consumes the nutrient solution, the valve automatically opens and refills the tray to a precise level before closing again. No electricity. No timers. No programming. Just simple engineering allowing the plant to decide when it’s ready for another drink. The result is a much more consistent root environment while eliminating daily hand watering. ⸻ 🌱 Learning a New Way to Grow Whenever I introduce a new piece of equipment, I don’t simply install it and hope for the best. I observe. I adapt. I learn. Because the nutrient solution now remains inside a shared reservoir, I also adjusted the feeding program. Some additives that perform wonderfully during hand watering aren’t ideal when they remain sitting in a reservoir for several days. For that reason, Sugar Royal and Power Roots were removed from the reservoir while continuing to use the remaining Plagron nutrients that are perfectly suited for AutoPot cultivation. It’s a small adjustment… …but one that helps keep the nutrient solution cleaner and more stable throughout the week. ⸻ 🌿 Growth Update Blueberry Muffin has responded beautifully. Internode spacing remains tight, the branching continues to develop evenly, and the canopy is beginning to spread naturally without forcing the plant into shape. The side branches that only recently sat beneath the canopy are now confidently pushing upward, creating the framework that should support numerous flowering sites over the coming weeks. The bird’s-eye photographs really show how symmetrical she’s becoming, while the side profiles reveal just how quickly those secondary branches are catching up. It’s one of those moments where you stop looking at individual leaves and start seeing the architecture of the plant itself. ⸻ 🌡️ Environment The room continues running intentionally warm. Day temperatures reached around 31°C while relative humidity averaged approximately 72%. Normally those humidity numbers might raise eyebrows during flowering. However, this is still the very beginning of bloom, where maintaining higher humidity encourages vigorous growth, active transpiration and continued expansion before the flowers begin stacking seriously. As flowering progresses, humidity will gradually be reduced to create a safer environment for dense buds while maintaining an appropriate VPD. Everything is part of the plan. Nothing is accidental. ⸻ 🍽️ Feeding This week’s reservoir was prepared using: • Terra Grow – 1.8 ml/L • Terra Bloom – 1.9 ml/L • Pure Zym – 1 ml/L • Power Buds – 1 ml/L • pH adjusted to approximately 6.05 • EC around 1.83 mS/cm By keeping the solution simple and reservoir-friendly, the AutoPot system can do exactly what it’s designed to do—deliver a consistent nutrient profile every time the AquaValve opens. ⸻ 📸 This Week Behind the Lens The photographs this week tell the story perfectly. Bird’s-eye shots reveal a beautifully balanced canopy beginning to fill its space, while the side views highlight strong vertical development and excellent branch formation. One image captures the AquaValve itself—the tiny mechanical heart of the AutoPot system quietly doing its job. Another shows the reservoir that now feeds the plant automatically, reminding us that successful growing isn’t always about adding complexity. Sometimes it’s about making things simpler. ⸻ 🔍 Looking Ahead Next week should be incredibly exciting. With the AutoPot system now fully active and Blueberry Muffin comfortably settled into automated feeding, I expect vertical growth to accelerate as flowering becomes more established. The coming days should reveal the first real stretch, increased flower development, and an even more defined canopy. The real show is only just beginning. ⸻ 💚 Thank You A huge thank you to everyone following this adventure—from day one supporters to those who have only recently joined. Whether you’re here to learn, share ideas, ask questions, cheer the plants on, or even challenge my methods, every interaction helps make this diary a better place for growers around the world. Special thanks to: 💚 GrowDiaries for providing a platform where growers can document their journeys openly. Zamnesia for the incredible Blueberry Muffin genetics that continue to impress with their vigor and structure. 🌱 Plagron for supplying the nutrition and soil that keep these plants thriving. 💡 Future of Grow LED for delivering the light that drives every stage of development. And finally… Thank you for taking the time to follow along. Every comment, every question, every bit of encouragement—and yes, even every constructive criticism—helps this project grow alongside the plants themselves. Growers Love and see you next week, where I hope Blueberry Muffin begins to show us exactly why she’s earned her place in this 8×8 adventure. 🌱💚