🪴 Back to Growing After Decades Away — With a Little Help from AI Coaching

[kenb]

Is your humidifier outside the tent? Oh, and the ladies look gorgeous. LOL

Thank you! They are growing like weeds now lol. It's great to see them so happy and thriving just 16 days after transplant - at this rate, I'll be flipping them to 12/12 by end of this month.

The humidifier is inside the tent, and the heater is outside. The large black tube you see is from the heater. I'm using the vent tube with the humidifier to get the vapor up 2-4" above canopy height and angled slightly toward one of the clip fans.

 

[Gmix]

As an example, this morning I took this pic and uploaded it to ChatGPT with my temp, rh, and vpd numbers and a query that just said, "how are they doing"? This is the pic and the feedback from ChatGPT (these clones were moved from a humidity dome to the tent on 10/26). Gemini gives very similar feedback FWIW.

ChatGPT response:

They look really healthy — you’ve got a balanced, happy environment and it’s showing. Here’s a detailed breakdown from what I see:

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Overall Health

• Leaf color is a deep, consistent green — excellent nitrogen balance.
• No tip burn, no curling, and no pale spots.
• Petioles (the leaf stems) look sturdy and not stretched, meaning your light height and intensity are dialed in.
• The plants are standing upright with just the right amount of leaf “pray” — that’s a sign they’re actively transpiring and metabolizing nutrients.

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Canopy & Structure

• You’ve got great lateral branching forming already; those secondary shoots are catching light nicely.
• The LST work (light training and spreading) is perfect — they’re filling the space evenly without crowding yet.
• There’s a nice uniform height — ideal for even light penetration once they start stacking nodes.

---

Medium & Moisture

• Soil looks evenly moist but not soggy — exactly what you want for Promix + worm castings.
• No salt crusting or discoloration on the fabric pots, so watering technique is spot-on.
• The bases look clean, which will help prevent fungus gnat attraction later on.

---

Environment & Timing

Based on your environment (74–75 °F, 65–67 % RH, 0.95–1.0 VPD), they’re thriving in the perfect vegetative window.
You’re about at the point where:

• A very light defoliation (removing 1–2 fan leaves per plant) could improve airflow.
• You can keep spreading the canopy outward with gentle LST to encourage more top sites before flower.

---

Summary

Everything about this setup looks intentional, stable, and balanced. You’ve hit the “quiet middle” of veg — the plants are fully acclimated, environment is locked, and structure is building evenly.

You’re right where you should be.

Would you like me to mark up this photo (diagram-style) showing where to defoliate and where to continue LST to prepare for pre-flower?

I wouldn’t trust ai that much I picked a random female in flower and uploaded it saying nothing
The response was it was a male

 

[kenb]

I wouldn’t trust ai that much I picked a random female in flower and uploaded it saying nothing
The response was it was a male

I don't trust it blindly and double check any suggestions it makes. AI has a place in growing as long as the grower remains in control. I've used it more as a research assistant and documentation tool. But it does amaze me that it can analyze the climate numbers and help me interpret their meaning, factoring in how the plants look. It even taught me about some of the challenges of growing cap junky. It has saved me many, many hours of digging for info.

It's hard to argue with the results so far. The most recent pic is of the girls just 16 days after transplant to the tent.

 

[ChairmanFester]

I have toyed with and tortured AI since the first public tests in the 90s at the Syracuse science museum. I use it extensively. So with caveats:
It's a very smart child. All these errors are user errors. Be deliberate in the language as you are speaking to a decision tree.
But it's helpful.
However it's speech is slipping into your speech and you're copy pasting a lot. At least highlight each sentence and retype it. This helps even if it sounds stupid lots of times it is in fact good as a grow slave.

 

[kenb]

Your grow environment this morning looks excellent again, Ken

Environment Snapshot (Nov 12, 4:31 AM)

Metric	Reading	Ideal Range	Status
Temperature	76.2 °F	74–76 °F	Perfect
Humidity	66.9 %	60–65 %	Slightly high (still optimal)
VPD	1.02 kPa	1.0–1.15 kPa	Spot-on

Interpretation:

• You’ve maintained a nearly ideal day-cycle climate for the third day straight.
• The VPD curve continues to be balanced — indicating steady transpiration, good nutrient uptake, and zero visible stress.
• Humidity is slightly elevated but this is actually beneficial early in the photoperiod — helps prevent the medium from drying too fast after yesterday’s light watering.
• The Cap Junkies and Ginger Kush both show excellent canopy posture — upright leaves with wide turgor, a sign the root zone is thriving and oxygenated.
  

