Northern Lights - Spring 2026 Indoor

juliando · May 16, 2026

Next Indoor run will be Northern Lights. I was excited to receive these seeds from Homegrown Cannabis for a number of reasons - First, this is one of the first strains I ever grew. Back in the mid/late 90s when it was still sketchy buying seeds online (and even sketchier to grow) we managed to get them from somewhere in Canada. So Im looking forward to seeing how this compares - its been awhile, but still.
Also, Ive been growing Sativa dominant for the past few years now and Im looking forward to any type of Indica for once.

Taking no chances, broke down and Nuked the Veg tent today - bleach spray best I could (all surfaces and flaps and nooks and zippers and things)

Ive started 3, Ill keep one indoors, in soil here. My hope is for 12 weeks total - 4 weeks veg ending with a 90° stem bend, and 8 weeks of flower (and Ill keep one outside too, just to compare)

Ninjadogma · May 16, 2026

juliando said:
Next Indoor run will be Northern Lights. I was excited to receive these seeds from Homegrown Cannabis for a number of reasons - First, this is one of the first strains I ever grew. Back in the mid/late 90s when it was still sketchy buying seeds online (and even sketchier to grow) we managed to get them from somewhere in Canada. So Im looking forward to seeing how this compares - its been awhile, but still.
Also, Ive been growing Sativa dominant for the past few years now and Im looking forward to any type of Indica for once.
View attachment 2641871

Taking no chances, broke down and Nuked the Veg tent today - bleach spray best I could (all surfaces and flaps and nooks and zippers and things)
View attachment 2641874
Ive started 3, Ill keep one indoors, in soil here. My hope is for 12 weeks total - 4 weeks veg ending with a 90° stem bend, and 8 weeks of flower (and Ill keep one outside too, just to compare)

Looking forward to following your grow with those NL #10. I'll be starting some in a few weeks myself.

juliando · May 18, 2026

2 days - 2 sprouts, impressive. I figured 1 was big enough to plant (didnt want it to grow into the paper towel) Ill give the other another day. If the 3rd doesnt open by the end of the week, ill probably try one more.

Got her in promix with a dome on the heat pad until it can break the surface.

But the tents are empty, clean and smellin like a public pool - so, good to let things sit empty and air out a bit.

Also, I still have a 300w blurple light that ive had good flowering results with in the past, thinkin I may want to bust it out for one of these. Not sure if its the spectrum or the intensity that does it, but the results were prettt great. This is a blue dream from a few years back.

juliando · May 20, 2026

All 3 opened up (so i wont try any more for now) and got all 3 in soil - 1 day between each planting. The last one is still domed on the heat pad for now, but will go outside eventually.
Took the domes off the 2 in the veg tent, turned the light down to 75% and dropped it to 30"

Ill see how they act/stretch at first, but will probably turn the light back up to 100% after they add a few inches of height.

I usually keep their feet wet for the first 3 weeks (or so) then give them their first dry out and feed after. But, depends on how they act - Ive had some strains that needed feed sooner, so TBD.

juliando · May 24, 2026

All 3 up...and I think mostly on track for 5 days (oldest) to 3 days (youngest)
Temps dropped down again to high 40s outside, so it got a little cool in here (low 60s) So I thought they may have slowed down a bit? (Maybe just paranoid)
Hoping to keep the soil on the warm side - I lowered the ventilation a little to let the light raise the temperature.

juliando · May 27, 2026

A few days in the 80s and theyre back on track, mostly. One still pretty small for 7 days - but Ill give her a chance. I only have the tent space for 2, so just as well.

Maybe Ill put her in "time-out" with my other spare clones - Ive got a table with some low power LEDs on 18hrs light where I keep spare strain bonzais I dont have time for.

juliando · May 31, 2026

Now that everyones established and settled, time to start playin with lights. Decided to transfer now instead of switching later at flower.
I have the 300w 9-band blurple light set up in the flower tent.

I had them all in the veg tent under the VS1000, 100% @ 30"
But only 1 was really happy about it, 1 was neutral and 1 was still sort of stalled.

I dropped the VS1000 down to 28" then 26" after a few days, just to see - and to prepare 1 for its move over to the 300w light. And the results were a little surprising...

The largest one did not appreciate the change, eventually started to shrink away. The stalled one perked up immediately and the middle one remained neutral.

So (as a test) figuring the little one was light hungry - I moved her over to the 300w 100% @ 40" and she loved it. Figuring the neutral (middle sized) one would tolerate the increase in light as well I moved her over too.

Leaving the largest by itself in veg to recuperate, with the light back up @ 30" where she likes it - fingers crossed.

And if the other 2 stay happy Ill continue to drop the 300w over time. Whoever does best will flower in that tent, the other maybe goes outside or something, idk.

juliando · Jun 3, 2026

Couple days under the new light and theyve really responded. Ive continued to drop it a few inches each day, down to 34" - if anything they seem to be stretching for it, so Ill keep lowering.

The one left in the "veg" tent, that responded poorly to the light being lowered, has perked up some. I have the light at 32", still relatively compact but Ill see what the new growth does before I change anything again.

Just about ready for repotting, as soon as I can see a root at the bottom. Maybe a bit early for a feed at 2 weeks (I usually wait until 3) but theyve been workin hard so I gave everybody a little bit of 1/4 dose 2-2-2.

juliando · Jun 5, 2026

Saw some root poking out of the bottom of the smaller pots, so got 2 repotted today in 3 gallons. Theyre standing a little taller in the big pots so I moved the light up a little to try and keep it consistent - not stress them anymore than I have to.

