News Joint Grow Journal 42: Green Crack, Part I
Before legalization in Illinois, my favorite Work Sativa, Green Crack, was really the only strain I searched out. After legalization, I sampled every Green Crack strain listed on dispensary menus. During a recent break from writing News Joint Grow Journal, I decided to grow the strain for myself. I popped one feminized seed, bred by One Love Genetics.
While below the legal plant-count limit, I decided, “just in case,” to create clones almost eight days after I flipped the original plant. And I’m extremely happy I did. Though I didn’t expect much out of the original plant, the final product of the first plant delivered the exact uplifting, energetic, and cerebral effects with mental focus I’m always searching for in a Work Sativa. The flavor profile also hit my preference with a heavier mango and lemon citrus than the earthy tones some Green Crack phenotypes have. Surprisingly, even the bag appeal on the buds looked good. The flower tested (sponsored by Grow5 Champaign) at 20% THC.

ILNJ photo
The only negative was the overall yield, which was average at best. But I didn’t vegetate the original plant that long because I wanted to fit a schedule and harvest before I left for a long trip away. After all, this was just a side grow, and I didn’t put much effort in training, other than bending the stem over, creating a V with the longest branch and letting her go. I pruned and, as always, performed Kyle Kushman’s supercropping and “chiropractic” techniques before flipping.
To my surprise, the original plant finished flowering in 54 days and took 13 days to dry. After I cured the original buds, I instantly changed my plans for my next grow journal. News Joint Grow Journal 5.0 was going to be a run of five Green Crack clones. Until now, I’d only grown five separate strains during each grow, so the goal for News Joint Grow Journal 5.0 was to run for the first time the same strain for all five plants.
With each new Grow Journal, I want to try something new. With these clones, I wanted to complete a level sea-of-green canopy. Two of the five clones were taller than the other three plants from the start. To even the size of all plants, I topped the taller two clones. I FIM topped another one, and left the other two alone.
The clones had thinner stems than the mother, and the natural spiral growth of the topped plants stopped. The other plants caught up in height. At the time, I didn’t think this would alter much about the chopped plants’ final product, but, oh, was I wrong. Along with two self-inflicted hiccups during the grow, the final product of the mother plant, the topped plants, and the others made me just want to learn more about the grow itself can change effects, flavor, and aroma of the same plant.
To find out how I nearly killed all five plants with poor planning and how differently clones can grow in the same environment, read News Joint Grow Journal 43. To follow News Joint Grow Journal, click here.
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