Amy Gardner’s High Brix Dreams

[Amy Gardner]

Hash! Hash! hash! hash! hash! hash!

Phew! I know right!? Life keeps getting in the way. It sucks sometimes only being able to do one or two things in each day ... as soon as something unexpected comes along, that’s the day’s plan out the window!

I’ll get there...
Won’t be today ... maybe tomorrow.... it;s all still in the freezer waiting

 

[Doc Bud]

Makes sense to me Doc. I got to get a real good read on your method. The air prune"waste of soil, nutes, grow time,root size, compared to your method intrigues me.

Picture 021.jpg

• Doc Bud
• Mar 29, 2018

Picture 023.jpg

• Doc Bud
• Mar 29, 2018

IMG_97961

• Doc Bud
• Jul 29, 2016

IMG_9795

• Doc Bud
• Jul 29, 2016

IMG_97942

• Doc Bud
• Jul 29, 2016

IMG_9793

• Doc Bud
• Jul 29, 2016

How to do this?

1. High Brix soil
2. Properly executed watering method
3. Patience

Actually, these are what ALL the roots look like. I'll take some pics tomorrow. It's always like this and damn easy to do! Most people won't take advice or insist on mixing what they already do with what I recommend....but those that actually try it quickly realize that it works exactly as advertised, despite what their cousin's ex-boyfriend's uncle in Mendo----who is a great grower----says to do.

 

[Amy Gardner]

That’s the chit right there!

Thanks Doc - saved me going back and digging up the pic i posted of dome of your roots at the beginning of this journal.

 

[TripleBeam]

I don’t think so! Heaps of folks grow in cloth pots and grow super plants. I just said Doc wasn’t a fan. I think Van Stank might use cloth pots... anyway lots of folks do use them and swear by them. I don’t think you’re doing it wrong otter!

Another Update Supplemental folks!

Man, day 2 after transplant and there’s some energy in this plant! I started LST bootcamp (as Duggan calls it!) yesterday and big blue responded really well... here she is this morning...

Should be good to flip early next week

This plant is not going to wait around. It is going to take off now.

Amy, if i may make a suggestion, looking at the second/bottom picture i quoted from the looking down perspective. Do you see three ring of tops starting from the middle? First ring is the newest shorter tops(four tops) in the very middle. The second ring in the middle(four tops) is your highest tops. Third ring on the outside(four tops). If you pull the middle ring of tops out and down to the same level of your third ring opening up the first ring and newest growth more light and a chance to catch up. Essentially now all of your tops would be at the same height. Wiring/tying that way will provide nice 12 tops growing evenly. Does that make sense? That's the way i would LST it if it were my plant.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Thanks TB Yep - that’s kind of what I’m doing! Aiming for that in any case, what you couldn’t see in that pic is a ring of tops that are from the 3rd - 5th nodes ... so I’m doing just like you suggest and also encouraging those hidden tops from down low to come up through the middle-ish. Currently all the tops are within about 2” of each other in height when you look from the side - and there’s about 16 possible keepers, many more than i’d planned for.... Anyway, you’ll see in a week... ANd then I’ll decide what go keep going in it flower

 

[Tomster420]

Seems like us aussies just don't know when to stop growing plants that are too big to handle haha. Keeps it interesting that's for sure Good looking plant there Amy, just like my Malawi she is bursting to go into flower

 

[StoneOtter]

It sucks sometimes only being able to do one or two things in each day ... as soon as something unexpected comes along, that’s the day’s plan out the window!

Agree

 

[Archiweedies]

Hey AG, Blue is looking fantastic! Ive been researching nonstop about growing organic and I like Docs kit. about how much does his kit make after all is said and done? How soon can you use it? I see he suggests 30 days, some folks use it the next day after mixing it.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Hey Archi - I don't think anyone uses the DBHBB kit soil mix next day. That would be inadvisable.

You’ll want to look over Doc’s DBHBB website for more details and to confirm this, but the basic kit makes about 42 gallons of soil - so 6 x 7gal pots (or 4 x10 gal etc.). You need to buy ProMIX HP and earthworm castings separately and mix it thoroughly with the kit amendment, hydrate it, and cook for 30 days. The 30 days cook isn’t a suggestion from Doc its imperative! And it has to be a certain temperature range - colder temps require a longer cook.

Most organic soil builds will recommend you mix your soil and let it cook for a time before using. The soil biology needs time to activate and begin to break things down and build the micro-community of soil biota.

Keep reading! - I read a lot about living soils in general, then I read Doc’s old journals, the DBHBB Q&A threads and the ‘In The Lab with Doc Bud’ thread and followed other kit journals for nearly a year before I started using it. During that time I did a run with my own ‘homemade’ soil and plant derived nutrients for my first proper outdoor season - aiming to employ some high brix methods like mineralised soil & less organic matter than the usual organic or LOS mixes - which taught me a lot. It went really well, and was a great experience, but the kit is way easier and quite superior IMO. All the work is done with the balances in the soil and the amendments, drenches and foliars and we can just concentrate on reading the plants and learning how to keep the microherd in the soil happy!

