420BUDdy

Can anyone give me a comprehensive guide to flushing a 5" square pot with some month old plants in it? I tyhink Im getting nute burn or somethin or the sort. Thanx

Slim

Put a volume of water equal to 3 times the volume of your soil, (exapmly: 9 gallons of water through a 3 gallon pot)... either do this in a bathtub or have another way to drain the water off.

Slim

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Captain Bowlpiece

Okay, I agree. To flush your plants you need to run warm water approximately 3 times the volume of the container through the soil in order to flush it.

Here's an easy way to go:

I rigged up a washing machine hose to my faucet. I timed how long it took for a gal of water to flow. Then I took one of the trusty 16 oz cups and punched a bunch of holes in the bottom and lower sides of the cup. I put a handful of rocks in the bottom and inserted the hose. My water flows at 1 gal/30 sec. I flushed each plant for about 4 mins, or 12 gals of warm water. Quick and easy! The plants were only out of the grow room for 5 minutes each.

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Captain Bowlpiece

Here's a picture of the flush in progress. One plant drains while the other gets flushed. The cup prevents the water from drilling a hole in the soil.

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Captain Bowlpiece

Flushing is really beneficial to your plants. The soil in a 5 gal bucket holds excess nutes and your roots accumulate salts from the nutes. These should be periodically flushed away to promote a healthier plant. Also, you need to flush just before harvesting (as you can see, I am less than 3 weeks from that glorious day!).

Here is a view of the cup doing its job:

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Captain Bowlpiece

Keep in mind that you want to use luke warm water. NO HOT WATER!! ANYTHING OVER 90 F IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR PLANTS! Test the water temperature with the inside of your wrist. If it feels warm, yet not as warm as your skin, you are there (any parents out there that have given baby a bottle, you know the drill.)

If you container fills up and starts to overflow, stop the water, and note the time. Mine had to pause for a minute to allow the water to drain down to soil level again without overflowing.

Hope this helps. Flushing is simple, but it can be intimidating to move your plants, dump huge amounts of water into them, and then hope for the best. DON'T WORRY. YOUR PLANTS WILL THANK YOU FOR THE KIND ATTENTION. FLUSH FOR BETTER PLANT HEALTH WITH CONFIDENCE.

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Flapjack

Why warm water? Why not just cold tap water?

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Captain Bowlpiece

Warm water is more effective in dissolving salts. Also, it is less likely to shock your plants. Remember you are giving them more than 20 times the normal amount of a watering.

Happy flushing!!

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Captain Bowlpiece

Try to get your plants out and back in to the light as quickly as possible. This was my second flush for my grow, and it was very successful. You can almost see the difference right away.

So if you have been feeding your plants throughout your grow, try a flush. Your plants will thank you.

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shooter

I assume you moved the cup around the outside of your 5gal pots so as to not flush just "one side"?

Nice guide Cap'n.

Later,
-s

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