Flushing

[CelticEBE]

are you saying you flush with humic and fulvic? maybe thats what gets the ph to be stable. if i could get the ph to be stable it makes sense, but in 0ppm water i can never get it to stabilize.

For the last week I run H16's Finish and Prime, which has a LOT of humic in it. Because it has a ppm to it I am able to set my ph. I also run in coco so I don't like giving my plants straight RO, because I like to reuse my coco.

Back when I used to flush with RO, I did not set my ph. I remember someone saying something like "Why feed your plants acid during the last week....just give them water", and that made sense to me. I think that came from the thread Seamaiden is referring to.

I agree with Seamaiden, as I usually do, in that growing is an art, not a science. My last harvest my plants were yellowing out 3 days into flush. In retrospect I think I could have given them some light nutes along with the finish and prime. Just enough to keep the plant from yellowing out though.

 

[souf69]

I usually run about 450 ppm with very little micro for about five days, then one flush of straight water. Then after the media drys out I chop. I would have to say its just as much about nature as it is nurture.
Therefore we have science and art...

 

[Max Frost]

Lol @ Seamaiden. Oh ya I remember.

And where I still stand on the question- Yes I ph from beginning to end. You don't just "wash" away extra nutrients in the plant by putting straight water in the rhizosphere/root zone. Your entire plant has nutrients in it, and the ph of your plant begins in the root zone. If your goal is to remove all nutrients remaining in the media AND the plant then you need the plant to be operating at full efficiency to process what is remaining in the plant itself- not throwing a klink in the run by changing your ph at the end and possibly causing lockout (which some consider fade). Luckily for most farmers these days, there are plenty of ph buffers built into additives so its less apparent. if you are on your humic/fulvic game, the range of ph uptake is greatly opened period.

At this point I know how much of certain nutrients with low ppm to add to my RO to NOT need any ph up/down. this prevents any chemicals in my adjustment period. Its also been found by some prominent farmers that its better to maintain some ppm during "flush" as opposed to straight water to get a better tasting end product and better "flush". I would assume maintaining some ppm would require ph'ing as well. Theres a difference in shock/lockout and flushing imo.

And Sea- i still think growing is as much a science as an art ;)

Art...Science...it all just means one thing... addicted! ;) I think the combination of it being BOTH an art AND a science, is allot of the reason that growing has such as broad base of appeal to so many!

Two quick questions from your post, TG...

First, are you saying that humic/fulvic extends the range of usuable pH? How does that work?

Second...if you wanted to try this, what ppm level is recommended to be maintained thru the final "flush" period? Should it be just a broadbase general purpose feed? I guess what I'm asking is...is there a preferred n-p-k to shoot for?

Thanks in advance! Merry Christmas! -Max :wacky:

 

[BIGDAMBUD1]

Lucky here...I have the best well water...it makes my PH nice and stable overall...I do agree 100% Seamaiden...so true...for me the flush is planned with the same precision as my feeds or anything...another reason I prefer to feed every water instead of weekly...it's more manageable when you start flush by doing so, and the build up of salts and such seem to be a little less problematic...pouring plain non-PH'd water through the pot is just that...good of course if ya smoking roots or substrates maybe...other than that it's a waste of time for sure if you don't PH til the end...feeding weekly is fine too...but the last few weeks works best with calculated daily feeds for me...very good info...often taken for granted...B

 

[mmmdankbuds420]

Lucky here...I have the best well water...it makes my PH nice and stable overall...I do agree 100% Seamaiden...so true...for me the flush is planned with the same precision as my feeds or anything...another reason I prefer to feed every water instead of weekly...it's more manageable when you start flush by doing so, and the build up of salts and such seem to be a little less problematic...pouring plain non-PH'd water through the pot is just that...good of course if ya smoking roots or substrates maybe...other than that it's a waste of time for sure if you don't PH til the end...feeding weekly is fine too...but the last few weeks works best with calculated daily feeds for me...very good info...often taken for granted...B

You feed every watering? At what strength?

 

[BIGDAMBUD1]

You feed every watering? At what strength?

Yes...this run is an exception...I'm trying granulars and teas...but...when normally using FF products and their solubles, my average feed was 12 to 1500 ppm's weekly...I did approx 400 every water @ 2 day intervals instead...the biggest factor obtained was a much steadier PH ck/runoff...much easier flush/fade...My thinking was a good meal every 2 days or a large platter once a week...it worked well for me and I still do it...if I was able to visit every day, I'd feed my weekly ppm's divided by 7...one meal a day...instead of 7 meals at once...B

 

[mmmdankbuds420]

Yes...this run is an exception...I'm trying granulars and teas...but...when normally using FF products and their solubles, my average feed was 12 to 1500 ppm's weekly...I did approx 400 every water @ 2 day intervals instead...the biggest factor obtained was a much steadier PH ck/runoff...much easier flush/fade...My thinking was a good meal every 2 days or a large platter once a week...it worked well for me and I still do it...if I was able to visit every day, I'd feed my weekly ppm's divided by 7...one meal a day...instead of 7 meals at once...B

Hmmm I'm definitely gonna give this some thought.

 

[Welshwizzard]

This time I am trying flushing a little different.

Using coco so doing a small feed longer flush (10 days)

For first 5 days I'm Ph'ing water, and for the final 5, no ph, just straight from the tap. Not sure why, just thought id try it?!?

 

[TheCoolestMan]

I don't like to pH for the last 2 weeks during my flush. I just give plain out-gassed tap water. The chemicals of the pH adjusters "CAN" affect the taste, and in any event is just more chemicals I don't want. I've never seen a problem from doing this. Your plants will be harvested before any pH issues could really appear anyway. Hope this helps! Best, -Max :wacky:

Exactly true. I noticed this too. Specially when growing in soil.