# When to stop feeding outdoors



## hottip (Aug 20, 2012)

My garden looks great and I've been feeding the girls weekly. I live in Washington and head south in late October so I have to harvest before October. When should I stop feeding these girls? They are bushy and over 5ft tall and still growing. I know they won't flower until 12-12 light but should I continue to feed them? I can sit and watch them grow about 6" a week.


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## nouvellechef (Aug 20, 2012)

You feed them right up till harvest time man. You should see light tip burn the whole time. 12/12 has already began here in WA. The rapid growth your seeing is because of that.


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## hottip (Aug 21, 2012)

nouvellechef said:
			
		

> You feed them right up till harvest time man. You should see light tip burn the whole time. 12/12 has already began here in WA. The rapid growth your seeing is because of that.


Sunrise 6AM Sunset 8PM thats 14 + hours of daylight. Don't we need a full 12 hours of darkness? I believe that indoor growers run thier timers on a 12-12 schedule


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## kaotik (Aug 21, 2012)

they start to flower before actual 12/12 outdoor.
12/12 indoor light schedule is just cause that works on pretty much all strains. a lot of people tweek their indoor timers, but we all just say 12/12 as a rule to make things easier. it's not set in stone 
mine are starting to (slowly) transition to flower now too, and i'm more northern than you.

i assume the question is; should i stop feeding veg nutes, not should i stop feeding. period. 
obviously you need to keep feeding. in bloom more-so than veg.

 you're likely seeing some pre-flower stretch like nc mentioned. 
 i always stick with my veg feed untill there's actual buds.. a lot of time they like to stay looking mature for a bit first, shooting pistils, but just faking you out.
 i've found in past years they'd yellow/start fading on me too early if i went to bloom nutes to early.

lookin good though, nice job. 
good luck down the homestretch


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## hottip (Aug 21, 2012)

kaotik said:
			
		

> they start to flower before actual 12/12 outdoor.
> 12/12 indoor light schedule is just cause that works on pretty much all strains. a lot of people tweek their indoor timers, but we all just say 12/12 as a rule to make things easier. it's not set in stone
> mine are starting to (slowly) transition to flower now too, and i'm more northern than you.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for the 12-12 clarification. I will continue to feed and hope to post some pictures of the first buds when it happens.


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## icefreon (Aug 31, 2012)

my understanding is that if your growing 100% organic there is no reason to flush. But if your using chemicals they "say" 1-3 weeks of flush. Watch leafs and trics for when to stop. Some people even go as far as to not water at all the last few days before harvest, sucks the soil dry and everything into the plant. 

This is info I have gathered from my surfing on this subject.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 31, 2012)

icefreon said:
			
		

> my understanding is that if your growing 100% organic there is no reason to flush. But if your using chemicals they "say" 1-3 weeks of flush. Watch leafs and trics for when to stop. Some people even go as far as to not water at all the last few days before harvest, sucks the soil dry and everything into the plant.
> 
> This is info I have gathered from my surfing on this subject.



While "they" (whoever they is) says that plants should be flushed, very few of us here flush our plants regardless of whether we are growing organic or using chemical nutes.  In real life, I have found that after a good dry and cure, there is absolutely no taste difference in bud that was flushed and bud that was not.  However, I believe that starving your plants the last several weeks of their lives when we are asking them to put of bulk and dense trichs, is definitely detrimental.


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## icefreon (Aug 31, 2012)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> While "they" (whoever they is) says that plants should be flushed, very few of us here flush our plants regardless of whether we are growing organic or using chemical nutes.  In real life, I have found that after a good dry and cure, there is absolutely no taste difference in bud that was flushed and bud that was not.  However, I believe that starving your plants the last several weeks of their lives when we are asking them to put of bulk and dense trichs, is definitely detrimental.



From what i've read for the reason for flush is that it allows the plant to dissipate the "chemical" compounds from a chemical nute. I dont know about you, but I dont wana smoke chemicals, other than the good ones  Also, here in CA when I sold some crop last year to a pot shop they require a 2 week flush or they wont take it, and they test for THC, CBD and chemicals before they do take it. As I said in other posts, I do a lot of research, and I'm fairly new (3 grows, all organic) just passing on the info I've read.


