Testing New Fastflower Releases and New Photoperiod Strains

• 1. Germination & early transplant differences

New Genetics: Testing Phase Begins

We are starting a new blog series dedicated to our finished projects that are now ready for testing. These are not early concepts or experimental ideas. These are completed genetic lines that have reached the stage where they must prove themselves in real conditions.

At this point, the focus shifts from development to evaluation. Each variety will go through a full testing cycle, where we will determine which ones truly meet our standards and which ones fall short. This process is strict, honest, and based entirely on performance.

In this series, you will see both new fast-flowering hybrids and photoperiod strains. Each of them brings its own potential, structure, and expression. However, only those that demonstrate stability, strong development, and consistent results will move forward.

This stage is about clarity. No assumptions, no expectations, only real results. Step by step, we will show how these genetics behave, how they develop, and which of them are truly ready to become part of our lineup.

Germination & Early Transplant Differences

Autoflowers vs Photoperiods

As always, after soaking the seeds, we transfer them into peat starter plugs. This remains our standard approach for a clean and controlled start, allowing each seedling to establish itself before moving into the main substrate.

At this stage, an important difference appears between autoflowering and photoperiod plants. Their behavior during early root development requires a slightly different approach.

Autoflowers do not respond well when their roots fully bind into the plug. For this reason, we transplant them as soon as the root tip becomes visible at the bottom, which usually happens around day two. Early transfer helps avoid unnecessary stress and allows the plant to continue developing without restriction.

Photoperiod plants behave differently. They benefit from allowing the root system to fully develop within the plug. Once the plug is well colonized by roots, we transplant it into coco. This gives the plant a stronger base and helps ensure stable growth in the next stage.

Understanding and respecting this difference allows us to maintain a smooth start for both types and avoid early-stage setbacks that could affect the entire cycle.

At this moment, 342 plants have been successfully transplanted into the system. This number sets a serious scale for the cycle and opens up a wide field for observation and selection.

With this volume, we are able to see a broad spectrum of genetic expression, compare behavior under identical conditions, and identify the strongest performers with high confidence.

An exciting cycle lies ahead. There is a lot to observe, a lot to compare, and even more to discover as these plants begin to reveal their true potential.

Mid‑Third Week Since Planting

Two weeks in, the canopy has thickened and the fabric pots show well‑established root systems - plants have shifted focus from early root development to confident upward growth, with side branches pushing out strong and even. Now is an excellent moment for a preventive spray to keep pests at bay and protect the crop while the plants are still resilient and recover quickly.

We finished a strict selection and now run with 285 of the strongest individuals. As each plant bulks up we’ll take sibling clones - the goal is to preserve every striking, useful phenotype that shows during flowering and carry those traits forward into our breeding lines.

Water demand has climbed, so we’ve moved to automated irrigation: roughly 500 ml of nutrient solution per plant each day, with a weekly flush to prevent coco salting and keep EC and pH stable. Plants are visibly thirstier and greener. Uptake and turgor are good, which bodes well for a clean, productive stretch into the next phase.

Overall the room looks energetic and honest - vigorous branching, solid root pressure, and steady biomass gain. Expect more detailed updates as these plants begin to express terpene notes and bud structure. Some true standouts are already hinting at what they’ll become.

Defoliation and topping.

After several weeks of steady development, the plants had put on substantial mass and established a strong structure. Both the central cola and the lateral branches developed evenly, demonstrating excellent vigor and healthy growth.

At this stage, however, our priority is clone production. We want the side branches to catch up with the main cola so that every cutting is equally strong and well-developed.

To achieve this, we'll remove excess fan leaves to improve light penetration and top the plants to encourage lateral growth. This will help create a more even canopy and produce strong, uniform clones for the next stage of the breeding program.

The plants now need a few days to recover from the training and defoliation. This recovery period allows them to rebuild their strength and develop vigorous new shoots, ensuring we can collect strong, healthy clones to preserve these genetics and continue the breeding program.

Cloning.

The recovery period is complete, and the plants have responded exceptionally well. They have regained their vigor, produced strong new shoots, and are now ready for the cloning stage.

By the end of the process, we had collected more than 2,000 clones from over 200 carefully selected mother plants. Each cutting was placed into a propagator and left in a stable, controlled environment to root under optimal conditions.

For a more detailed look at our cloning process, be sure to check out our dedicated cloning guide, where we cover every step in depth.

Waiting for the Clones to Root

After 7–10 days in a carefully controlled propagation environment, all of the clones had successfully developed healthy root systems and were ready for transplanting. Their uniform rooting and vigorous growth confirmed that the mother plants had produced strong, high-quality cuttings, providing an excellent foundation for the next stage of the breeding program.

After just a few more days in the propagators, all of the clones had successfully rooted and were already showing vigorous new growth. This confirmed that the cuttings taken from our selected mother plants had established well and we are were ready for the next stage.

With healthy backup copies now safely preserved, we can confidently return to the original mother plants and continue the breeding process, knowing that their genetics have been securely maintained for future selection and development.

While we were focused on rooting and transplanting the clones, the original mother plants continued to grow vigorously. They have now become noticeably bushier and require another round of defoliation and topping before moving on to the next stage.

With the preparation complete, the plants are ready to transition into flowering. Defoliation and topping have created a uniform canopy, while lower growth and unproductive flowering sites have been removed. This not only improves airflow and makes humidity easier to manage, but also redirects the plants' energy toward the strongest colas, ensuring more uniform development throughout the canopy.