The Phosphoload Dilemma, Flowering Phases

Actions:
-Trimmed net cups, favoring top half of trees
-Positioned net cups for increased light distribution under T5
-Rearranged some PW mid pots under HPS
-Cleaned out garage, procured some equipment and tools

CLONES
The clones I made yesterday are standing straight without any signs of stress so far. I poured some of the extra cloning water in the trays before I closed all the lids, which is pH balanced and infused with a rooting supplement.

VEG
All the plants that were trimmed seem to be in recovery, although leaves look noticeably more pronounced than yesterday. This is probably due to the availability of water in the pots, and I suspect that tomorrow they will be drooping as they were yesterday due to lack of water.

Interestingly, a few of the trees under MH look just as healthy, if not healthier, than the trees under HPS. Considering that the trees under MH were put in a few weeks after those under HPS, it would seem that my theory about using PW mid pots would hold true here. I'm still unsure about when I want to top them, but I will probably top them as early as one month before bloom, given that my newly made clones have a high rate of rooting.

Rearranging the plants under HPS will be crucial in the next few weeks. It is imperative that any superfluous branches are trimmed this week to allow healing time and growth of major branches before they're bloomed.

MASTER
Powdery mildew is back with a vengeance yet again, and I'm considering cutting out Bubba from the rotation altogether to prevent any future problems with PM. In the last harvest, I yielded about two ounces of Bubba that I haven't sold for fear of rejection due to mildew. Mildew on bubba, and in general, has been a problem since closing L's house two years ago.

Bud formation seems to be definite right now, but I'm not expecting much from this harvest. The colas aren't forming as big as I'd hoped for, and they've also begun ripening. It's possible that I may have introduced Overdrive too early, as well as Phosphoload. It's becoming obvious now that implementing SCROG while using Phosphoload had disastrous results in the Master. Not only was there insufficient vertical growth, but Phosphoload seemed to cause inconsistent bud formations throughout the room. From an economic standpoint, Bubba seems to be the most appealing choice of strain using this method since it doesn't rely on vertical growth and seems to bud adequately regardless. I estimate that this room will yield nearly 3 lbs, but it will depend entirely on how well the Bubba yields. The other strains, including Abusive despite its performance in the past, will not have have a substantial impact on the final number.

MIDDLE
Powdery mildew, again, has gravitated towards Bubba, although most of the other trees remain unaffected by the spread. Much of the canopy is sitting evenly, with sub branches not quite reaching the height I hoped for. Vertical growth has halted for the most part, and the buds have begun to sprout. Being that it's in the middle of its third week in bloom, I will refrain from using Phosphoload here.

THE PHOSPHOLOAD DILEMMA
Research suggests that Phosphoload, Bushload, and other so-called "hardeners" contain harmful, cancer-causing carcinogens. Given my lack of knowledge in chemistry, I can only assume that there is a significant danger if used improperly, as was the case with H's Bushload recipe, where much of his crop produced thick orange hairs that had to be trimmed off, it can be hazardous, but with careful use, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. There are, however, other concerns regarding Phosphoload that should be addressed before using it again.

There is a consensus among people talking about Phosphoload that it halts vertical growth immediately and that it initiates the plant to start producing flowers. In fact, it could be said that it could actually decrease yields due to its nature of speeding the flowering process. Phosphoload, in particular, when used "correctly," speeds up the natural bloom phase to the point that it can ripen a week earlier than originally intended. If this is true, it is understandable that using Phosphoload could actually reduce yields.

Phosphoload is intended for use during Weeks 3-4, and it is important to understand what's happening with the trees during this time. Instead of looking at the bloom phase by the weeks, they should be observed by stages of flowering over an 8-week cycle:

Early-Flowering (Week 1-3)
The initial phase of blooming consists of residual vegetative growth as the plant becomes acclimated to its new environment. This is where most of the vertical growth occurs. Under the proper conditions, the plant will stretch to consume as much light as possible. Calyxes, the actual buds themselves, will begin to form out of the "heads" of the branches along with white pistils, and more so wherever the plant is closest to the light.

