We conducted a grow report on Banana Kush Cake Feminized, which we introduced to our catalogue in 2021 as part of our Research collection and documented its weekly development until harvest.
We were thrilled with its dense bud structures, exquisite terpene profile with an abundance of limonene and caryophyllene, as well as an exceptional yield of 119 grams!
Flowering stage: 68 days
Total time, seed to harvest: 99 days
Final yield: 119 grams
THC content: 24.97%
Banana Kush Cake Feminized seeds (also available in autoflower seeds) are the result of crossing Banana Kush with Wedding Cheesecake. The flowers form into large colas, which need support in the late stages of growth. The terpene profile is composed of many aromas, and these same profiles can also be found within the flavour. Indica leaning effects will leave the mind and body relaxed.
This growing cycle was conducted in our indoor garden, illuminated by multiple 1000W Green Power Phillips HPS lights in a fixed position 300 centimetres over the soil surface. We used large, oscillating fans to move air within the garden space. Moving air below and above the Banana Kush Cake Feminized plants reduced pockets of moist, stale air in and around the canopy. An inline fan and carbon scrubber were used to extract and clean the air from the grow room.
Environmental conditions within the growing area are always essential to track and control. For our Banana Kush Cake Feminized, a steady temperature of 23 °C during the day and 21 °C at night was maintained. Humidity levels varied throughout the cultivation cycle, with the highest level being early in vegetation and the lowest just before the harvest.
All our plants are grown in BAC Lava Mix soil and receive Bio Grow nutrients throughout vegetation and Bio Bloom nutrients during the flowering stage. The Banana Kush Cake Feminized seeds were started and vegged under an 18/6 light schedule. After 31 days of veg, we changed the light schedule to a 12/12 cycle to initiate flowering. Because we started with feminized seeds, we did not need to sex the plants after changing the photoperiod.
Our Banana Kush Cake Feminized seeds were started in pre-moistened jiffy cubes. To prepare the jiffy cubes for the seeds, we used 100 ml of plain water, pH’d to 6.2, with a small amount of root stimulant added. Within 48 hours, we saw the cotyledon emerging from the jiffy cube hole. We waited three more days before the roots had stretched to the bottom and begun poking through the sides. Our water intake increased to 100 ml, which was poured around the stem before being transplanted into the final 5-litre container.
In week two, because we were still adding only a minimal amount of water and the root zone had not developed much, we did not apply water to the outer sections of our containers. We diluted the Bio Grow nutrients, which gave our final water an EC of 1.4 and pH’d the feeding solution to 6.
By week three, the vigorous growth and tight nodal spacing had given the Banana Kush Cake Feminized a bushy look. The large, emerald-green fan leaves overlapped and shaded the plant’s interior. As the canopy grew, so did the root zone.
Our volume of water increased to 200 ml, but we still focused our application on and around the main stem. We also released predatory insects to prevent damaging insects such as thrips, fungus gnats, and two-spotted spider mites from entering and establishing in the garden. We attached one sachet each of Neoseiulus Californicus and Ambylseius Swirskii to lower branches.
Week four saw the spacing between the nodes expand up and down the plant. Our Banana Kush Cake Feminized has grown from 17 cm to 27 cm over the past week. The side branching had rocketed out from the main stem and was now reaching outwards to capture more light. New growth was lighter, but as the leaves matured, they developed an emerald-green colour.
To support the additional growth and vigour, we increased the amount of Bio Grow nutrients we added to our water. The final EC was raised to 1.7, and the pH was 6.2 before applying. We were now applying 400 ml of water on the entire soil surface each time we watered. Another minor adjustment this week was dropping the humidity in the grow room by 5% to 60% .
After growing to 48 cm by week five, we made the decision to change the lighting schedule to 12/12 and initiated the flowering stage. This change was also accompanied by replacing the Bio Grow nutrients with the Bio Bloom nutrients. The EC of our feed solution was increased to 1.8, and the volume was doubled to 800 ml per watering. Our Banana Kush Cake Feminized was drinking heavily throughout the week to support the rocketing growth.
As week six progressed, we saw stigmas protruding from the top clusters of vegetation on each branch. This not only indicated that our Banana Kush Cake Feminized was successfully in the flowering stage, but the stigmas are also exclusive to the female plants, which we were expecting. The vegetation from top to bottom retained an even, emerald green colour, with no discolouration at the tips, which indicated that our nutrient levels were appropriate.
