Potassium bicarbonate wash after harvest

J

Jrviper

Member
My plants have powdery mildew. I’ve been using Mildew Cure from safergrow and it has definitely kept it from spreading, but I still see spots here and there. I’m wondering if anyone has tried to wash their buds in a solution of potassium bicarbonate and water after harvest, followed by a rinse with fresh water. I know people often wash with baking soda and lemon juice and/or peroxide, but it seems like potassium bicarbonate would be more effective at killing the spores so they don’t return during curing or storage. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
green_machine_two9er

green_machine_two9er

Well-Known Member
Jrviper said:
My plants have powdery mildew. I’ve been using Mildew Cure from safergrow and it has definitely kept it from spreading, but I still see spots here and there. I’m wondering if anyone has tried to wash their buds in a solution of potassium bicarbonate and water after harvest, followed by a rinse with fresh water. I know people often wash with baking soda and lemon juice and/or peroxide, but it seems like potassium bicarbonate would be more effective at killing the spores so they don’t return during curing or storage. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
I don’t think it kills spores. Just reduces surface ph to be non beneficial for pm.

I would go with something citric acid based.
 
J

Jrviper

Member
green_machine_two9er said:
I don’t think it kills spores. Just reduces surface ph to be non beneficial for pm.

I would go with something citric acid based.
Click to expand...
I thought baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) changed the PH so they couldn’t grow, but from what I’ve read the potassium bicarbonate kills them. Of course that’s just what I’ve read on the internet so I really have no clue as to what’s true lol
 
green_machine_two9er

green_machine_two9er

Well-Known Member
Jrviper said:
I thought baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) changed the PH so they couldn’t grow, but from what I’ve read the potassium bicarbonate kills them. Of course that’s just what I’ve read on the internet so I really have no clue as to what’s true lol
Click to expand...
Pretty sure they work the same way. Potassium being plant friendly over sodium. Could be wrong.
 
JimmiP

JimmiP

Well-Known Member
I use potassium bicarbonate in my first was tub. The second has H2O2 and the third and fourth are just plain water. It does stop fungal infections from progressing post harvest.
Nothing sucks more than finding bud rot after they’ve been hanging a day or two. And the potassium bicarbonate wash has been proven (to my friends and I) to stop it in its tracks. I always use it on outdoor plants, even if no bud rot has been found, just in case.
 
J

Jrviper

Member
JimmiP said:
I use potassium bicarbonate in my first was tub. The second has H2O2 and the third and fourth are just plain water. It does stop fungal infections from progressing post harvest.
Nothing sucks more than finding bud rot after they’ve been hanging a day or two. And the potassium bicarbonate wash has been proven (to my friends and I) to stop it in its tracks. I always use it on outdoor plants, even if no bud rot has been found, just in case.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
J

Jrviper

Member
JimmiP said:
I use potassium bicarbonate in my first was tub. The second has H2O2 and the third and fourth are just plain water. It does stop fungal infections from progressing post harvest.
Nothing sucks more than finding bud rot after they’ve been hanging a day or two. And the potassium bicarbonate wash has been proven (to my friends and I) to stop it in its tracks. I always use it on outdoor plants, even if no bud rot has been found, just in case.
Click to expand...
How much potassium bicarbonate do you use per gallon in your wash? Also how much H2O2? Thanks again for your help.
 
JimmiP

JimmiP

Well-Known Member
Jrviper said:
How much potassium bicarbonate do you use per gallon in your wash? Also how much H2O2? Thanks again for your help.
Click to expand...
That depends on how high I am, lol. About a heaping tablespoon per gallon of the potassium bicarbonate. But I am sure I've added a little more on accident. And it is around 2 liters of 3%H2O2 per ten gallons. You could use higher test H2O2 and do the math on the concentration if you need to.

I submerge the branches in each wash and gently swish them around a bit. Then on to each of the next bins.
I should also mention to use lukewarm water for the washes. The reason being, is that if the water is too cold (water from the hose in cool fall weather) the trichomes will become more brittle.
If you have bubble bags and the notion, pour the wash through a stack of the 220, 190, 160 and 45 micron bags. The first two bags will show you why outdoor grass should be washed and the rest might reward you with a bit of hash. Not a lot mind you but it's all lost if you don't try. I first did this to settle a friendly argument about what happens when you wash and it turned out in my favor. Out of 0ver 4.5 pounds washed there was less than 3.5grams (as I recall) of trichomes recovered. So not any appreciable amount of loss.
 
Last edited:
PioneerValleyOG

PioneerValleyOG

Well-Known Member
Yes I washed last year for the first time as well, not everything, but a lot. It's a heckuva procedure when your by yourself, I used big coolers.
The gunk you get off. You may end up doing some skimming off this gunkery off the top with whatever method,, I just drag a cloth or towel across the top. My Big Homies here have all the great intel. Right here.
 
F

freddykat

Member
Well I done a wash today with 5 buckets....
1- Potassium Bicarbonate + 20lt H2O
2-1/2 cup sodium bicarbonate + 1/2 citric acid + 20lt H20
3- 0.5lt of hydrogen peroxide + 20lt H20
4- 20LT H20
5- 20Lt H2o

Will report in few days the final outcome of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top