Flushing is a bad practice based on flawed science.

[Shamus]

^^^^^ like

 

[jumpincactus]

Porosity, or perhaps the pack's ability to adsorb/absorb molecules other than water? I'm not saying this *is* what they do, I'm musing.

Well, terpenes are, if I recall, something called aromatic volatile compounds. So if they're like other volatile compounds, that suggests that there are many factors that can cause them to... be disturbed if you will. I really don't know much about how these Boveda packs work, but if I recall they, on a molecular level, absorb or shed water when the molecule hits a particular weight. The question becomes, Can they absorb/adsorb any other compounds, or can other compounds tail along with the water molecules? This is something I can't answer, but maybe someone like, say... @squiggly can.

Doncha love getting dragged into threads you're not following, squigs? :D

@Seamaiden I believe the correct term is VOC's (volatile organic compounds) But I understood the spirit of what you were saying. :D

Terpenes

Terpenes are volatile organic compounds formed by the union of hydrocarbon of 5 carbon atoms, known as isoprene. The smallest and most volatile compounds are monoterpenes, which are biosynthesised by the union of two isoprene molecules. The biggest and least volatile are biosynthesised by the union of three or more isoprene molecules. The sesquiterpenes are next in the chain, which are formed by the union of three isoprene molecules. Terpenes are secondary metabolites, which provide the plant with its organoleptic characteristics (aroma and flavour) and that constitutes most of the essential oil produced by aromatic plants.

Heres a link if you want to dig deeper.
http://www.fundacion-canna.es/en/terpenes-other-active-substances-of-cannabis

and another great link. http://www.fundacion-canna.es/en/terpenes

 

[Seamaiden]

That bit about the alcohol forming is also applicable to working with sourdoughs. FASCINATING!

 

[phoenixfire]

I love my bud cured just beyond the perfumey stage and then lock that funky soul within the nugglets usually at about 5 months jarred!

 

[jumpincactus]

I hear you there. @phoenixfire I just popped the top on some of ExGens "Predator Pink" after a 13 month cure. Shit is awesome!!!!. Great smooth stone and what a taste and smell. I get what your sayn about the funk n soul. There is nothing like a good long cure done right. Just sayn:rolleyes:

 

[Quan]

Been reading through this thread and the arguing back and forth on if your supposed to flush or not. I've read several posters talking about farmers.....
Well let me shed some light on the subject of farming since I've grown up on a farm and have lived on a farm for several decades raising row crops. The purpose of farmer is to raise a good crop and do it efficiently to make a profit.

In corn for example where you plant several thousand acres of it you apply nitrogen (depending on where u live and soil type) in the fall or spring with a lot of farmers splitting the timing of nitrogen application in 2 different time frames so the plant can utilize it better.
Corn uses most of it's fertilizer nitrogen/ potash during flowering and fill stage of it's life when it's putting on an ear of corn. One thing you never want to see happen to your corn is for the leaves to start turning yellow and brown and start falling off with the bottom leaves first. When your plant runs out of nitrogen it's cannablizing itself and the yield will suffer. The effects on yield will be determined on how early it ran out of nitrogen. If it was real early in fill stage then you probably lost 2/3 of yield if later on then 1/3. If it's in the last few weeks then you knocked off your top end potential In the crop. Which would be 15-20 bu out of say a 200 bu/acre crop. If your crop had more potential say it was averaging 250 then your swings in yield will be greater.

I've never grown hydro but I have grown many plants of what you all call "trees" of normally they are 9-15 ft tall and will yield in lbs. The last thing I want my plants to be doing is running out of nutrients. In soil the dirt is mostly always going to some kind of nutrients to help sustain the plant. When ganja is grown in the wild and say a cow lays a patty beside where that plant takes root more than lowly that plant is goin to have nutrients over it's lifespan.
In hydro the water is basically acting as dirt, if you take away all the nutrients that plant is gonna be in shock and will take those nutrients from it's leaves. Those leaves will not supply 100% of what that plant needs to put on maximum yield it may get 20% and then stop filling out and just start to mature the bud.

If it was me and I was going to flush I would only flush after the plant has reached it's potential in yield and the. Flush with say a water solution that's not just entirely water. That plant still needs sugars. I wouldn't flush for 2 weeks either it would be much less than that.

As far as cover crops goes farmers plant cover crops for various reasons. Some plant cover crops to help keep their dirt from blowing if you live in say Texas/Oklahoma as it gets dry and the dirt will move in wind.
Some guys plant cover in the winter to graze their cattle on so they have something to eat. Some guys like us for example will plant something like vetch over the winter because it is a plant that does not require nitrogen as it makes it's own and actually places it in the soil building up your soil profile. Most all farmers will not bail up their stalks from their crop unless they have livestock and need it for feed. Those unused stalks will return to the soil profile breakin down over time into residual matter for the next crop to use.

So in essence if your gonna flush I would switch over to a more natural composition because if you don't your going to lose on your yield unless you just don't care. Maybe make a tea of molasses, manure, ash, etc just some type of combo of where that plants is getting all it needs to put forth it's yield potential.

 

[phoenixfire]

Quantity vs quality

An Age old argument for cannabis.

