Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures

Ahhh,...i see. Great choice Gov. Will stand up well from pets, heavy use , spills, etc. Wat color...dark,...light, natural?
 
I got a new little fur baby myself. She’s quite a handful. She’s a black Goldendoodle. Just turned 12 weeks this week and is huge for her age and for this breed. The biggest pup from this breeding pair history weighed about 10# at 9 weeks and this girl weighed 17:oops:. She was the only one born this time so she got all the good milk and didn’t have to fight for any of it. Lol. I’ve got some of the vinyl plank flooring and have never been so happy. This dog would have destroyed carpet.:rofl:

Her name is Harley Quinn. It’s fitting.

Everybody remember it’s the last day of the month and get those votes in!
 
We lost the first dog me and my wife got together when he got hit by a car. We had agreed to not get another dog for a while, but after a couple of months the house was just too quiet. We spent some time looking at different dogs until we found one that we felt was a good fit. Some times the best therapy for losing a pet is another pet. If you have the time and means to take care of an animal along with the desire to do so I feel it is a great thing to do. Too many dogs getting passed from shitty household to shitty household, or from shelter to shelter. My point really being that you will know when it is the right time for you and things will fall into place when they should.
 
Afternoon everyone

I have been thinking about an idea and I'm not sure if it's been proposed or if it is even possible. It is applying the concept of no till to this kit. The major reason being that my set up is in a very tight space with not a lot of floor space free.

To dump the soil and mix everything requires making space by moving furniture into another room and even with that space it still is tight. I can continue doing that cause I can.... but I thought I could try a different angle on my next 2nd run batch.

The no till method keeps the existing food web intact and just plants right back into that. I am guessing it may not be ideal in pots and is more geared towards beds and fields....but it seems there might be something there worth exploring.

I realize most people here have more space (basements, spare rooms, garage etc...) and wouldn't find it useful or interesting.....However, for people that have restricted space or don't have the physical abilities to do the work.....it could be a game changer.
 
I don't remember who it was (SweetSue maybe?), but there was some considerable discussion in another thread awhile back regarding no-till and KNF (Korean natural farming). You might look into that. I can't speak on the effectiveness in kit soil. That's for someone else to chime in on.

EDIT: Just did a search for No Till in the forum search function. Got a few hits. Still not sure if it applies to HB.
 
Hi seedling, no-till growing relies (especially in pots) on continuous decomposition of organic matter in the soil, so while it’s a style of Living Organic Soil and so is Doc’s kit, LOS isn’t directly compatible with high brix methods where keeping the organic mattter in the soil as minimal as possible is key.

Doc has responded to questions about it once or twice in here. My memory of those tell me that runnng an outdoor bed high brix and no-till could work with ongoing testing (it’s close to what I’m aiming for), but pots not so much.

I’m sorry to tell you you’ll be mixing soil buddy! :high-five: :passitleft:
 
Amy Gardner said:
Hi seedling, no-till growing relies (especially in pots) on continuous decomposition of organic matter in the soil, so while it’s a style of Living Organic Soil and so is Doc’s kit, LOS isn’t directly compatible with high brix methods where keeping the organic mattter in the soil as minimal as possible is key.

Doc has responded to questions about it once or twice in here. My memory of those tell me that runnng an outdoor bed high brix and no-till could work with ongoing testing (it’s close to what I’m aiming for), but pots not so much.

I’m sorry to tell you you’ll be mixing soil buddy! :high-five: :passitleft:
Click to expand...
Yeah....I figured it would be the deal since this kit has been around long enough that someone must have inquired in the past. I have a batch ready to mix up pretty soon here and I already have the soil out of the pots, so I have a procedure already in place that.

I'm just in the process of customizing everything to better suit my situation and that was one of the big issues that can be a struggle.
 
I've done it more than once, out of laziness. :laughtwo:

It definitely works, but I can't guarantee it. The HB method was developed for large outdoor garden plots, where the amendments are broadcast over the top of the soil, and the particle sizes are designed to percolate into the soil at different rates, etc.

So, it will work. The question is if it will work as well. Outdoor soil doesn't get bicarbonate buildup, for instance - it flushes itself.

