Flushing is a bad practice based on flawed science.

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YarraSparra

YarraSparra

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I would like to question the practicality of flushing for the last week. Actually, I am openly challenging the entire notion of it (hehe, just for a bit of fun) but seriously now... it’s in dire need of revisiting.

I will list some points that not only challenge the absurd impracticality and illogicality of this myth, but point out how the pseudoscience behind it is fundamentally flawed (as is all pseudoscience) and can be countered by what is known about basic plant biology.


1. Robbing plants of essential nutrients at any stage of their life cycle is NOT beneficial for growth. I challenge anyone to provide a single peer reviewed paper from a reputable journal that provides evidence suggesting otherwise.

2. If this was practical, wouldn’t you expect all big agricultural hydroponic growers adopt the same practice?

3. Plants take minerals into their tissues, from their roots via the treachery elements; i.e. xylem. Once these minerals are in the plant, they are there to stay, the plant does not expel them, unless it’s through senescence-driven abscission of leaf petioles. From the treachery elements nutrients are translocated into the phloem - the plant’s ‘blood supply’ - after being integrated into various biomolecules, or are used for various metabolic functions. Where is the logic in thinking the plant ‘uses’ these up in that last week of flushing, in order to avoid smoking them? All the N P K Fe Mg Ca etc. is still there.

4. For arguments sake say we counter the last point by suggesting these minerals in their ‘raw form’ will taste ‘hasher’ or ‘nastier’ in the form of pyrolytic breakdown products (formed when weed is burned) than artifacts of larger biomolecules of which these minerals/macro nutrients are now a part of, for example phosphorylated PO43-. Even if this was the case it still doesn’t correlate with the myth, as the transports steam in the treachery elements is measured in minutes not a week. i.e. a PO43- molecule does not wait around in these vessels for a week before subsequent translocation and modification.

5. If there was any truth to this myth, then plants grown in soil would always taste worse than plants grown in hydro. Why? Because obviously soil is not an inert medium you can flush for a week. And a plant CANNOT distinguish between a PO43- molecule that comes from soil from that of a PO43- molecule that comes from hydro solution (which also debunks another myth, but we’ll leave that one).

6. Are there studies that have conducted double blind trials to investigate if flushed weed tastes any ‘sweeter’ than unflushed weed. Again, need peer reviewed papers. And doesn’t have to be weed, can be strawberries or any other type of fruit.

7. What is the proposed mechanism to support this myth, and how is it consistent with fundamental plant biology.

8. How does starving the plant of food in the last week increase thc production in the trichome? Papers?

9. Given, under certain conditions stressed plants upregulate certain defence compounds, but they will almost certainly produce less inflorescence weight per watt of light. Growth is always retarded under stress - not promoted. Nutrient starvation is a form of stress. Looking for peer reviewed papers that suggest otherwise.

Those of you set in your ways, each to their own and best of luck to you. Those who are willing to change their views in light of new evidence, or lack thereof, be ready for increased yields by feeding those hungry ladies right up until the second you chop.

YS
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
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Here's another point about 'real' farmers that many folks don't seem to think about--they don't normally push as much fertilizer into their crops as they can, they are usually teetering on a razor fine balance between being able to make a bit of profit and literally losing the farm. They already know that using too much "salts" the earth, making it useless for growing (which is why irrigation with aquifers and wells, aka groundwater, is so problematic over time) and that is just wa$ted money *and* water. Which is the other problem I have with how many cannabis cultivators do things, I think far too much water is wasted. I'm working on finding ways to reduce that footprint here at home, and right now I'm finding that cover crops may be one path.

I do have a question though. What are treachery elements?
 
SunGrown

SunGrown

1,085
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Here's another point about 'real' farmers that many folks don't seem to think about--they don't normally push as much fertilizer into their crops as they can, they are usually teetering on a razor fine balance between being able to make a bit of profit and literally losing the farm. They already know that using too much "salts" the earth, making it useless for growing (which is why irrigation with aquifers and wells, aka groundwater, is so problematic over time) and that is just wa$ted money *and* water. Which is the other problem I have with how many cannabis cultivators do things, I think far too much water is wasted. I'm working on finding ways to reduce that footprint here at home, and right now I'm finding that cover crops may be one path.

I do have a question though. What are treachery elements?
I guess a lot of overfeeding can go on and probably does with a lot of cannabis growers, but outdoors if overfeeding it is, like you said, salts going into groundwater which is horrible. It can take a long time to figure out that fine line of how much water and how much food.

I do know growers still though, that are using as much as 50 gallons h2o per day per plant, they get huge production but I can get the same production with just 10.

My next move...Cover crops for the win!
 
way2green

way2green

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All of these points are interesting. Sea made a grest point about farmers tetering with finances. I sold ag chemicals for about 10 years and they can do some wonderful things but they are expensive. Most farmers use only whay is necessary sustain. Whether it is insecticides or fertilizers they generally use them out of necessity. They struggle with finances and many can't pay their chem bills after harvest. Irragation is their lifeline. Flushing? They would laugh their ass off at the notion.
 
J

Jalisco Kid

Guest
As far as dirt farmers go the roots have eaten up all the nutes around them,unless they are not real dirt growers and feel more is better. Most high output dirt growers I know mix their soils in the winter and really do not add much during their growth cycle other then foliar. JK
 
way2green

way2green

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I am sure you are right JK. I have never been able to take a shot at outdoor growing because of the area I reside. Insiside does allow me to monitor my ph closely. I think so much of the flushing need or presumption comes from excessive nutrients. Especially chemicals as opposed to organics. Especially vegan organics. I just feel better knowing that I am relying on the genetic taste after a few days of pure water.
 
way2green

way2green

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I have never felt like vegan organics really add anything harsh if used in very moderate conditions.
 
Fearless

Fearless

8
3
I second that. We need more thinkers out there. I flush not for taste but to save precious bucks on expensive nutrients. But I can see how I’m just robbing myself if the plants are actually using the nutrients through week 8. Thanks very much for taking the time to share your view on this, much appreciated!
 
Ambre

Ambre

150
63
I agree. The idea of starving the plants for the last week or two of flowering just strikes me as counter-productive as far as yield and potency. I think that proper drying & curing affects flavor & reduces harshness a lot more than flushing.
 
squiggly

squiggly

3,277
263
As for whether it increases trichome production, that's a load of you-know-what.

Of course, without study I can't say that for sure but let's review what peer reviewed journals can tell us about trichomes:

1. They can aid in defense against pests, both mechanical and chemical.
2. They also aid in defense against radiation, again mechanical and chemical.
3. They help to regulate and even out leaf temperature.
4. As per 2 and 3 they can help to prevent water loss/dessication.
5. They participate in exogenous signaling.

That's pretty much it. That's what these things do. We've looked into it quite a bit and this is what we've come up with--and it makes extremely good sense.

What doesn't make sense is that either of the following would increase trichome production:

1. Stripping the plant of minerals (if you could--you can't).

or

2. Sitting a plant in the dark.

In fact both of these fly in the face of what we might predict would happen based on the knowledge we do have.
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
I am a middle of the road feeder with my trees. I see and taste a difference in cutting back the last week and feeding something else the last 3 days. Maybe its me maybe I am unconsciously biased. But I can read a refractometer .
Indeed, assuming we can get some damned SAP onto it! That said, I have thought I was measuring mostly plant sugars in the sap, not anything else. I just found a blurb about plant sugars in the June issue of Acres, gotta go find it online.
 

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