Flushing & bugs - two questions in one post

[Funkymoe]

Hello
I'm a newbie grower n I have 2 q's:
1. In all the manuals it is recommended to flush the plant (water it heavily) a week or two prior to harvest in order to get the nutes out of the plant's system.
But also in those same manuals they always warn the grower not to overwater the plant.
Isn't flushing overwatering the plant?? What m I missing here?

2. I have some bugs in and around the soil. But not on the plant. These are very very very small tiny white bugs. Should I b worried?
The plant is doing gr8 and it is bugfree (leaves,flowers&stems). They are only walking on the edges of the pot. Microscopical white bugs. incredibly small.

Thx for any reply.
Moe

 

[edsthreads]

Sounds like fungus gnats.. don't worry about 'over-watering' when flushing you need to do it, your plant will be fine

 

[massah]

"Overwatering" is not really putting too much water in the pot...its keeping too much water in the soil suffocating the root system...when you flush you only do it a couple times and its spaced out and you let the soil dry out in between. When you flush you are washing the nutrients out of the soil through the bottom.

Are these bugs little flies? Or are they just chilling out on the soil without wings? They might be a bug that just eats decaying organic matter leaving behind poo in the soil...a bug like that actually helps out by providing more nutrients to the soil and doesn't attack the living matter like the roots/etc

 

[SCARHOLE]

Flushing the last 2 weeks won't kill it.
But I prefer to feed up to harvest.
It increases yield an dosent change taste IMHO.

The white flys won't eat the plants top just the roots.
They can't be helping it much.
Try covering the soil with sand to get rid of them.

 

[massah]

It really depends on the strain and nutrients you use as to weather or not you need a flush at the end...my plants and the nutes I use I don't need to flush...its a nice smooth smoke all around...but other people's strain+nute combos taste like ass and are pretty harsh without a flush or two towards the end...just gotta test it out to see if its needed

 

[Funkymoe]

Thank you all for replying.
The bugs are not flying. They r just walking on the edges of the pot. Ultra small white without wings.
Im checking the flowers using a scope and the plant is bug free.
Im one week before harvest so I really hope that these bugs won't screw things up....

 

[jondamon]

Check a google image search for hypoaspis miles.

Alot of soil companies are adding them to their soil to help fight fungus gnats.




J

 

[Sunbiz1]

Thank you all for replying.
The bugs are not flying. They r just walking on the edges of the pot. Ultra small white without wings.
Im checking the flowers using a scope and the plant is bug free.
Im one week before harvest so I really hope that these bugs won't screw things up....

Fungus gnats actually aid in organic decomposition, harmless but annoying. Flushing is a medium correction, not a necessity.

 

[massah]

Fungus gnats actually aid in organic decomposition, harmless but annoying. Flushing is a medium correction, not a necessity.

Fungus gnats can feed on root systems and living tissues...especially if they can't find enough dead matter...

 

[Sunbiz1]

Fungus gnats can feed on root systems and living tissues...especially if they can't find enough dead matter...

Yes, the larvae can and will damage root systems. I grow organically, and whenever I buy bags of anything I thoroughly check for the tiniest of holes.

Gnatrol?. I have never had the need, but apparently it is widely used in greenhouse applications. Allowing soil to thoroughly dry helps. If I ever do get them again, I'll be trying coffee grounds as a top dressing.

 

[Funkymoe]

They do look like those hypoaspis miles...
Small white and harmless.
Harvest is a week from now...
hopefully it would be worth the effort...