In this grow report, we’re going over our time with Grape Jam Feminized. This versatile strain impressed us with its manageable height, ease of growth, high yield, and potent effects. This well-balanced strain is a perfect fit for any indoor grower looking for a powerful indica.
Total growing time: 90 days
Flowering time: 60 days
Final height: 103 cm
Final yield: 153 grams
THC content: 20.85%
This time around, we grew our Grape Jam Feminized cannabis plant in an 8-litre plastic pot filled with BAC Lava mix and kept beneath a 1000 W Phillips GreenPower HPS light set to an 18/6 light schedule. We kept our grow space at a stable 23°C during the daytime, letting the space cool down slightly to 21°C at night. During vegetation, we maintained a relative humidity of 65% before gradually lowering it as the plant matured.
Germination & seedling
Just like every grow, the first thing we need to do is germinate our seed. Fortunately, this process is extremely straightforward and only requires a few basic supplies: a plate, a few paper towels, and a plastic bag. To start, just fold a paper towel and dampen it with 20-30 ml of water; you want it to be damp but not dripping wet. Next, put your seeds directly on top of the paper towels, leaving a few centimetres between them. Lastly, cover them all with another dampened paper towel, put the setup into an open plastic bag, and set it somewhere warm.
After about a day, our seed had split open, and a thin white taproot was sticking out. This meant that it was officially time to plant our seed (taproot down) into a pre-soaked Rockwool cube, which we then set under a 600 W lamp and left alone for a few days.
After three days, our seedling sprouted, and it was time for its first feeding. At this early stage, plants are incredibly fragile, and it’s best to avoid giving them any nutrients. Therefore, we began daily waterings with 100 ml of pH-balanced water (pH 6.0; EC 0.8) with a small amount of rooting hormone. After a few more days, our plant’s roots were growing out of the Rockwool cube, meaning that it was time to plant it into its new home: an 8-litre plastic pot filled with BAC Lava Mix and topped with a thin layer of Rockwool cubes.
Vegetation
Once our Grape Jam plant was transplanted to its permanent home, it began to shoot up almost overnight. By the end of the first week under the 1000 W lamp, our plant was standing at 8 cm and had grown its first sets of true leaves. To make sure our plant had enough resources to keep up with all of this new growth, we began daily feedings with 200 ml of water (pH 6.0; EC 1.4) mixed with Bio Grow liquid nutrients.
Throughout week two, our plant more than doubled in height to reach 18 cm. Over this period, our plant developed multiple new sets of leaves along somewhat tight internodal spaces. By the end of the week, we were already seeing the earliest signs of lateral branches appear at the bottom of the plant.
In week three, we once again doubled the volume of water to 400 ml per day as our plant, once again, more than doubled in height to reach 43 cm. The internodal spacing was still fairly tight, and lateral branches were now growing all along the main stem. With the plant growing noticeably larger each day, it was time to switch over to flowering.
Before flipping our plant to flowering, though, we needed to take care of one final detail, and we hung small satchels of Neoseiulus californicus and Amblyseius swirskii from the plant’s lowest branches. These small critters have a symbiotic relationship with cannabis, so they don’t harm the plant at all. Instead, these beneficial mites hunt down pests like thrips and spider mites, which can cause permanent damage to a plant if left unchecked. These satchels are replaced every four weeks to ensure a fresh supply.
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Flowering
In week four, we flipped our Grape Jame Feminized cannabis plant over to flowering by adjusting our lights to a 12/12 schedule. Additionally, we upped our daily feedings to 800 ml of water (pH 6.0; EC 1.8) mixed with Bio Flower liquid nutrients. By the week’s end, our plant had its largest week-on-week growth spurt of the entire grow, gaining 22 cm to reach a new height of 65 cm, and the lateral branches transforming from stubs into proper branches. Fortunately, this would slow down considerably over the next few weeks.
In week five, our plant continued to develop rather quickly, growing to a new height of 74 cm. By now, it was covered in broad, somewhat short leaves, and the internodal spacing was growing longer. The lateral branches were developing nicely and were growing mostly upwards as opposed to outwards, creating a relatively compact and cylindrical plant. With the plant ready to flower any day now, we increased the volume of water to 1000 ml per day and reduced the humidity to 60%.