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## kaotik (Aug 31, 2012)

guess i'm one of the few, i'm a 'they'
withholding food near the end, make em use their reserves.

i feel i can notice a difference with not feeding vs feeding right till crop. especially in chem grown pot in soil. 
*i don't do THG's cure though, so maybe that _would_ fix it, but i'm suspect. i tried the mp way of curing, a few times. honestly didn't like it. i just dry and put in tupperware, and i love how it is.


i dunno,
..i'd love to see a trial of a miracle-grow'n plant, unflushed, fed right up till harvest.. and a cure curing away the nastyness. 
that may make me change my stance. untill then, i 'flush'  


not encouraging you to flush or not to flush, just countering that opinion.
 i say do your own thing and decide for yourself. ..me, i pride myself on my white ash (not grey, not light.. white).. if i'm losing some minuscule weight, no worries here it's all personal.
dunno why we went off on this tangent though.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 31, 2012)

icefreon said:
			
		

> From what i've read for the reason for flush is that it allows the plant to dissipate the "chemical" compounds from a chemical nute. I dont know about you, but I dont wana smoke chemicals, other than the good ones  Also, here in CA when I sold some crop last year to a pot shop they require a 2 week flush or they wont take it, and they test for THC, CBD and chemicals before they do take it. As I said in other posts, I do a lot of research, and I'm fairly new (3 grows, all organic) just passing on the info I've read.



I understand the (supposed) reason for flushing, I simply do not agree with it.  We ingest, breath, and are exposed to so many chemicals that what may be left in our bud after a good dry and cure is most likely negligible.  I can absolutely tell you that you could not tell the difference between bud that I flushed and that I did not...except the not flushed bud most likely has more THC and CBC because I did not starve them at the end of their life.  In addition, I am not seeing how it is any better to smoke worm, bat, cow, or chicken poo, dried and ground up blood and bone, fish emulsions, compost, and other (kind of icky) stuff we use in organic growing.

I have been growing for over 30 years.  I spend an hour or more a day (virtually every day) reading and doing my own research.  Something has to make sense to me for me to follow it.  We do not worry about flushing any other kind of anything that we ingest--I fail to see why pot should be any different.  If someone told you that you had to flush your tomato plant for 2-3 weeks prior to harvest, you would most likely laugh out loud.  I also pride myself on my clean burning, smooth tasting bud.

And as a side note, I really doubt that the pot store would know whether I flushed my plants or not.  That kind of chemical analysis is quite expensive and unless they are HUGE, I doubt that they have a gas spectrometer.....


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## 4u2sm0ke (Aug 31, 2012)

hottip said:
			
		

> Thanks for the 12-12 clarification. I will continue to feed and hope to post some pictures of the first buds when it happens.




Im not sure how *nouvelchef *gets burn tips on his outdoor  as Ive tried and tried...I do feed up to harvest ....I also see where *Kaotic *comes from and agree that the plant has resources that if we feed the entire grow it never uses its reserves...as for "flush"..Ive only done it when There is a Build up of salts causing lack of uptake...and Im organic grower as well...and for the side chat on Disspenceries...yes the repitable ones send meds off to be tested befor offering....But the ones I support check for THC/CBD..and bug traces...and no requirements on how I grow medication...

*hottip*...are these in the ground or in containers?

take care and be safe


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## 4u2sm0ke (Aug 31, 2012)

:doh:   I see she is in the ground...I too am in washington state as is *nouvelchef*...looks like yours could use some more POO...

:48:


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## dman1234 (Aug 31, 2012)

Theres a difference between flushing and witholding nutes but it would be hard to flush outdoors, theres no holes in the bottom:confused2: for the water to drain, lol.

theres no way that plant can be harvested before october.


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## 4u2sm0ke (Sep 1, 2012)

true that *Dman*.....I tried a flush in early spring if anyone fallowed my Grow....I called on the Fire department to use the nearby fire line to flush:giggle:.....I see maybe early Oct...


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## hottip (Sep 4, 2012)

I like the early October harvest time as you can compare these pictures and the latest pictures under my other post "how big will these buds get". In just a few days they all started to bud up for me. You are in WA so you know our spring was not ideal for outdoor growing. The crop this year looks like my best ever. I can almost watch them grow while I stand there, wait, maybe I'm to high :yay: . Thanks for all the feedback.


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## 4u2sm0ke (Sep 4, 2012)

yes Im in WA and yes I know all too well of our weather...what will you do when the rains come ???...IME...air movement and cover from rains is essential...doesnt work 100%  but  gets more to HAvest date. Ive got a strain thats about 4 weeks from HArvest:yay:...feed feed feed..and still no tip burn

Take care and be safe


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## hottip (Sep 4, 2012)

4u2sm0ke said:
			
		

> yes Im in WA and yes I know all too well of our weather...what will you do when the rains come ???...IME...air movement and cover from rains is essential...doesnt work 100%  but  gets more to HAvest date. Ive got a strain thats about 4 weeks from HArvest:yay:...feed feed feed..and still no tip burn
> 
> Take care and be safe


 
4U2   I get out of town and head for the great state of Texas, that's where they catch Willie Nelson about every 2 years:icon_smile: . I have to have all my harvest done and dry for that long trip south for the winter. I think I'll get it done before October 15th, if not my neighbors will have to enjoy it without me there.


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