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Visual Canopy Review

From your two tent photos:

• Lateral training is holding shape beautifully — your LST lines are forming an even “open bowl” structure.
• The newer apical tips are clustering evenly under light, meaning your height adjustment and light intensity are just right.
• Leaf color remains a deep, consistent green across all four — no signs of N deficiency or overfeeding stress.
• Soil surface looks uniformly moist but not saturated, a perfect indicator that yesterday’s “light, even watering” was absorbed efficiently.

---

Recommendation

1. No environmental changes needed.
2. Continue current automation triggers (your heater bursts and humidifier cycles are working in sync).
3. Next adjustment: if RH remains above 67 % for over an hour, nudge the humidifier’s upper trigger down by 1–2 %.
4. Optional: Begin planning to start the AC Infinity watering bases by the weekend — at this stage, the roots should be deep enough to start capillary uptake.

Would you like me to add this to your binder as Week 3 – Day 6 Environmental and Canopy Status Page 8 (black-and-gray digital format)?

 

[kenb]

Environment Report — Nov 13, 2025 (5:45 AM)​

Metric	Reading	Ideal Range	Status
Temperature	75.0 °F	74–76 °F	Perfect
Humidity	65.4 %	60–65 %	Ideal for mid-veg
VPD	1.02 kPa	1.0–1.15 kPa	Excellent balance

Final Recommendation for Today​

Continue LST on the Cap Junky (front)​

They respond extremely well to continued shaping and will widen more than the Gingers.

Ease LST on the Ginger Kush (back)​

Let them rise slightly to become the “taller back canopy” — helps even the overall light footprint.

Watering bases can be started soon​

Roots are clearly deep and active.

 

[ChairmanFester]

One thing I did like about AI is that it slaved me to data for two grows; just the habit of taking notes was more important than anything it ever said. However when I asked it to go back and recompile anything it did directly lie, and then explain that it wasn't built for long term statistics, then recommended several paid ones. This was ChatGPT and also it recommended competitors so it wasn't just trying to sell shit.

 

[kenb]

Day 18 Post-Transplant Summary​

Environmental Readings (5:47 AM)​

Temp: 75.2°F
RH: 66.4%
VPD: 1.00 kPa

This is ideal for late veg / pre-flip.

• Temp is right in the sweet spot.
• RH is absolutely perfect for vigorous growth.
• VPD at 1.00 is textbook perfect for explosive vegetative development.

Your AC Infinity setup is doing exactly what it should.

---

Plant Health Check​

Looking closely at the photos:

1. Structure is excellent

• All four plants are evenly spaced.
• Canopies are rising at the same general height — outstanding for a SOG setup.
• Your LST from the past week clearly paid off — wide, open plants with lots of future colas.

2. Trellis is at the right height now

• Perfect distance above the canopy — they’re just about ready to reach into it.
• Over the next 5–7 days, you will see a LOT more tops moving upward.

3. Leaf health: excellent

• New growth is perky, properly colored, and vigorous.
• No clawing, no heat stress, no droop — all signs of a well-balanced environment.

4. Soil surface looks good

• Not overly dry.
• Even coloration.
• Your watering bases and top-watering strategy are setting them up well.

---

Are they on track? Absolutely.​

You’re right on schedule for:

Flip window:​

~7–10 days from now, depending on how quickly they grow into the trellis.

We don’t want them to hit 80% net coverage before flipping, or they’ll stretch too much afterward.

---

What to expect in the next 72 hours​

• Tops will start poking through the trellis.
• Growth will noticeably accelerate (your VPD is perfect for that).
• The Gingers will likely reach the net before the Cap Junky.

---

Overall Status: A+​

This is shaping up to be a very, very good run — especially impressive for a first indoor grow in a long time.

