Grow Report
Zoap VS Critical Cherry
Grow Report - Zoap VS Critical Cherry
On this page you can find a report of what we are growing in our shop. Currently we are growing the Zoap cannabis seeds from Barney's Farm and Critical Cherry cannabis seeds from Tramuntana Seeds. Amsterdam Seed Center is one of the few places in Amsterdam which you can actually visit to see and smell cannabis growing. This is our Strain of the Shop and we offer this strain with a generous discount.
Growtent Setup
- 60x60 cm
- Extractor fan
- Mini fan
- Pots: 3 x 15 liter
- Soil: Plagron Light Mix
- BAC Nutrients Starter Kit
- Growing: 150w LED light "Jackson" from Grow the Jungle
Zoap - Barney's Farm
from €52.50 now €40!
Critical Cherry - Tramuntana Seeds
from €50 now €40!
Week 13 – Harvest Time - Zoap vs Critical Cherry
Barney's Farm x Tramuntana Series
After 13 weeks of nurturing, trimming, training, and admiring — it’s finally harvest time! And let us tell you, both strains absolutely delivered. This grow was a pleasure from start to finish.
Grow Characteristics & Performance
Both Zoap and Critical Cherry were vigorous right out of the gate. From early veg, they showed solid structure, wide leaf sets, and impressive branching. We ran them under LED in 11L pots with coco and drip-fed nutrients. No major issues with either cultivar — they both handled training well, bounced back quickly from topping, and responded beautifully to LST.
- Stretch was moderate (2x) after flip, with Zoap being slightly bushier overall.
- Feeding was smooth — no signs of deficiency or excess. Both liked a slightly above-average EC in bloom.
- Trichome production started early and ramped up hard in week 6–7 of flower.
Overall, two healthy, well-behaved genetics. No nanners, no weak branches, no drama. Just dialed-in, consistent growth with strong internodal spacing and excellent bud formation.
Visuals, Aroma & Flavor at Harvest
Zoap was the star of the purple show. Her deep violet and almost black sugar leaves set her apart visually, and her heavy gassy aroma made opening the tent a full-on terp attack. The buds are dense, sticky, and frosty with a sweet-fuel finish. Great resin potential for extractors.
Critical Cherry, in contrast, stayed bright green and lush, with crimson pistils and compact, crystalline buds. The nose is unmistakable — fresh cherry candy with a tart twist. If Zoap punches you in the face, Critical Cherry seduces you with fruity perfume.
Side by side, they made for a beautiful garden: contrasting in color but equally matched in quality.
Final Thoughts
Harvest went smoothly, and the bud-to-leaf ratio was solid on both — easy trim jobs all around. Drying and curing are now underway, but even now the terp game is loud.
These two were a joy to grow. If you're choosing between them — don’t. Grow both. They complement each other in every way: Zoap brings the funk, Critical Cherry brings the fruit, and together they crush in yield, bag appeal, and aroma.
Highly recommended for beginners and pros alike. Barney’s Farm and Tramiunana hit it out of the park.
Week 7: Entering the Flowering Stage
We’re now at week 7, with the plants two weeks into their flowering cycle. The transition to 12/12 light has clearly paid off: both strains—Zoap and Critical Cherry—are thriving and showing beautiful development. Pistils are visible across all tops, confirming these are healthy, feminized plants. The environment looks well-controlled with good light coverage and airflow, and the canopy is even and vigorous. Critical Cherry on the right has stretched a bit more than Zoap, as expected for its genetics, but both are performing strongly.
Appearance of the Plants
The canopy is lush, dense, and vibrant green, with perky leaves that are standing tall and reaching for the light—a textbook sign of healthy growth. Zoap displays a compact, bushier structure with slightly broader leaves, while Critical Cherry shows more vertical stretch and longer internodes, creating a more open canopy on the right side. Both plants have adapted well to the SCROG net, with tops evenly spread for optimal light distribution. There’s no sign of nutrient burn or deficiency: leaf color is uniform, and the stems look strong and sturdy, supporting early bud sites. Overall height is around 70–75 cm, and the canopy is comfortably positioned about 30 cm below the LED.