In week six, our plant grew to 83 cm and started showing the first signs of flowering as small white clusters of pistils began popping up along the inner nodes and the tops of branches. To help our plant out over these next crucial weeks, we once again increased the volume of daily watering to 1500 ml. This would remain unchanged for the rest of the grow.
Week seven saw our plant continue to grow at a fairly steady rate, reaching a new height of 90 cm. During this week, flowering kicked into full force, and each flowering site was sporting a rapidly growing bud. The main stem was growing well above the lateral branches, which were still growing almost straight upwards.
In week eight, our plant had its last week of real growth as it gained another 7 cm to reach a new height of 90 cm. By the end of the week, our plant was showing off several large, dense buds crowning the tips of each branch. The main cola was almost fully formed, and the plant was starting to grow outwards as the lateral branches spread out under the weight of their new buds.
Week nine saw our plant finally slow down as it switched all of its energy over to flowering. By the end of the week, it had grown only 2 cm to stand 99 cm tall. By now, the cola was fully formed, and the main stalk was standing well above the lower canopy. By now, some of the lower branches were so heavy with flowers that we needed to add a few support rods to keep them upright.
Weeks ten and eleven were fairly uneventful. Our plant grew slightly to its final height of 103 cm, and the buds continued to grow larger every day. At this point, there was nothing left to do but wait.
In week twelve, our plant’s flowers began to rapidly develop orange pistils, showing that it was very nearly time to harvest.
Finally, in week thirteen, we were ready to harvest our Grape Jam Feminized cannabis plant.
Harvest
Once our Grape Jam Feminized cannabis plant was ready for harvest, we immediately cut it down at the base, removed all of the large fan leaves, and hung it upside-down to dry. In our drying room, we maintain a consistent 15.5°C with a relative humidity of 50%, and we left our plant hanging here until the smallest branches were dry enough to snap when bent. Typically, this process takes 10-20 days.
Once our plant was dry enough, we trimmed the flowers from the stems, removed the remaining leaves, and put the buds into glass jars for curing. We left these jars open for the first 24 hours to give the bulk of the moisture a chance to evaporate.
After a day, we sealed the jars and then “burped” them for an hour at a time, multiple times per day. Over the next several weeks, we gradually reduced the burping frequency to once a day. On average, this entire process takes 4-6 weeks to complete and can’t be rushed, as proper curing is key to a smooth flavour.
Once everything was properly cured, we ended up with an impressive 153 grams of dried flower with a THC content of 20.85%.
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Terpene profile
While growing, our Grape Jam Feminized plant didn’t give off too strong of an odour. Even during the peak of flowering, the aroma was subtle, with earthy and herbal notes taking centre stage while more subtle hints of sweet grape and berries gradually grow more pronounced as the plant matures. Even right before harvest, the aroma is fairly mild. Growers who value their privacy shouldn’t need to worry too much about this one.
Once the buds were finished curing, the aroma turned up a notch and evolved into a blend of earthy pine, sweet grape, and berry notes. Lingering just beneath these scents was a complex floral bouquet that rounded things out nicely. Overall, we would describe the scent as “rich” and “potent”. The flavour of Grape Jam Feminized is mostly what one would expect based on the aroma; sweet and earthy up front with distinctly grape and berry flavours on the finish with a subtly piney aftertaste.
Much like the growth pattern, the effects of Grape Jam Feminized are distinctly indica. We were floored by a powerfully relaxing body high, paired with relatively mild cerebral effects. This strain locked us to the couch for most of the afternoon, so grab some snacks, put on a movie, and get comfortable. This strain is an ideal pick for wrapping up at the end of a long day or riding out a rainy afternoon.
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The outcome
Overall, Grape Jam Feminized was a breeze to grow, and we were more than pleased with the results. If you’re an indoor grower who values their privacy and is looking for a powerhouse indica, you can’t go wrong with this one.
- 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.
