OG Kush Automatic Grow Report (Indoor)

Flowering stage: 70 days

Total time, seed to harvest: 91 days

Final yield: 101 grams

THC content: 21.9%

OG Kush Automatic is a well-known strain, that is surrounded in mystery. The origins are widely thought to be a cross of Lemon Thai, Chemdawg, and a Pakistani Kush, but no one is certain. There is also much speculation about the meaning behind the initials OG. Is it original gangster, ocean grown, original grower?

The world may never know, but fortunately for the world, OG Kush Automatic is available from White Label in both automatic and feminized versions. The effects are a soothing, relaxing experience for the body and mind, that begins with a euphoric rush. Growers of all levels will have success with this strain by simply following a few selected parameters.

Germination & seedling

Our OG Kush Automatic seeds started in pre-moistened jiffy propagation cubes. Always remember, when placing the seeds in jiffy cubes, it is crucial to put the pointed end down. We placed the seed inside, but not too far down; roughly 0.5 cm will do. Not long after this, we saw green growth reaching for the light. Just as important, we also saw healthy white roots coming out from the sides and bottom of the jiffy cubes. At this point, the new seedlings are ready to be placed into the soil.

The jiffy cubes containing OG Kush were then transplanted into a 3-litre pot filled with our selected soil for the grow, BAC Lavasoil Growmix. We left a 2.5 cm gap from the soil surface to the top of the container to allow for easy hand-watering without worrying about overflowing the pots. Because this is an automatic strain, it does not require a particular light schedule, but it should have a consistent one. We set our light schedule to 18 hours on / 6 hours off.

Once the seedling was moved into the soil, 100 ml of water and a rooting hormone were added to moisten the soil and encourage new root growth. Due to the minimal root zone at this time, it took a few days before watering was needed again. The pH of the water and nutrients was adjusted until the solution sat at a 6.2 pH and an EC of 0.8.

This OG Kush Automatic showed healthy signals from the start. Nice green cotyledon, symmetrical forming leaves, rapid vertical growth below the cotyledon, and by the end of the first week, the first set of true leaves were emerging.

Vegetation

OG Kush thrives in specific environmental ranges, and these ranges will change as the grow progresses. Throughout the vegetative stage, we actively monitored temperatures and kept them at an average of 23°C during the day and 21°C during the night. Relative humidity (RH) was maintained at or near 65%. We used these two data points to calculate our VPD (vapour pressure deficit), which drives transpiration and nutrient uptake.

As preventative IPM (Integrated Pest Management), we released a satchel of Hypoaspis Miles, which is a predatory mite that hunts and eats fungus gnats as well as thrip pupae. This is a natural, organic approach to keeping plant pests at bay. The packet sitting in the soil is how these insect predators arrive.

Week two saw a great deal of biomass being added above the soil. The three-finger leaves that were just emerging in week one are now fully extended, and more sets of true leaves are growing. As the leaves get larger and have more fingers, OG Kush Automatic reaches to touch the edge of the containers. All of the growth had a uniform lime-green colour.

At this stage, we introduced Bio Grow nutrients at an EC of 1.3 for regular feeding. Our watering remained at 100 ml, and when applied, the focus was near the central stalk and less on the edges of the pot in order to get more water to the small and emerging root system.

Our OG Kush enlightened us about the overall shape this plant would take throughout week three. Internodal spacing on the apical meristem remained close. This tight spacing led to many lateral branches, which will give OG Kush Automatic its bushy appearance, frequently found in indica-dominant genetics. The lower branches stretch out from the upper shadows to turn upwards, almost matching the height of the upper bud sites.

Overall there was no difference in colour between the top and bottom leaves. With more leaves on the plant able to photosynthesize and drive growth, we upped the amount of nutrients in the solution. Also, with more growth above the soil comes more development within the root system. We watered using 100 ml of combined water and nutrient solution of 1.6 EC and a pH of 6.2 each time, which was moderately more frequent in week three. We measured the height at 11 cm.

Flowering

When the plant began to show signs of flowering, a few of the environmental parameters were changed. Lights on and lights off temperatures remained consistent at 23°C and 21°C, respectively, but the RH dropped from 65% to 52%. Another modification was the amount of water at each feeding. With a fully developed root system and more foliage able to transpire, the volume of water each feeding was increased to 500 ml.

Nutrients were also changed from the Bio Grow formula to the Bio Flower formula, which differs in the levels of N-P-K (nitrogen – phosphorus – potassium) and additional micronutrients comparatively. At this stage of growth, we are trying to push the plants abilities without being excessive and risking toxicities. The EC of feed was increased from 1.6 EC at the beginning of flower to 1.8 EC at the end of the feeding cycle.

Week four was the first week of flowering. One day we noticed the upper growth starting to close its internodal spacing, and the next day we saw stigmas protruding from little pistils at the intersection of the upper nodes. True to form, these seeds are feminized (meaning no need to sex plants and discard males) but also a true autoflower. No change in the light schedule was needed for this plant to begin its flower cycle; it automatically started.

