Indoor Flushing in middle of grow?

[az2000]

This is my first AF grow (and only second MJ grow). My AF has begun to flower (week 4 + 3 days). I'm curious if it is wise to flush once now, perhaps to ensure no salts interfere with bloom nutes?

If so, flush with water only? Or, use FloraKleen?

The reason I'm confused on this topic is: AFs grow on a fixed schedule. Because of this:

1. I started the seedling in its 3-gal pot. Because it was in such a large pot, I didn't water it as often/deeply as I do photo sensitives which go through pint, gallon and 3-gallon pots (transplants). I'm concerned it may have salts, and these might interfere with bloom nutes/boosters.

2. Concerned a flush might waste time which could be spent feeding/growing. If it were a photo-sensitive plant, it wouldn't matter to flush and add 2-3 days to the grow. (Conversely, if it were a photo-sensitive it would have had more frequent and high-runoff waterings in pots that matched the plant's size during the past 4-5 weeks.).

If I do a flush, now seems like a good time, during the "transition" period where the nutes change from 3-2-1 to 2-2-2 (going to 1-2-3).

Thanks in advance.

 

[late]

Adjust your PH, but other than that, why not?

What are you using for nutes, and what strength?

I screwed up a couple days ago and had to flush, screwed up massively
yesterday at 4 am and had to flush again a few hours later.

 

[az2000]

I'm using GH Flora series and the "useless" schedule (which is a little hotter than the half-strength of GH's 1-2-3 schedule which people usually do.). I also alternate between 2ml/gal Silica Blast and CalMag every watering.

In bloom I intend to use GH FloraBloom powder near the end (but it scares me. I've never used it and it's strong.). I think that's what's driving me to flush going into bloom. I want to eliminate any variables which might interfere with the hot "bloom booster" stuff. (I'm going to use it half strength and cut the nutes in half too. But, still.... I'm worried there might be salts in the soil which will interfere.).

I was just worried a flush might be a waste of time (which is a finite quantity with these plants). I guess it isn't too much of a waste.

 

[late]

It's a learning experience, at least I hope it is.

Try starting the FloraBloom at 1/4 strength.

 

[SkatterBrayne]

It woukd be a good idea, but I would give them another 5-7 days first. They still have a little spurt left in them at that age.

What is your growing medium? Since you are using GH, I will assume coco. I wouldn't completely flush them without any issues present. Unless, you have been letting the pots dry out significantly, which could lead to an exacerbated build up of salts.

Here is what I would do.

Adjust your PH a little bit higher, to around 6.0-6.1 if in coco as they transition to flower. Still within the same range we normally shoot for, but leaning to the higher side of the scale. Dgilute the nutrient strength to no more than 20% of GH s recommended bloom dosage for the grow, and bloom bottles but only 10% of the Micro bottle (which is high in nitrogen, which you will need much less of at this stage. Increase your cal-mag to about 5ml per gallon. Autoflowers, especially in coco get VERY hungry for calmag as they enter flower. Calmag also has an NPK ratio of 2-0-0 so despite cutting your micro feed to 10%, this little extra boost should prevent you from seeing nitrogen deficiencies.

Water them heavily, for a good 50% run off for the next 2 or 3 feeds, and then you can gradually increase her PPM s and watering frequency. She is about ti become a hungry hungry hippo. Something along those lines should keep things in order, and prevent any funny business.

ALso I woukd increase the silica blast for the next week or two. Let those stems get Inc and thick to hold those buds up. It will also increase their stress resistance, and tolerance to nutrient deficiencies. Obviously it strain dependant, and you know your girls and conditions better than I do, but something like this would work great for a couple day "Cleanse / Reboot".

Per gallon:
5ml silica blast
5ml Cal mag
1ml Micro
1 ml grow
2 ml bloom

And maybe a little molasses to sweeten the pot, especially if you are usng beneficial microbes.

 

[Muddy]

I find flushing tends to shock the plants a bit so avoid it unless absolutely necessary. As long as you're feeding enough to get about 10% run off every time, you shouldn't have a problem with salt buildup. At the end of your grow, empty out and inspect the inside of your pots. Salts will show on the inside of the pots as a white deposit. While some is normal, a heavy buildup would indicate excessive salts.

