Follow our grow of Gelato #420 Feminized by White Label. This strain was exactly what we’d expected based on its genetics but that doesn’t mean we weren’t impressed. Our plant was fairly short, lanky, nearly odourless, and quite productive, yielding 92 grams. This is one of the most-hassle-free strains we’ve come across and it’s sure to be a winner for any grower.
Total growing time: 91 days
Flowering time: 64 days
Final height: 84 cm
Final yield: 92 grams
THC content: 19.7%
To grow our Gelato #420 Feminized cannabis plant, we used a 1000W Phillips GreenPower HPS light set to an 18/6 schedule. This kept our grow room at a constant 23°C when the light was on and the ambient temperature dropped to 21°C during “night” time. We kept the humidity of our grow space at 65% during vegetation, gradually reducing it as the plant developed. We grew our plant in an 8-litre plastic pot filled with BAC LAva mix.
Germination & seedling
Before we could do anything, we first needed to germinate our seed. As with all of our grows, we opted for the paper towel method as it’s the simplest, fastest, and most reliable way to germinate a handful of seeds. All you need are some paper towels, a plate, and a plastic shopping bag.
We simply folded up some paper towels, put them onto a plate, and doused them with about 30 ml of water until they were thoroughly damp, but not soaking wet. Next, we placed our seeds on top leaving a few centimetres between them, and then covered them with another damp paper towel. Lastly, we put it all inside an open plastic bag and set it somewhere warm.
After a day, we noticed that our seed had split open and the small taproot was now sticking out about a a centimetre. We planted it in a damp Rockwool cube with the taproot pointing down and placed it under a 600W LED lamp.
For the next few days, we simply let it be as freshly germinated seeds are extremely fragile and too much light, heat, or water can keep them from properly rooting. After three days, we fed our seedling for the first time with 100 ml of water (pJ 6.2; EC .08) mixed with rooting hormone.
By the end of the first week, our plant was standing 8 cm tall with an incredibly stretched-out stem supporting some very small pre-leaves which had a healthy green hue. With the plant about to start properly growing, we began daily feedings with 100 ml of water mixed with Bio Grow liquid nutrients (pH 6.0; EC 1.4).
Vegetation
As we entered the second week, we moved our seedling to its new home; an 8-litre plastic pot under our 1000 W lamp. Additionally, we doubled the volume of water to 200 ml per day. By the end of the week, our plant saw minimal vertical growth rising to only 10 cm, though it developed its first set of true leaves which were fairly broad and a medium shade of green.
Week three again saw little growth as our plant grew to a height of 12 cm. While vertical growth was minimal, vegetative development was proceeding smoothly as the plant sprouted a few new sets of leaves. These were incredibly tightly spaced though should stretch out as the plant matures. This week, we increased the volume of our daily feedings to 400 ml.
In week four, our plant experienced its first major bout of vertical growth, nearly doubling in size to reach a new height of 23 cm. We doubled our daily feedings to 800 ml of water to keep up with this rapid growth. Over the week, the internodal spacing between the lower leaves expanded greatly and the lowest lateral branches were growing rapidly, sticking out at a nearly 45° angle.
Before making the switch to flowering, there was one last thing to do. We hung small satchels from the plant’s lowest branches which contained hundreds of tiny beneficial creatures. These minuscule bugs (Neoseiulus californicus and Amblyseius swirskii) live symbiotically with cannabis and don’t harm plants. Instead, they prey on parasites like spider mites and thrips. These satchels are replaced every four weeks.
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Flowering
At the start of week five, we switched our Gelato #420 Feminized cannabis plant to flowering. All this required was to flip our lights to a 12-hours-on-12-hours-off schedule and change our feeding habits. We began daily feedings with 1000 ml of water (pH 6.0; EC 1.8) mixed with Bio Flower liquid nutrients. By the end of the week, our plant was 33 cm tall with lateral branches growing nearly as tall as the main stalk.
In week six, our plant grew another 10 cm to a height of 43 cm and we increased the water to 1500 ml per day. Much of this new growth was from the main stalk which was now standing well above the lower branches as the plant slowly developed the Christmas tree shape common to many indicas. This week also saw the first signs of flowering as tiny white hairs began to pop up at the inner nodes. By the end of the week, the tops of every branch had sprouted small pre-flowers.