Gave the soil another light feed when I wet it down before repot, fox farms grow 6-4-4 and some guano/worm casting solution.

Not done stressing them out yet, next week theyll probably get their first pest treatment - maybe even 90° bend (depending on how they stretch in the new pots) although the oldest is still growing very compact - so I may just leave it as is.

juliando · Jun 10, 2026

Oldest is now 24 days, all 3 settled into their 3g pots - seeing some good growth all around.

Oldest is still sort of compact but stretching a little, It'll be another interesting comparison if I leave this one intact instead of LSTing it. Ended up with the light at 22" and seems like shes reaching up for a change after being so sensitive earlier. She may get 5 weeks veg (or longer if she stays this squat)

The youngest is lovin the 300w at 16"
Right on track for a 90° bend at 4 weeks or earlier.

The 3rd is also in a 3g and now adjusted to natural sunlight, always a bit stunted shes actually makin some moves now. So not exactly a fair comparison with the other 2 - but still interested to see the results.

nowthenourkid · Jun 11, 2026

Looking good. NL is a classic, grew 2 recently and have been smoking it the last week. A potent smoke and low odour when in flower which is important to me.
Enjoy the grow.

juliando · Jun 13, 2026

First bend today for the largest plant. I was waiting for 3 sets below the bend site - but the plant got really woody, really quick. Only the very top seemed tender enough to bend easily, and didnt want to risk breaking anything.

Maybe because I had the fan a little strong? Or maybe its a strain thing...Mostly normal - but seems like a slight difference from the sativas im used to working with. Strains that are a bit thinner, lankier and easier to push around. Whatever, Ill take it slow and move it in stages - eventually anchor it to the side of the pot.

If I hadnt started bending, Id need to cut the light real soon - not much height to work with and this girl is movin fast.

nowthenourkid · Jun 13, 2026

Would you cut the top off, and plant it?

juliando · Jun 13, 2026

nowthenourkid said:
Would you cut the top off, and plant it?

No...I dont like actually topping my plants (If I can help it)
The 90° bend doesnt kill the top, just stalls it out and lets the lower sets catch up (usually buys me a couple extra weeks before I need to flip the lights)

- example

And my best clones usually come from smaller, diagonal growth with a few leaf nodes at the base. Depends on the plant I guess, some are super hardy and vigorous - so I dont have to baby the clones as much or be as picky about which pieces I take.
But Im not sure if a small piece of a top would work? Never tried it.

nowthenourkid · Jun 13, 2026

I have bent them before and they have kinked, supported it so it didn't flop down and still grew a nice cola and kept the plant at a level height.

juliando · Jun 14, 2026

24hrs later, the bend is complete and I managed not to break anything.
Shes already compensating and really taking shape. The top is turning and the lower branches are reaching up through the canopy.

I know my original plan was for 4 weeks veg, but they did have that brief cold stall early on...anyway, that timeframe mightve been a bit too optimistic.

Looks like theyll both need 5-6 weeks veg, this one especially after the bend. But thatll give them a chance to build some real structure for bigger buds later on.

Because of my limited tent height, I often need to flower my intact/unbent plants a little early and sacrafice the stem bulk - so they end up with smaller whispier buds on most of the lower branches.
Which is why I started doing this to my plants.

juliando · Jun 16, 2026

The oldest plant under the 100w is starting to shape up as well, still short-ish but filling out nicely. And shes got quite the stink goin already, strong skunky flavor.

The light is at 22" now - definitely not reaching for it but seems adjusted after being so sensitive earlier.
Looks like shes gonna need another week or so as well.

juliando · Jun 21, 2026

I thought I had a few more days, but were running out of tent quickly. This plant is using just about 50% of the space already. Ive read indicas are less stretchy than sativas, 30-60% in flower - but I dont trust this one, shes a reacher.
I gave her a light bloom mix dose - organic bloom 1-3-1 + big bloom 0-.5-.7 and flipped the lights to 12/12.
I skipped the nitrogen because i just fed 6-4-4 on friday.

juliando · Jun 22, 2026

On the other hand - the "oldest" plant under the VS1000 is looking and acting very Indica, this is the Northern Lights I was looking for.

The leaves are so broad and the little branches so short that only 2 have made it out of the canopy. I dont think the others will ever break out, no matter how much tucking I do for the leaves - maybe trim them when she goes into flower?
I have little doubt this plant falls into the 30%-ish indica flower stretch catagory, judging by her slow growth and weak little t-rex arm branches. So Im gonna give her some more time to veg, maybe 60% of the tent height before I flip.

nowthenourkid · Thursday at 8:04 AM

Hi the 2 NL I grew were 12/12 from seed, one grew to 75cm a main cola and about 6 smaller ones. No training, other one about 50cm tall. Low odour in flower which is the reason I ordered them.
I have 3 seeds left. Will start one soon, top it and plant the top. But the first one will have maybe 6 weeks before I switch the lights. Maybe get a decent amount off it.

Northern Lights - Spring 2026 Indoor

Northern Lights - Spring 2026 Indoor

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Northern Lights - Spring 2026 Indoor

Northern Lights - Spring 2026 Indoor

Structured updates from the grower

Photos from this grow

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