By the end of the week, the tops of each branch, and even lower nodes, began to develop thumbnail-sized buds on each of the tips. Growing faster, we increased both the feed (to 1.8 EC) and amounts of water (to 500 ml) to keep up with the vigour in our OG Kush Automatic. Lights remained on for the same 18/6 cycle as the vegetative period.

Week five was when we saw a significant amount of stretch, 17 cm from the previous week, which brought us to 37 cm in height. As plants go into flowering, the stretch should always be anticipated. Fortunately, with OG Kush, the stretch is minimal at roughly 1.5x the original preflower height. This low profile is attractive for many indoor gardeners. There has been no sign of yellowing on the lower fan leaves, and the colour has stayed consistent from top to bottom, a sign of an adequately fed plant.

We moved the satchel of Hypoaspis Miles onto the plant’s main stem to facilitate the predatory mites having easy access to the plant branches and leaves. Buds continue to form at the tips and nodes of each branch. Thanks to its compact indica traits, no special training techniques were required for the branches and bud-sites to reach the same height.

Week six marked another change in the lifecycle of our OG Kush as it gained only 14 cm from the week before. We saw the stretch decrease, and although it is still adding some vertical growth, we can see the plant putting more energy into bud production. Few leaves are produced up and down the central stem and on each lateral branch. Simultaneously the buds grow larger, filling the empty spaces between nodes.

Like many indica varieties, thin lateral branches can eventually break when supporting the weight of their heavy buds. Using an oscillating fan early in vegetation can help build the rigidity of cell walls and make for stronger branches later. We had a fan moving air across the plants throughout all stages of growth, which is ideal for those not using SCROG nets for support.

Week seven got us excited for the potential of our OG Kush Automatic. Vertical growth was finished, and all of the plant’s energy was now focused on flowering. The colour has remained consistent from top to bottom and is the same lime-green as it had early on. A consistent 500 ml of diluted nutrient solution is given to the plant when we watered, but the EC is now adjusted to 1.7.

Looking closely at the forming colas, we could see a light white layer of sticky trichomes that seemingly multiplied each day. We also noticed some stigmas turning brown on the upper cola, but experience tells us that this is not an accurate indicator of ripeness; the trichome heads are. Since they were clear, we knew there was still time for buds to fatten up before an eventual harvest.

Fatten up they did, and week eight saw an increase in bud mass nearly double the week before. Five-fingered leaves stick out from the branches soaking up the light to transform them into sugars and carbohydrates, fueling the explosive bud growth. Secondary metabolites, such as the cannabinoids THC and CBD, are stored in the trichome heads, and this production was dramatically increasing.

As the buds became denser, it was vital for us to watch the humidity and ensure that there were no areas of stagnant air. Larger buds produce more moisture around the buds, and airflow is an integral part of pest and pathogen management. We measured the overall height at 58 cm, which is close to the final height of our OG Kush Automatic.

Around week nine, the odour of the growing plant became noticeable, even to someone who may be a little nose-blind from being around cannabis constantly. A good air-filtration system was already in place, which helped us reduce the smells from our OG Kush, which became more potent as the plant matured.

A few weeks ago, when looking at the plant, you could see the spaces of exposed stem between the buds. These gaps have all but closed now with newly formed buds of tightly packed calyxes. Stigmas on the top buds are mainly brown, and most have receded partially into the calyxes, but the calyxes themselves have not begun to swell up. The lack of swelling indicates that these are still a few weeks away from the optimal harvest window.

Week ten was when we first started to notice a shift in colour on the leaves. There were no signs of lacking a specific nutrient, but it was more of an experienced grower’s knowledge that knew this plant was starting to shift into the pre-harvest phase. Although we were close to the end, our OG Kush Automatic received a final feeding with an EC of 1.8.

Feeding at these target EC and pH levels has maintained a well-balanced supply of nutrients in the soil during this growth. We observed this through the leaf colour, vigorous growth, and bud set. No other pressures, pests or pathogens were present. This can be attributed to healthy plants, beneficial predator insects released early, and cleanliness in the grow room.

Walking into the garden to snap a few pictures for week eleven of this grow report brought us joy. Not long ago, our OG Kush was just a tiny seed, gently placed into a jiffy cube. On the day we took this picture, we were looking at a nearly mature plant with a bounty of wonderful smelling flowers.

A more significant percentage of stigmas have turned brown and receded into the calyxes, beginning to swell. As we looked over the plant, we marvelled at the sheer weight being supported by the many lateral branches. Visual indicators on the leaves are plain to see; the nutrient load is dwindling, which is intentional in the final stages of this grow.

Week twelve dazzled us with a colorful fade on the leaves, and our OG Kush was almost out of steam. At this time, we made a close inspection of the trichome heads. Using the trichome head’s colour, whether clear, milky, or amber, is the best way to determine ripeness using your eyes.

Upon inspection, we determined that the majority of the trichome heads were milky, with a smaller percentage being clear, and a smaller percentage than that being amber. We decided to wait one more week and continue giving the plant water only.

