I watched a CBC TV news program the other day and they were talking about lettuce production under LED lights and claim they can widely change the taste and nutritional content in lettuce by adjusting the lights and light color range. Just wonder if anyone has heard this before and is it applicable to cannabis?
Light research to enhance flavor and increase THC
- Thread starter Chungo
- Start date
Mars Hydro
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Absolutely will, for the grow light, the mostly important two thing is :
- PAR output
- Spectrum
Each plants has its own needs for the light, and less or more will cause difference on the growing result. That is why ppl are now turing to LED grow lights, because the spectrum is more needed for plants and they can grow better.
- PAR output
- Spectrum
Each plants has its own needs for the light, and less or more will cause difference on the growing result. That is why ppl are now turing to LED grow lights, because the spectrum is more needed for plants and they can grow better.
- Thread starter
- #3
OK. Great I use some LED's that are conventional grow lights seem to do the trick. But my query really is if they can change the taste of lettuce and other vegetables to consumer desires through light manipulation what research has been done to change the taste of cannabis by light manipulation as a alternative to flushing or using various nutrients for chemical changes in the plant and/or taste enhancement?
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
I am about to find out. I have purchased one of these new LEDs who's claim to fame is that they are full spectrum, including IR and UV light, and I am about to purchase even more for flowering. I am skeptical, but so far impressed. The proof as you say, will be in the final product.
Light manipulation can not ever be a substitute for flushing in a synthetic grow however or substitute for the halting of feeding in last 2 weeks so as to clean the chemical tastes out of the final product.
Light manipulation can not ever be a substitute for flushing in a synthetic grow however or substitute for the halting of feeding in last 2 weeks so as to clean the chemical tastes out of the final product.
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- #5
I don't know about flushing as various seemingly knowledgeable growers have argued that the taste( as it is subjective) is not/minimally affected by flushing in the last weeks of a grow. Don't ask me to explain it or show the articles as I can't. But I have read well written thesis's that argue against it. Some of them because of the grow soil they use in their indoor grows and during the grow amendments are minimal. I have used flushing to correct poor soil PH levels with good results but my thoughts are this can be nipped in the bud as it were with good soil preperation. This was my first grow since the late 70's and I will change a few things one is the potting soil make up to start with a PH./nutritionally balanced base soil (refereed to as supper soil many similar recipes out there) in the hopes of reducing needed nutritional additives. I plan on testing this theory out this spring on my next grow. As well as adding one more 600W LED to the two I already have for a 4x6 grow box which was good enough for the veg stage but I question their adequacy for the flowering cycle as I am about a month from the finish line and the buds are no larger than 1.5 inch wide(maybe they will fill out yet). The effects of the two new variables in the spring (additional light and different soil ) I think can be sorted out in their benefits in the final outcome........
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
You appear to be combining thoughts regarding growing in commercial potting soil using synthetic nutrients and organic gardening with a true living super soil and using nothing synthetic.
If you use synthetic [salt based] nutrients in your grow, you will need to flush at some point in the grow just to remove the built up salts in the soil. Most gardeners also use a flush to clear out one stage nutes [veg] so that they can introduce the next stage nutes [flowering] to the soil, without any influence from the last nutes to hit the soil.
An organic grower in a living organic soil has no need to flush in the traditional sense, because no salts are building up in the soil throughout the grow.
Here though is where I disagree with you, and why. Many people supplement magnesium throughout the grow, and some people like to feed molasses for this need, as well as for additional taste, right up to the end. There is nothing quite as harsh as smoking weed that has been supplied magnesium, even through molasses, right up to the end. It is nasty, and I will not smoke it. How do we keep this from happening and ruining our final product? Synthetic growers flush somewhere near the end and give nothing but water from then on. In my organic grow, I don't physically flush, but I do virtually flush the magnesium from my plants by giving them nothing but water for the last 2 weeks of the grow. I have written many theses in my day, and I will argue for flushing so as to improve taste and furthermore, I would bet every piece of equipment in my grow room that I can tell a bud, by taste, that has not been flushed.
