To flush or not to flush, THAT is the question.

So, for the past week or so my plants have had very dark leaves with sharp edges (but they are mostly straight and perky), and purplestems. I noticed some purple stripes on the main stalk though it does not seem to be getting worse. I showed a picture to my local hydro store and the guy told me I should flush, because he believed it to be nitrogen toxicity. For all I know, he's wrong and it's some other problem...

They have been fed botanicare's pure blend pro starter line three times. I am feeding way under the recommended dosage but am in the heavily nuted Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil.

They are 13 days from clone, both in the "blue" family, about 10 inches tall with 6-9 nodes. Should I flush at this stage? I know that it can be stressful for the plants, so I'm wondering if it's really necessary and less stressful to let them ride it out, while easing up on nutrients. Wouldn't this deplete nutrients in the soil I will need for the remainder of my grow considering I won't be translanting (again) out of my 3 gal smart pots??

PLZ and THX for helping this noob.

looks like N abundance to me. If I were you and wanted to use those nutrients, i'd flush the soil and apply whatever u think it is in that feeding schedule. also maybe consider if you're flushing to add some sort of lime or soil buffer because the ffof is buffered with oyster shell which doesn't last too long, you'll notice pH significantly dropping.

Nizza said:

looks like N abundance to me. If I were you and wanted to use those nutrients, i'd flush the soil and apply whatever u think it is in that feeding schedule. also maybe consider if you're flushing to add some sort of lime or soil buffer because the ffof is buffered with oyster shell which doesn't last too long, you'll notice pH significantly dropping.

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Thanks, I had not idea about the ph drop. So, I hear that you agree with mr.local hydro shop and that I should flush - are you also suggesting I add nutrients to the water that I am flushing with? Sorry, if this is a dumb question.

Just run 'some' PH water through it.. I wouldn't go for a full flush myself (she doesn't look too bad).. just run 'some' CLEAR adjusted water and don't touch any nutes for a few cycles.

That's just me. Everyone else's own mileage may vary.

1)

Don't ever take advice from someone who works at a hydro store.

B)

Flushing is personal preference. Myself, I don't believe in it. But I also grow Organically.

4)

The plants look great Son

purple stripes is the beginning of Nitrogen over accumulation in the soils .. back off the micro nutes 1 cycle adjust your PH now .. its acidy . 6.2 is good for you ! 6.5 is barely alive

ive had some great luck so far and im 5 weeks from harvest (120 day cycle) minimal nitrogen ferts work best when you are using organic soils like fox farms or others ... or the chem mod soils like miracle grow (which i do not recommend) .. UVB is good for early flower/late veg ONLY .

deffo looks rockin ...

PiElandAZ said:

purple stripes is the beginning of Nitrogen over accumulation in the soils..

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Or it could be the Pheno type... You "Could be" asking yourself this the whole grow... But if it doesn't work, you can damage the plants as well... Win Lose situation.

Don't jump to conclusions

Personally I never flush. And to me the plant in the first picture looks good. The 2nd picture not so good. As I look at the pictures I believe the purple stem is from the strain.

Fenian Brotherhood said:

Or it could be the Pheno type... You "Could be" asking yourself this the whole grow... But if it doesn't work, you can damage the plants as well... Win Lose situation.

Don't jump to conclusions

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You are correct .. the strain info was not givin for consideration .. so I went all texty books