Another indicator that our Banana Kush Cake Feminized had completed its hormonal shift towards flowering was by the stretch. This is common during the transition, and our plant grew 25 cm to 73 cm. We continued feeding at the same EC and pH level, but the volume was increased to 1500 ml.
The stretch on our Banana Kush Cake Feminized continued into week seven, gaining another 19 cm from the week prior. The tips of each branch now featured a small cluster of immature bracts with hundreds of white stigmas. Even the node sites running down the branches were developing into buds.
The auxiliary branches had some immature side branches shaded from the light. We removed the immature material using our pruning scissors to increase the airflow within the canopy and send the energy spent growing them to the upper branches. It had been four weeks since we released our beneficial insects (Neoseiulus Californicus and Amblyseius Swirskii), which meant it was time to release more onto the plant by hanging sachets from the lower branch.
Week eight started by flushing our soil. We had been feeding our Banana Kush Cake Feminized nutrients with each feeding for multiple weeks. To avoid nutrient buildup or excess sodium in the root zone, we used 2500 ml of pure water, with a pH of 6.5 and an EC of 0.8, to flush the soil.
We removed the run-off water from the bottom of our drip trays to avoid the soil absorbing the flushed-out nutrients. After the initial flush to begin the week, we returned to regular feeding of 1500 ml. We used the Bio Bloom nutrients at an EC of 1.8, and the final solution was adjusted to a pH of 6.2. Our Banana Kush Cake Feminized was showing signs of less vertical growth and more flower growth, reaching a considerable 111 centimetres before the week’s end.
By week nine, the many blossoming buds on our Banana Kush Cake Feminized were beginning to bump into each other. As they continued to swell, small buds turned into chunky colas. A snowy white layer of trichomes was forming all over the flowers, giving this plant a shiny look under the high-intensity lighting.
The foliage remained emerald green, and new leaf formation had ceased. All the energy was now focused on flower production, and there was only a height gain of 1 cm from the previous week.
As the buds on our Banana Kush Cake Feminized continued to swell in week ten, we reduced the humidity level to 56%. We knew that we would likely be harvesting this plant in the following 3-4 weeks, and reducing the overall humidity lowers the chance that our swelling flowers, which are full of moisture, will encounter mould problems.
Although we removed some of the side branches from the under-canopy a few weeks ago, some bud sites were still not receiving enough light. Instead of leaving these undesirable, “larfy” buds on the plant, we removed them. This action not only sends that growth energy to the other branches but also prevents us from wasting time trimming them later.
Week eleven was when we first inspected the trichomes to check the maturity of our Banana Kush Cake Feminized. Stigma colour can indicate that the plant is reaching peak ripeness, but checking the trichome colour is the most accurate. Although we saw some brown stigmas, the majority were still white. Most trichome heads were still evident, but we did see areas where they began to get milky. This told us we still had over two weeks to go.
The bulking of the Banana Kush Cake Feminized flowers had reached a critical mass, and some auxiliary branches required support to stay upright. We used a combination of bamboo stakes for support and plant wire to secure the branches to those stakes.
Even though we were close to finishing this round, we wanted to keep the plants and grow room bug-free. We released another batch of the Neoseiulus Californicus and Amblyseius Swirskii to be safe by preventing any problems from starting.
Week twelve started with a soil flush. It had been four weeks since we last flushed the soil of excess nutrients. As we approach the end of growing our Banana Kush Cake Feminized seeds, removing nutrients and minerals from the soil is essential to improve the taste and burnability of the finished flowers. We began to notice a distinct floral scent emanating from the plants as we entered the growing area this week.
We inspected the trichomes once again to determine the upcoming harvest window. We saw fewer clear heads, more milky heads, and a few amber heads. Harvest was approaching, but not for a few more weeks. To maximize the biomass potential, we continued feeding our Banana Kush Cake Feminized flowers as usual for the remainder of the week.
On week thirteen, we reached the right combination of clear, milky, and amber trichome heads to begin with the final flush. Instead of flushing on the first day and continuing with nutrient solutions, we discontinued using nutrients. We gave our Banana Kush Cake Feminized flowers pure water until harvest.