Phosphorus is said to play a major role during this period; the total amount of phosphorus absorbed by the plant apparently takes place during the first quarter of its life. Lights should be raised high (about three feet) above the canopy than during the rest of the flowering stage, otherwise a calcium deficiency will develop from the high intensity of the light. This also disproves the theory that giving the most amount of light early will stimulate growth.

Mid-Flowering (Week 4-6)
This is where the entire structure of the plant is set. Vertical growth slows and calyxes form into colas. Any calyxes that haven't received adequate light and favorable growing conditions will stall in development, and colas will be noticeably smaller than desired. Taking into consideration that colas take their full shape during this stage of the process, this is where yield is also decided.

Late-Flowering (Week 7-8)
Colas harden, THC production is at its peak, and pistils will undergo necrosis (turn orange) as the plant reaches full maturity and potency. Colas stop increasing in surface area, but will still continue to gain density slightly. This is where the true quality of the product is decided.

With regards to Phosphoload, it is understandable that using too much of it could reduce yields because the colas haven't had adequate time and nutrients to build on themselves. Phosphoload and other similar products seem to force the plant to essentially "skip" part of the early flowering stage, and perhaps even rush it to late flowering. This could hold true in the Master room during this rotation, where colas weren't fully developed during the application of Phosphoload. Instead, small colas ripened within the following week, and with three more weeks remaining in the cycle, many of the plants seemed to show signs of late flowering, with increased THC production and orange pistils.

It is worth mentioning that Bubba didn't show any unusual signs of deficiencies or toxicities, while Abusive produced smaller colas despite having more than adequate lighting and a wide canopy. It is also possible that the combination of Phosphoload, early Overdrive during Week 4-5, and SCROG was overall detrimental to yield. The last harvest in the Master consisted of Abusive, True OG, and Sour, which yielded a total of 4.5+ lbs. with Phosphoload in Week 4, Overdrive in Week 5-8, and no fucking SCROG. Any detraction from this schedule relative to how the plant seems to progress would probably hurt my yields.

The Ethical Dilemma
Plant growth regulators are used for ornamental plants to keep them shorter for logistical purposes, such as trees grown under power lines. In cannabis, plant growth regulators present easy, cost-effective ways to contain plant growth to optimal sizes with minimal manipulation through SCROG, trimming, topping, FIM, etc. The problem with plant growth regulators is that most of them are banned in the United States, and are generally considered hazardous for crops grown for human consumption. There is no conclusive research to determine if Phosphoload or Bushload make cannabis toxic, but it nevertheless presents an ethical dilemma.

For the business to sustain profitability, quality and yield must go hand-in-hand. A respectable weight-to-light ratio with a low-quality product can result in a surplus, even with solid distribution channels and favorable market conditions. Growing high-quality products at lower yields can still be a sustainable business model given the same conditions, albeit with a considerably higher level of physical and mental strain. From a business standpoint, the pros of using Phosphoload outweigh the cons; when used correctly, Phosphoload can dramatically increase yields while maybe slightly degrading quality. In extreme cases I might have to lower the price by 10-20%, but 5 lbs at $2200 is much better than 3 lbs at $2500, assuming quality is actually compromised, which wouldn't happen in most cases.

On the other hand, using Phosphoload raises ethical questions:
-Do we sacrifice the integrity of our product for the sake of profit?
-Despite the fact that there is still no conclusive data to say that Phosphoload, in particular, is dangerous to people, would it be irresponsible to use it anyway?
-Do we justify the use of plant growth regulators by the simple fact that we need to compete with other growers who use them?
-Is selling cannabis infused with Phosphoload any different from selling cannabis treated with fungicide, miticide, or any other chemicals that could also be considered hazardous for human consumption?
-If higher profits are impossible without compromising the safety of our product, do we go for it anyway?

These are questions that strike at the core of how we intend to operate not only in this industry, but in any industry. In the beginning of my career in cannabis, I would have done whatever was necessary to sustain profit, even at the cost of my own health. But given my experience over the last five years, I am fairly confident in my ability to produce a high quality product that is safe for consumption. This will, however, require an increased investment of time, money, effort, and forethought into keeping all the variables in my operation in equilibrium.