Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures

[MaxYields]

I've heard only good things about Coast of Maine as well.

 

[NematodeNate]

Sure can! But you should add some more perlite. Not sure how much...sorry

I believe it is 25% perlite to soil.....as far as how much to add to the bx.....

 

[Growlow]

What's the n-p-k of there castings? I would rather try something other then wiggle worm. I like experimenting well as much as I can now.

If you can get your hands on worm gold plus jump on it. Some of the best built and fed worms in the country. Veganic fed complex diets which create massive percentages of cellulose and chitinase ezymes to help break down that organic material even further for your root system

 

[Graytail]

I believe it is 25% perlite to soil.....as far as how much to add to the bx.....

BX already has a lot of vermiculite in it though, so maybe another 10-12% added perlite ... ? HP has 27% perlite, IIRC.

 

[Doc Bud]

If you can get your hands on worm gold plus jump on it. Some of the best built and fed worms in the country. Veganic fed complex diets which create massive percentages of cellulose and chitinase ezymes to help break down that organic material even further for your root system

The goal with worm castings is to get some with "Zero" for K in NPK. .1-.1-0 or something like that.

When the calcium/potassium ratio drops below 18/1 brix levels decrease. The more potassium in the soil, compared to calcium, the poorer the produce.

Oh sure, it will be green and the buds might look decent, but potassium will have substituted for calcium in the cell wall, stems will be weak, sugars will be low, terpenes will be less....generally low quality all around.

So, when you shop for worm castings, make sure the potassium level is GooseEgg.

Just a recap:

Calcium should be 18 times higher than phosphorus and potassium, which should be present in equal amounts.....1/18 of the amount of calcium. The Cal/Mag ratio should be 7-10/1.

This is why I won't use products like silica, or coconut water (sky high in K) I'm hearing about. It's not a matter of opinion, it's firm science. When the Ca/K ratio narrows, crop quality goes down. Period.

 

[TheBoogyman]

Good to know, Doc.


I'm having a hard time finding the npk values for Coast of Maine castings, I will try to contact them about it and let everyone know.

 

[Duggan]

I'm in class right now....Doc, that says so much about the major building blocks. Very clear and easy for guys like me to understand....excellent brotha. Cheers....goin for a Stella.....and some Mazar.

 

[Doc Bud]

I'm in class right now....Doc, that says so much about the major building blocks. Very clear and easy for guys like me to understand....excellent brotha. Cheers....goin for a Stella.....and some Mazar.

How are you liking that Mazar now?

 

[VonDankenhoek]

Doc, this is going way back...when you first did the soil analysis using promix hp were there castings in that sample. im still puzzled how your sample tested borderline for K when peat is pretty much inert with low pH. Since K is a cation it doesnt seem to make sense that a material with low pH could have high or possibly any significant K? Even if buffered to neutral with Ca it wouldnt seem to have an effect on K content.

*Worm gold plus is made with kelp which would contribute K. For example Espoma kelp meal is 1-0-2.

"Balances and Ratios
For many years, there have been a few people who claim that there is an "Ideal" ratio of the three principal soil cation nutrients (K, Ca, and Mg). This concept probably originated from New Jersey work by Bear in 1945 that projected an ideal soil as one that had the following saturations of exchangeable cations 65% Ca, 10% Mg, 5% K, and 20% H. The cation ratios resulting from these idealizes concentrations are a Ca:Mg of 6.5:1, Ca:K of 13:1, and Mg:K of 2:1.

It is generally accepted that there are some preferred general relationships and balances between soil nutrients. There is also a significant amount of work indicating that excesses and shortages of some nutrients will affect the uptake of other nutrients. However, no reliable research has indicated that there is any particular soil ratio of K, Ca, and Mg that is uniquely superior to another ratio." Potassium Basics

 

[scrubby]

It make good plant..ug, nuff said lol

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc, this is going way back...when you first did the soil analysis using promix hp were there castings in that sample. im still puzzled how your sample tested borderline for K when peat is pretty much inert with low pH. Since K is a cation it doesnt seem to make sense that a material with low pH could have high or possibly any significant K? Even if buffered to neutral with Ca it wouldnt seem to have an effect on K content.