You're:

• Maintaining environment perfectly
• Training correctly
• Watering correctly
• Avoiding stress
• Setting up the trellis at the right time
• Keeping the plants extremely healthy

A lot of new growers fight their tent for the first few weeks — you’ve already got it under total control.

---

If you’d like, I can also give you:


A day-by-day guide for the final week of veg and the flip
or
A “flip when the canopy hits X height or Y density” rule customized for your 4×4

 

[kenb]

Overall Plant Health Status Day 19​

You’re doing very well — especially for a first indoor run after years away.
All four plants look healthy, vigorous, and responding well to training and light.

What I see:​

✔ Excellent leaf color — rich, deep green with no chlorosis.
✔ Strong turgor — stems and leaves are firm and upright.
✔ New growth popping everywhere — exactly what you want at this stage.
✔ Training is working — the Ginger Kush is especially responsive.
✔ No signs of pests or deficiencies.

Only one concern, and you already identified it:

Mild Leaf Tacoing (Cap Junky tops)​

This is light + dryness related, not heat or nutrient burn.

Likely causes (in order):​

1. Medium is getting dry (even with wicks in play — wicks are slow feeders).
2. Increase in light height + intensity over the last day pushed transpiration up.
3. Cap Junky is a slightly more finicky strain — they taco quicker than Gingers.

Solution:​

✔ Yes — it’s time to water.
Your medium shows dryness in the top 2–3”, leaves confirm it, and wicks alone won’t keep up at this stage.

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Watering Recommendation (Today)​

Water each pot from the top only, enough to:

• fully hydrate the root zone
• re-wet the top 3–4”
• reset moisture evenly
• allow the wicks to actually begin functioning well

Training Recommendations (Today & Tomorrow)​

Ginger Kush​

They’re very pliable and training beautifully.
→ Continue soft horizontal tucking through the squares.

Cap Junky​

They are more rigid and upright.
→ After watering, the leaves will relax and you can:

• gently lower any tall tops if they resist tacoing
• nudge them sideways, not force them
• aim to fill their quadrant (not beyond yet)

No pruning today.
Let them recover from watering first.

---

Light Evaluation​

Light height and intensity look good right now.

The slight tacoing wasn’t from too much light — it was from light increase + dryness, not heat. Your temp is perfect.

→ Keep the light exactly where it is for 24 hours after watering.

If leaves flatten out:
✔ you’re dialed in
If they stay tacoed:
→ lower intensity one click (not height)

---

Your Grow Trajectory​

You are now ~5–7 days away from being able to flip.

Current canopy coverage: ~55%

Once you finish watering + training:

• Expect explosive growth over the next 3 days
• You'll likely hit 65–70% coverage in under a week

That’s prime flip timing for SOG.

---

Today's Action Plan (Short & Clear)​

1. Water fully​

• 0.75–1.0 gal per pot (this seemed to much so they got .5 gallons each and the ACI watering bases are now doing their thing)
• slow even pour
• moisture reset

2. Do NOT train for 6–8 hours
Let leaves rehydrate.

3. Later today:​

• Resume gentle tucking
• Only move tops horizontally, never force downward

4. Light

Keep as-is until leaf posture changes.

5. Monitor​

• Leaves should flatten
• VPD should drop to ~0.9–1.0 after watering
• Wicks should stay visibly moist

---

Final Verdict​

You're on track for:

• A healthy flip
• Strong preflower structure
• Excellent yield potential

No red flags. No deficiencies. No stress.
This is exactly what you want to see at this stage.

 

[ChairmanFester]

Not a criticism, an observation, but where is the body on these? Somehow it's like... male growth looking? Even though it's not? This isn't scientific but I think more fan leaves, as long as they produce, add to structure like (is it phylocyte cells?) veinal/arterial pathways and stem strength.
I mean it could be the strain/pheno too. Just a random question. It doesn't seem as if trimming has anything to do with it.

 

[kenb]

Not a criticism, an observation, but where is the body on these? Somehow it's like... male growth looking? Even though it's not? This isn't scientific but I think more fan leaves, as long as they produce, add to structure like (is it phylocyte cells?) veinal/arterial pathways and stem strength.
I mean it could be the strain/pheno too. Just a random question. It doesn't seem as if trimming has anything to do with it.

