Wat Amy said.... 
Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures
- Thread starter Doc Bud
- Start date
BRIXER ALERT!!!
I just picked up two 30 lb. bags of the Unco Wiggle Worm Castings for $25.70 each on the Zon with Prime Delivery. Incredibly low price considering it's delivered!
I just picked up two 30 lb. bags of the Unco Wiggle Worm Castings for $25.70 each on the Zon with Prime Delivery. Incredibly low price considering it's delivered!
Thanks Krip! Ordered 4, ha! I got the same bags for less a few months ago at a hydro store going out of business so have about 90lbs already but I have a few batches to mix. Great deal, thanks again! 
Yeah, I have 90 lbs. sitting unopened right now, too; but at that price, couldn't resist a couple more.Thanks Krip! Ordered 4, ha! I got the same bags for less a few months ago at a hydro store going out of business so have about 90lbs already but I have a few batches to mix. Great deal, thanks again!
90 pounds u say... 
...sakes Krip...waddaya gonna do with it all.....i have none at the moment. Stopped using it last run(5). Sure would jump on a sale like you guys seem to be all gettin.
...sakes Krip...waddaya gonna do with it all.....i have none at the moment. Stopped using it last run(5). Sure would jump on a sale like you guys seem to be all gettin. 
Is this what I need to treat gnats? Ok in the Kit?
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- #25,687
Is this what I need to treat gnats? Ok in the Kit?
Yep. I put them in the water tank.....55 gallon plastic tank. Just one will do the trick.
In addition to the indoor grow, I grow a lot of fruits & veggies outdoors and supplement the soil with Azomite & EWC.90 pounds u say...
Gotcha....tasty veggies , i bet..
- Thread starter
- #25,690
Your fruits and veggies will do much better in High Brix if you don't add Azomite.....it's loaded with potassium.
The fruits & veggies aren't in high brix.
I basically converted my backyard into a tropical perennial food forest. Thick layer of mulch over amended soil and "chop & drop" with the "waste". Very low maintenance with almost no watering or weeding. I do apply some compost teas which I also make from the worm castings. Azomite is good to help keep the soil mineralized with the trace nutrients.
Governmentchz
Well-Known Member
I'm down to about 5 lbs of worm poop myself. I could use a bag or two. hmm
My EWC order is being delivered tomorrow! Overnight shipping, how can they be making money on that deal!?!?
Yeah, mine is, too!My EWC order is being delivered tomorrow! Overnight shipping, how can they be making money on that deal!?!?
- Thread starter
- #25,695
The fruits & veggies aren't in high brix.
I basically converted my backyard into a tropical perennial food forest. Thick layer of mulch over amended soil and "chop & drop" with the "waste". Very low maintenance with almost no watering or weeding. I do apply some compost teas which I also make from the worm castings. Azomite is good to help keep the soil mineralized with the trace nutrients.
A soil test and some "real" minerals will work so much better it's not worth discussing....
I'm always open to listening & learning.
What I like about the "Food Forest" is that it's very low maintenance. I have over 50 trees/plants packed into a relatively small area. The native soil is basically sand. You can dump 5 gallons of water on the soil then dig down 1/4" and it's bone dry.
I carved out a bunch of beds and added a thick layer of compost, EWC &wood chips to help build the soil.
I don't really fertilize, at all, and only water if we're having a long dry spell. Once a year I dump some compost (home made), EWC & Azomite around the individual plants and I'm basically done.
I have a small wood chipper, a machete & compost bin. When I harvest something like Moringa, I put the branches through the chipper and spread it around some of the trees. Banana leaves & stalks get chopped & dropped with the machete. Any bad fruit, peels, etc. gets composted with my cannabis trimmings and harvested plants. That's the extent of my fertilization.
I'm sure with more science I can improve brix levels. I just don't want to increase the work (or, frankly, the costs) involved.
- Thread starter
- #25,697
I'm always open to listening & learning.
What I like about the "Food Forest" is that it's very low maintenance. I have over 50 trees/plants packed into a relatively small area. The native soil is basically sand. You can dump 5 gallons of water on the soil then dig down 1/4" and it's bone dry.
I carved out a bunch of beds and added a thick layer of compost, EWC &wood chips to help build the soil.
I don't really fertilize, at all, and only water if we're having a long dry spell. Once a year I dump some compost (home made), EWC & Azomite around the individual plants and I'm basically done.
I have a small wood chipper, a machete & compost bin. When I harvest something like Moringa, I put the branches through the chipper and spread it around some of the trees. Banana leaves & stalks get chopped & dropped with the machete. Any bad fruit, peels, etc. gets composted with my cannabis trimmings and harvested plants. That's the extent of my fertilization.
I'm sure with more science I can improve brix levels. I just don't want to increase the work (or, frankly, the costs) involved.
A soil test is 60 bucks for the basics. Minerals will cost 50-200 bucks depending.
Even if you amended it just once it would improve dramatically. Of course, there may already be too much potassium and organic matter based on your composting and wood chips....but the fact that the substrate is sand means it might not be too late.....
I'm quite sure it's not too late since the food forest is only a couple/few years old and the native soil/sand has virtually no organic matter. I'll definitely give the soil test some strong consideration.
medmanmike
Well-Known Member
Doc, wanted to follow up on this. Since I’ve upcanned and pruned a couple of times, plants are back on track. Once they took hold in the larger pots they’ve really taken off and are much happier.
one thing that was suggested as a possible cause was 'water quality'. I use city water that I filter to remove chlorine/chloromine. I looked up the local water report and here’s the info.
SUBSTANCE. AVERAGES
Hardness - 143
Ph - 7.5
Chloride - 19
Sodium - 9.8
i also picked up a home test kit and it showed the following.
Chlorine/Chloromine. 0.0
Alkalinity 100.0
PH 7.5 ish
I believe you’ve said Hardness should be around 120 and Alkalinity less than 120. Correct?
I'd appreciate your thoughts on the above numbers. Here’s a couple of pics if you don’t have the time to visit the journal. Day 17 of 12/12.
- Thread starter
- #25,700
Doc, wanted to follow up on this. Since I’ve upcanned and pruned a couple of times, plants are back on track. Once they took hold in the larger pots they’ve really taken off and are much happier.
one thing that was suggested as a possible cause was 'water quality'. I use city water that I filter to remove chlorine/chloromine. I looked up the local water report and here’s the info.
SUBSTANCE. AVERAGES
Hardness - 143
Ph - 7.5
Chloride - 19
Sodium - 9.8
i also picked up a home test kit and it showed the following.
Chlorine/Chloromine. 0.0
Alkalinity 100.0
PH 7.5 ish
I believe you’ve said Hardness should be around 120 and Alkalinity less than 120. Correct?
I'd appreciate your thoughts on the above numbers. Here’s a couple of pics if you don’t have the time to visit the journal. Day 17 of 12/12.
Total alkalinity below 120 is "usable" water. But if used for a long period of time in containers, bicarbonates will build up. that "might" have been the issue.....