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- #7
What I am shooting for is using only H20 the last two weeks of the grow but not as a flush but just to to get the plant to use up its built up nutrients. I have flushed my plants twice to get the soil PH up and in both cases one of my strongest plants has shown some ill effects from flushing. As far as taste go I am not a big fan of smoking cannabis in the first place and prefer it in edible form and its effects. Also by using a supper soil in my next grow (I have no experience with it) I am trying to minimize the use of amendments during the plants growth and minimize any future PH problems......
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
It is applicable to cannabis to a small degree, but there are no real studies on the field, or studies on much more important light-plant nexus subjects for that matter.
Some growers swear to using lights with a lot of blue for the last couple of weeks in flower.
Others switch to 18/6 the last 2 weeks in flower (won't herm/reveg) and lower the intensity 1/3 to 1/2 of that in 12/12
The most important thing is genetics, but the environment plays a part too, like colder temperatures means that less of the more volatile terpenes evaporate.
I'm with @Emilya on flushing in hydro/synthetic grows, and using plain water for 2-3 weeks in non LOS organic grows.
It makes a big difference in the final product
I use Biobizz nutes, and the main N heavy product is Beet molasses and it *HAS* to be ''washed'' out
It sounds like you might have some issues with your soil mix and/or nutrient regime, the soil *shouldn't* get acidic unless the water is too acidic, or something in the soil is releasing acid when watered.
Give vaping a chance, a lot easier on the lungs than smoke
Some growers swear to using lights with a lot of blue for the last couple of weeks in flower.
Others switch to 18/6 the last 2 weeks in flower (won't herm/reveg) and lower the intensity 1/3 to 1/2 of that in 12/12
The most important thing is genetics, but the environment plays a part too, like colder temperatures means that less of the more volatile terpenes evaporate.
I'm with @Emilya on flushing in hydro/synthetic grows, and using plain water for 2-3 weeks in non LOS organic grows.
It makes a big difference in the final product
I use Biobizz nutes, and the main N heavy product is Beet molasses and it *HAS* to be ''washed'' out
It sounds like you might have some issues with your soil mix and/or nutrient regime, the soil *shouldn't* get acidic unless the water is too acidic, or something in the soil is releasing acid when watered.
Give vaping a chance, a lot easier on the lungs than smoke
- Thread starter
- #9
It is applicable to cannabis to a small degree, but there are no real studies on the field, or studies on much more important light-plant nexus subjects for that matter.
Some growers swear to using lights with a lot of blue for the last couple of weeks in flower.
Others switch to 18/6 the last 2 weeks in flower (won't herm/reveg) and lower the intensity 1/3 to 1/2 of that in 12/12
The most important thing is genetics, but the environment plays a part too, like colder temperatures means that less of the more volatile terpenes evaporate.
I'm with @Emilya on flushing in hydro/synthetic grows, and using plain water for 2-3 weeks in non LOS organic grows.
It makes a big difference in the final product
I use Biobizz nutes, and the main N heavy product is Beet molasses and it *HAS* to be ''washed'' out
It sounds like you might have some issues with your soil mix and/or nutrient regime, the soil *shouldn't* get acidic unless the water is too acidic, or something in the soil is releasing acid when watered.
Give vaping a chance, a lot easier on the lungs than smoke
I had a issue with the potting soil which I have been using for years as a starter for my veg garden. Usually my veg plants stay in the pots till transplanting out side after about 8 weeks as opposed to 6 months like the Cannabis. It turned out to be very acidic in the 3.5-4 range in run off part way through my first attempt of this grow. I flushed it twice during the grow and have just feed them the for the last time and plan on harvesting them in 2-3 weeks.
So it is my intention to grow this spring with a supper soil make up and limit my addition of fertilizers as much as possible from the various formulas I have seen........