The bracts making up the buds had continued to swell and add even more size to this impressive plant. The majority of stigmas had now turned brown and retreated back into the bracts, but a few white hairs remained. By the end of the week, the effects of the frequent flushing were noticeable in a fading of the colour on the leaves.
Week fourteen, and our journey with Banana Kush Cake Feminized, would end. Every branch was leaning from the weight of dense green flowers. The once emerald green leaves were now shades of faded green and yellow.
Trichomes covered every cm of the flowers and much of the surrounding leaf material. Floral odours were even more pronounced than the week prior. After 99 days from germinating the seed, our Banana Kush Cake Feminized plant was ready for harvest.
Before cutting our Banana Kush Cake Feminized at the base, we removed all the large fan leaves. Our drying area is environmentally controlled at 15.5 °C and 60% humidity, so the additional moisture of the larger leaves was not needed. Our goal with drying was to have a slow but steady drying period that lasted between 14 and 21 days.
Once our Banana Kush Cake Feminized was chopped down, the entire plant was brought into our drying area and hung upside-down. To circulate the air around the plants, we used a small fan positioned to not blow directly onto the plants while set on a low speed. The drying plants were kept in the dark, with the exception of when we came in to inspect the progress.
On day 19, we were satisfied with the moisture levels of the flowers. We decided to prepare our Banana Kush Cake Feminized buds for curing by first trimming the buds. The structure of the buds was compact, with small vertical stacks of swollen bracts. There were not many sugar leaves sticking out from the bud, which made trimming a quick task.
The manicured buds were then placed into glass jars, but the lid remained off for the first 24 hours. Because the buds were densely placed into the jars, additional moisture would accumulate, and the flowers would feel wetter than when trimmed.
We placed the lids on our Banana Kush Cake Feminized after that first day, then burped each jar every few hours for the first two weeks. Each time we removed the lid to burp our jars, we left the lid off for one hour. The smells that would greet us as the lids were removed grew in intensity with time, a good sign our cure was going well.
After the initial 14 days of curing in the jars, the moisture level in the buds’ centre reaches equilibrium with the buds’ outer portion. We sealed the jars of our Banana Kush Cake Feminized and let them sit in a cool dark place for another four weeks of curing. We then weighed our final harvest and sent a small sample to be tested for cannabinoids at a unique laboratory. The results were fantastic, and our Banana Kush Cake Feminized tested at 24.97% THC.
As the Banana Kush Cake Feminized developed, it gave off a floral scent. The smell was mild, but it became more pronounced and pungent in the final three weeks of flower. When the plant was hanging in our drying area, this scent had morphed into a sweet profile with earthy notes, but during the cure is when the complete profile came out.
The terpene profile from the adequately dried and cured Banana Kush Cake Feminized was multifaceted. There was a pungent, skunky odour that grabbed the nose’s attention. Caryophyllene gave the flower a muted, spicy, and peppery bite. The limonene terpenes were responsible for the burst of citrus in the aroma profile. Rounding out the complete terpene profile was a soothing scent of warm brown sugar.
As we tasted our Banana Kush Cake Feminized for the first time, we were surprisingly pleased that the terpene profile translated to the flavour profile. A skunky, lemony combination was the first of the flavours to hit our palate. On the exhale, smooth notes of brown sugar and pepper departed from our lips. The overall effects were relaxing for both the mind and the body. This strain had the desired characteristics of indica cultivars with a high THC percentage.
Having grown thousands of plants in the past, we consider Banana Kush Cake Feminized an easy plant to grow. It did require some staking towards the end of the flower, but that was due to the weight of the maturing flowers. In total, we harvested 119 grams of dried flower. Our plant finished at the height of 115 cm, which means it can easily be grown in small tents and outdoor gardens.
We finished with a beautiful plant that grew a sizeable main cola that rose above a plethora of smaller colas from the lower auxiliary branches. The buds were resinous and sticky to the touch, with each releasing heady aromas. To put the icing on the cake, our Banana Kush Cake Feminized was laboratory tested and had a significantly high THC level of 24.97%; it is a real heavy-hitter!
Banana Kush Cake is available as feminized or autoflower seeds. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to grow or consume Banana Kush Cake Feminized, we would love to read about it in the comment section below. Check out more articles at the grow report archive, and happy gardening!
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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.
