Hey Doc,
So I am finally all caught up on your last 4 journals. After asking XLR8 a few questions about Super Soil he kindly pointed me in your direction and I am glad he did. I think it is awesome how you continue to research and push forward and whats even more impressive is how willing you are to teach others and give back to the community. As many others have said it is a privelage to be able to follow along with you as you push the envelope.
I know in your new journal you have discontinued the use of Vermisoil/supersoil and are using promix, the natures own kit, and foliar sprays, but I kinda liked the results of the half organic half brix method. My question is about the feeding schedule. I know you have gone alot lighter on the teas recently, but how often did u feed with the micronutrients, rock powders and organic food?? Did you just top dress with the rock powders and organic food a few times throughout the grow??
Here's the progression from the start:
1.)added rock powders for the first time to a grow that was 3 weeks from harvest. Amazing results. I'm sold.
2.)did an entire grow using a high brix kit. Excellent results. (the lemon paki journal)
3.)learned that vermisoil, while a great organic soil, is not suitable for high brix. Too much potassium, too much sodium.
4.)discovered that Promix HP, which has zero added fertilizer is barely acceptable for a true high brix soil.
The next step in the progression is in the near future:
a true, professionally designed and mixed High Brix soil and feeding program.
OK....so you want to grow high
er brix, and maybe aren't ready to go for high
est brix. No problem mon!
Any soil grow that relies on biology instead of chemicals will benefit from rock powders, root innoculates and microbial teas. You will do very well adding the rock powders, using proper fertilizer and brewing tea than not. Period.
How often to feed? Well, even though the "kit" said there was no need to pre-mix into the soil, I found that indoors in containers, pre-mixing is superior. Outdoors in the ground, or in raised beds, the kit performed better, but according to the folks at International Ag Labs, fortifying the soil is the only way to go.
So, mix in your rock powders etc. put the soil in a tub or can, water with tea and let it cook for a month.
If you're using Nature's Own tea, go easy on it. It's so much stronger than other teas I've used, and I'm getting much better results using it sparingly. They call for a 9:1 dilution.
I think an 18:1 is better for our wimpy indoor lighting and containers. I'm brewing 2 gallons, and storing it in the fridge for no more than a week. If I'm not going to use it in the indoor garden, I'll use it outdoors.
I'm not using the fertilizer that came with the kit this time, as I think it adds too much rockpowders and minerals, fine for outdoors, but too much for indoors. Top dress the rock powders on the 12/12 flip, feed sparingly and just keep an eye out. When they lose their shine, it could be due to over watering, running out of energy, or too much build-up of sodium/potassium, etc. putting the ratio of soil elements out of balance and lowering the brix.
I'm using rock n Chicken and a couple feedings of cold processed squid this time.
Next time, it will be with the professional stuff.
Is it worth all the trouble?
Hell yeah! My organic product was excellent. My High Brix product is not only better, its different and unique....just what I need in the competitive climate of legalization, which I believe will happen sooner, rather than later.
The effect of the HIgh Brix weed is much smoother, even though it's still very potent. It doesn't make your head buzz......like a drug or something is altering your consciousness. High Brix weed makes you feel really good and you're "put right" in a way that just seems like it was meant to be that way, like you're supposed to always feel that way. I grow mostly Sativa's and upbeat Kush's.....so my personal taste may not match yours.....but High Brix weed is like sunshine in your head. You smile, laugh, feel happiness and thankfull, grateful appreciation for being alive.
People who experience it for the first time are fun to watch:
"There's hardly any flavor! It smells so dank but tastes like steam!" "Wow! I"m really high! I like this stuff! I'm high but I don't feel high! I feel awesome!" "It just kept burning and burning, I thought the bowl would never end." (I can put a QP in a 32oz mason jar with room to spare at the top. High Brix weighs more per volume) And so on.
Once people try it, they can't get enough.