Flowering stage: 63 days

Total time, seed to harvest: 84 days

Final yield: 147 grams

THC content: 22.17%

Our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized was cultivated indoors in a controlled environment, equipped with multiple circulating fans to move air within the garden area and an inline exhaust fan. We used rooting hormone throughout the first week and later supplemented Bio Grow and Bio Flower nutrients. The amount of nutrients differed at different growth stages, but our solution’s final pH was constantly adjusted to 6.0.

The environment is crucial to healthy plants, and we dialled ours in before starting the cycle. Temperature was maintained at 24°C with the lights on and 21°C with the lights off. The exception was during the seedling stage, where the temperature was kept at 24°C day and night. Humidity levels began at 65% and were gradually reduced throughout the grow cycle.

For our growing medium, we opted for the BAC Lava Soil mix. During germination, we used a 600W HPS, and for the subsequent stages, a 1000W HPS was positioned at a fixed distance of 3 meters above the soil surface.

Germination & seedling

Week one started by placing our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized seeds into our jiffy cubes at a depth equal to the seeds height. Within 36 hours, we saw the cotyledons of the new plants reaching out for the light. Our Jiffy plugs were pre-moistened, so we waited until the third day to add any liquids to the plug. When we did, we used 100 ml of water with a small amount of root stimulant mixed in. From the start, we kept our vegetative plants under an 18-hour on / 6-hour off-light cycle.

Vegetation

In week two, we saw the roots emerging from the sides and bottom of the Jiffy cube. We transferred the Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized seedlings into our BAC Lava Soil mix in an 8-litre container. We filled the container 3/4 of the way and placed our cube in the hole. We could backfill the soil up to the cotyledons as the seedlings stretched. By the end of the week, our plant had reached 17 cm above the soil.

As our plant gained height and foliage, we wanted to take measures to prevent plant-damaging pests. We released two forms of predator insects as part of our integrated pest management strategy. The Neoseiulus Californicus and Amblyseius Swriskii will hunt and eat thrips, aphids, and fungus gnat larvae. One sachet of each was placed at the base of the stem.

The third week is when we started adding nutrients into the solution. The EC of our solution before applying it by hand was 1.4. Bright green leaves with wide blades and well-developed veins were starting to reach over the edge of the container. Our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized had five nodes and was 32 cm tall. We decided not to top the plant and let it grow naturally for this grow report. The internodal spacing remained tight, and lateral branches were quickly starting to develop and reach toward the light.

Flowering

Week four marked the beginning of the flowering phase, which we induced by changing the light schedule to 12 hours on / 12 hours off. We were satisfied with the plant morphology, precisely the compact nodal spacing and the speed at which the side branches progressed. Flowering our Sweet Cherry Kush at the height it was allowed the subsequent stretch to create ample spacing that enabled even airflow between the branches of this untrained cannabis plant. 

Although we changed the light schedule to initiate flowering, we continued to use the Bio Grow nutrients as the plant transitioned from vegetative to flowering. To fuel the upcoming growth explosion, we also increased the EC of our feeding solution to 1.7. We did not defoliate the large sun leaves, and as a result, we developed higher humidity within the canopy. Consequently, we reduced the room humidity level by 5% and maintained a level of 60%.

As predicted, we did see some stretching between the nodes by the middle of week five. Our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized added 17 cm week-over-week. There was now more airflow between each of the sun leaf clusters. We switched nutrients from Bio Grow to the Bio Flower line and increased the EC by 0.1% to a final EC of 1.8. The pH remained 6.0, as it always has throughout the grow cycle.

Lateral branches were evenly spaced and reached out from the main stem, giving our plant a ‘Christmas tree’ shape. The foliage now had a darker, olive-green colour that remained consistent from the bottom to the top of the plant. Although we did not see stigmas yet, we could tell from looking at the branch tips that the flowering process was beginning to take effect.

Week six recorded continued vertical growth; however, the stretch was 3 cm less than the previous week. We also saw the stigmas emerging from the tight leaf clusters at each tip. The stretch period was slowing down, and the shift to bud formation was in full stride. We added a plastic-coated stake in the soil to support the central mainstem of our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized, which reached 79 cm.