*Worm gold plus is made with kelp which would contribute K. For example Espoma kelp meal is 1-0-2.

"Balances and Ratios
For many years, there have been a few people who claim that there is an "Ideal" ratio of the three principal soil cation nutrients (K, Ca, and Mg). This concept probably originated from New Jersey work by Bear in 1945 that projected an ideal soil as one that had the following saturations of exchangeable cations 65% Ca, 10% Mg, 5% K, and 20% H. The cation ratios resulting from these idealizes concentrations are a Ca:Mg of 6.5:1, Ca:K of 13:1, and Mg:K of 2:1.

It is generally accepted that there are some preferred general relationships and balances between soil nutrients. There is also a significant amount of work indicating that excesses and shortages of some nutrients will affect the uptake of other nutrients. However, no reliable research has indicated that there is any particular soil ratio of K, Ca, and Mg that is uniquely superior to another ratio." Potassium Basics

There are competing experts out there for sure. Some say GMO's are perfectly healthy....some say Aspartame is good for you, others say Roundup is safe and healthy, etc.

Reams and Albrecht were the ones to actually measure the nutrient density of the crop and meticulously compare it to the soil content of various minerals, etc. They found specifically that soils like the ones I'm describing produced better crops in every way, ESPECIALLY PROTEIN CONTENT, than other kinds of soils. Poor soil can produce carbohydrate heavy crops, but not nutrient dense ones.

When I tested Promix early on, it barely passed without the worm castings added. They recommended I add them if I wanted higher quality right from the get go....otherwise the soil would take a couple cycles to get there. That's why I used to say the worm castings were optional. They are if you're patient!

The final formulations of amendments were done with castings included and I tested the soil a half dozen times past that to formulate the recharge and second/third runs, etc.

I hope that answers your questions!

 

[BrixKlinger]

deleted for double posting

 

[BrixKlinger]

I would just like to say apart from "likes" that VonD and Contradino (sp? reminds me of my boy Courtinho - GO REDS!) are my favorite "outside" contributors to the High Brix discussion.

I won't pretend to delve into the scientific stuff, but along with Doc, they manage to break down alot of info into shit I can absorb.

Cheers homies!

ps: wtf secret shit is Curso working on?! or maybe I've been missing a journal?!?!

 

[Duggan]

How are you liking that Mazar now?

Doc...I would never have believed it. A total turn around with the taste and flavour. It's not real sweet but there is a lot of nice flavours coming thru that just weren't there before.I think a nice cure is helping just as you said it would....cheers pal!

 

[BrixKlinger]

i meant Coutinho

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc, this is going way back...when you first did the soil analysis using promix hp were there castings in that sample. im still puzzled how your sample tested borderline for K when peat is pretty much inert with low pH. Since K is a cation it doesnt seem to make sense that a material with low pH could have high or possibly any significant K? Even if buffered to neutral with Ca it wouldnt seem to have an effect on K content.

*Worm gold plus is made with kelp which would contribute K. For example Espoma kelp meal is 1-0-2.

"Balances and Ratios
For many years, there have been a few people who claim that there is an "Ideal" ratio of the three principal soil cation nutrients (K, Ca, and Mg). This concept probably originated from New Jersey work by Bear in 1945 that projected an ideal soil as one that had the following saturations of exchangeable cations 65% Ca, 10% Mg, 5% K, and 20% H. The cation ratios resulting from these idealizes concentrations are a Ca:Mg of 6.5:1, Ca:K of 13:1, and Mg:K of 2:1.

