We tried our hand at Gorillaz Automatic; a cross of Chemdawg, Sour Diesel, and Chocolope developed by our and Fat Beans’ breeders. As a 60/40 hybrid, it combines the height of a sativa with the density of an indica creating a plant that is equal parts lanky and robust. While it might not be ideal for growers with limited headroom, the results are worth it!
Total growing time: 81 days
Flowering time: 60 days
Final height: 103 cm
Final yield: 73 grams
THC content: 20.1%
For this grow, we kept our Gorillaz Automatic in an 8-litre plastic filled with BAC Lava mix under a 1000 W Phillips GreenPower HPS light, on an 18/6 schedule, hanging 3 metres above the plant. To give our plant the best possible environment, we kept the daytime temperature at a steady 23°C with a nighttime temperature of 21°C and a relative humidity of 65% during vegetation.
Germination & seedling
To start our Gorillaz Automatic on her journey, we first needed to germinate our seed. To do this, we used the trusty paper towel method; just put a damp paper towel on a plate, put your seed on top, cover it with another damp paper towel, and loosely cover all of that with plastic. After about a day, the seed shell cracked open to expose the taproot and show that it was time to plant.
We planted our seed in a Rockwool cube with the taproot pointing down. This was then placed under a Phillips 600 W lamp so as not to overload our delicate seedling. Within another few days, the seed had sprouted to expose the main stalk and the cotyledons. After three days, we gave the plant its first watering; 100 ml of pH-balanced water with a small amount of root stimulator.
After the first week, our seedling was about 5 cm tall and had grown its first true leaves. At this point, we moved her into her new home—an 8-litre pot filled with BAC Lava mix. This pot was then placed under our 1000 W light and we began watering with 500 ml of water (pH 6.0; EC 0.8) mixed with Bio Grow liquid nutrients.
Vegetation
Over the course of week two, our Gorillaz Automatic seedling hit a major growth spurt reaching a new height of 16 cm. This new growth saw the plant develop a total of 4 sets of true leaves with very tight internodal spacing and a deep, rich green colour. By now, we were already starting to see the first sign of lateral branches, as well.
During this week, we also hung satchels of Neoseiulus californicus and Ambtyseius swirskii from the plant’s lower branches. These satchels are filled with tiny predatory mites that live symbiotically with cannabis plants. These little critters don’t cause any damage to weed but instead, feed on parasites like spider mites and thrips that can devastate a harvest. These satchels are swapped out every four weeks to maintain a fresh supply.
Week three saw another major increase in size with our plant climbing another 11 cm to a new height of 27 cm. Over the week, the lateral branches also grew considerably sprouting multiple inner nodes. These branches grew upwards, staying close to the stem, highlighting this strain’s noticeable sativa lineage. To keep up with this rapid growth, we increased the volume of water to 750 ml per day and raised the EC to 1.4.
In the fourth week of our grow, our budding beauty was showing the very first signs of flowering; tiny white hairs at the inner nodes of the main stem. This week was slightly slower in terms of growth with our plant only growing 5 cm to anew height of 32 cm. With flowering just around the corner, our plant was about to get extra thirsty so we upped the water to 1000 ml per day.
Flowering
At the start of week five, we switched our Gorillaz Automatic to flowering. While this is an autoflowering plant (meaning that technically, there’s nothing we need to do), it’s still important to switch to a nutrient designed for flowering; in this case, Bio Flower liquid nutrient. We also increased the water volume to 1200 ml per day and raised the EC to 1.8. Finally, we switched to a 12/12 light schedule. While reducing the amount of light to 12 hours a day isn’t strictly necessary for autoflowering plants, we were growing photoperiod strains in the same place at the same time and those do need to be flipped.
By the end of the week, our lady had undergone a major burst of growth and was now an impressive 44 cm tall. The lateral branches were beginning to grow outwards a bit more and the leaves had taken on a lighter shade of green. The tops of the main stem and branches were developing clumps of pistils which would quickly form into flowers.