That was a long answer to a short question! I’m not suggesting you have to read all that stuff (I’m kind of obsessive ), but doing a fair amount of background reading on the science and philosophy of High Brix farming and the details of the Doc Bud High Brix Blend kit in particular will help a lot

 

[Amy Gardner]

Seems like us aussies just don't know when to stop growing plants that are too big to handle haha. Keeps it interesting that's for sure Good looking plant there Amy, just like my Malawi she is bursting to go into flower

haha that’s funny - I didn’t intend to grow a big one! Ive just been following the plants needs and this is what has happened I’ve nearly got the canopy even enough to flip. I actually didn’t plan on this kind of training either, but the plant seems to want it... who am I to argue!?

It’s a hybrid, and seems pretty Indica like in its structure so while I’m hoping for some stretch, i dont think I’m heading for trouble in that department... unlike you my man! Gonna be fun watching you wrangle those Malawi now that you’ve just flipped to flower!

 

[Archiweedies]

Hey Archi - I don't think anyone uses the DBHBB kit soil mix next day. That would be inadvisable.

You’ll want to look over Doc’s DBHBB website for more details and to confirm this, but the basic kit makes about 42 gallons of soil - so 6 x 7gal pots (or 4 x10 gal etc.). You need to buy ProMIX HP and earthworm castings separately and mix it thoroughly with the kit amendment, hydrate it, and cook for 30 days. The 30 days cook isn’t a suggestion from Doc its imperative! And it has to be a certain temperature range - colder temps require a longer cook.

Most organic soil builds will recommend you mix your soil and let it cook for a time before using. The soil biology needs time to activate and begin to break things down and build the micro-community of soil biota.

Keep reading! - I read a lot about living solid in general, then I read Doc’s old journals, the DBHBB Q&A threads and the ‘In The Lab with Doc Bud’ thread and followed other kit journals for nearly a year before I started using it. During that time I did a run with my own ‘homemade’ soil and plant derived nutrients for my first proper outdoor season - aiming to employ some high brix methods like mineralised soil & less organic matter than the usual organic or LOS mixes - which taught me a lot. It went really well, and was a great experience, but the kit is way easier and quite superior IMO. All the work is done with the balances in the soil and the amendments, drenches and foliars and we can just concentrate on reading the plants and learning how to keep the microherd in the soil happy!

That was a long answer to a short question! I’m not suggesting you have to read all that stuff (I’m kind of obsessive ), but doing a fair amount of background reading on the science and philosophy of High Brix farming and the details of the Doc Bud High Brix Blend kit in particular will help a lot

Hey Archi - I don't think anyone uses the DBHBB kit soil mix next day. That would be inadvisable.

You’ll want to look over Doc’s DBHBB website for more details and to confirm this, but the basic kit makes about 42 gallons of soil - so 6 x 7gal pots (or 4 x10 gal etc.). You need to buy ProMIX HP and earthworm castings separately and mix it thoroughly with the kit amendment, hydrate it, and cook for 30 days. The 30 days cook isn’t a suggestion from Doc its imperative! And it has to be a certain temperature range - colder temps require a longer cook.

Most organic soil builds will recommend you mix your soil and let it cook for a time before using. The soil biology needs time to activate and begin to break things down and build the micro-community of soil biota.

Keep reading! - I read a lot about living solid in general, then I read Doc’s old journals, the DBHBB Q&A threads and the ‘In The Lab with Doc Bud’ thread and followed other kit journals for nearly a year before I started using it. During that time I did a run with my own ‘homemade’ soil and plant derived nutrients for my first proper outdoor season - aiming to employ some high brix methods like mineralised soil & less organic matter than the usual organic or LOS mixes - which taught me a lot. It went really well, and was a great experience, but the kit is way easier and quite superior IMO. All the work is done with the balances in the soil and the amendments, drenches and foliars and we can just concentrate on reading the plants and learning how to keep the microherd in the soil happy!

That was a long answer to a short question! I’m not suggesting you have to read all that stuff (I’m kind of obsessive ), but doing a fair amount of background reading on the science and philosophy of High Brix farming and the details of the Doc Bud High Brix Blend kit in particular will help a lot

Thank you AG I think, after confirming with you, that I understand enough to get me into trouble haha. I can see this is not something I can run out and do before my next grow, but that also gives me power and control over when I am ready to with organics. I’ve got maybe one more coco grow with autos and maybe then I’ll be ready. I’m mostly an auto flower guy and my largest container I do is 3 gallon typically. So I’ll need to be ready with some photoperiods anyhow.

 

[Doc Bud]

Hey AG, Blue is looking fantastic! Ive been researching nonstop about growing organic and I like Docs kit. about how much does his kit make after all is said and done? How soon can you use it? I see he suggests 30 days, some folks use it the next day after mixing it.

