What is Cannabis Flushing: The Often Overlooked Step That Can Make or Break Your Cannabis Grow

Table of Contents:

What is Cannabis Flushing? Why is Flushing Important? When and How to Flush your Plants? Tips for Timing the Flush of your Cannabis Plants How Long should Flushing Take? Examples of Natural Flushing Agents More about Re-Potting Grow Timeline Including Flushing

Let’s Jump Into It!

When it comes to cultivating cannabis, there are many different factors that can affect the success of your grow. From choosing the right strain and growing method, to provide the proper nutrients and environment, there are numerous details to consider. One step that is often overlooked, but can be just as, if not more important than any other, is flushing.

What is Cannabis Flushing?

Flushing is the process of removing excess nutrients from the soil or growing medium of a cannabis plant. It is typically done shortly before harvest to help remove any residual fertilizers or chemicals from the plant and improve the taste and quality of the final product.

There are several methods for flushing cannabis plants, including:

1. Water flushing: This involves watering the plants with large amounts of pure water to help leach out excess nutrients. It is important to use pure water, as tap water can contain chlorine or other chemicals that can be harmful to your plants.
2. Flushing agents: There are several products on the market that are specifically designed to help flush excess nutrients from the soil. These products typically contain a blend of enzymes or other natural agents that help to break down and remove excess nutrients.
3. Drain and refill: If you are using a hydroponic or aeroponic system, you can flush the system by draining the nutrient solution and refilling it with fresh water.
4. Re-potting: Re-potting is an advanced process that involves removing a plant that has been growing in soil and re-potting it in a hydroponic-like setup, i.e., a bucket of water. This is normally done to shorten the flush. Keep in mind that re-potting a cannabis plant from soil to a bucket hydroponic setup is a complex and risky process that should only be attempted by experienced growers. It’s important to be careful and monitor the plant closely to ensure that it is adjusting well to the new setup. See below for further instructions.

Why is flushing important?

While flushing may seem like an unnecessary or simple step, it has a huge impact on the final quality of your cannabis harvest. Especially if you have been using additional nutrients during your grow. Here are some of the reasons why flushing is important:

1. Removes excess nutrients: As mentioned above, flushing helps to remove excess nutrients from the soil or growing medium. This is important because excess nutrients can build up over time and potentially harm the plants. Excess nutrients can cause the buds to taste bitter or chemical, which can affect the overall quality of the final product. Not to mention the potential health risks associated with those chemicals, especially if you were to smoke that bud.
2. Improves taste and smell: Flushing helps to improve the taste and smell of the final product by removing any residual fertilizers or chemicals that may affect the flavour. This can be especially important for cannabis strains that are known for their strong, unique flavours, as excess nutrients can mask or alter these flavours.
3. Reduces the risk of pests and diseases: Flushing can also help to reduce the risk of pests and diseases, as it removes any excess nutrients that may attract these problems. Pests and diseases can be especially destructive to cannabis plants and can ruin an entire crop if not addressed in a timely manner.
4. Helps to flush out any chemical residue: If you have used any chemical pesticides or fertilizers during your grow, flushing can help to remove any residue that may be present on the plants. This is important because chemical residues can be harmful to humans and can affect the overall quality and safety of the final product by promoting the growth of mold and or the breakdown of the chemicals into ammonia.

When and How to Flush your Plant/s

When to start flushing cannabis, is the question? The timing of flushing will depend on the specific grow method and the size of your plants. In general, it is recommended to flush your plants for at least 7-14 days before harvest. This allows enough time for the excess nutrients to be leached out of the soil or growing medium, while also giving the plants time to recover and finish maturing.

If you are using a soil grow, you can begin flushing your plants by reducing the amount of nutrients you are feeding them and increasing the amount of water. This will help to leach out any excess nutrients that may be present in the soil. If you are using a hydroponic or aeroponic system, you can flush the system by draining the nutrient solution and refilling it with fresh water. You can also use flushing agents to help remove excess nutrients from the soil.

It’s important flush your plants properly to ensure the best possible quality and taste. Flushing should be done a few weeks before harvest to allow the plants time to recover and finish maturing.

Keep in mind that the timing of flushing will also depend on the specific strain you are growing and the desired maturity of the buds. Some strains may be ready for harvest earlier than others, so it’s important to keep an eye on the development of your plants and adjust the timing of flushing accordingly.

Tips for Timing the Flush of your Cannabis Plants:

1. Flush early enough: It’s essential to flush your plants early enough so that they have time to recover and finish maturing, 2-3 weeks before the planned harvest. Flushing too late can cause the plants to become stressed, which can negatively impact the final yield and quality of the buds.
2. Monitor the trichomes: Our favourite way to determine when to flush your plants is to monitor the trichomes, which are the small, crystal-like structures on the buds and leaves of the plant. Trichomes contain the majority of the plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes, and their appearance can give you a good indication of when the plant is ready for harvest. When the trichomes are mostly clear with a few amber or milky ones mixed in, it’s usually time to flush the plants.
3. Pay attention to the plants: Another way to determine when to flush your plants is to simply pay attention to the plants themselves. Look for signs of nutrient burn, such as yellowing or curling leaves, which can indicate that it’s time to flush. You can also look for signs of stress, such as slowed growth or smaller buds, which can also indicate that it’s time to flush.