 

[az2000]

What is your growing medium?

I'm using soiless ProMix HP -- but I combine it with Kellog's Patio Plus ("premium outdoor potting mix"). 60% HP, 18% perlite, 22% potting mix. (3 parts, 1 part slightly shy, 1 part heaping). I've been using ph 6.0 in veg, and switching to 6.2-6.4 in flower. I've been told ProMix works well with 5.8 & 6.2. (Similar to what you seemed to suggest for coco.). I think my addition of potting mix causes my ideal ph to be .2 higher.

Thanks for the detailed instructions for flushing. I'm still undecided whether to flush going into bloom. Worried about wasting a finite commodity (time). But, I'll definitely save them if I don't use them now.

Thanks also for the suggestion to increase silica and calmag. I skimped on those because the tendency for newbies is to "kill with kindness." I tried to avoid adding things for no reason. But, using RO water, I thought some calmag would be reasonable. (I read calmag and silica can interfere with each other, so I alternate between waterings.). But, that's a good point about bloom being more susceptible to mag deficiency. I'll increase the calmag and silica.

Thanks.

 

[az2000]

Try starting the FloraBloom at 1/4 strength.

Slightly off topic, but is that the powder? Do you reduce your nutes when adding this? In the last week of bloom? (The powder says 2-3 weeks before harvest. But, an AF's timeline is different. I assume it would be just once in and a little closer toward harvest?).

What is your opinion of FloraBloom liquid? Googling about it, it sounds like it's not as well-liked as the more focused powder.

 

[late]

Slightly off topic, but is that the powder? Do you reduce your nutes when adding this? In the last week of bloom? (The powder says 2-3 weeks before harvest. But, an AF's timeline is different. I assume it would be just once in and a little closer toward harvest?).

What is your opinion of FloraBloom liquid? Googling about it, it sounds like it's not as well-liked as the more focused powder.

Do no know a thing about it. Nothing. I meant start cautiously, and if I'd been thinking I'd have said start back
in that way with all your nutes.

I have been reading about bloom boosters, people seem to like Bloombastic, and Grow More Hawaiian Bloom
has people that like it, and it's cheap and should be good for zillion grows.

But I've never tried them. Only thing I have tried I is Tiger Bloom. I don't think it's
what we mean by a booster. Or maybe it is. Only thing I know is it's kinda harsh,
and needs a lot of flushing to get the taste out.

 

[az2000]

As long as you're feeding enough to get about 10% run off every time, you shouldn't have a problem with salt buildup.

My concern is that I wasn't watering that heavily during the first 4 weeks. I wasn't too thrilled about this Northern Storm AF I got as a freebie. I put it in a 3gal pot just to see what would happen. As I tended 14 photosensitive seedlings in 18 oz cups (followed by 1gal pots) the AF didn't need much watering by comparison. When it did need watering, it seemed like a waste to pour a gallon or more when I was watering the smaller containers with much less.

Four weeks later, suddenly it's about to produce and I'm still nursing the photo sensitives through veg. Now I'm in love with the AF. I'll probably do one heavy watering at full-strength nutes. I have no evidence there is a salt buildup. Just worried about it and want to reduce anything that might complicate the heavy hit of Koolbloom powder later.

BTW: I'd like to publicly thank Muddy. He answered some newbie questions via PM a few months ago (September?). Back then I was using tap water, no ph meter, nutrient ideas pulled out of my a**. Muddy got me going down the promix and GH Flora road. Convinced me to buy a ph meter, use RO water (when my tap water is 800ppm).

World of difference! Pictures taken last night. Mostly photosensitive (which I've been doing "mainlining" on). The AF is in the back, left. It's starting to stretch.

BTW: Those are clones in the cups, taken from the first "mainline" cut of the photosensitives. It's amazing to me how I successfully cloned (in addition to raising healthy plants from seed) when I was completely clueless 3-4 months ago. Thanks Muddy!