Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
One of the traits of a 'Dynamic Accumulator' type of plant, like cannabis, is the way they 'look fine' while quietly locking excess molecules and elements to cell walls. What is fixed to the cell walls does not 'flush out.' So IME the smoke ends up a higher temp, starts to taste like burnt stuff within a few hits, and leaves a thicker ash with weight to it. I believe you'll readily see this at the end of this run.
When your errors are underfeeding, the plant generally shows it right away. No silent quality killing going on in the background like overfeeding. I'll cram a bowl super tight with flower, poke a tiny air hole, smoke it, and have a super lightweight ash fall out with a light puff or tap. The last exhale of the bowl should be tasty, and have almost zero "burnt plant/stuff" taste to it. Cool temp, soft feeling, resin rich flavors and aromas till the last hit.
The full pH swing is what allows this at 1.5EC and lower. Each element has a different pH range where it is readily absorbed by the plant. Providing this full pH cycle means the plant can easily absorb what it wants at each stage. With roots-in hydros, like DWC and NFT, the pH swing should happen in approximately 7 days at the beginning of a run, and this can be adjusted through nutrient solution volume. Roots-out hydros, basically any set up where the roots are not constantly in contact with the nute solution, have this same pH swing in the rez, and also a smaller pH swing which happens between irrigation cycles.
I use nutrient dosing for top and bottom end pH control, and let the plants do the main work for me.
This Only Works Perfectly with R/O or similar water (0-12ppm)
Fill rez, add nutes to starting EC, pH up with a calcium carbonate product to lowest healthy pH.
Top off to same level every day with pure r/o and take your readings.
As the plants use the nutes the pH rises.
When pH hits top end of healthy range, add nutes back to starting EC. pH will automagically be back where it was when you started the rez.
Lather, rinse, repeat till physical flower bulking quits, then I use lowered EC to maintain high transpiration through oil production til harvest. 5 days from harvest my rez is replaced with plain r/o.
When your errors are underfeeding, the plant generally shows it right away. No silent quality killing going on in the background like overfeeding. I'll cram a bowl super tight with flower, poke a tiny air hole, smoke it, and have a super lightweight ash fall out with a light puff or tap. The last exhale of the bowl should be tasty, and have almost zero "burnt plant/stuff" taste to it. Cool temp, soft feeling, resin rich flavors and aromas till the last hit.
The full pH swing is what allows this at 1.5EC and lower. Each element has a different pH range where it is readily absorbed by the plant. Providing this full pH cycle means the plant can easily absorb what it wants at each stage. With roots-in hydros, like DWC and NFT, the pH swing should happen in approximately 7 days at the beginning of a run, and this can be adjusted through nutrient solution volume. Roots-out hydros, basically any set up where the roots are not constantly in contact with the nute solution, have this same pH swing in the rez, and also a smaller pH swing which happens between irrigation cycles.
I use nutrient dosing for top and bottom end pH control, and let the plants do the main work for me.
This Only Works Perfectly with R/O or similar water (0-12ppm)
Fill rez, add nutes to starting EC, pH up with a calcium carbonate product to lowest healthy pH.
Top off to same level every day with pure r/o and take your readings.
As the plants use the nutes the pH rises.
When pH hits top end of healthy range, add nutes back to starting EC. pH will automagically be back where it was when you started the rez.
Lather, rinse, repeat till physical flower bulking quits, then I use lowered EC to maintain high transpiration through oil production til harvest. 5 days from harvest my rez is replaced with plain r/o.
