AUGUST 16 to AUGUST 22, 2025
Insofar as fertigation, this week each specimen was provided a Top Dress of Dry Organic Amendments as described in the Nutrients section of this diary post. The top dress was watered in with a Liquid Amended Soil Drench with the following ingredients and measures (mL/L):
Bloom Liquid Plant Food (1-3-3) - 5.0mL/L of plain rainwater
Yucca Schidigera Liquid Extract - 0.25mL/L
Monosilic Acid - 0.5mL/L
Activated Beneficial Microbes - 5.0mL/L
- All products from Optimize Organics (https://www.optimizeorganics.ca/)
Both Lemon Orange specimens are growing with vigour, and well into the transition to bloom. Pairs of pistils are evident in several locations on each plant. Sunlight hours have dropped to under 14 hours (Sunrise 07:00, sunset 20:58). I am considering this Week 1 of flower.
Considerable height gain over the week, with a noticeable increase in inter-nodal spacing, particularly on Lemon Orange #2. Lemon Orange #1 is the shorter of the two phenotypes, slower growing, and not taking in near as much water/nutrient (did not need to be watered this week). Lemon Orange #1 has an average height across its 8 main growing shoots of 51cm, while Lemon Orange #2 is is near 68cm.
Neither specimen is overly smelly on their own, but when rubbed up against or manipulated the scent of citrus with an earthy after-tone is present.
Fungus gnats have found a home in the garden, and for now I've deployed yellow sticky traps to control the adults. More aggressive treatments of other parts of the lifecycle will likely be needed, and I am considering acquiring nematodes to add to my living soil.
DAY 99 - Top Dressed with dry organic amendments (Bloom mix); Watered in with Bloom Soil Drench Formula; Went fishing for a couple of days.
DAY 100 - n/a
DAY 101 - n/a
DAY 102 - 1L drip of plain rainwater at 08:30 via automated irrigation system; Returned from fishing trip in early afternoon (14:00), plants looked good, if not a bit uneven as a result of not being turned 1/4 clockwise over the past 3 days.
DAY 103 - Witnessed droop under full sun in early afternoon, across all specimens on the back bench (Blue Dynamite #2. Lemon Orange #2, Blue Dynamite #1). Drip watered 1.5L of plain rainwater to that bench of plants only, as the front bench with the small plants (Lemon Orange #1 and Purple Romulan) seemed as though the substrate was sufficiently moist.
DAY 104 - Prepared Compost Tea for application on Day 106, set to aerate for 36 hours.
DAY 105 - n/a