Smell and Aromas
At this stage, the aroma is starting to emerge but remains subtle. A light, sweet, earthy scent is noticeable when you’re close, suggesting the terpene profile is beginning to express itself. Zoap seems to lean towards a slightly more creamy and floral undertone, while Critical Cherry hints at a faint cherry sweetness mixed with herbal, woody notes. Over the next couple of weeks, the smell will intensify as resin production kicks in, filling the tent with a more pungent, complex bouquet.
Expectations: The Weeks Ahead
With pistils already covering the tops, the next few weeks are all about bud formation and resin development. Critical Cherry’s stretch is likely finished now, and it should start bulking up, with dense, cherry-scented buds forming along its more open structure. Zoap’s tighter canopy suggests it may deliver thick, stacked colas with excellent density. Both plants show great potential: lush foliage, healthy tops, and no signs of stress point toward an abundant harvest if conditions remain stable. Expect a big increase in pistil production and trichome sparkle in the next two weeks, along with a much stronger scent in the grow space. These two are off to a fantastic start for their flowering run!
Week 3: Growing bigger...
Plant Appearance
By the third week, both Zoap and Critical Cherry are clearly off to a strong start. The Zoap plants are showing slightly tighter node spacing and broader fan leaves, which is typical of their hybrid lineage. Their leaf structure is compact and lush, with a darker green hue and strong lateral branching beginning to form.
The Critical Cherry plants are catching up quickly. They appear slightly taller and a bit leggier, with longer internodes and a lighter, vibrant green tone. Their upward growth and open structure hint at a stretchier habit, which could mean they’ll reach for the lights more aggressively in the next phase.
All plants are visibly healthy, with no signs of nutrient deficiency, stress, or pest pressure. The root development is clearly pushing — judging by the rapid leaf production and firm stem posture.
Expectations
The next week will likely bring explosive growth as both strains enter the rapid vegetative stage. Zoap will probably continue to bush out, potentially requiring more training early on, while Critical Cherry may stretch vertically with vigor. It will be important to monitor canopy height to keep them even and prepare for potential topping or LST.
Given the early development, both strains seem well-matched in performance. This side-by-side run promises to deliver solid data on how they behave in a shared environment. Looking forward to the shaping phase and preparing them for a strong transition into flower.
Week 2 Grow Journal – Zoap vs Critical Cherry
Plant Development
Week 2 is wrapping up, and both strains are showing healthy early-stage growth. The Zoap and Critical Cherry plants have all taken root nicely and are pushing their second to third sets of true leaves. The foliage is a healthy green, and leaf edges are crisp and well-defined — a clear sign that the current conditions are on point.
While still in their early veg stage, the plants are already showing subtle differences. Zoap appears to have a slightly more compact structure and broader leaf shape, while Critical Cherry looks a bit more vertical in posture, with longer, thinner fingers. No signs of overwatering or stress, and spacing between nodes looks tight on both.
Grow Conditions & Setup
All plants are housed in standard black plastic pots in a light, airy soil-perlite mix that promotes drainage and root aeration. Each plant is clearly labeled and spaced evenly, allowing for strong root development and even light exposure.
The medium shows balanced moisture — not overly dry nor saturated — which is ideal for encouraging robust root growth in this stage.
Looking Ahead
As we enter Week 3, expect rapid vegetative growth to begin. The plants will likely double in size, and we may start seeing pre-training structure emerge. If growth continues smoothly, LST (Low Stress Training) could be introduced soon to open up the canopy and promote more lateral branching.
We're keeping an eye on:
- Internodal distance
- First hints of aroma
- Overall leaf health and structure
- Growth speed comparisons between the two strains
Week Summary
- Zoap: More squat and broad; already giving off hints of a dense future canopy. Great stacking potential.
- Critical Cherry: A bit taller and brighter; expect more vigorous vertical growth and a fruity edge to the aroma down the line.
- Grow Setup: On point — proper pot size, healthy soil, controlled indoor conditions, and perfect early-stage care.
Both cultivars are on track for a successful grow. Early signs suggest we’ve got two standout performers developing side by side.
