Root washing, in English flushing, is a very important procedure for our cannabis plant to give the best of itself: it allows us to correct some imbalances, such as over-fertilization, and according to many growers it makes the buds taste better.
When we fertilize plants with NPK nutrients, part of the mineral salts is absorbed by the roots and part remains in the soil, which becomes loaded with substances. At first glance this would seem to be a positive factor, but it is not: a excessive concentration of salts can compromise the plant's ability to absorb nutrients from the soil, giving rise to the so-called "nutrient blockage”.
Nutrient blockage is a rather frequent problem in cannabis cultivation and it does not only happen to novice growers, as even the most experienced growers have to deal with it from time to time. When the soil in which the seedling is located is too full of NPK, the roots "react" and stop absorbing the substances correctly. The seedling could then have “floppy” leaves, with burns on the tip, could grow slowly and show signs of a nutritional deficiency. The most immediate solution that might come to mind is to increase the dose, fertilizing even more. Nothing worse! The real solution lies in root washing.
Flushing is a rather simple operation, which consists of watering the substrate where the cannabis plant is located with pH-adjusted water.
Simply water the pot with a precise amount of pH-adjusted water. To easily calculate the necessary liters, simply divide the size of the pot by two: if it has a capacity of 20 liters, for example, it will need to be watered with 10 liters of water; if it has a capacity of 15 liters, it will need 7.5 liters of water, and so on.
Flushing times in hydroponic cultivation are a bit longer. A quick flush can be done in 3-7 days, preferably during flowering, using a specific flushing solution. Otherwise, a gradual cleaning can be done over about two weeks (the weeks before harvest) by gradually diluting the water in the reservoir with pH-adjusted water.
Flushing is recommended by experienced growers because, in addition to solving the problems we've talked about, such as nutrient lockout, it also seems to help improve the flavor of the buds. By reducing the nutrients available to the plant in the last few days before harvest, nutrient imbalances are evened out and the buds take on a more velvety flavor.
Root washing is, ultimately, a simple and effective method that improves the quality of your crops. But be careful, it is not suitable for everyone: those who grow organic marijuana in fact, it should do without this technique. Cultivation with natural fertilizers and with the help of “allied” microorganisms does not tolerate intrusions that alter the balance of the ecosystem. In this case, washing could even prove harmful.