I choose quality, in my most humble imposition.

 

[JaySin420]

I agree phoenixfire, Never say "good enough" ever. Them small things like cleaning, looking for pests, and everything else that can be skipped or done half fast add up quickly either good.... or bad.... growers choice.

 

[phoenixfire]

I agree phoenixfire, Never say "good enough" ever. Them small things like cleaning, looking for pests, and everything else that can be skipped or done half fast add up quickly either good.... or bad.... growers choice.

Text is tough to interpert you know I look for the pest but don't always kill them, what are pest to me may be an allie for the canapy.

 

[EMC2]

I just finished reading every post in this thread for the 2nd time. Still up in the air about which side to take. I used to use APTUS/Heavy 16 line and I felt a proper flush (3x water per gal of soil/coco) worked very well. I could taste the difference when I used the bottles in week 8 and didn't get a proper 10/14 day flush.

Since then (past 6 months) Ive switched over to an organic feeding schedule (99% orgo). The last few harvests my buds have been super tasty (I attribute it to the new organics + caps benny teas). My fade started very early on all of them as I didn't use cal-mag previously. Fade started in late week 5/6. My GSC x Grateful Breath had zero fan leaves by harvest. This run I fixed the cal-mag issue and my plants are thriving green all the way into week 8. I'm trying a new approach for the "flush" this time around and fed 2 cap's benny teas on days 53 and day 57 (I harvest day 63). The next two feeds will be straight water + 2ml molasses/gal. I will report back with the findings.

I think after reading this thread, the most important thing to mention is wether you're doing it with natural organics or with bottled notes. From what I read, bottles tend to have much more metallic content and therefore a true flush with synthetics is definitely in order. I don't know if I feel that organics require the same.

Just me 2 cents. I'm a newb though.

 

[happy b]

My weed tastes WAY better when it's been PROPERLY flushed through . when it's not flushed properly or atall it has a harshness to it that nips/burns my tongue wen smoked. you may get less yeild from flushing but what's the point of getting more Weight if your not going to enjoy smoking it?

 

[EMC2]

My weed tastes WAY better when it's been PROPERLY flushed through . when it's not flushed properly or atall it has a harshness to it that nips/burns my tongue wen smoked. you may get less yeild from flushing but what's the point of getting more Weight if your not going to enjoy smoking it?

From what Ive read the drying/curing part is the most essential. How are you curing?

I wet trim my flower and throw it on nets to dry (I grow trees and don't have the space to hang dry them). Room humidity is 55-60% and temp hovers around 60. A 20# pull usually dries in 4-5 days. From there, I vac bag them and pop them open for 1hr every day for 7-10 days. Stuff tastes great from the last pull. I'll see how this round goes if i stick to my feed.

 

[happy b]

Yes of course you gotta cure your weed to get the most enjoyment out it . I wet trim put em on these hanging drying nets while still on the stem at room temps and try to let them dry over14days . I then cut them off the stems once theyr dried to the level I like which isn't too dry,then into jars and i burp the jars and give the buds a shake around the jar every other day . I start smoking at one jar after about a week but i dont touch the rest until theyv been curing for at least two weeks.

 

[motherlode]

last 2-3 weeks plants tend to put on a good amount of weight and ripen - call me crazy but starving the plant seems counter productive

if you over feeding salt based ferts all that flushing isnt going to do anything but lose you weight and potency

 

[jumpincactus]

That is the part I have always struggled with. Seems the last few weeks are the most productive. Why withhold food from a hungry gurl......... Dude was talking to me today and he pointed out that thats what the veg stage is for, if you veg long enough and put a good frame to the girls, they then scavenge or cannibalize the stored nutes they packed on during veg and early flower. May be feasible..... It could be they really do have all they need for the finish line.

 

[YBlueThumb]

last 2-3 weeks plants tend to put on a good amount of weight and ripen - call me crazy but starving the plant seems counter productive

if you over feeding salt based ferts all that flushing isnt going to do anything but lose you weight and potency

makes sense!

 

[ken dog]

They do have all they need until the finish line... Flush away.
Unless you would rather smoke a bunch of nutrient loaded plants...not me.

 

[artcore]

There are some old topics online written by ot1 about flushes that everyone should read!

I do not want to copy the topics without permission of the author but I can leave a link that contains all links to the topics written by ot1...

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=139421&hl=flushing

 

[gardnguyahoy]

This thread makes me glad I only smoke weed I grow.

Walt, i was wondering if you could answer me something. Recently i picked up some bud from a buddy and its got a funky tatste to it. Unlike most indoor the stem is ever so slightly browned as well as the underside of the buds. Most indoor i pick up has light green stem and underside.

Is this because the grower didnt flush iyo? Or not enough dry before curing? This taste lingers and i dont like it at all. I had to smoke some different bud just to get the taste out of my mouth...its still lingering in my mouth... Pleck... Insight please?

 

[artcore]

slightly browned?... mold, fungus, this fungus has a name that now I can not remember... the weed was not well dried before going to the jars, the excess moisture in the jars causes that brow color, that taste is probably the chlorophyll... how the weed comes out of the grinder?... loose and dry appearance or looks resinous?