You should try it! :Namaste:
 
Graytail said:
I've done it more than once, out of laziness. :laughtwo:

It definitely works, but I can't guarantee it. The HB method was developed for large outdoor garden plots, where the amendments are broadcast over the top of the soil, and the particle sizes are designed to percolate into the soil at different rates, etc.

So, it will work. The question is if it will work as well. Outdoor soil doesn't get bicarbonate buildup, for instance - it flushes itself.

You should try it! :Namaste:
Click to expand...
Perfect....even if on my next run I do one pot and continue as normal with the remaining soil.

I definitely would be interested in experimenting with it. I am at the point where my next harvest should cover me for personal supply for long enough that I can play around with it, but would need some help with the application. I think it could have a big benefit for some peoples situation.
 
I would NOT advise this practice with our Hb soil. First off, our soil requires a re amending and re cooking for 30 days after each crop, so right there should wave red flags at that practice. Keep in mind i'm talking about our soil indoors NOT in an outdoor scenario. Our soil can and most likely will run outta gas long before a much treasured crop can be harvested. I simply spend too much time , and effort on my plants to risk failure or issues in late veg , or bloom. Our soil is NOT a no till mixture and was NOT designed that way. Please remember gang, our soil was designed by men wearing lab coats for a specific use , that use does NOT or did NOT include common practices as with a 'no till' soil. Just my thoughts gang....cheers eh.
FYI new journal and news coming over at my present journal.
 
...link in your sig isn't working...C+P the above and use that...cheerz... :high-five: ...h00k...:hookah:...
 
seedlingmtl said:
Afternoon everyone

I have been thinking about an idea and I'm not sure if it's been proposed or if it is even possible. It is applying the concept of no till to this kit. The major reason being that my set up is in a very tight space with not a lot of floor space free.

To dump the soil and mix everything requires making space by moving furniture into another room and even with that space it still is tight. I can continue doing that cause I can.... but I thought I could try a different angle on my next 2nd run batch.

The no till method keeps the existing food web intact and just plants right back into that. I am guessing it may not be ideal in pots and is more geared towards beds and fields....but it seems there might be something there worth exploring.

I realize most people here have more space (basements, spare rooms, garage etc...) and wouldn't find it useful or interesting.....However, for people that have restricted space or don't have the physical abilities to do the work.....it could be a game changer.
Click to expand...
I've done this as well, and has been mentioned here by Gray, Amy, and Duggan. It is something you can do, but for the soil to cook properly you're needing a good amount of it together, which means large pots. You're not going to get it to cook properly in 7 gallon batches, plus you're not going to get a balanced amount of amendments added as well, to a small amount of soil, relatively speaking. There's a reason the kit was designed to make close to 50 gallons at once. You need that large of amount to ensure that the mix of amendments gets spread evenly between all of the soil.

Can it be done, yes, as can many variations on the way the kit is used. The problem is that you're more than likely going to have your plants stumbling to the finish line at a level that you could get from a sub-par method of growing. Why do that when the system can grow so much better produce? You'll also throw your soil out of balance enough, that you'll more than likely not get even 3 runs out of it.

Some people like to kick the tires and try alternate methods, so if you're really keen on trying it, I'd suggest waiting until you've got 3rd run soil, as you're more than likely not going to be able to take it past that point once you're done trying it.

And yes, Duggan, I know you take yours further, but you've been running the kit for a long time. Most newer growers to the kit are going to have their soil out of balance by the time they finish their 3rd run, even when they follow the directions. It's a skill to understand what your plants are taking from the soil, so that you know what to add. For example, running almost exclusively pure sativas like I do saps a lot less N out of the soil, so that I have to cut back on the amount of EWC I add or I'll end up with way to much organic matter in my soil by my 3rd run. Keeping the soil balanced through extended runs takes experience, just like reading your plants to know what drench they need next. It's a beautiful system but we need to learn to walk before we can run in it.
 
