Pre-Harvest Flush -- How Often?

I've flushed before, but not for pre harvest. I would like to know how frequently the flush should take place. The Details are:

2 weeks away from Harvest
Autoflower Plants
3 gallon fabric pots
Grown in soil
Each week: 1 feed (1/8 to 1/2 strength nutes) and 1 watering (RO + Calmag only) -- all are PHd

Day 1: Flush with water that is 2-3x pot sze or 6-9 gallons each plant.

What would you suggest i do going fwd? I'm not sure if I would flush again or water until harvest, etc!
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
If you do a quick search for flushing you will find there are probably more threads than on any other subject. There is not a consensus on if it works, but all the people that have been growing many years say it’s BS, and I agree. Why starve a plant when it’s on its final growth spurt? It’s like deciding to fast for a week before running a marathon. You also must be precise in timing the flush which is not easy. Just feed until harvest, if you want to skip the last couple days of nutes fine, but weeks without food is ridiculous.
 
If you do a quick search for flushing you will find there are probably more threads than on any other subject. There is not a consensus on if it works, but all the people that have been growing many years say it’s BS, and I agree. Why starve a plant when it’s on its final growth spurt? It’s like deciding to fast for a week before running a marathon. You also must be precise in timing the flush which is not easy. Just feed until harvest, if you want to skip the last couple days of nutes fine, but weeks without food is ridiculous.
That makes sense! Thanks!
 

ALPHA.GanjaGuy

Well-Known Member
flushing is bro science and easy to debunk in a few ways.

If you were a fruit/flower plant at the end of your life and you are trying to give everything you can to make your fruit/flower as great as possible, would you be able to do that better when you are starving or when you have a balanced diet?

also, as people do this 1-2 weeks before when they think the plant will be ready it often leads to so many people flushing too early and ending with sickly, malnourished, underdeveloped plants

lower feed toward the end of life but still feed, don't flush
 

bpk419

Well-Known Member
"all the people that have been growing many years say it’s BS"

Water for flushing – pH 6-6.3
Flushing is the LAST water the plant receives before it is picked.
In this video, I use 5 gallons of water for a 10 gallon plant.
If PPM is high (1500+), consider giving the plant a second flush.

 
flushing is bro science and easy to debunk in a few ways.

If you were a fruit/flower plant at the end of your life and you are trying to give everything you can to make your fruit/flower as great as possible, would you be able to do that better when you are starving or when you have a balanced diet?

also, as people do this 1-2 weeks before when they think the plant will be ready it often leads to so many people flushing too early and ending with sickly, malnourished, underdeveloped plants

lower feed toward the end of life but still feed, don't flush
Thx for the response.
 

VaSmile

Well-Known Member
I usually don't unless it's to fix something. But wanted to see if flushing Pre-Harvest creates a more pleasurable smoking experience.
I was taught to do 3 sugar feeds 48hr appart and 3 flushes of double pot capacity, followed by 72hr darkness. There seems to be a near consensus on rui that all of this is pointless. I will be running side by side testing of all 3 practices over the next year
 

ALPHA.GanjaGuy

Well-Known Member
I was taught to do 3 sugar feeds 48hr appart and 3 flushes of double pot capacity, followed by 72hr darkness. There seems to be a near consensus on rui that all of this is pointless. I will be running side by side testing of all 3 practices over the next year
so put the sugar in then flush it and the soil microbes that eat the sugar to feed your plants out

this honestly has a greater chance of growing mold/rot due to increased rh from flushing and sitting in the dark

I won't lie, I did this once also but there was no difference and high risk

also, if you open this book of bro science you are going to find many more than 3 ways, sugar, molasses, screw/nail through it, ice in pots, darkness, hang upside down while planted, don't water last week, extend darkness, etc, etc
 

VaSmile

Well-Known Member
@ALPHA.GanjaGuy @Jjgrow420 @MtRainDog @Hook Daddy
You have all show to be knowledgeable and experienced cultivators and have earned my respect for your opinions and practices.
This is the system I was taught and I/we constantly pull down dank ass buds out of my tent (I have no idea what I'm doing outside and am learning on the fly)
You telling me my program is wrong is not enough for me to make whole sale changes to the program that has proven effective. Isolating and testing a single variable is the scientific method. your robust consensus is enough motivation for me to take a year or so to run these side by side comparisons to provide actionable data.
Based on what I know about my mentor and all of your track records kept here on riu my hypothesis is that I will be eliminating many practices in the next year or 2. I just gotta see it with my own eyes first
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
@ALPHA.GanjaGuy @Jjgrow420 @MtRainDog @Hook Daddy
You have all show to be knowledgeable and experienced cultivators and have earned my respect for your opinions and practices.
This is the system I was taught and I/we constantly pull down dank ass buds out of my tent (I have no idea what I'm doing outside and am learning on the fly)
You telling me my program is wrong is not enough for me to make whole sale changes to the program that has proven effective. Isolating and testing a single variable is the scientific method. your robust consensus is enough motivation for me to take a year or so to run these side by side comparisons to provide actionable data.
Based on what I know about my mentor and all of your track records kept here on riu my hypothesis is that I will be eliminating many practices in the next year or 2. I just gotta see it with my own eyes first
I have said in many posts before about flushing and light deprivation, the only way to prove it to yourself is to test it yourself. You’re on your way, happy growing and best of luck, keep everyone informed as to your results!
 
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