Finding ways to improve taste & flavour while using synthetic nutes in coco

[And]

As per the title, I'm building a list of elements that will improve flavour & taste when using coco, feeding synthetic nutrients via drippers. Unfortunately I can't use organics as my system will get messy & blocked.

 

My list so far in order of importance is:

 

Genetics/strain used

Well grown plants with plenty of light

Canopy kept at reasonable temps so as not to evaporate terps, especially in the last few weeks

Properly dried - slow, correct temp and humidity etc.

Properly cured

Not overfed - nutrient levels kept no higher than the plant needs (about 1.5ec at the mo)

Flush/fade at the end

Beneficials

Sweeteners like molasses (I use Botanicare sweet raw as it doesn't block drippers and no added flavour)

Additives like winter's frost etc.

 

The only thing I wouldn't want to use are artificial flavourings like terpinator etc. I'm no expert so I'll have the importance of things mixed up and will be missing things - I'd be very grateful for any help improving the list, i.e. correcting the order of importance or adding anything else that would make a difference.

 

Cheers

 

EDIT:I'll update the list as suggested..

Edited July 14, 2020 by And

[Guest]

Strain. 

[And]

13 minutes ago, FatBoy77 said:

Strain. 

Of course. how did I miss that?! Cheers, I'll edit the list in the post as things come up..

Edited July 14, 2020 by And

[catweazle1]

Don't let the flowers too hot under the light as it will burn off terpenes.

[And]

Definitely, good point . Tackling that one at the moment.

[GSZZ]

3 hours ago, And said:

Not overfed - nutrient levels kept no higher than the plant needs (about 1.5ec at the mo)

 

Unless you're in hardwater I wouldn't be going as high as that, but its not all about E.C. The NPK ratio of the base nutrient plays a huge role, and then any mineral based additives you're adding further alter the composition. Balance is key when it comes to nutrients, no stupid numbers. Drop out any calmag, PK, silicone, anything with a mineral base.

 

3 hours ago, And said:

Flush/fade at the end

 

See above, you can't flush a plant otherwise it would grow backwards. If you've had horrendous NPK levels and high EC the entire grow, no amount of flushing in the world is going to undo that. Flush with low low NPK feed (thats all a flush solution is) and a root stim, for the amino acids/hormones etc.

 

3 hours ago, And said:

Sweeteners like molasses (I use Botanicare sweet raw as it doesn't block drippers and no added flavour)

 

Plant roots excrete sugars, they do not take them up. Any benefit seen from adding molasses of "sugars" or w/e is because the microlife in the medium is being fed, and in turn feeding your plants the nutrients (NPK) from the medium. Its not making your plant taste any nicer, its just like adding more feed and all you're doing is unbalancing your balanced feed.

 

3 hours ago, And said:

Additives like winter's frost etc.

 

Aren't going to help you get where you want to be.

[And]

1 hour ago, GSZZ said:

 

Unless you're in hardwater I wouldn't be going as high as that, but its not all about E.C. The NPK ratio of the base nutrient plays a huge role, and then any mineral based additives you're adding further alter the composition. Balance is key when it comes to nutrients, no stupid numbers. Drop out any calmag, PK, silicone, anything with a mineral base.

 

Really appreciate the advice, thanks. I'll lower the EC further in that case. My tap water has a really high background EC (0.9), so I mix it with RO; 2/3 RO to 1/3 tap and end up with a background EC of 0.3. I do this as I hear of people having problems with 100% RO water. Perhaps I should go 3/4 to 1/4 to get 0.2 background, not sure. I'm a bit wary to take a risk. Assuming 0.2, should I run a total EC at about 1.2 - or even lower?

 

See above, you can't flush a plant otherwise it would grow backwards. If you've had horrendous NPK levels and high EC the entire grow, no amount of flushing in the world is going to undo that. Flush with low low NPK feed (thats all a flush solution is) and a root stim, for the amino acids/hormones etc.

 

Cheers - I use PK 13/14 for a week starting beginning of week 6 for a boost - I add it first and keep the overall EC the same as normal. Is that OK or should I ditch the PK altogether?

 

Plant roots excrete sugars, they do not take them up. Any benefit seen from adding molasses of "sugars" or w/e is because the microlife in the medium is being fed, and in turn feeding your plants the nutrients (NPK) from the medium. Its not making your plant taste any nicer, its just like adding more feed and all you're doing is unbalancing your balanced feed.

 

Interesting - I'll leave that then.

 

Aren't going to help you get where you want to be.

Cool cheers.

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by And

[GSZZ]

11 hours ago, And said:

I do this as I hear of people having problems with 100% RO water. Perhaps I should go 3/4 to 1/4 to get 0.2 background, not sure. I'm a bit wary to take a risk. Assuming 0.2, should I run a total EC at about 1.2 - or even lower?

 

I'd do the same as you are doing, 0.2 or 0.3 is fine .1 ec is splitting hairs really. I only float at 1.2 ec, but you need to be monitoring the ec going in and coming out, that will tell you the whole story. You're looking for the same or 0.2 ec lower coming out of the bottom compared to what goes in the top.

 

11 hours ago, And said:

heers - I use PK 13/14 for a week starting beginning of week 6 for a boost - I add it first and keep the overall EC the same as normal. Is that OK or should I ditch the PK altogether?

 

Ditch it all together, read what I wrote. EC is only half of the story, the other half is the NPK the actual composition of what you are feeding your plant. Look for something complete and balanced, 2 - 1 - 2 (or 20 - 10 - 20 or whatever they usefor the w/w or v/w on the bottle) for example. Never go for anything that has more P than N or K as a rule of thumb. equal N and K for a complete all the way through, if a flower feed has less N than the grow feed ditch it. Same N or more as in veg, with low P and maybe the same N or a touch more K ( 20 - 10 - 30 would be a good flower feed)

 

Adding PK, or cal-mag or anything that is mineral based and alters the E.C changes the composition of the base nutrient and thus effects the balance of elements. You add a PK, you need cal mag, you add cal-mag and then all of a sudden you get N toxicity or Ca toxicity, all the while you're feeding your plant a totally weird NPK composition. Do you think your plant is developing into the best version of itself it can be if its struggling with its diet, having to over produce elements or has to grow in a high saline environment, or use an element for a task that it would otherwise use another element for (this does happen)

 

 

When all of this starts making sense, it becomes staggering just how insane nutrient brands are, and how the ones that do make a good feed are all much of a muchness in terms of result and quality. Nutrition is such a small percentage in the final sum of quality.

[gonge]

@GSZZ I have learned more in 5 mins reading your last few statements above than I have in last few years!  I have just got this kinda sussed and using only a + b feed, nothing else as it always seemed to upset the balance... cheers gonge 

[wifi-user]

On 7/22/2020 at 0:12 PM, gonge said:

@GSZZ I have learned more in 5 mins reading your last few statements above than I have in last few years!  I have just got this kinda sussed and using only a + b feed, nothing else as it always seemed to upset the balance... cheers gonge 

Less is more 

 

On 7/14/2020 at 8:20 PM, FatBoy77 said:

Strain. 

If its grown in a shitty environment its gonna be shit

I agree if your starting with really smelly strain and its ends up a bit ropey it's still going to smell and taste more than a 'low odor' strain grown well IMO 

 

[Nervous]

Hate to say it but not growing in coco will probably improve flavour. 

[OJAE]

Earthworm castings and Recharge microbes

Edited August 15, 2020 by OJAE