Inspecting the plants regularly for bugs is part of a good growers’ protocol. As we inspected ours, we did not see any infestations. It had been four weeks since our last application of predator insects, and the decision was made to apply more. Individual packets of Neoseiulus Californicus and Amblyseius Swriskii were hung from lower branches.

By the time week seven started, we had been feeding our plant nutrients for an entire month. To avoid a potential salt build-up in the soil, we began the week by flushing our soil. We achieved this by adding enough pure water to the soil to create run-off from the bottom of our containers. The excess water was removed from the saucers under each container and discarded. For the remainder of the week, we continued feeding with our nutrient solution at an EC of 1.8.

Our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized was forming crowns of stigmas and small bracts at every nodal space on the plant. We recorded only 9 cm of vertical growth from the prior week, indicating that the plant channelled more energy to bud production. The lateral branches supported the weight of the growing flowers with ease. To prepare them, we had been using a steady breeze on the plants to strengthen the main stem and branches since the seedling stage.

Week eight had an uncharacteristic spike in vertical growth and grew 22 centimetres. The flower production was unfazed by this diversion of energy and continued to accelerate. Routine inspection of our plants revealed no sign of any plant-damaging pests. The application of beneficial insects a few weeks prior had served its purpose. We visually inspected for any powdery mildew on the leaves. We did not detect any signs of pathogens, and the airflow was adequate, so we kept the room’s humidity at 60%.

During week nine, the vertical growth had subsided, with only 3 cm of newly recorded height. Small buds were now increasing in size and starting to connect with other nodal sites to form larger colas. We opted against removing any of the lower branches because there was adequate airflow around the plant, and the lower bud sites were developing steadily.

Some stigmas were turning slightly brown, an early indicator that harvest may be approaching. The bracts had not begun swelling, and that is how flowers add the majority of their bulk, so we knew it would not finish in the next week. Nutrition levels in the plant were good, and we did not see any translocation of nutrients, which typically causes the lower leaves to turn yellow first. This visual clue indicated that our EC level 1.8 for our feeding solution worked effectively.

In week ten, our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized kicked into overtime with bud and trichome production. We saw a significant increase in the girth of the buds at all levels of the plant. As the bracts swelled, some formed little foxtails with fresh white stigmas protruding from them. Due to the larger bud sizes, we reduced the humidity in the room to 56%.

It had been four weeks since our last application of beneficial insects, so we inspected the trichome heads before adding more Neoseiulus Californicus and Amblyseius Swriskii sachets. The colour of the trichome head is the best reference for plant maturity. Based on the amount of amber, milky, and clear trichome heads, we knew harvest would be within the next 14 days.

We knew harvest was rapidly approaching, so we discontinued using nutrients in week eleven. From then until harvest, the plant was fed only pure water. The buds of Sweet Cherry Kush were chunky and dense. The plant had begun to exude a slight aroma that reminded us of a floral shop, and trichomes quickly filled every available space on the flower surfaces. 

We assess ripeness based on the trichome head colour ratio, aiming for 10% transparent, 80% milky, and 10% amber. We observed that we were nearly at the desired ratio during a midweek inspection. Despite the rapid progress of this grow, there remained one more week to complete the process.

Week twelve was the final week, and we supplemented water at the beginning of the week but let our medium dry out for the final four days. All the nutrients we could flush out of the soil had already been flushed out. A small amount of drought stress at harvest can increase trichomes, which this plant had no shortage of, and the floral smell from the plant increased in strength.

It had been 84 days since we germinated our Sweet Chery Kush Feminized, and the trichome head colour matched the desired ratio we like to see at harvest. Our plant had grown to 124 cm tall and appeared like a filled-out Christmas tree full of densely packed buds. It was now time to harvest, dry, and cure our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized flowers.

Harvest

Throughout the grow cycle, we did not defoliate and subsequently had dozens of large fan leaves we did not need. We removed these before chopping our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized plant at the base. From the grow room, we brought our plant into a climate-controlled, dark-drying area. 

