Question about flushing

[Marduk5769]

I've seen a few post mentioning flushing your plant before harvesting and also using molasses while flushing. Could I get some insight on what this is and what it does? I'm about 2 or 3 weeks away and it's my first grow so thanks for the tips.

 

[mofizzle415]

Flushing removes all the nutes that have build up in your plantas so you get a much cleaner, tastier smoke....

 

[Marduk5769]

I knew it was for a cleaner smoke. For instance, you're growing hydro and during flowering you use no chemical, just water to have a smoke that doesn't taste like the chemicals you were using. What about just growing naturally in soil? What am I flushing then, just plain nutrients in the soil? I am watering normally. Do I have to water more? And where does the molasses come in?

 

[Brick Top]

Flushing removes all the nutes that have build up in your plantas so you get a much cleaner, tastier smoke....

Flushing cleans out all the built up nutrients in your soil so your plants can no longer take taking in nutrients and instead only take in moisture from the soil and the plants then use up the nutrients it has stored in plant matter. That clears out any chemicals in the plant that could effect the taste and or odor.


“Molasses and Plant Carbohydrates”
Sugars relating to plant functions for maximum economic
production

Printed by permission of Texas Plant & Soil Lab, Inc.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS that affect when and how much sugar to use:

a. How much nitrate is in the soil, and plant sap (petiole test).
b. Soil moisture conditions.
c. Sunlight intensity.
d. Temperature.
e. Wind
f. Fruiting stage / load
g. Growth / vigor [shade lower leaves]

The right amount at the right time can improve fruiting and produce normal
plant growth with less attraction for disease and insects.

Needed for healthy plants - fruit production - plant development &
maturity.

Roots take nutrients from the soil and transport them up the stalk thru the
petiole (stem) to the leaves where the sunlight aids the production of
photosynthates (sugars are not the ONLY product of photosynthesis)
carbohydrates (C, H & O), principally glucose (C6H12O6) and then other sugars
and photosynthates are formed.

Plant Sugars and other photosynthates are first translocated (boron is
essential to the translocation) to a fruiting site. If fruit is not available, the
sugars, along with excess nitrates, spur the rapid vegetative growth of the plant
at the expense of creating fruiting bodies (first sink) for the storage of the sugars.

Once the proper balance of environmental factors (heat units, light intensity, soil
moisture, nutrient balance, etc) are met, the fruiting buds form and then fruit
formation gets the first crack at the sugar supply.

Any excess sugars are then translocated to the number two sink, (growing
terminals,) to speed their growth. The left-over sugars, etc. then go to the
number 3 sink, (the roots,) to aid their growth. Here the new root hairs take
up nutrients to help continue the cycle of sugar and other photosynthate produc-
tion, fruiting, growth of terminals and roots.

ADDED SUGARS CAN AID THE PLANT IN SEVERAL WAYS:
-
MOLASSES is probably the best outside source of many sugars, such as table
sugar, corn syrup and several more complex sugars such as polysaccharides
found in humus products.

- Sugar can be added to the soil in irrigation water, drip & pivot being the most
effective.

* In the soil it can:

- Feed microbes to stimulate the conversion of nitrates to the more
efficient NH2 form of N to synthesize protein more directly by the plants.

- The roots can directly absorb some of the sugars into the sap stream to
supplement the leaf supply to fruit where it is most needed, and ALSO directly
feed the roots for continued productive growth.

- This ADDED sugar can also help initiate fruiting buds in a steady-slow
fashion while maintaining normal growth.

-EXCESSIVE amounts of ADDED SUGARS applied foliarly can shock the
plant resulting in shortened growth internodes, increased leaf maturity & initiation
of excess fruiting sites. This can be a short term effect lasting only a few days.

Pollination, soil moisture, nutrient balance and sufficiency as well as
adequate light for photosynthate production decide how much of the
induced fruit can mature.

 

[Jerry Garcia]

Flushing is typically done in both hydro and soil...though it's necessity has been questioned more than once. The accepted method of operating here is to flush for 2 weeks, using plain PH adjusted water. Some people use molasses, some don't. Not a huge deal either way.

Whether you are in soil or hydro, the point is to remove any residual nutrients, and force the plant to use what it has available, rather than pass on excess to the finished product.

You can continue to water normally, using a ratio of 1 quart water per gallon of soil in your pot. If you want you can give a true "flush", using 3 gallons water per gallon soil. This is usually done if someone has overfed their plants and are trying to remove all nutrients. You don't need to do this because you want the plant to use what it's got over the last couple weeks. But if you did it with your very last watering it probably isn't a bad idea...

 

[Marduk5769]

In the words of the Virgin Mary, come again? JK. Thank you very in depth find there.


The right amount at the right time can improve fruiting.

I figured this is what everyone is after with the molasses. I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on when is the right time. What is the right amount? Since there are so many variables to take into account, that is what makes me have questions. This also seems like something that can also vary from grower to grower.

 

[raiderman]

its wise to flush every other watering through 75% of a plants life,,,,wen yure start using a carb additive like sugar daddy or molasses which boost calyx production and resin every watering wen yure in like day 40 to 45 using every watering ,using maximum amnts as directed,10 days before harvest flush twice , the flush puts all the additives into play, the bud then swells generously turning its color and ripening,rdr.