- Thread starter
- #10
I have flushed these plants twice and they are in the last 2-3 weeks before the chop. Though this was my first grow since the late 70's and defiantly not a calendar photo op I have updated some thoughts to improve my next grow in the spring.
Supper soil, additional 600 W LED light (already have two), one addition exhaust fan, constant monitoring of runoff and added water. Reconsider fertilizer needs.
The supper soil has confused me in the various formulas around but I will figure it out yet.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Commercial soils with a large peat content will go acidic over time as the peat breaks down. This can be flushed out but as long as that peat is there as a base component of that soil, the problem will keep reoccurring.
MrFortwenty
Well-Known Member
Flushing for anything other than to repair salt buildup or toxicity is pointless. "Flushing" to rid the bud of nutes is, and always was, bro science. This has FINALLY been proven (thank god).
In a nut shell
The effects of flushing were also investigated to determine whether it had the intended effect of reducing nutrient concentrations within the dried bud. Through the use of psychrometers, water status (cWP) thresholds were correlated with humidity (cVPD) thresholds and reduced irrigation frequency resulting in water use reductions up to 45.7% which had negligible impacts on yield and cannabinoid profile. Flushing was found to be ineffective in removing any significant amount of nutrient from the bud.
Irrigation Management Strategies for Medical Cannabis in Controlled Environments
Section 6.2 if you want to fast forward. Essentially use water the last two weeks since there is no impact on yield, but using water isn't causing the bud to use up stored nutes (aka bro science)
In a nut shell
The effects of flushing were also investigated to determine whether it had the intended effect of reducing nutrient concentrations within the dried bud. Through the use of psychrometers, water status (cWP) thresholds were correlated with humidity (cVPD) thresholds and reduced irrigation frequency resulting in water use reductions up to 45.7% which had negligible impacts on yield and cannabinoid profile. Flushing was found to be ineffective in removing any significant amount of nutrient from the bud.
Irrigation Management Strategies for Medical Cannabis in Controlled Environments
Section 6.2 if you want to fast forward. Essentially use water the last two weeks since there is no impact on yield, but using water isn't causing the bud to use up stored nutes (aka bro science)
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Funny how I can taste the difference then... must be a very subjective thing, with some people being more sensitive to the taste and smell than others... but I also believe that the 2 weeks of water at the end makes a big difference too... and something is not there in the end because of it. In my case, lets call it frau science.
- Thread starter
- #14
Thanks for the input on flushing as I have seen these similar different views show up in the the reading I have done. I am not much of a smoker but when I did smoke 40 years ago I found that curing pot in different manners was a game changer to taste. These guys are going to get the chop in a week or two or three. Lessons learnt so far: need better soil, PH runoff more, add one more light to make it three 600 W LED's for the 4X6 grow area, remove Fluorescent bulbs all together, top the plants to only 8 main branches, and don't take this to seriously. Next grow will be some Green Gelato. ....Thanks for the input........
MrFortwenty
Well-Known Member
Looking like a beast!
You're right, the cure is absolutely everything
You're right, the cure is absolutely everything
Mars Hydro
420 Sponsor
Lookings very dense and heavy!
Autolabor1
Well-Known Member
So I'm new sorry. Your saying. If I use General Hydroponics Flora nutrients and I grow in Happy Frog/Ocean forrest 50 50 and I add 1/2 nutrients along with molasses I will have to flush to get a good tasting product right? Thank you in Advance. This old man is used to growing outdoors lol
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
its not just about getting a good tasting product... if you allow salt to build up in the soil, at some point the roots will be shut down, unable to uptake the water that they need. When I ran heavy synthetic nutes I flushed at least 3 times during the grow, just to get the fast growing going again.
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- #19
This was taken about a week ago and they are at this time about 1-2 weeks from the chop. Leaves are yellowing and there has been a halt to white pistol emerging. I made a double batch of brownies yesterday from 50 gm of fan leaf collection. The dosing was definately for the couch....
Growingasmile
Well-Known Member
Do you think you could put a blue film over a HPS to increase blue light? or would this have negative affects?
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