When to start final flush

[JimmyTheC]

Hi all - my first grow, and everything is going well! I am growing in an organic soil medium, using Dyna-Grow nutes, in 5 gallon plastic pots. I have been watering approximately once per week (only when dry down to two knuckles!). My question is about when to start the final flush. Should I look for signs of the buds being "ready to harvest", then flush for two weeks, or should I look for signs of buds being "close to being ready to harvest", and then flush for two weeks. I guess my concern is, am I going to miss a peak harvesting window if I wait to move through two cycles of flush, or will the peak time extend long enough so that this won't be a concern? Advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[DW2]

Howdy JimmyTheC, and welcome to the forum. I grow in DWC, so I can not tell You how to flush when in soil. The sign that I look for is 80% - 90% of the trichomes cloudy and some beginning to turn amber. Use a jeweler's loupe (I use a 40X magnification) to look at the trichomes (on the buds, not the leaf, as Green75 says) to check them. The pistils should also be turning amber or brown and curling inwards. I use the GH FloraKleen for four days followed with plain pH'ed water for three more days before harvest. The only recommendation is to follow the directions or information with the flush solution that You are going to use or follow the information from the nutrient manufacturer.
Your plants look very good, good luck with Your harvest.

[007]

I start flushing when the trichs are all cloudy white and the pistils are brown and curling in. I do straight water for a week to 10 days. I give them 3 days in the dark with nothing, and they come out ready to be cut and trimmed.

[alltatup]

Welcome to the forum, JimmydaC! Do you have a microscope or jeweler's loupe to look at trichomes?

[JimmyTheC]

Thanks everyone. I did purchase a small microscope with a built-in light that I can use to examine the plants close-up, which I've been doing. I know my plants aren't ready yet - too many pistils still bright white and standing up straight, plus growth continues...buds are getting fatter! All good so far. Once I see the pistils start to trail off more, I will start paying very close attention to the trichomes. 007 and DW2, I think you answered my question with regard to timing. It seems that it's ok if I start the flush once I see ideal conditions to harvest. I was planning on simply watering with plain water as a flush, but are there additives I should use when doing that? Also, if I am only watering once/week, should I do a "flush watering" once, or twice? All good info here - thanks so much!

[007]

I didn't know such a product existed? Does it make a noticeable difference?

[alltatup]

Here's their page on Flawless Finish

http://www.advancednutrients.com/products/flawless-finish/

They claim that it's different from other flushing agents, has more chelates, and is the only one specifically designed for cannabis flushing.

[Jason]

Started flushing with Advanced Nutrients Final Finish yesterday, after reading posts here. 1st grow so no experience.
I used the GH Trio for nutrients and was concerned about using another mfgs product. My hydro supplier and Advanced Nutrients indicate its OK. My supplier has been growing hydro for 30+ years.

[DW2]

JimmyTheC, The best advice I've found about this is from the GWE web site, where they said to use products from the same manufacturer because they have, most likely, been tested together. I use the GH line of nutrients so I use their flushing solution, FloraKleen. I would recommend to use the product either made by or recommended by the manufacturer of the nutrients that You use. Using just plain pH'ed water would be better than doing nothing at all. I do not claim to know all of the science behind the flushing, but I do know that it works. With a never ending (I hope!) quality control process, I do believe that the buds that were flushed are curing faster than the last harvest, when they were not flushed at all. The new crop (the flushed one) has been in the jars for just over two weeks now, and they are smoother than the last crop after two months!
Flushing is definitely worth the extra time to produce better bud.

[Vividimage420]

I use Drip Clean with every feeding, cut nutes back 1/2 strength last 2 feedings then flush with ph'd water & drip clean last 10 Days.