Flushing vs. Flushing

[Muddy]

The correct definition of flushing is just feeding plain water for the last 2 weeks of flower to clear out all of the chemicals/salts/nutrients out of the stems,leaves,buds, soil etc with a run off of 20% (BUT NOT 2-3 x the size of the pot)

Sorry, but that's incorrect in relation to what was being discussed in this thread. The term "flushing" has always been misleading so what we're trying to do here is make a distinction between flushing to leach out excess salts, nutrients or to correct a pH imbalance as opposed to "cleansing" the plants at the end of their cycle to remove any trace nutrients that may effect taste.

 

[notgiven]

had a smoke of street weed weed and it gave me a massive headache on the way down. no cleansing, perhaps?
was first smoke in years btw.
what you all think?

 

[Captain Howdy]

I've noticed that there seems to be a lot of confusion, especially among new growers, about the term flushing. Flushing is often used to describe the process of running extra water through a plant to correct an overfeeding or deficiency issue. Flushing is also used to describe the 2 weeks of plain water given at the end of the grow cycle. So people have assumed that the final flush should be 3 times the pot size, what is normally done for an overfeeding or deficiency problem. To avoid further confusion I'm suggesting we stop using the term flush at the end of the plant cycle and replace it with cleansing. So here would be my suggested definitions:

Flush - The process of running 3 times the pot size of pHed water through the soil to address a possible overfeeding or plant deficiency issue.

Cleansing - Using the normal amount of plain pHed water the last two weeks of the grow to remove the remaining nutrients from the soil, thereby improving the taste of the buds.

My aWW has started her cleanse cycle.... not long now

 

[110%]

Another great thread Muddy.

Tech question..... when do you start the flush? i get its two weeks before harvest, but i am not experienced wih auto's and they are a little less forgiving

 

[Smeghead]

Checking in from the "when to harvest thread. Thanks for clearing things up. Staring the cleanse soon, this weekend perhaps. 60 day wonder - DNA Genetics.

 

[pop22]

wonder if only molasses and ph water for cleansing would give it a lil sweetness?

I keep reading about using molasses, but what seems to be the purpose of that?

 

[namvet25]

Molasses contains calcium, magniesium,and iron and also feeds the micro organisms with its sugars.

 

[lbezphil2005]

I keep reading about using molasses, but what seems to be the purpose of that?

if you grow organically, molasses feeds the bio organisms in the soil that break down stuff so the plant can use it. it also provides trace minerals like namvet25 described, and the carbohydrates not only feed the microorganisms but also act to "sweeten". its not like the molasses goes into the plant like you'd add a teaspoon of sugar to coffee, that's not what makes it sweet. if I can find where I stashed it, I have a great article by the 3lb's on molasses and how it works, if I can find it with Muddys permission I will post it up.

 

[low_and_slow]

Sugars also make up a majority of the fancy hydroponic additives on the market, so molasses is a cheap and verifiablly organic source of those same energy pathways.

 

[SkatterBrayne]

I noticed that my plants were more aromatic after I began to feed them molasses with every feeding, as opposed to strictly feed my bennies. I have heard similar reports, as well as an increase in taste in the final product. I noticed no adverse effects from the regular feedings, and the plants seem to love it. I would imagine TOO much could "Gum up the works", so to speak.

It may be good practice to discontinue molasses maybe even a week or two before flush to make sure its all out of the plants system? Don't need the bennies at that point, anyway... That thick Blackstrapmolasses just seems like it would undoubtedly affect the way the final product burns, and tastes if it's not totally flushed out of there.

Im not sure if this is a question or a comment..

Also, regarding flushing vs flushing I agree with muddy. especially as a coco user who regularly "flushes" my medium, we really need two seperate terms, as they are vastly different both situational, as well as in practice. Cleanse is absolutely more accurate.

I have recently been using the term Autumn, both traditionally, as well as a verb while referencing the pre harvest "flush". It makes more sense to me, because that is essentially what we are replicating anyway.

In context:

-"One more week of full strength feeding then a 10 day autumn"
-"Im waiting for this plant to Autumn up some more before the chop"
Etc.