Flushing, or applying clear water and restricting nutrients during the final weeks of flowering, is a common practice among cannabis cultivators, but many approach it differently. Some believe flushing improves smoking quality, and others may use it as a strategy to prevent excessive fertilization or to save on fertilizer costs. But how does flushing affect yield, nutrient levels, and cannabinoid content? How many weeks should you flush? Should you bother flushing at all? These are some of the guiding questions Clemson University researchers asked themselves when designing experiments to understand the plant’s physiological responses to flushing. In this session, Ph.D. student Michael Alden will present exclusive findings on flushing as well as studies testing other common cannabis cultivation and crop steering practices, including the 12/12 photoperiod schedule in flower and how altering the plant’s shape and controlling height impacts production. In this session, you’ll learn:
- How to adjust flushing schedules to meet specific, desired cultivation goals, including increased yield, decreased nutrient costs or increased cannabinoid content
- How to apply poinsettia production practices to cannabis production, i.e. the “cann-settia” method, and the potential benefits of controlling height, including improving irrigation efficiencies and maximizing space
- Why growers may want to consider a different photoperiod schedule than the 12/12 industry standard