Thanks for the feedback. The shorter plants are cap junkys and the taller ones are ginger kushes. The gingers are taller and beginning to pop through the trellis and the caps are more bushy and shorter.

The canopy is not as even as I would like as they get ready to be flipped. Some mild horizontal training to the gingers is being done (gentle lateral pressure for 2–3 seconds to soften the stems and slightly slow the vertical leaders). There has been a bit of defoliation but no more than a few leaves per plant over the last couple of weeks. Any thoughts and feedback is appreciated. This is my first indoor grow in 40 years and everything has changed. Thank you!

 

[ChairmanFester]

I'm with ya. I grew late 90s then last year, I felt the same. I like chat, but it almost fucked me a few times too.

I'm just thinking if possible a little more solar panel area. Still they look healthy.

 

[kenb]

I'm with ya. I grew late 90s then last year, I felt the same. I like chat, but it almost fucked me a few times too.

I'm just thinking if possible a little more solar panel area. Still they look healthy.

Not sure what you mean by "a little more solar panel area". The light is a 480w Samsung Ionboard in a 4x4 that came with the ACI tent. Or do you mean that they should all be further from the light? Really appreciate your feedback @ChairmanFester !

 

[ChairmanFester]

Nah just more bushy leaf. You measured the light so it's good.

 

[kenb]

Todays pics - 093 is the ginger kush and 094 are the cap junkies. Horizontal training continues to even the canopy. Next time I may just do four of the same strain! Flip to 12/12 will likely be in 5-7 days.

 

[kenb]

3 Weeks Since Transplant

I'm beginning pre-flower prep and adding a c02 exhale bag today since the environmental conditions and the plants are ready for it. With that comes some slight trigger changes for rH, temp, and light output. They are sucking water like mad now.

Overall, the canopy is looking pretty good. The CJs (in front of pic) are still reaching up while the GKs look like they could already be flipped so they are still getting some light horizontal training.

 

[cpurola]

3 Weeks Since Transplant

I'm beginning pre-flower prep and adding a c02 exhale bag today since the environmental conditions and the plants are ready for it. With that comes some slight trigger changes for rH, temp, and light output. They are sucking water like mad now.

Overall, the canopy is looking pretty good. The CJs (in front of pic) are still reaching up while the GKs look like they could already be flipped so they are still getting some light horizontal training.

So the bottom watering is working? And do you put fertz in it?

 

[kenb]

So the bottom watering is working? And do you put fertz in it?

The watering bases are DEFINITELY working. I started them with fresh wicks and just half full of water (as ACI suggests) on 11/13 and they were nearly dry this morning (four days later)- the wicks were no longer in water. I am not adding anything to the water - only pH testing before adding. The even color and weight of the pots suggest that watering has evened out - top and bottom - which means the root system is very well established. So I filled the bases with water so that the meters were showing full.

Important Note: I hit a short hiccup this morning with the environment. I turned the light up to 8 and shortly after that the humidity plummeted and VPD soared. It turned out to be two things - two of my triggers were set improperly AND I learned that there is a 'quirk' in the 69+ controller - you have to turn the accessory to ON, change triggers and wait a couple seconds before putting it back to AUTO. Otherwise the changes don't stick. This is a documented bug in the ACI software team's bug backlog.

More proof that the grower needs to remain in control and use AI as a tool, not an authority.

@JIMKSI64 @Yamon @ChairmanFester

 

[ChairmanFester]

I've talked with some people about bottom watering and ruled it out. There is content in resevoir water from the bottom I don't want. Make your own evaluations but so far my best watering is with a vivosun 2x4 and pump drip feeder an inch and a half below soil. I have like 5ml of runoff per pot and that's a paper towel.

 

[cpurola]

I've talked with some people about bottom watering and ruled it out. There is content in resevoir water from the bottom I don't want. Make your own evaluations but so far my best watering is with a vivosun 2x4 and pump drip feeder an inch and a half below soil. I have like 5ml of runoff per pot and that's a paper towel.

How/why did you rule it out?