how long do i flush?
- Thread starter bluesx
- Start date
EdGreyfox
Well-Known Member
Blue,
Im going to commit heresy here, because I firmly believe flushing is over rated. You DO NOT need to flush a plant for two weeks prior to harvesting to get rid of the chemicals from the grow and/or make it taste better, and your actually hurting your plant by doing so. The plants are under a lot of stress towards harvest time and they need the nutrients that you are taking way from them to remain healthy and reach their full potential.
What I've been doing is a semi flush the last two waterings before harvest. I don't do the thing where you run 3 gallons of water per gallon of pot size through, just a really heavy watering that gives a lot of runoff (probably about the equivalent of 1 gallon run through per gallon of the pot). So far I haven't had any problems with chemical tastes at all, but I'm also a firm believer that 90% of the taste is in the drying and curing process. If you dry and cure it properly it will taste fine whether it's been flushed or not.
Im going to commit heresy here, because I firmly believe flushing is over rated. You DO NOT need to flush a plant for two weeks prior to harvesting to get rid of the chemicals from the grow and/or make it taste better, and your actually hurting your plant by doing so. The plants are under a lot of stress towards harvest time and they need the nutrients that you are taking way from them to remain healthy and reach their full potential.
What I've been doing is a semi flush the last two waterings before harvest. I don't do the thing where you run 3 gallons of water per gallon of pot size through, just a really heavy watering that gives a lot of runoff (probably about the equivalent of 1 gallon run through per gallon of the pot). So far I haven't had any problems with chemical tastes at all, but I'm also a firm believer that 90% of the taste is in the drying and curing process. If you dry and cure it properly it will taste fine whether it's been flushed or not.
That isn't heresy, its science.
Flushing doesn't work & doesn't remove excess nutrients from the plant or the soil. What it actually does is starve the plant if you have been feeding correctly prior to this. If you have been feeding correctly & organically ( ie with Bio-Bizz or plant magic nutrients) then there is no need to flush at all & you just reduce the nutrients near end of flower.
Flushing doesn't work & doesn't remove excess nutrients from the plant or the soil. What it actually does is starve the plant if you have been feeding correctly prior to this. If you have been feeding correctly & organically ( ie with Bio-Bizz or plant magic nutrients) then there is no need to flush at all & you just reduce the nutrients near end of flower.
EdGreyfox
Well-Known Member
Speeka,
I meant that it's heresy to a certain segment of the growing community. There are a LOT of people that swear by flushing their plants, and a lot of them think anyone that doesn't flush is an idiot that's stuff must taste like shit. There are plenty of arguments about that right here on this board, though they seem to have died down in the last couple of months quite a bit.
I meant that it's heresy to a certain segment of the growing community. There are a LOT of people that swear by flushing their plants, and a lot of them think anyone that doesn't flush is an idiot that's stuff must taste like shit. There are plenty of arguments about that right here on this board, though they seem to have died down in the last couple of months quite a bit.
. yeah this is my first grow so i really dont have a clue ive just heard you gotta flush.. i think ill just give them lesser and lesser nutes near my harvest date, perhaps. 
Engineer
Active Member
Yeah- I have read that many growers flush with 3 gallons of water per their pot size two weeks before harvest. (So if you use 5 gallon pots then flush with 15 gallons of water) I kind of do it my own way... I have great smelling and tasting buds every harvest and this is what I do. I use full strength fertilizer up until I am ready to pull my plants. I pull them when the trichomes are cloudy and amber. When I pull them from the flowering room I 'flush' them with a lot of water. I put them in my utility sink and run water for a minute or two until it is flowing pretty good. I then put the plants in the dark for like 3-5 days until the soil dries out. Then I chop them.
I will not say that the majority is wrong by any means (by flushing two weeks early). I have noticed that my ladies love fertilizer in the last two weeks of their existence. The buds plump up nice and thick and the smell increases with every fert. I put them in the dark and the color intensifies. The stigmas seem to turn red faster in the dark. I think there are many different ways to do it but this works very well for me. Happy growing!
I will not say that the majority is wrong by any means (by flushing two weeks early). I have noticed that my ladies love fertilizer in the last two weeks of their existence. The buds plump up nice and thick and the smell increases with every fert. I put them in the dark and the color intensifies. The stigmas seem to turn red faster in the dark. I think there are many different ways to do it but this works very well for me. Happy growing!
THis is all a personal preference I believe. I just harvested my first grow. 2 weeks prior I flushed 2x the size of my pot. then until harvest just used plain water to feed. The smoke is super harsh and I think its due to not enough flushing. I was using Fox Farms GB BB and TB. After smoking it for a while I am used to the harshness and it does not affect me. this could be why people who do not ever flush dont ever have harsh smoke: because their used to it. but when I try some different smoke for a while and come back to this, i see how harsh it is again. I will definitely do a more precise flush with my next grow.
