Flushing....Whats your technique?

As Stillblazinit mentioned, if you're pouring ferts on soil, probably best to run straight water through, since poured ferts are not natural and it's pretty assured that a natural micro-life web has not been established.

And yes, if it feels good do it by all means. Thank you for pointing that out Smile. A guy shouldn't incorrectly parrot what they've read and then recruit others that this is a necessary function. I'd like to hear from one person that has read literature that is more than pseudo science that still feels the need to use bottled ferts or flush. When someone truly understands what is going on at the microbial level you will see.

Again I recommend reading Teaming With Microbes and come into the light.

Rrog said:

Exactly Sunbiz. The information is available. Try Teaming With Microbes. Explains it very well and very simply. Assuming one can read vs. just look at the pictures.

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Hi Rrog,

I've often wondered what flushing does to whatever microbial life is existing. Do they cling onto soil molecules or get flushed out along with everything else?. Either way, I cannot image that drowning microbes would be of any benefit.

No benefit to drowning the helpers.

If the soil is half worth a crap, it will have clay and humus, both having huge negative electrical charge (due to microscopic particle size) to hold cations (Ca++, K+, Na+, Mg+, Fe+, NH4+, H+). They are locked tight to humus and clay, unable to wash away. The process of chelation is required to remove them and make the ions available for the roots. Some Fungi can perform this chelation, assuming there's a broad and diverse micro-life that is in a normal relationship with the plant. Pouring and flooding the "soil" with bottled ferts does not promote a normal microbial relationship

when i flush i just look back with persision grab ahold of the handle n pull down word becarful the chain is lible to break.. lolz just kidding

Yes! Don't get me wrong... I don't avoid flushing of all types...

bigv1976 said:

I love how people say flushing does nothing or is not needed when all of the top breeders in the world ALL do it.

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Those same top breeders that are pumping out generation after generation of unstable genetics? I think F-1 pollen chucking guess work is the technical term they use in the biz....

Sunbiz1 said:

Every October I rent a front end loader and a city water truck to flush my guerrilla grows, I'm running out of woods to clear. All kidding aside, you should not have to flush before harvesting unless the medium was either poor to begin with(Miracle-Grow etc)or has been screwed up with additives etc. over time.

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Except there's a huge difference between a plant growing in the ground and one in a container. Containers accumulate salts/minerals over time, that's the key factor here.

I know you were just making a joke, but really it has no basis.

wbd said:

Except there's a huge difference between a plant growing in the ground and one in a container. Containers accumulate salts/minerals over time, that's the key factor here.

I know you were just making a joke, but really it has no basis.

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LOL, we actually beat this topic to death before you came along....now I'm off to flush the earth!.

Sunbiz1 said:

LOL, we actually beat this topic to death before you came along....now I'm off to flush the earth!.

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You still don't get it. I agree with you, no reason to "flush the earth".

Flushing a container, it's a different set of circumstances. Do you see why?

P.S. Just as an aside, outdoor plants are flushed all the time by mother nature. It's called rain.

wbd said:

You still don't get it. I agree with you, no reason to "flush the earth".

Flushing a container, it's a different set of circumstances. Do you see why?

P.S. Just as an aside, outdoor plants are flushed all the time by mother nature. It's called rain.

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You're beginning to annoy me with your condescending attitude. Unless you have been growing for a decade and have some back round in horticulture prior to that(as I do), there isn't anything you can teach me.

Again, this topic has been thoroughly discussed.

I have mentioned this before. If you want to know what sort of microbial life you have going in your teas and medium, go to Hobby Lobby or such and get a microscope and some slides. Simple samples of runoff and your medium or teas you can see for your own eyes. its actually pretty cool to see the herd you are tending first hand.....

In the old days before the internet and ready access to pH/ppm/ec meters we knew we had salt build up when a white, crystal like things starting forming on the top of the medium. Not because we had sick plants. Then we would leach our pots but really didnt happen that often. ........

wbd said:

Except there's a huge difference between a plant growing in the ground and one in a container. Containers accumulate salts/minerals over time, that's the key factor here.

I know you were just making a joke, but really it has no basis.

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Salts will buildup if you're using some bottled fert product, which isn't natural soil, and so a flush would probably be a great idea.

wbd said:

You still don't get it. I agree with you, no reason to "flush the earth".

Flushing a container, it's a different set of circumstances. Do you see why?

P.S. Just as an aside, outdoor plants are flushed all the time by mother nature. It's called rain.

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Incorrect. Rain will not flush a plant like is done with containers. Plants aren't flushed in nature.

If you have been using ferts, then flush. If using natural soil, no flush.

Bottled, bagged, compost, pelletized, castings, bird or bat shit, fish guts. Ferts are ferts and they all pretty much end up a salt...you know, a basic element.......

Now we disagree.

Rrog said:

Salts will buildup if you're using some bottled fert product, which isn't natural soil, and so a flush would probably be a great idea.



Incorrect. Rain will not flush a plant like is done with containers. Plants aren't flushed in nature.

If you have been using ferts, then flush. If using natural soil, no flush.

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I'm convinced at least half of the threads in plant problems could be avoided by eliminating ferts/bottled products.

watchhowIdoit said:

Bottled, bagged, compost, pelletized, castings, bird or bat shit, fish guts. Ferts are ferts and they all pretty much end up a salt...you know, a basic element.......

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Yet how does one compare an in-ground with a container?...we modified nature and expect better results??.

pot heads have too much time on their hands and are always looking for something to do even when it's not needed... i.e flushing, trimming many healthy fan leaves, etc..

Marijuana isn't as special as you all make it out to be, it's a plant. and in the history of agriculture no one flushes before harvesting veggies or fruits. go ahead and starve your plants before harvest. thinking of that I don't think any living thing on earth benifits from being starved...

SirLancelot said:

pot heads have too much time on their hands and are always looking for something to do even when it's not needed... i.e flushing, trimming many healthy fan leaves, etc..

Marijuana isn't as special as you all make it out to be, it's a plant. and in the history of agriculture no one flushes before harvesting veggies or fruits. go ahead and starve your plants before harvest. thinking of that I don't think any living thing on earth benifits from being starved...

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Marijuana is a pervasive weed, a weed people think they can improve.

See my sig

Sunbiz1 said:

You're beginning to annoy me with your condescending attitude. Unless you have been growing for a decade and have some back round in horticulture prior to that(as I do), there isn't anything you can teach me.

Again, this topic has been thoroughly discussed.

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And I imagine it will continue be discussed again and again. If you're tired of talking about it or aren't willing to hear what other people have to say, don't participate in the discussions. So simple.

If you can't see why flushing might be more necessary in a container than in the earth, then I'd say there's at least one more thing you can be taught. I have a background in common sense, they don't teach that you know... (oh how I wish they did)