k0ijn
Scientia Cannabis
Another pre-harvest flushing thread?
Cannabis nutrient storage and transportation around the plant is very complicated. I'm not fully explaining every aspect of the processes in the following since I have already done so before (search my nick and read my previous posts on the subject);
Basically the nutrients are "stored" in the leaves and roots, fan leaves more so than sugar leaves.
Stems also contain a lot of nutrients but this is more to the fact of the xylem, phloem and other plant mechanisms being the main way of transporting water (and therefore nutrients) around.
The ratios are different depending on which nutrient we're talking about and also which supply (deficient vs critical vs abundant).
For example nitrate ions are 'stored' ~3:1 in leaves compared with the roots.
Whereas phosphate ions are 'stored' ~2:1 in roots compared with the leaves.
Suffice to say that there is a reason why fan leaves (and roots which is readily visible in hydro grows) react to overfeeding and underfeeding first and most severely.
The calyxes themselves do not contain an abundance of nutrients at any point in the growth, unless you heavily overfeed your plants. And you have to overfeed A LOT.
Most abundance nutrients by far end up in the leaves, roots and stems.
Cannabis plants are highly efficient, they use up the nutrients supplied to the calyxes very quickly, almost entirely eliminating any chances of nutrients building up in the calyxes, except for extreme cases.
Flushing is useful as an error correction method.
If you have salt buildup, nutrient solution problems or the like flushing is an easy and useful way of fixing those issues.
Pre-harvest flushing is something totally different.
The fact that some people believe that you can flush nutrients out of the calyxes (flowers) and thereby get improve taste, burn etc. of your final product is ridiculous.
It has never been scientifically proven to work. Science on nutrient storage and transportation proves it to be a false assumption and that is has NO basis in fact.
It's clear for any rational person to see that it is a myth, and it will remain so until proper scientific studies proves otherwise (which won't happen unless cannabis bio-functions and mechanism change radically for no apparent reason).
If the latter, it's ridiculous..
Causing a deficiency will affect the yield, you're quite right.
Not flushing will not negatively affect the weed 'when you burn it' in any way.
If you keep proper nutrient levels throughout the grow and you do a proper dry & cure, you will end up with premium weed. No flush can improve any taste, odour, burn etc.
Can you show me the scientific information backing up this theory?
As roc said, a proper dry & cure is what determines the taste and odour of your final product.
I think you have a very erroneous view of how nutrient storage works in cannabis (and indeed in most plants).
Nutrients are not stored in the calyxes (see the first section of this post), you cannot leech nutrients 'out' of the calyxes since nutrients transported there from either the roots leaves are used up almost at the same time as delivery occurs. You will not see an abundance of nutrients in the calyxes unless you are heavily overfeeding to the point of toxicity occurring.
Which is VERY uncommon.
Most newbies might have slight deficiencies or minor abundances, most experienced growers stray as close to critical supply as they can.
In both cases none would induce abundance of nutrients in the calyxes.
The fact that you even tossed in a 'very basic here can see the growers and the noobs lol..' comment just goes to show your close mindedness and how this idea of pre-harvest flushing got stuck in your head as fact without any scientific backup of any kind (no studies, no general testing, no information).
As roc said, a proper dry & cure is what determines the taste and odour of your final product.
Again, nutrients are not stored in the calyxes (flowers of the plant, what you smoke) therefore that age old argument is as invalid as it always has been.
If you grow the weed without causes deficiencies or abundance you will never need to flush anything.
No the weed will not have a chemical taste unless the strain delivers such a particular taste.
Nutrients are not stored in the calyxes.
Cannabis nutrient storage and transportation around the plant is very complicated. I'm not fully explaining every aspect of the processes in the following since I have already done so before (search my nick and read my previous posts on the subject);
Basically the nutrients are "stored" in the leaves and roots, fan leaves more so than sugar leaves.
Stems also contain a lot of nutrients but this is more to the fact of the xylem, phloem and other plant mechanisms being the main way of transporting water (and therefore nutrients) around.
The ratios are different depending on which nutrient we're talking about and also which supply (deficient vs critical vs abundant).
For example nitrate ions are 'stored' ~3:1 in leaves compared with the roots.
Whereas phosphate ions are 'stored' ~2:1 in roots compared with the leaves.
Suffice to say that there is a reason why fan leaves (and roots which is readily visible in hydro grows) react to overfeeding and underfeeding first and most severely.
The calyxes themselves do not contain an abundance of nutrients at any point in the growth, unless you heavily overfeed your plants. And you have to overfeed A LOT.
Most abundance nutrients by far end up in the leaves, roots and stems.
Cannabis plants are highly efficient, they use up the nutrients supplied to the calyxes very quickly, almost entirely eliminating any chances of nutrients building up in the calyxes, except for extreme cases.
Flushing is useful as an error correction method.