It is generally accepted that there are some preferred general relationships and balances between soil nutrients. There is also a significant amount of work indicating that excesses and shortages of some nutrients will affect the uptake of other nutrients. However, no reliable research has indicated that there is any particular soil ratio of K, Ca, and Mg that is uniquely superior to another ratio." Potassium Basics

I just went to the link you provided and have another observation:

NPK sterile soil farming is different than biological farming. In sterile soil, the plants are not able to uptake nearly as much calcium, so they rely on potassium for cell wall structure. In this situation, the addition of potassium increases yield....but is not able to grow a high quality crop.

As I've mentioned many times, according to NPK thinking, my soils will not work. There's nowhere near enough nitrogen or available phosphates, not to mention available calcium in High Brix soils. Without microbial activity, our soils are useless. But with microbial action HB soil becomes something entirely different.

As stated before, while potassium is quite important in NPK sterile soil/hydro, it becomes a huge problem in the biological approach.

 

[Engorage]

Doc, this is going way back...when you first did the soil analysis using promix hp were there castings in that sample. im still puzzled how your sample tested borderline for K when peat is pretty much inert with low pH. Since K is a cation it doesnt seem to make sense that a material with low pH could have high or possibly any significant K? Even if buffered to neutral with Ca it wouldnt seem to have an effect on K content.

*Worm gold plus is made with kelp which would contribute K. For example Espoma kelp meal is 1-0-2.

"Balances and Ratios
For many years, there have been a few people who claim that there is an "Ideal" ratio of the three principal soil cation nutrients (K, Ca, and Mg). This concept probably originated from New Jersey work by Bear in 1945 that projected an ideal soil as one that had the following saturations of exchangeable cations 65% Ca, 10% Mg, 5% K, and 20% H. The cation ratios resulting from these idealizes concentrations are a Ca:Mg of 6.5:1, Ca:K of 13:1, and Mg:K of 2:1.

It is generally accepted that there are some preferred general relationships and balances between soil nutrients. There is also a significant amount of work indicating that excesses and shortages of some nutrients will affect the uptake of other nutrients. However, no reliable research has indicated that there is any particular soil ratio of K, Ca, and Mg that is uniquely superior to another ratio." Potassium Basics

I fail to understand how pH is related to K content. Could you please explain this?
As far as I understand, the soil isn´t buffered with Ca. Its CaCO3, being CO3(2-) the buffing compound. So if I´m missing something I will appreciate a lesson.

When I tested Promix early on, it barely passed without the worm castings added. They recommended I add them if I wanted higher quality right from the get go....otherwise the soil would take a couple cycles to get there. That's why I used to say the worm castings were optional. They are if you're patient!

Doc, they recommended the castings to get to a right amount of organic content? To buff de CEC maybe?
Because that is what extra runs contribute to the soil right?

 

[Dutty Panty]

If you can get your hands on worm gold plus jump on it. Some of the best built and fed worms in the country. Veganic fed complex diets which create massive percentages of cellulose and chitinase ezymes to help break down that organic material even further for your root system

Doc input I'll order today! If I can find it.


Also how you guys check your soil high brix pot leaves on top? Sprinkle roots on? Any water? I'm on week 3 want to check soon never did before.

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc, they recommended the castings to get to a right amount of organic content? To buff de CEC maybe?
Because that is what extra runs contribute to the soil right?

Correct. The EWC were to boost organic content a bit. You're spot on.

 

[Growlow]

*Worm gold plus is made with kelp which would contribute K. For example Espoma kelp meal is 1-0-2.

Stoked to see someone mention worm gold plus. Just thought I'd point out that worm gold plus is 92% WORMGOLD® Pure Worm Castings, 3% Fossilized Kelp (to supply Calcium), 5% Rock Mineral (to supply mineral balance). The kelp and Rock minerals are added. They aren't present in the worm castings. The best thing about WGP is that they have 200 million CFU Chitin Degraders and 400 million CFU Cellulose Degraders. The higher the Chitinase enzyme is present in the plant. The more potent it will secrete through the flesh of the plant. It is like the scent off sour milk to pests.