Why Every Step Matters (crosspost with /cannabiscultivation)

(I'm writing this for 2 communities so apologies if you see it multiple times.)

I've been growing in my garage for almost 3 years, ever since it became legal in my state. Over that time I've had about 10 harvests to varying levels of success. I started with a single 4x4 tent with a single 100 watt light and was able to yield around 5 ounces of extremely airy, larfy buds from 4 plants. Last harvest, in my 5x10 with 1,400 watts of light, we were able to harvest almost 4 pounds. To say that it's been a learning experience would be an understatement.

I am by NO MEANS a professional at growing and any single person working in the actual industry would likely put my knowledge level to shame. But at the end of the day, I grow some pretty fire weed, in my garage, and my friends and family always seem to hang out more when there's a good supply on hand.

Fuck me, I am high and realized that I'm rambling on like hell. Ok, let's find the point here.

I'm getting pretty good at growing but I still make mistakes and I still learn extremely valuable lessons with every grow. Here's the very humbling mistake I learned this time.

If you like to pop your tap roots using the paper towel method, do no, under any circumstances, let them root too long. If they do, they will dig into the paper towel and extracting them will likely damage them, resulting in stunted plants.

I always use the paper towel method when I'm prepping my seeds for planting. (You take your seed, put it in a damp paper towel, and place it in a ziplock bag in a warm, wet place.) My golden rule is to never let them sit more than 48 hours. I usually grab them at the 48 hour mark and put them in the growing medium. This last time, for some idiot reason, I let them go an extra day. I think in my underdeveloped brain I thought that 48 hours = good so 72 hours MUST = GREAT!

It didn't. May I present exhibits A, B, and C. (all 3 are auto flowers from Fast Buds and Fast Buds grows monsters so don't shit on them.)

Exhibit A is Pineapple Express. This is the seed that popped a (no joking) 3 inch tap root. And this lucky lady happened to pop that root directly between two sheets of paper towel. She came out clean and once planted, had a sprout within 24 hours. She's aggressive to an almost non-consensual level.

Exhibit B (front right) is Ztrawberriez. This seed popped her taproot in a slightly woven manner into one of the paper towels. I THOUGHT I got her out clean but it's very apparent that some of her smaller roots were likely lost during the extraction.

Exhibit C (back left) is OG Kush. This seed dug straight into the paper towel and snapped probably 1/3 off the tip during extraction.

Exhibit D (RIP lil homie) Lost the bulk of her taproot. To my surprise, she actually sprouted. But within a week it was clear that she couldn't get any nutrients and she died.

Pineapple Express is a monster. She's growing like all of my plants grew last round (which is why I'm confident with the genetics.) The plant will hit 6 feet tall tomorrow and will likely need some HST neck snappage to keep her from burning to death on the light.

The other two plants are showing some insane differences. Ztrawberriez is a BEAUTIFUL plant. Like, she may be one of the most photogenic plants I've grown. Structure, shape, the bud development, it's all top notch. She's just........small. She literally looks like the plant she SHOULD be, only zoomed out. It sucks. I'm glad to see her grow and I'm sure the yield will be fine. But man.....what could have been.

OG Kush is a weird one. That plant legitimately has NO BUDS currently showing. It just keeps growing pre flower sites and more leaves. It LOOKS like there is some sort of bud/leaf hybrid forming in the center of the main colas but she's waaaaay behind her sisters. Gemini seems to think she's just focusing more on veg still and hasn't truly flipped yet. This tracks because I gave them a massive haircut last week and she's back to full bush despite being a landing strip 7 days ago.

Dang, I'm sorry about all the words. I decided to make this post on my laptop instead of my phone and apparently I forgot just how much faster I am at typing than I am with my thumbs. Also.....Blue Dream = word vomit mode apparently.

Moral of the story: stick to what you know. There was legitimately zero reason for me to let them marinate another day and I'm paying the price now. On the plus side, having smaller and fewer plants means Pineapple Express gets the entire left side to herself. We may see a new single plant champion!

TL:DR - Don't fuck up your tap roots and always be willing to learn from your mistakes. Every grow brings new challenges!