the truth about the final flush

[rob333]

Flushing your plants in the last two weeks of a grow is one the most common pieces of knowledge when it comes to pre-harvest time.

So is flushing your plants before harvest a good idea? Yes. But not for the reason that most people think…

Any time you feed your plants, they intake nutrients which - in too-high amounts - are not able to be used by the plants and therefore can add a 'chemically' taste to your buds. Flushing in the last two weeks gives your plant a chance to “drink water” without extra minerals to further alter the taste. It also clears out any build up of excess minerals or nutrient salts in your medium (such as coco coir, or water for DWC).

However, flushing does not "leach out" nutrients/minerals that are already in the buds. While your plant can use up extra stored nutrients in the leaves of the plant, this does not remove a "chemical" taste from your buds if you've provided too many nutrients throughout the flowering stage.

Many people believe that flushing with plain water takes nutrients (and thus bad taste) out of the buds, in a sense, returning them to their ‘natural flavor’. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case.

When it comes to ensuring good taste and smell of your cannabis plants, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Instead of relying on the flush to prevent extra nutrients from being stored in your buds, it's better to avoid ever giving the plant more nutrients than it can use in the first place. That means keeping nutrient levels as low as you can throughout the grow while preventing nutrient deficiencies.

 

[mr sunshine]

What if you don't over feed your plants. Ph your water for proper uptake and have great drainage...and you water with plain water threw out the week...in your opinion is flushing necessary in every case?

 

[Dr. Who]

No.
1: Don't over feed.
2: Proper cure! Proper cure! Proper cure!

 

[MachiavellI420]

if anyone here contests that salt buildup doesn't affect the taste of the final product you're insane. but if you don't overfeed like an animal, like said above all you need is a proper dry, and cure.

 

[az2000]

Flushing your plants in the last two weeks of a grow is one the most common pieces of knowledge when it comes to pre-harvest time.

When copying/pasting from other sites it's good to cite the source so others can learn more. For example, what you posted originates from http://www.growweedeasy.com/top-7-most-common-growing-myths where it is "myth #4" among other myths readers might find interesting.

 

[gorillagrower0840]

Isn't it a good idea to not feed your plants the last 2 weeks anyways, because instead of feeding them more nutes that cost money, the plants could get the nutes from their own reserves (leaves), which are free?

 

[az2000]

Isn't it a good idea to not feed your plants the last 2 weeks anyways, because instead of feeding them more nutes that cost money, the plants could get the nutes from their own reserves (leaves), which are free?

That's what I've always done (10-14 days). But, I've never tried feeding until chop. I'm going to try it soon just so I can see for myself.

However, I feed modestly without salt buildup. What I feed contains a fair amount of organic components. If someone feeds entirely synthetic and overfeeds, uses big dose of PK at the end as a "booster," things might be different for them.

 

[chernobe]

The second law of thermo dynamics states that when salt is added to a solutioun the salt will always seek out the weaker solution. When we add our weak soultion (pure water or flushing product) to the plant media osmotic preassure then comes into play. The osmotic preassure will change and now we are literally leeching the salt from both plant and media. The "flush or not to flush " debate is always gonna be on here but what i just stated is undeniable science. Im not saying one needs to or not needs to flush, just stating facts. Personally i always flush because i grow synthetically, and i like clean smoke that doesnt light up the room like a sparkler would. One who uses organic gardening techniques shouldnt have to flush, synthetics should imo. I have seen the difference in my program and will always flush. No amount of curing will ever remove salts from your flowers, all your doing is smoothing out the taste.

 

[Dankfactory]

When copying/pasting from other sites it's good to cite the source so others can learn more. For example, what you posted originates from http://www.growweedeasy.com/top-7-most-common-growing-myths where it is "myth #4" among other myths readers might find interesting.

Hahaha! Classic..
Man, so many impostors attempting to establish relevance in the online community. There's another running thread on here at the moment, which is actually stickied, with dozens upon dozens of users championing the OP for the "write-up." It's called Water the most essential compound, and it too, was simply cut and pasted from the original author(s)
Then there's that dude Riknstein posting up stolen photos of OG18 and claiming them as his own.
It seems this is the typical knee jerk reaction to "like seekers" who lack the skills to produce quality, and seek acceptance in the more obscure corners of relevance. How sad.

 

[rob333]

What if you don't over feed your plants. Ph your water for proper uptake and have great drainage...and you water with plain water threw out the week...in your opinion is flushing necessary in every case?

no i dont think so i have done it both ways were i hav

When copying/pasting from other sites it's good to cite the source so others can learn more. For example, what you posted originates from http://www.growweedeasy.com/top-7-most-common-growing-myths where it is "myth #4" among other myths readers might find interesting.

well u found the site hahaha i was gunna go thru a few of them to see what the people of riu thought but i found the whole final flush thing to be awsome

 

[rob333]

What if you don't over feed your plants. Ph your water for proper uptake and have great drainage...and you water with plain water threw out the week...in your opinion is flushing necessary in every case?

got pretty damn wasted half way thru my post lol like i was saying i have done both ways with h/g were i have kept it on one ml rate the whole grow like arounf 2-3 mls per ltr with no flush same again but with a 2 week final flush i found no real diff in tast or high what so ever but last grow were i bumb the shit right up to around 5-6 mls per ltr least to say the shit tasted horried and gave u a wikked sore throat even with the final 2 weeks of fresh water so yea i find if u stay on a light nute run i find there is real no need at all for the flush only if u have a bita salt build up like h/g always dose

 

[chuck estevez]

LEARN HOW TO GROW PROPERLY, no need to flush. shitty taste comes from shitty growers, not nutrients.