Duggan said:
I would NOT advise this practice with our Hb soil. First off, our soil requires a re amending and re cooking for 30 days after each crop, so right there should wave red flags at that practice. Keep in mind i'm talking about our soil indoors NOT in an outdoor scenario. Our soil can and most likely will run outta gas long before a much treasured crop can be harvested. I simply spend too much time , and effort on my plants to risk failure or issues in late veg , or bloom. Our soil is NOT a no till mixture and was NOT designed that way. Please remember gang, our soil was designed by men wearing lab coats for a specific use , that use does NOT or did NOT include common practices as with a 'no till' soil. Just my thoughts gang....cheers eh.
FYI new journal and news coming over at my present journal.
Click to expand...
I know you don't recommend it. If you did I would have heard about it :rofl:

All do respect though, you are the king of modifying and tweaking the kit to suit your needs. I have been running your system and it works....even though your going against how the kit was designed with feedings and timing, you made it work. Cause of all that work you have passed on to me, I am pulling harvests that will last me two lifetimes. Unless I start trying to "get rid" of my produce, I already have a lifetime supply of produce. A one pot trial experiment that fails is absolutely nothing for me in terms of losses. So, my thoughts on the matter are why not? Unless there is solid scientific reasoning why it can't work, I am willing to try just for fun and maybe answer why it can't be done.

I don't have the intention of trying to "improve" anything cause there is nothing to improve except my ability to read plants and make the right moves at the right time. This is all about adapting this system to work better for my situation.....which is living in a small apartment on the third floor! My layout is simple....I have three rooms. Kitchen, living room, and bedroom. To get a tarp out and dump a bale out.....mix and put back into totes is a challenge. I am actually considering mixing it in two parts in my bathtub! The thought of trying to re-amend directly in the totes has crossed my mind as well.....but a no till concept is interesting to me.

Morglie said:
I've done this as well, and has been mentioned here by Gray, Amy, and Duggan. It is something you can do, but for the soil to cook properly you're needing a good amount of it together, which means large pots. You're not going to get it to cook properly in 7 gallon batches, plus you're not going to get a balanced amount of amendments added as well, to a small amount of soil, relatively speaking. There's a reason the kit was designed to make close to 50 gallons at once. You need that large of amount to ensure that the mix of amendments gets spread evenly between all of the soil.

Can it be done, yes, as can many variations on the way the kit is used. The problem is that you're more than likely going to have your plants stumbling to the finish line at a level that you could get from a sub-par method of growing. Why do that when the system can grow so much better produce? You'll also throw your soil out of balance enough, that you'll more than likely not get even 3 runs out of it.

Some people like to kick the tires and try alternate methods, so if you're really keen on trying it, I'd suggest waiting until you've got 3rd run soil, as you're more than likely not going to be able to take it past that point once you're done trying it.

And yes, Duggan, I know you take yours further, but you've been running the kit for a long time. Most newer growers to the kit are going to have their soil out of balance by the time they finish their 3rd run, even when they follow the directions. It's a skill to understand what your plants are taking from the soil, so that you know what to add. For example, running almost exclusively pure sativas like I do saps a lot less N out of the soil, so that I have to cut back on the amount of EWC I add or I'll end up with way to much organic matter in my soil by my 3rd run. Keeping the soil balanced through extended runs takes experience, just like reading your plants to know what drench they need next. It's a beautiful system but we need to learn to walk before we can run in it.
Click to expand...
Ok, so a couple people have tried it out and it worked but wasn't as effective as mixing and re-cooking in totes, but it ends there.

The goal is to try and remineraliize the soil adequately without dumping the pot out and mixing it up. If the concept of the Recharge process works, I can't see how it is not possible to make it work. I also can't see how it is, but still this is all in fun and hopefully come to a conclusion beyond saying "it probably isn't a good idea."
I want to get into soil sampling so I can see what is happening there and be able to see where the soil is and what is needed. Tbh, I am more interested in soil testing over produce testing. Even if I stick with the conventional method to remineraliize the soil. I like that your pointing out how different strains zap our soils differently and leave us all with essentially different 2nd run, 3rd run...etc. It makes complete sense that after the first run we are left with whatever we are left with. To rebalance the soil as best as possible shouldn't we be testing what is left behind each step of the way?

