Flushing

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donniedives

Active Member
I am a medical marijuana patient and a caregiver and cultivator for another patient. I have harvested four crops so far, done my homework, refined my technique, honed my skills, got it dialed in now. I am using the deep water culture technique in a grow tent and have questions about flushing. My last grow I used purified water throughout. When it came time to flush, I drained the reservoir of nutrient and filled with purified water which had a ppm of 4 (four). After three days of flushing the ppm came in at 95. Three days later it was still 95ppm. Confused and not knowing what else to do I drained the reservoir and refilled with purified water again. After three days it was still close to the 95ppm. Figured it wasn't going to change any further so after eight or nine days of flushing I harvested and the smoke was smooth and tasty. So I guess the proof is in the pudding but I'm not fully understanding what's going on in the flushing process. I thought it was necessary to remove the unused nutrients in the plant which makes the smoke harsh and affects the flavor. Last night I watched a HygroHybrid vid (and a big shout out to you HH, you are my Heisenberg of cannabis). He was flushing his plants for a month in DWC until all the leaves turned yellow. I didn't know that just stopping chlorophyll production in the leaves had anything to do with the potency or flavor of the flowers. Could somebody enlighten me please? Keeping the spirits high for the holidays. Thanks all.
 
D

donniedives

Active Member
RM3 said:
Starve the plant at the end so it can die like it does outside also known as the fade is very popular as is not flushing and there has been an ongoing debate for years :)

The science is in my truth about flushing thread, first and last post (I updated it)

https://www.rollitup.org/t/the-truth-about-flushing.409622/
Click to expand...
Thank you so much RM3 for pointing me to all the supporting scientific information but it's a long read with jargon, It'll take me more time than I have right now to get through it all. In the meantime, not to bust your chops or anything, but if all that science supports the truth as you say it is, then isn't there a short answer to my question? I don't need to be an automotive engineer to drive my car from point A to point B. Likewise, I don't want to become a professor of botany just to know how or if to flush. I will read the info all the way through to gain a better understanding and appreciate your help.
 
Dr. Who

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
This is the part that should be read the most in RM3's link.

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."

Flushing is for toilets.

PROPER CURE, PROPER CURE,,,proper cure!!!!!
 
D

donniedives

Active Member
Dr. Who said:
This is the part that should be read the most in RM3's link.

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."

Flushing is for toilets.

PROPER CURE, PROPER CURE,,,proper cure!!!!!
Click to expand...
 
D

donniedives

Active Member
Thank you so very much Dr. Who, that was precisely the short answer I was looking for. I love the line "flushing is for toilets". To borrow from Chief Red Cloud, "From where the sun now stands, I will flush no more forever." I will gradually decrease the nutrient level prior to harvest and let the drying and curing do the rest. It just didn't seem to make sense to me to deprive the plant of nutrients until all the leaves fall off. I'm thinking that would just cause more if not all of the trichomes to turn amber thereby losing important THC. Multiple blessings be upon you and here's to bountiful harvests!
 
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