Flushing: does it make a difference?

180

180

sticky is as sticky does
"Flushing was found to be ineffective in removing any significant amount of nutrient from the bud."

This is from the Abstract of this paper; scroll down past the editor's notes about errors in the study (I don't think the errors affect the conclusions about flushing).

https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlu...temeroff_Jonathan_201712_Msc_with_erratum.pdf

Now, I think most of us flush, to one degree or another. But if you grow in soil or potting soil, "flushing" is going to be an incomplete process. There will always be some nutrients left in the soil at the end of flower. If you do hydro, or imho coco as well, it is possible to get a more complete flush of the substrate. But in any case, I think there are other elements in the process of harvesting and drying/curing that make MUCH more difference in the quality of the final product than flushing does. Drying and curing properly make a huge difference.

Comments?
 
Flushing hard is actually bad, causes lockouts and the smoke to become harsher than if you had just rode out at proper concentration the whole grow until chop. Proven time and again on coco. Do not flush coco.

A slow gradual reduction, or what I call LEACH, is the best way to reduce the amount of leftover feed.in the buds and not overfeed during the last 3 weeks when the plants nutrient requirements drop and she uses what's left in her cells.
 
And also there is flushing, or just switching to water, but not flushing. Flushing means running a ton of water through with lots of runoff.
 
Reed Man said:
Flushing hard is actually bad, causes lockouts and the smoke to become harsher than if you had just rode out at proper concentration the whole grow until chop. Proven time and again on coco. Do not flush coco.

A slow gradual reduction, or what I call LEACH, is the best way to reduce the amount of leftover feed.in the buds and not overfeed during the last 3 weeks when the plants nutrient requirements drop and she uses what's left in her cells.
Click to expand...

I do pretty much the same. I don’t flush as much as I used to now that I’ve moved over to organic nutes and don’t seem to have a problem with salt build ups causing issues. I just kind of let them starve and fade towards the end. I think a proper dry and cure is what makes the bigger difference as long as they don’t come down when they are dark green and full of food.
 
I use plain water last two weeks, but dont run so much that it’s pouring out the bottom, I do like to see a bit of run off though. Sometimes I hit the mark and all the big fans are faded, but are standing out looking good, other times end up past that point and there are no fans left.

There’s somethin to letting um yellow some, much like fall colors, seems natural, lol. Anyway to each his own.
 
I have always used GH nutes(and some other supplements, powerSi, and a few others) in DWC type grows with great success. I "taper" flush around 2 weeks from harvest, which almost completely gets rid of nitrogen by 2 weeks, (I also taper off of Cal/mag) and nutrients. The leaf fade starts around 7-9 days usually, so I do recommend flushing in hydro style grows. In soil(i have used Living organic soil outdoors) - like you have mentioned 180, I have had more issue completely flushing in soil. The TDS is usually a lot higher than in hydro, so it would take a bit longer to flush... Considering I only top dress, use teas for feed and use plain Ph'd water for the outdoor plants, the soil does the rest.. I discontinue top dressing earlier like 17 or so days from harvest. The fade starts around the same time, and when harvested - smokes down to a beautifully clean white ash...
 
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i would agree that the "deed has been done" already as to whether your weed tastes great..

"flushing" by reverting to water may help the leaves to lose the green more and some people like that

but my guess is its how you grew the plant during the months of flower

i am starting to also think that how you dry it has easily as much to do with the taste..

in the winter its harder for me to dry slower..the weed dried in the summer can dry for weeks and still not be crispy

that weed tastes better..but it still has to be grown well and not overloaded first..

but in reality ..you gotta grow it right...i have had the same variety grown at the same time..in different grow pods and one tastes great and the other tastes gacky

so i think it also has to do with fert content through out the grow mostly..then cure
 
^^^Yup. IMHO the way to improve the health of the plant and thus the overall quality of the flower is to feed LESS. The flowers may not be as bulky, but they will smell and smoke better.

I learned this the hard way, by valuing quantity over quality. Then the market changed and I shifted my focus to higher quality. The friends don't seem to notice the difference so much, they are as appreciative as ever, but I notice it.

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but my cultivation techniques have changed markedly in the last 5-10 years. I'd like to take all the credit myself, but it's also the evolving market and technologies PUSHING me ;)
 
kushyman said:
i am starting to also think that how you dry it has easily as much to do with the taste..



so i think it also has to do with fert content through out the grow mostly..then cure
Click to expand...


As for drying, another couple tips you most likely know, is never use cardboard trays or plastic bags. Both can impart odors to the herb. Some plastic is inert and gives no smell, but what's wrong with glass jars? Cardboard definitely imparts cardboard taste and smell.
 
if you feed the plant proper levels of nutes, flushing is not necessarily a necessity. For the last 2 weeks of flower, i give my plants water with epsom salts and molasses. that's it/ my smoke turns out so smooth and tasty.
 
Flushing, like cob curing, is on my list to do someday. (lol and has been for a long time; typical, lazy stoner that I am)
 
Growing mostly organic and using soil loaded with guanos, complete flushing makes no sense, especially if you reuse your soil.. what I do is run enough water thru it when I flip to

flower just to get rid of any residual build up... a gallon of water thru a 1gal pot is usually enough.. then water only towards the end.. seems to work for me so not fixing it.... haha
 
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