Week seven saw our plant undergo its single largest—and final—growth spurt as it shot up 20 cm to 63 cm in height. This week was also marked by the plant entering full bloom as every flowering site exploded with new growth. The flowers were still small and airy but were growing incredibly rapidly.
In week eight, our plant’s vertical growth slowed significantly as it gained only 6 cm to stand at 69 cm tall. This slowdown was accompanied by robust flower development. By the end of the week, the main cola had fully formed and it seemed like the plant was ready to start fattening up its buds.
By the end of week nine, our plant was almost entirely covered in flowers which were growing larger and denser by the day. The main cola had fully formed every lateral branch was sporting a massive flower. Growth was progressing rapidly and no pistils had changed colour. This was shaping up to be a bountiful harvest.
Week ten saw our plant reach a new height of 80 cm as the main cola expanded ever-upwards. By now, the main stem was about twice the height of the lower branches and the entire upper half of the plant has fused into a single massive cola. The flowers and leaves were covered in sticky, glistening trichomes and the very first pistils were starting to turn orange.
In week eleven, things gradually started to slow down as the plant began to ripen. More pistils were turning orange and the buds were nearly rock-hard. At this point, there was nothing more to do except to wait and let nature run its course.
In the twelfth week, our plant was very nearly ready for harvest. The majority of the pistils had turned a faint orange and the buds were no longer showing signs of fattening. All we needed to do was be patient for a few more days.
Finally, at the end of week thirteen, growth had all but completely stopped and it was time to harvest our Gelato #420.
Harvest
Once it was time to harvest our Gelato #420 Feminized cannabis plant, we cut it down at the base and removed all of the fan leaves. Next, we hung the entire plant upside-down to dry in a climate-controlled room with a temperature of 15.5°C and a relative humidity of 50%. This was left hanging until the smallest branches snapped when bent—typically 10-20 days depending on the size of the plant.
Once the plant was dry enough, we removed the buds from the stems and trimmed away the excess leaves. This strain is on the slightly leafier side, but the smaller number of massive, dense buds made trimming a breeze. Once the buds were ready, we placed them into glass jars for curing.
Initially, these jars were left open for 24 hours to give much of the remaining moisture a chance to evaporate. After a day, the jars were sealed and “burped” multiple times daily for an hour each. The frequency of these burps was gradually reduced to once a day until the buds had reached their desired consistency; typically 4-6 weeks.
Once all was said and done, we were able to harvest a generous 92 grams of dried flower with a THC content of 19.7%.
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Terpene profile
While growing, Gelato #420 has a very mild odour with hints of vanilla, citrus, and sandalwood making it ideal for discreet growers. Once dried, though, the buds burst with aromatic notes of creamy chamomile, spicy hashish, and even subtle hints of aniseed. These notes all come through in the flavour, though the taste is primarily creamy, fruity, and sweet; hence the name of the strain.
After sampling our latest harvest, the first thing we felt was a euphoric body stone that was both relaxing and uplifting. This was quickly joined by a more intense, creative, cerebral high common to many sativas. The effects of this strain were both well-balanced and intense making this strain a great choice for relaxing after a day of vigorous activity before heading out for a night on the town.
The outcome
Gelato #420 Feminized is exactly what you’d expect from a 60/40 indica hybrid; short and lanky with thin branches supporting dense buds. Thanks to the strain’s small size, relatively fast flowering time, and incredibly mild odour, discreet growers will find a plant well-suited to their needs that doesn’t skimp on yield.
More experienced growers will love this strain’s versatility as its long, thin branches and heavy buds make it an ideal choice for many advanced growing techniques such as scrogging and lollipopping. On the other side, newer gardeners will love this strain’s hassle-free growth as it doesn’t require much in the way of pruning or trimming.
- Disclaimer:Laws and regulations regarding cannabis cultivation differ from country to country. Sensi Seeds therefore strongly advises you to check your local laws and regulations. Do not act in conflict with the law.