Remember, the timing of the flush is an important factor in the ultimate success and more importantly the Quality of your harvest, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. By following a combination of the above tips and paying careful attention to your plants, you can determine the best time to flush for maximum yield and quality.

How long should Flushing Take?

The length of time that flushing should take will depend on the specific grow method and the size of your plants. In general, it is recommended to flush your plants for at least 7-14 days before harvest. This allows enough time for the excess nutrients to be leached out of the soil or growing medium, while also giving the plants time to recover and finish maturing.

If you are using a soil grow, you can flush your plants by watering them with large amounts of pure water. If you are using a hydroponic or aeroponic system, you can flush the system by draining the nutrient solution and refilling it with fresh water. You can also use flushing agents, which are products that are specifically designed to help remove excess nutrients from the soil.

It’s important to follow the instructions for your specific grow method and flush your plants properly to ensure the best possible quality and taste. Flushing should be done a few weeks before harvest to allow the plants time to recover and finish maturing.

Examples of Natural Flushing Agents

There are several commercial flushing agents available on the market that are specifically designed to help remove excess nutrients from the soil. However, there are also several natural options for flushing cannabis plants, including:

1. Epsom salt: Epsom salt is a natural source of magnesium and sulphur, which can help to remove excess nutrients from the soil. To use Epsom salt as a flushing agent, mix 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water and water the plants with the mixture.
2. Lemon juice: Lemon juice is a natural source of citric acid, which can help to break down excess nutrients in the soil. To use lemon juice as a flushing agent, mix 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water and water the plants with the mixture.
3. Vinegar: Vinegar is a natural source of acetic acid, which can help to break down excess nutrients in the soil. To use vinegar as a flushing agent, mix 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water and water the plants with the mixture.

Keep in mind that these are just a few examples, and there are many other flushing agents and natural options available.

More about Re-Potting

Re-potting” the plant is a complex and risky process that should only be attempted by experienced growers.

Here are the steps for re-potting a cannabis plant from soil to a bucket hydroponic setup:

1. Prepare the bucket: Fill the bucket with pure water and check the PH. The proper level should be PH. (6.0-7.0). Allow water to reach the approximate ambient temperature of the soil before transferring the plant.
2. Remove the plant from the soil: Gently remove the plant from its soil, taking care to disturb the roots as little as possible.
3. Trim the roots: Trim any damaged or diseased roots from the plant.
4. Place the plant in the bucket: Carefully place the plant in the bucket, making sure that the roots are submerged in the liquid.
5. Secure the plant: Use a support system, such as a trellis or netting, to help keep the plant upright in the bucket.
6. Monitor the plant: Closely monitor the plant over the next few days to make sure that it is adjusting well to the new setup.

It’s important to be careful when re-potting a cannabis plant, as the process can be stressful for the plant and may even kill it if not done properly. It’s also important to make sure that the plant has enough time to adjust to the new setup before harvest. Ph and temperature are the 2 most important considerations. It is also helpful if you can place the plant close to its original growing position.

Grow Timeline including Flushing

To help you to incorporate flushing into your grow, here is a timeline of tasks for cannabis cultivation, from planting to curing, with estimations of the length of time each task should take:

1. Germination (2-7 days): The first step in the cultivation process is germinating the seeds. This can be done using a variety of methods, such as the paper towel method or the soil method.
2. Vegetative growth (3-16 weeks): Once the seeds have germinated, the seedlings will enter the vegetative growth stage. During this time, the plants will focus on growing leaves and stems and will require a specific light cycle (18-24 hours of light per day).
3. Flowering (4-9 weeks): When the plants reach the desired size, they can be induced to flower by changing the light cycle to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. During the flowering stage, the plants will begin to produce flowers (buds).
4. Flushing (1-3 weeks) A minimum of 1 week for Hydroponics and up to 3 weeks in soil are recommended.
5. Harvesting (3-7 days): When the buds are mature, it’s time to harvest the plants. This involves cutting down the plants and trimming the buds.
6. Drying (5-14 days): After harvesting, the buds need to be dried to reduce the moisture content. This can be done by hanging the buds in a well-ventilated area with low humidity.
7. Curing (2-8 weeks): Once the buds are dry, they need to be cured to improve the taste and potency. This involves storing the buds in airtight containers in a cool, dark place for a period of time.

Keep in mind that these are just general estimations and the actual length of time for each task may vary based on factors such as the strain, growing method, and environmental conditions.