With happiness in our hearts, at week 13, we admired the beautiful plant our OG Kush Automatic had become. The indica lineage was reflected in her short and stocky posture, reaching 59 cm in height. This morphology is beneficial because most branches that are equal lengths can receive the same amount of light. Our OG Kush wanted to perform for us, and she naturally took this shape with no training or pruning required.

Upon inspecting the trichome heads, which now were around 80% milky, 10% amber, and 10% clear, we decided that this was the optimal time to harvest the plant. The stigmas were brown and receded, the calyxes had swollen into plump spheres forming the larger bud, and the trichome heads were at the ideal ratio for harvest. Now it was on to an equally important stage of the process, harvesting, drying, and curing our OG Kush.

Harvest

Before the harvest took place, we removed the large fan leaves, which hold no purpose in the creation of final materials. We also ensured that the environmental conditions in the area we intended to dry were ideal. The drying area held a constant temperature between 18-20 °C. An even more crucial environmental control is the RH, which was maintained at roughly 60%.

Other details in the drying room include air movement. The goal is to gently create a breeze without blowing directly on the plants, which can dry them out too quickly, locking in an undesirable taste. Fans were positioned to achieve this. Now it was time to put on our gloves and chop down our OG Kush.

The central stalk of our OG Kush Automatic was cut just above the soil level with sturdy loppers, and our plant was moved to the drying room. The branches were separated from the primary stalk and hung upside-down in the dark, environmentally controlled room for approximately two weeks. At this stage, it was sufficiently dry to begin our dry trim.

To avoid adding contaminants to the beautiful flowers we just grew, gloves were used, and the amount of touching the buds was limited. It is always best to handle the branches by the stems rather than the buds and risk damaging the cannabinoid-filled trichomes. OG Kush had an average calyx-to-leaf ratio which made this a typical amount of trimming work.

Our OG Kush Automatic had an ample amount of trichome coverage, and we prepared for the inevitable sticky scissors by having more than one pair on hand. While we trimmed with one, the other was soaking in the cleaning solution. This made the process smoother and with less stress on our hands. The terpene profiles from the freshly trimmed buds were intense and made the unenviable experience of trimming cannabis slightly pleasurable.

After trimming, the manicured buds were placed into mason jars and kept in a cool, dark place. Each day for the first week, we “burped” the jars, which is the act of opening the lid to let accumulated moisture escape.

We let a couple of weeks go by and then took out the buds to get a final harvest weight of the dried flower. Our OG Kush yielded 101 grams of top-shelf, frosty, smelly, enjoyable dank. Our OG Kush Automatic was then jarred and left for another three months of curing.

Terpene profile

Aromas of lemon and spice were the first to greet us, and then came the earthy and musky undertones when we opened the jars. All of our senses indicated that this was a successful cure, bringing out the intricate notes that work together to make the exquisite terpene profile of OG Kush.

When looking at the analysis of terpenes present in our OG Kush Automatic, they correlate with the sensory experience. Limonene is known to have a lemon scent and flavour when present in cannabis strains. Caryophyllene is a terpene known for having spicy notes, and this too is a dominant terpene of OG Kush. The other primary terpene found in this strain is myrcene, which explains where the earthy and musky undertones originate.

The terpenes in a cannabis strain also can have an impact on the overall effects, sometimes referred to as the “entourage effect“. Myrcene is a terpene that has been reported to have relaxing and sedative properties. OG Kush Automatic has been known to provide a full-body sense of relaxation. The effects from the dried flowers were felt immediately and started as a calm but euphoric experience. This gave way to a more profound sense of contentment and muscle relaxation.

There was no lacking in the flavour department with our OG Kush. She represented the very best of this legendary strain. Upon entering our mouth, the taste of lemons leapt out to grab our attention. This was quickly followed by a warm spiciness that gave way to a fuel-like flavour on the exhale.

The outcome

Undoubtedly, this grow was a success and the OG Kush is certainly a strain we look forward to growing again. Looking at the pictures, it is easy to see the bountiful number of dense buds covered in shimmering trichomes.

This plant was an easy strain to grow, and it did not require anything from us other than a good environment and proper feeding habits. Novice growers will have good chances of pulling off a successful harvest, while advanced growers will look to maximize the yields.

One important lesson during this growth was the importance of building strong lateral branches early on. This can be done by using fans, adding small weights to the tips, pinching stems, and through nutrient supplementation. With the heavy bud set of OG Kush, keeping those branches either strong or supported is essential.

In the end, we had 101 grams of dried flower and an enjoyable journey as we watched our OG Kush Automatic mature and stack up with buds week after week. OG Kush seeds by White Label are available in Automatic and Feminized varieties.

Have you ever grown OG Kush? What was your experience like? Have you ever consumed OG Kush and had a memorable experience? Where does OG Kush rank amongst your top strains? Let us know in the comment section. If you are interested in reading more Grow Reports, be sure to check out this new section on our website.