Getting perfectly balanced soil is easy:

1. Buy the kit
2. Buy Promix HP MYco and 30lbs of organic earthworm castings....preferably with zero "K" in NPK. Potassium is the enemy of High Brix.
3. Mix the Amendment from the kit with the Promix and EWC, wet it down with 3-5 gallons of water.....and wait 30 days.

After the 30 days you'll be in possession of some truly fantastic soil. Follow the directions and away you go!

Of course, that assumes you don't hybridize my suggestions and attempt to meld them into some other ideas of methods you might be familiar with, don't take shortcuts or ignore warnings about cooking soil in cold temps, etc.

 

[Amy Gardner]

@Archiweedies Excellent! And some bigger pots too It’s not easy to keep the living soil going in anything much smaller than a 7gal - and Doc wont be able to support and advise so easily if you try to do it in smaller pots
30 days isn’t so long...

 

[Doc Bud]

@Archiweedies Excellent! And some bigger pots too It’s not easy to keep the living soil going in anything much smaller than a 7gal - and Doc wont be able to support and advise so easily if you try to do it in smaller pots
30 days isn’t so long...

Larger pots are far easier and produce better plants. I'll be moving up to larger very soon.....building a new grow room....it will take a few months.

 

[Amy Gardner]

building a new grow room....it will take a few months.

 

[Archiweedies]

Tha

Larger pots are far easier and produce better plants. I'll be moving up to larger very soon.....building a new grow room....it will take a few months.

Thank you Doc and AG! Hey so in SoCal it’s about to start getting a little cooler in my garage. Cooler than you would like for me to cook. Is there any issue with cooking longer? Say two months? As I said I’d love to take my time research the hell out of your thread and grow an 8 week autoflower to use up the rest of my coco an AN nutes.

I have a hunch as long as I keep it moist and turn it occasionally, it would be fine. I’d be sure to insulate from the floor as you suggest too.

 

[Amy Gardner]

There’s no need to turn it, just mix and let it sit cooking. I used a germination heat mat under it too (as well as keeping it up off the concrete floor) and I just leftthe heat on the whole time. I think you don’t want it to get below 62ºF and at that temp it may take longer than 30days - but I’d need Doc to confirm that.

You’ll maybe be more likely to catch Doc in his own Q&A thread - we’ve been lucky he’s been here just in time for this conversation but he can’t be everywhere, so posting in his thread will guarantee you a response sooner. By all means keep posting here too! Other experienced DBHBB growers come by often to keep an eye on me so there’s always support anyway - you’ll just have a better chance getting Docs attention in the Q&A

Your plan sound great - quick auto run in coco while it cooks...excellent

 

[weenmeoff]

Hey Arch! What kind of cooler temps you talking about? 65-80 is recommended so if cooler than that, you'll have to cook longer and as Amy said, Doc can confirm or suggest what temps would be too low. I love the kit and will never use another system, you will love it too so "Just Do it!"

 

[Amy Gardner]

Ya! What ween said!

 

[Archiweedies]

There’s no need to turn it, just mix and let it sit cooking. I used a germination heat mat under it too (as well as keeping it up off the concrete floor) and I just leftthe heat on the whole time. I think you don’t want it to get below 62ºF and at that temp it may take longer than 30days - but I’d need Doc to confirm that.

You’ll maybe be more likely to catch Doc in his own Q&A thread - we’ve been lucky he’s been here just in time for this conversation but he can’t be everywhere, so posting in his thread will guarantee you a response sooner. By all means keep posting here too! Other experienced DBHBB growers come by often to keep an eye on me so there’s always support anyway - you’ll just have a better chance getting Docs attention in the Q&A

Your plan sound great - quick auto run in coco while it cooks...excellent

Ahh apologies if I derailed your journal a little AG. I’m about 10 pages into his journal about his system. So I’ll just do my research and grow my autos while gathering my pieces I need to go organic!

Hey Arch! What kind of cooler temps you talking about? 65-80 is recommended so if cooler than that, you'll have to cook longer and as Amy said, Doc can confirm or suggest what temps would be too low. I love the kit and will never use another system, you will love it too so "Just Do it!"

Hey weenmeoff, I live inland and we see temps in the 40s regularly overnight and I grow in a garage with no insulation. I like to pretend it’s like I grow outdoors with artificial light and wind lol!

Ya! What ween said!

Trust me I’m more than excited to grow organically. Plus my neighbor who grows wants to go in halves so Bobs your uncle! I’m stoned on some scissor hash right now guys. Whew.

Edit: Oh hey one more thing... I’ve never even considered growing indoors in a 7 gallon pot, how many plants should I shoot for in a 4’x4’ tent? I realize genetics and phenotypes come into play as well as training, but I’m nervous about packing four 7 gallon plants in there. Especially if I get some plants like I have right now.