If you have salt buildup, nutrient solution problems or the like flushing is an easy and useful way of fixing those issues.
Pre-harvest flushing is something totally different.
The fact that some people believe that you can flush nutrients out of the calyxes (flowers) and thereby get improve taste, burn etc. of your final product is ridiculous.
It has never been scientifically proven to work. Science on nutrient storage and transportation proves it to be a false assumption and that is has NO basis in fact.
It's clear for any rational person to see that it is a myth, and it will remain so until proper scientific studies proves otherwise (which won't happen unless cannabis bio-functions and mechanism change radically for no apparent reason).
Not sure if you're just having fun or being serious.The thing that I have a problem with is close to the end of the go you do something ok. Now how long really does it take photosynthesis to process of the water/nutes to get to the buds?
If the latter, it's ridiculous..
Certain type of nute? All nutrients are the same at molecular level, a nitrate ion is a nitrate ion.Im not sure if its a certain type of nute that dose it, but i can tell the difference sometimes, especially in this bit.
Well if we're taking hydroponics here, then giving your plants nothing at all but straight water for the last two weeks will definitely cause your yields to suffer. On the other hand if you don't flush at all, you'll definitely be noticing it when you go to burn one. I've got my flushing process now zeroed in to five days. I'll drop straight down from 1200ppm to 400 (emptying out the rez, flushing with 10ml/gal of FloraKleen rigorously for an hour or so, then replenishing nutes) for first three days, then emptying out the reservoir again and using 5ml/gal of FloraKleen and pH'd tap water for the remainder, the ppms will have finally bottomed out somewhere around 100 right before the chop.
Causing a deficiency will affect the yield, you're quite right.
Not flushing will not negatively affect the weed 'when you burn it' in any way.
If you keep proper nutrient levels throughout the grow and you do a proper dry & cure, you will end up with premium weed. No flush can improve any taste, odour, burn etc.
from my experiences if you're not going to cure, just dry and smoke flushing or stop feeding 2 weeks prior to harvesting defenitely improves tastes.
Can you show me the scientific information backing up this theory?
As roc said, a proper dry & cure is what determines the taste and odour of your final product.
To leech the nutrients back out of the plant?Racerboy cant be serious right??? You flush to leech the nutrients back out the plant. The pure water allows the plant to just drink and use left over food it has. Left in nutes change the tatse of the buds, slow curing, taste bad, make you couch and cause buds to spark when lit..Very basic here can see the growers and the noobs lol..No flush is like taking a fine exotic car and tossing regular octane gas in it. It ll run but not like it should.
I think you have a very erroneous view of how nutrient storage works in cannabis (and indeed in most plants).
Nutrients are not stored in the calyxes (see the first section of this post), you cannot leech nutrients 'out' of the calyxes since nutrients transported there from either the roots leaves are used up almost at the same time as delivery occurs. You will not see an abundance of nutrients in the calyxes unless you are heavily overfeeding to the point of toxicity occurring.
Which is VERY uncommon.
Most newbies might have slight deficiencies or minor abundances, most experienced growers stray as close to critical supply as they can.
In both cases none would induce abundance of nutrients in the calyxes.
The fact that you even tossed in a 'very basic here can see the growers and the noobs lol..' comment just goes to show your close mindedness and how this idea of pre-harvest flushing got stuck in your head as fact without any scientific backup of any kind (no studies, no general testing, no information).
Can you show me the scientific information backing up this theory?It works great.
As roc said, a proper dry & cure is what determines the taste and odour of your final product.
Flushing is a good idea. Pre-harvest flushing (which is in no way the same as flushing in general and does not seek to perform the same goals as pre-harvest flushers claim pre-harvest flushing does) is a waste of time and the so called positive effects of doing so are unsubstantiated myths, with no basis in fact and no scientific evidence to back up the many claims.I think flushing is a good idea.......
and
Curing slowly is a good idea..............
Flushing I think Helps in getting rid of unwanted nasty tasting chemicals etc.......
and Curing Slowly Helps the weed smell good rather that a quick cure that makes it smell like HAY!..........
Again, nutrients are not stored in the calyxes (flowers of the plant, what you smoke) therefore that age old argument is as invalid as it always has been.
There is no difference between soil and hydro when it comes to pre-harvest flushing.the need to flush at the end of your flowering cycle is only needed when you grow in hydro
I grow in sunshine... use fert everytime I water @ 1/2 strength...never once flushed in flowewr in 20 yrs ...except for salt buildup in veg and I vaporize... so taste is a big concern of mine
Dont let anyone tell you that hydro grows better buds.... just heavier more condensed buds.....most of which will have a chemically taste in a vaporizer
If you grow the weed without causes deficiencies or abundance you will never need to flush anything.
No the weed will not have a chemical taste unless the strain delivers such a particular taste.
Nutrients are not stored in the calyxes.