The drying area was equipped with multiple fans, and our whole plant was hung upside down and left to dry for 21 days. The climate is naturally humid, so we used a dehumidifier to maintain a humidity level of 60%, while temperatures in our drying area were steady at around 15.5°C. 

As the plant was harvested, our noses detected a profile that included sweet, floral, and pungent odours. During our inspection on day 17, the small branches connecting the flowers to the lateral branches were snapping when we applied pressure. This was our sign that our flowers were ready to be trimmed and cured. 

Using latex gloves and freshly cleaned scissors, we trimmed our harvest over trim bins, which collected dislodged resin heads from the trimming process. Once completed, we placed our flowers into glass mason jars. Our Sweet Cherry Kush flowers still had moisture in the core of each bud, which would slowly work itself to the surface, rehydrating the dryer mantle layer in the process. To avoid excess moisture build-up in the jars, we left the lids off them for the first 24 hours.

We opened the jars three to four times daily for the first two weeks to let trapped moisture escape. It was not until the sixth day that the finished terpene profile began to take shape. The lids were left off the jars for one hour each time. After the second week, we only opened the jars once per day. Four weeks later, we were satisfied with the cure.

The majority of our flowers were placed into the C-vault for storage. However, a small portion was sent to a third-party laboratory for cannabinoid testing, which reported a total THC level of 22.17%. After 84 days, our Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized reached 126 cm in height and produced a dry weight yield of 147 grams.

Terpene profile

Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized has bold flavours and aromas. These profiles are found in other cannabis strains but rarely together in one plant. The lineage of this strain includes Durban, Hindu Kush, OG Kush, Diesel, and Haze. Appealing strains on their own, they were combined here to create something unique.

This strain has a multi-layered terpene profile. When opening the jars, our first impression was a sweet aroma balanced by earthy notes. These were merely a precursor to the dominant aromas. An intense diesel gas fragrance almost overwhelmed our senses, only to be tempered by the robust scent of freshly harvested cherries that followed the diesel notes closely.

It also had an equally complex flavour profile rarely found in cannabis flowers. Immediately, our tastebuds were tickled by the taste of freshly picked cherries, which is partially how this strain got its name. Earthy terpenes translated to the flavour of fresh pine and exotic sandalwood. As the taste matured, we detected a background of citrus and a hint of mint.

The effects of Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized were immediate. A flash of energy came over us, which led to a euphoric feeling that was primarily cerebral. The day’s mood shifted towards a positive tone, and an unexpected dose of artistic inspiration followed. Somewhere along the journey, the experience transformed into a full body stone that left every inch from head to toe feeling blissful.

The outcome

Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized was a delightful plant to grow. It was a low-maintenance cultivar with sturdy lateral branches and numerous resin glands. It is an excellent option for beginner growers, and the seeds are feminized, so there was no guessing about sex. With a regular feeding schedule and optimal environmental conditions, Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized excelled in all stages of growth.

The terpene profile emitted a distinctive blend of delightful flavours and fragrances. Our final flower underwent testing, revealing a THC content of 22.17%, but with added care, yours could potentially surpass this level. The 147 grams of dried flowers justified the 84-day cultivation cycle. Overall, Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized was an easy-to-grow plant, and we feel confident that growers of all skill levels can succeed within the right conditions.

If you enjoyed this grow report, do not forget to check out the entire library of grow reports. Grab yourself a pack of Sweet Cherry Kush Feminized and get started today. Happy growing!

• SEO Powered Content & PR Distribution. Get Amplified Today.
• PlatoData.Network Vertical Generative Ai. Empower Yourself. Access Here.
• PlatoAiStream. Web3 Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. Access Here.
• PlatoESG. Carbon, CleanTech, Energy, Environment, Solar, Waste Management. Access Here.
• PlatoHealth. Biotech and Clinical Trials Intelligence. Access Here.
• Source: https://sensiseeds.com/en/blog/sweet-cherry-kush-feminized-grow-report/