 

[vostok]

I would like very much for you to prove to the membership
that flushing your plants don't remove any excess nutes
at your posted above,​

 

[rob333]

I would like very much for you to prove to the membership
that flushing your plants don't remove any excess nutes
at your posted above,​

unless u want to come and smoke a cone well i really cants can i ??

 

[vostok]

unless u want to come and smoke a cone well i really cants can i ??

So in other words
you are just wasting our time
with you unsupported opinion
Not here sonny maybe over at Grass City
with that noobie shit! ​

 

[Dr. Who]

if anyone here contests that salt buildup doesn't affect the taste of the final product you're insane. but if you don't overfeed like an animal, like said above all you need is a proper dry, and cure.

In my book. If you're getting salt "build up",,,, you're not growing effectively! Coco growers get a "pass" on that!

The second law of thermo dynamics states that when salt is added to a solutioun the salt will always seek out the weaker solution. When we add our weak soultion (pure water or flushing product) to the plant media osmotic preassure then comes into play. The osmotic preassure will change and now we are literally leeching the salt from both plant and media. The "flush or not to flush " debate is always gonna be on here but what i just stated is undeniable science. Im not saying one needs to or not needs to flush, just stating facts. Personally i always flush because i grow synthetically, and i like clean smoke that doesnt light up the room like a sparkler would. One who uses organic gardening techniques shouldnt have to flush, synthetics should imo. I have seen the difference in my program and will always flush. No amount of curing will ever remove salts from your flowers, all your doing is smoothing out the taste.

VERY true, but once absorbed by the plant, is it a "salt" anymore?
What chemical actions are in play with the plant and the nutrient that do not apply to your law exactly?
Yes, some nutrients are reduced to a point. Some do not.

It is FAR more effective to do a "last feed" and simply water it out and let the plant use what it has available!
The effect or "law" you mention, has more to due with leaching from the soil then from the plant. That returns you to the sentence above.

I water a metered amount everyday. I do not "overfeed" and that is a huge factor here! The amount is enough to carry it to the next lights on time. Thus, you MAY/COULD draw the conclusion that, "You get a better more effective "use" of available nutrition, with the plant able to better utilize and expend the available stores "of", over a given time of a non feeding period."

You do make a good point though. I simply expanded on it some.
NO intended dis!!!!

Doc

 

[chuck estevez]

you know, if someone just explained it properly, maybe they wouldn't make stupid statements about nutrients causing bad taste. what flows thru the plant the most. what are nutrient ions turned into after photosynthesis? GLUCOSE. so if you starve your plant, it stops photosynthesis. which means it stops making food(glucose) so it uses the available food(glucose)

this is why people say flushed weed tastes better, they ARE correct, BUT, at a loss of growth because the buds pack the most weight the last 2 weeks. if you keep plant healthy till end THEN do stuff to remove the GLUCOSE, STARCHES,CHLOROPHYLL which is what cause these bad tastes.you will have great smoke.

 

[Dr. Who]

you know, if someone just explained it properly, maybe they wouldn't make stupid statements about nutrients causing bad taste. what flows thru the plant the most. what are nutrient ions turned into after photosynthesis? GLUCOSE. so if you starve your plant, it stops photosynthesis. which means it stops making food(glucose) so it uses the available food(glucose)

this is why people say flushed weed tastes better, they ARE correct, BUT, at a loss of growth because the buds pack the most weight the last 2 weeks. if you keep plant healthy till end THEN do stuff to remove the GLUCOSE, STARCHES,CHLOROPHYLL which is what cause these bad tastes.you will have great smoke.

Well said, well said!!!
(I simply tried to tease with just enough info for them to do some research on their own.)


At week 6, I give a "spike" to the organic. Water it out.
In synthetic combo runs....A nice feed at week 6, with a P bump and maybe a normal bloom "feeding" and Age Old Kelp a cpl of times to boost uptake\utilization of available nutrients in the soil. Water it out from week 8 to finish.

If you flush, then the "law" removes to much of that available nutrition in the soil that will carry your plant out if given a proper last feeding.

Hats off to Chuck!

 

[az2000]

what flows thru the plant the most. what are nutrient ions turned into after photosynthesis? GLUCOSE.

I've never not flushed, so I can't say I notice flushing makes a difference. It's something I want to try. However, the above seems to leave out the aspect of nutrients N, P, K and mg being mobile. If they're mobile (for example in the sense of N being tapped from older leaves when needed), it sounds like it's more than just stored/processed glucose but specific nutrients that can be transported.

 

[chuck estevez]

I've never not flushed, so I can't say I notice flushing makes a difference. It's something I want to try. However, the above seems to leave out the aspect of nutrients N, P, K and mg being mobile. If they're mobile (for example in the sense of N being tapped from older leaves when needed), it sounds like it's more than just stored/processed glucose but specific nutrients that can be transported.

are you saying those nutrients don't get broken down into ions first?