Maximum Yield USA August/September 2020 | Page 30

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR A G ask a GROWER by Chris Bond Q a Will flushing the hydroponic nutrient solution im If so, when is the best time to flush? Thanks, Antonio. There is some debate among professional growers ove this. Some would say to do it as a matter of course, some would say to do it only if there is excess salt or mineral buildup, and some would say that if you are using organic nutrients that you do not have to do it at a If you are using mineral or chemical based fertilizers, then flushing is a very good idea. It will help to prevent salt toxicity in your plants. Additionally, if you start to se your tomato leaves beginning to get brown spots, wilt, curl downward, or even die, there is a great possibility that you have excess salts and should flush immediatel regardless of the stage of plant development or fruit set If your system is an ebb and flood type, then it is more likely that you would want to flush your system before harvest in order to reduce the amount of mineral salts CB Chris Bond's research interests are with sustainable ag methods. He is a certified permaculture designer and c professional in New York, where he got his start in grow 16 Maximum Yield