In week six, our Gorillaz Automatic continued to bloom from top to bottom as each day saw more and more pistils turning into proper buds. The cola was slowly developing at the top of the main stem, and the lower vegetation was incredibly dense. By the end of the week, our plant had reached a new height of 52 cm and this rapid growth wouldn’t stop until harvest.
To ensure that our plant had enough water and nutrients to thrive, we increased the volume to 1500 ml per day, which is close to the maximum that an 8-litre pot can handle in a single feeding. To reduce the risk of mould during flowering, we lowered the humidity in the grow space to 56% for the remainder of the grow.
Week seven presented even more vertical growth with our girlie now 61 cm tall. Throughout this growth, the lateral branches have stayed only a few centimetres shorter than the main stem keeping a fairly even canopy. These branches were now covered in buds along almost their entire length. By now, the plant was beginning to give off a noticeable aroma of diesel with a touch of floral fruitiness. If you value discretion, you’ll want to invest in good air filtration.
Over week eight, our plant showed no signs of slowing down rising to 70 cm. By now, the cola was fully formed and the flowers were growing larger and denser with each passing day. The lateral branches were slowly being pulled downward by their weight and would soon require some additional support. Otherwise, there was nothing left to do but wait for nature to run its course.
In the ninth week of our grow, our plant still hadn’t slowed down and was now 78 cm tall. The first pistils were beginning to turn orange and a few fan leaves were slowly losing some of their colour. These two signified that harvest was just around the corner.
Week ten saw further development of the buds as well as yet more vertical growth with our lady now 86 cm tall. The buds were ripening quickly and the plant was overall incredibly healthy.
Week eleven showed even more growth growing to 93 cm. This was a slight slowdown, but still significant for a plant this far into flowering. By now, the lateral branches were strained to their limits and the plant needed more floor area than headroom. The buds were now almost entirely covered in orange hairs and some were still getting noticeably denser each day.
Over week twelve, our Gorillaz Automatic plant reached 98 cm and was very nearly ready for harvest. All that was left was to flush the soil by watering with plain, pH-balanced water for the final week. This would allow the plant to use any nutrients remaining in the soil before harvest as these can affect the flavour of the finished product.
Finally, in week thirteen, it was time to harvest. In the end, our plant grew to a total height of 103 cm and required several additional supports to stay upright.
Harvest
Harvesting our Gorillaz Automatic was straightforward. To begin, we cut the plant down at its base, removed the fan leaves, and hung it upside-down in a ventilated room with a temperature of 15.5°C and a humidity of 50%. These were left to dry until the smaller branches were brittle enough to snap when bent—about 2 weeks.
Once the plant had dried, we trimmed the remaining leaves off the buds and placed the flowers into glass jars for curing. These jars were initially left unsealed for 24 hours to allow much of the remaining moisture to evaporate. After a day, they were closed and then “burped” several times a day. The frequency of burping was gradually reduced to only once daily over the course of 6 weeks.
Once everything was said and done, we were able to harvest a total of 73 grams of dried flowers with a THC content of 20.1%.
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Terpene profile
As soon as we opened up our Gorillaz Automatic, we were thoroughly impressed with its aroma; subtly sweet notes and hints of fruit are the perfect complement to this strain’s powerful diesel smell. As soon as we tasted it, all of these flavours were immediately present including undertones of sandalwood and hashish.
The effects are equally enjoyable with the high being powerful without becoming overwhelming. Users of this strain will notice an immediate uplift in mood followed by waves of physical relaxation. This is all matched by a creative cerebral high that makes this the perfect strain for an afternoon project around the house.
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The outcome
Overall, Gorillaz Automatic was a real treat to grow and watching this plant get taller and taller every day was continually impressive. While this kind of rapid vertical growth might not be ideal for everyone, those who can fit it in will be impressed by just how easily this strain grows.
- 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.
