Flushing cannabis: How to improve the taste and quality of your harvest

Rinsing cannabis, also known as "flushing", improves the quality, taste and purity of your harvest. This involves rinsing the plants with clear water before harvesting to remove excess nutrients and chemical residues. This results in cleaner, better tasting flowers that burn more evenly.

Flush 7-10 days before harvest for hydroponic systems, 10-14 days for soil and 7-10 days for coco fiber. Rinsing is also important for organic fertilizers such as Biobizz so as not to impair the taste. In this article you will learn everything you need to know about flushing cannabis, including the best methods and time frames.

What is cannabis purging?

Cannabis flushing refers to the process of watering your cannabis plants with clear water in the final weeks before harvest. The aim is to remove excess nutrients and chemical residues from the growing medium. This process is particularly important to ensure that the flowers are pure and free of any chemical residues. It is a technique that is used in both soil and hydroponic growing methods.

Rinsing is an essential step to maximize the quality and taste of your harvest. Here are some reasons why flushing is done:

Improve flavor and aroma: Chemical nutrients can leave an unpleasant taste and odor in your cannabis flowers. Rinsing removes this residue and gives you a cleaner, more natural product.

Better combustion: Un-purged cannabis can be difficult to light and often leaves a dark ash. After rinsing, your cannabis will burn more evenly and leave a light gray ash.

Health benefits: Consuming cannabis with chemical residue can be harmful to your health. Purging helps to minimize these risks.

Avoidance of over-fertilization: Over-fertilization can lead to a build-up of nutrients in the medium, which can damage the plant. Flushing helps to flush out these excess nutrients and relieve the plant.

Why should you flush cannabis?

To improve the taste and aroma: Chemical nutrients can leave an unpleasant taste and smell in your cannabis flowers. Rinsing removes these residues and gives you a cleaner, more natural product.

Clean burn: Un-purged cannabis can be difficult to light and often leaves a dark ash. After rinsing, your cannabis will burn more evenly and leave a light gray ash.

Health benefits: Consuming cannabis with chemical residue can be harmful to your health. Purging helps to minimize these risks.

When and how long should you flush cannabis?

Time frame for hydroponics: When growing hydroponically, you should start flushing 7-10 days before harvest. This method ensures that excess nutrients and salts are effectively removed from the root system, resulting in a better quality harvest.

Time frame for soil: When using soil as a growing medium, it is recommended to flush 10-14 days before harvest. As soil stores more nutrients than hydroponic systems, this process requires more time to ensure that all excess nutrients are washed out.

Time frame for coco fiber: If you are using coco fiber as a medium, you should flush 7-10 days before harvest. Coco fibers have similar properties to hydroponic systems, which allows for a shorter flushing period.

Step-by-step guide to flushing cannabis

Using clear water: Make sure you use pH-adjusted water for the best results. The ideal pH level is between 6.0 and 6.8. Do not use distilled water as it can leach out the plants too much.

Water thoroughly: Water your plants thoroughly, using twice the amount of water you normally use for irrigation. For example, if you normally use 1 liter of water per plant, irrigate them with 2 liters. This helps to flush out the nutrients effectively.

Observe the plants: While flushing, you should keep a close eye on your plants. Yellowing leaves are a sign that the plant is starting to use up its nutrient reserves. This is a normal and expected part of the flushing process.

Special features of flushing with Biobizz

Differences to chemical fertilizers: Biobizz is an organic fertilizer that consists of natural ingredients. In contrast to chemical fertilizers, Biobizz leaves less residue in the growing medium. This means that the plants absorb and process the nutrients on a natural basis, which often results in less accumulation of harmful salts.

Why organic fertilizers such as Biobizz should also be rinsed: Despite its natural composition, it is still important to rinse Biobizz before harvesting. Organic fertilizers can also leave excess nutrients in the medium, which could affect the taste and aroma of the flowers. Rinsing ensures that the plant can optimally develop its natural aromas and flavors.