REDI JEDI 420
Active Member
does that go for hydro?
Or more likely they have actually done some research on the subject & found out what all the horticultural science and advisory institutions world wide already know & use in regards to nearly every thing to do with soil science relating to nutrient retention and leaching in the temperate zone.
Akita2
Well-Known Member
That's what I'm doing ATM just feeding water for around 1-2 weeks.
xmatox
Well-Known Member
Not to be rude, but you probably didn't dry or cure correctly. If you think flushing for two weeks is a must, you need to pick up a botany/hort book and learn how a plant works.
Roger A. Shrubber
Well-Known Member
i don't flush. marijuana plants that have absorbed any undesirable minerals from their growing medium, are NOT going to be cleansed of them by you pouring some water on the plant. i've tried both, same cuttings from the same mother, grown right next to each other, one flushed for 2 weeks before harvest, one fed up to about 3 days before harvest, they tasted and burned the same as far as i could tell. so i quit flushing. i quit feeding anything but ph'ed water one week before i plan to cut, because i don't think the plants have time to do anything meaningful with it in that time, not because i think it will make it taste better
Akita2
Well-Known Member
Do you recommend it? Or what is your opinion?
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Why would you remove food from the plant when it needs it the most?
Flushing the roots wont remove anything from the buds..thats not how plants work.
Flushing the roots wont remove anything from the buds..thats not how plants work.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Thats because its not been cured.
Dumme
Well-Known Member
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
An excerp from Dumme's link for those that dont like to read.
"Summary:
Preharvest flushing puts the plant(s) under serious stress. The plant has to deal with nutrient deficiencies in a very important part of its cycle. Strong changes in the amount of dissolved substances in the root-zone stress the roots, possibly to the point of direct physical damage to them. Many immobile elements are no more available for further metabolic processes. We are loosing the fan leaves and damage will show likely on new growth as well.
The grower should react in an educated way to the plant needs. Excessive, deficient or unbalanced levels should be avoided regardless the nutrient source. Nutrient levels should be gradually adjusted to the lesser needs in later flowering. Stress factors should be limited as far as possible. If that is accomplished throughout the entire life cycle, there shouldn’t be any excessive nutrient compounds in the plants tissue. It doesn’t sound likely to the author that you can correct growing errors (significant lower mobile nutrient compound levels) with preharvest flushing.
Drying and curing (when done right) on the other hand have proved (In many studies) to have a major impact on taste and flavour, by breaking down chlorophylls and converting starches into sugars. Most attributes blamed on unflushed buds may be the result of unbalanced nutrition and/or overfert and unproper drying/curing."
"Summary:
Preharvest flushing puts the plant(s) under serious stress. The plant has to deal with nutrient deficiencies in a very important part of its cycle. Strong changes in the amount of dissolved substances in the root-zone stress the roots, possibly to the point of direct physical damage to them. Many immobile elements are no more available for further metabolic processes. We are loosing the fan leaves and damage will show likely on new growth as well.
The grower should react in an educated way to the plant needs. Excessive, deficient or unbalanced levels should be avoided regardless the nutrient source. Nutrient levels should be gradually adjusted to the lesser needs in later flowering. Stress factors should be limited as far as possible. If that is accomplished throughout the entire life cycle, there shouldn’t be any excessive nutrient compounds in the plants tissue. It doesn’t sound likely to the author that you can correct growing errors (significant lower mobile nutrient compound levels) with preharvest flushing.
Drying and curing (when done right) on the other hand have proved (In many studies) to have a major impact on taste and flavour, by breaking down chlorophylls and converting starches into sugars. Most attributes blamed on unflushed buds may be the result of unbalanced nutrition and/or overfert and unproper drying/curing."
Budgoro88
Well-Known Member
Everyone is their own grower you gotta make your own educated guess and do it. If using synthetics one thing I recommend and I do is I switch to organics the last 2 or so weeks and feed them everytime then the couple days prior to harvest I slam the hell out of them with water 15 gallons per pot 20 minute increments in between each 5 gallons of water people who say you can't taste the chemicals have never smoked organic herb FACTS. I've flushed 2 weeks I agree that's a waste but flushing is effective hence if you have a problem with over feeding you flush etc I also believe it's stressful to the plant to not feed hence why I switch to organics last couple weeks 2 weeks with no food for the lady is riskyhow long do i need to flush my plants for. ive heard you want to flush for 2 weeks. i feed my plants tiger bloom every other watering with 2 table spoons nutes per gallon water.and will my plants still increase in bud size when im flushing? please assist
Budgoro88
Well-Known Member
^^^^^main reason for the 15 gallons of water is I like to leech the soil I dump it in the woods and don't want to pollute