Also, I am currently using three #10's and a #15........I have a pile of #5's I want to experiment with eventually, but I have read already that using #15 and up is advised for other LOS no-kill in container type grows.
 
seedlingmtl said:
I know you don't recommend it. If you did I would have heard about it :rofl:

All do respect though, you are the king of modifying and tweaking the kit to suit your needs. I have been running your system and it works....even though your going against how the kit was designed with feedings and timing, you made it work. Cause of all that work you have passed on to me, I am pulling harvests that will last me two lifetimes. Unless I start trying to "get rid" of my produce, I already have a lifetime supply of produce. A one pot trial experiment that fails is absolutely nothing for me in terms of losses. So, my thoughts on the matter are why not? Unless there is solid scientific reasoning why it can't work, I am willing to try just for fun and maybe answer why it can't be done.

I don't have the intention of trying to "improve" anything cause there is nothing to improve except my ability to read plants and make the right moves at the right time. This is all about adapting this system to work better for my situation.....which is living in a small apartment on the third floor! My layout is simple....I have three rooms. Kitchen, living room, and bedroom. To get a tarp out and dump a bale out.....mix and put back into totes is a challenge. I am actually considering mixing it in two parts in my bathtub! The thought of trying to re-amend directly in the totes has crossed my mind as well.....but a no till concept is interesting to me.


Ok, so a couple people have tried it out and it worked but wasn't as effective as mixing and re-cooking in totes, but it ends there.

The goal is to try and remineraliize the soil adequately without dumping the pot out and mixing it up. If the concept of the Recharge process works, I can't see how it is not possible to make it work. I also can't see how it is, but still this is all in fun and hopefully come to a conclusion beyond saying "it probably isn't a good idea."
I want to get into soil sampling so I can see what is happening there and be able to see where the soil is and what is needed. Tbh, I am more interested in soil testing over produce testing. Even if I stick with the conventional method to remineraliize the soil. I like that your pointing out how different strains zap our soils differently and leave us all with essentially different 2nd run, 3rd run...etc. It makes complete sense that after the first run we are left with whatever we are left with. To rebalance the soil as best as possible shouldn't we be testing what is left behind each step of the way?

Also, I am currently using three #10's and a #15........I have a pile of #5's I want to experiment with eventually, but I have read already that using #15 and up is advised for other LOS no-kill in container type grows.
Click to expand...
I mixed my soil using 2 small bins (regular storage-type plastic)

Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote, 53L | Canadian Tire

Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote is stackable and nestable | Canadian Tire
www.canadiantire.ca

and a 55gal bin on wheels

Mastercraft Heavy Duty Deep Storage Tote, 210-L | Canadian Tire

Mastercraft Heavy Duty Deep Storage Tote features a domed lid for maximum storage capacity. Locking handles keep contents secure | Canadian Tire
www.canadiantire.ca

Soil mixing and storage footprint is minimal using this system. A full soil batch can be stored in the 55gal bin.
 
Flump said:
I mixed my soil using 2 small bins (regular storage-type plastic)

Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote, 53L | Canadian Tire

Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote is stackable and nestable | Canadian Tire
www.canadiantire.ca

and a 55gal bin on wheels

Mastercraft Heavy Duty Deep Storage Tote, 210-L | Canadian Tire

Mastercraft Heavy Duty Deep Storage Tote features a domed lid for maximum storage capacity. Locking handles keep contents secure | Canadian Tire
www.canadiantire.ca

Soil mixing and storage footprint is minimal using this system. A full soil batch can be stored in the 55gal bin.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I use two totes and I will definitely try mixing in two batches in the totes at some point...as long as it's measured and mixed well I don't see there being an issue with doing it that way.

Governmentchz said:
I re-amend in totes...big ones, but yeah.
Click to expand...
That makes me feel better about trying that out as well....thanks Gov!
 
seedlingmtl said:
shouldn't we be testing what is left behind each step of the way?
Click to expand...

Best chance is that Doc did that, repeatedly, while developing the system. So we don’t have to now :)

If you hold one pot back from the recook ’just to test’, the way you’re suggesting, then you risk what Morgs was talking about - that it could then affect the cook of rest of the batch.

There’s lots of things to play around with in this kit but, esp as a new kit grower, screwing w the soil cook and mix is not something I would do at all, jus sayin’.

I understand the space issue w mixing etc. I have a physical disability that means i can’t do it myself at all - I have to get help in, but it’s just one afternoon and then it’s done.

Why not Just do it by the book a few times? ;)
 
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