And I will continue to stand behind my opinion, which has been formulated on decades of experience.
Compare that with what you have done; offer arbitrary study, misinterpret and represent YOUR OWN opinion as fact, based by a study that does not support or offer evidence the way you think it does.
We disagree, I'm not trying to convince you nor continue to point out where your positions fail at having much validity.
As we are approaching harvest I'll feed some to the chop and flush the rest per my norm and will share results. Can we expect you to do the same?
I have been trying to stay out of this but I have been testing this all last year.
I was running a plant a week spaced out perpetually so I started running some clones of real nice ones and ran them 3 times each and 2 different strains.
I know both phenos well so I can grow them very consistently.
I tried feeding to last 2 weeks or so then water only to fade.
I tried feeding to last week then flushed (leached) then water a couple times. For about a week.
And I tried tapering my feed down in steps as they ripened and ended with a low concentration or water only the last time.
Now I try to fertilize only as much as the plants will need to the next watering so no harsh overfeeding here but here are the results I found.
Cutting feed for two weeks resulted in yellowing droopy plants and at least a 30% reduced yield on average. Also terpenes and cannabanoids are noticeably less. Every time I was unhappy.
When only the last week the yield was better and had more to do with how the plants used up the nutes to effect yield and potency/flavor. My more efficient plants can take it but still show some fade and deficiencies. Just doesn't hurt the results as much.
And the winner. Taper down feed during ripening as he plants need less.
Much stronger smells from jar #3 every time. And definitely more potent. But not only that also more complexity and a stronger combination of head high and body buzz from my hybrids.
Also have evolved more in the jar. My BLT that is sour diesel heavy goes from typical rotten fruit smell to much more chocolate. The starved one did not.
Every patient noticed and commented it was really strong and tasty.
Those are my findings. I will waste no more time on a stupid guideline that doesn't consider any variables. If I get build up or plant stress. I may leach. I may just lower the ec of my solution. Or I may give water only to dilute.
And they just keep getting greener and healthier for their whole cycle with many less finishing problems.
And every Greenhouse guide I have read and food production manual too says to only water only the last week. That is to not waste money and they are not growing cannabis for connisours or patients. Just food that will sell for a few dollars a pound.
I grow for max quality I can get. That requires growing a plant as close to its potential as your environment permits.