Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures

re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

SoFlaNative said:
Well, you're off to a bloody good start man! I'm actually just 'really, really' getting started myself... But I'd be lying if I said I didn't flower out a lady at the end of last season in a 100%perlite hempy running Nutricote(commercial line of OC+), the ease of it was beyond words. However this next season I'm hitting on some organics, but the High Brix is still mind boggling, and I see it being utilized in my future. Keep up the good work Doc, I'll definitely be sticking around. Just now I have an account, and make posts, hahaha.
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You'll find my kit about 80% as easy as a perlite hempy. Most of the work comes in at the very beginning, when you have to manually mix the soil.

After that, it's a matter of measuring an ounce of this or that and watering or spraying. The measuring happens about twice a week. Other than that, straight water. No pH checking, etc.

The soil critters become our willing slaves. They do all the work.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

DocBud said:
Thinks to avoid:

Dolomite, lots of kelp, high phosphate fertilizers, compost, bentonite/montromorillionite, excess epsom salt, high potassium ferts.
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First off lol :bravo: you said thinks instead of things.

And when you say avoid dolomite you mean dolomite lime correct? Because i was going to use it to control ph and a good calcium source.
Do you mean this kind of limestone?

Limestone Powder | Kelp4less

And would granular gypsum or powdered gypsum work best?

Also, will I be ok using 10 gal pots outdoors with about 2-3 months veg time?

EDIT:
One more thing, any thoughts on B Vitamins?
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
First off lol :bravo: you said thinks instead of things.

And when you say avoid dolomite you mean dolomite lime correct? Because i was going to use it to control ph and a good calcium source.
Do you mean this kind of limestone?

Limestone Powder | Kelp4less

And would granular gypsum or powdered gypsum work best?

Also, will I be ok using 10 gal pots outdoors with about 2-3 months veg time?

EDIT:
One more thing, any thoughts on B Vitamins?
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Dolomite is only good at one thing: stabilizing ph.

However, the rock powders I listed above will also stabilize pH AND be a source of minerals for the plants. There is no reason to use dolomite when you can do such a better job with the other stuff.

Granular gypsum is fine....it's just powder stuck together with a binding agent, like molasses. Powder is also fine.

10 gallon pots outdoors is way too small in my opinion. I thought you were going to use them indoors. I'd use 25 gallons at least.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

DocBud said:
Basically, you've got to have lots of calcium, most of it from limestone, soft rock phosphate and gypsum. If you use those 3 ingredients alone, 6 parts CaCo3 (calcium carbonate), 5 parts Sort Rock Phosphate, and 3 parts gypsum, you've got mineralized soil. 1 or 2 cups of this mix per bag of soil is a good place to start.
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So the the calcium carbonate from the limestone is what you're referring to the 6 parts CaCo3?

And it would be way to expensive for me to use 25 gallon pots.

I also am planning to use greensand to help reduce soil compaction.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
So the the calcium carbonate from the limestone is what you're referring to the 6 parts CaCo3?

And it would be way to expensive for me to use 25 gallon pots.

I also am planning to use greensand to help reduce soil compaction.
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Greensand is way too high in potassium. You won't get anywhere near high brix with that.

You're creating a pretty tough situation for yourself using small pots and trying to get a biological grow going.

If you're going to use small pots like that, I'd just OC+. There just isn't enough room for roots in 10 gallons outdoors, unless you use salts.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
So kick the greensand, got it.

What about the limestone question?
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Oh! Sorry about that.

When looking for limestone, you want something pure and 90% or better Calcium Carbonate. Please take note that this is not Calcium Carbonate Equivalent.....but actual Calcium Carbonate. Limestone = Calcium Carbonate. (CaC03)

So, your product you listed above is perfect!

When you see something listed "calcium carbonate equivalent" and then some percentage after, it's describing the pH buffering capacity of the material. We're only interested in that as a secondary consideration. We want the calcium! So, pay no attention to equivalents....just look at raw ingredients and get something 90% or better CaCo3, which is exactly what you have there!
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
Whats your thoughts on this product?

Oyster Shell Flour | Kelp4less

This is a good source of calcium. You just have to be sure that it's not too high in K (like none at all). It's not as good as calcium carbonate as a pH stabilizer, and I don't know how to use it to get the ratio's.....but it's one of those products that needs a good grower to experiment a bit and figure it out!

I suggest running a couple with the limestone and then a couple with this and see what happens!

I was also curious if i will need to feed my planets any nutes. I was going to use BPN organic 3 part, but if I do not need to feed then it will be money saved.
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cougartex said:
Pm me bout the kit please doc.
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You got it bro!
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
Whats your thoughts on this product?

Oyster Shell Flour | Kelp4less

I was also curious if i will need to feed my planets any nutes. I was going to use BPN organic 3 part, but if I do not need to feed then it will be money saved.
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I don't know what your mix is, so I can't really answer whether you need nutes or not.

If you list it all, perhaps I can offer some help.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

I'll have 10 10 gallon pots
4 bales of pro mix hp
10% Earthworm castings
5-10% perlite
5% Vermiculite
5% Ancient forest humus
1/4 cup per cu ft of Azomite
And was going to follow your advice about 6 parts CaCo3, 5 parts SRP and 3 parts Gypsum so,
1 cup per cu ft of powdered limestone
3/4 cup per cu ft of SRP
1/2 cup per cu ft of powdered Gypsum

And if i also added the Oyster shell flour i would split the dosage of limestone in half and the other half would be the Oyster shell flour?

This is and outdoor grow, even though you probably remember that from earlier posts.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
I'll have 10 10 gallon pots
4 bales of pro mix hp
10% Earthworm castings
5-10% perlite
5% Vermiculite
5% Ancient forest humus
1/4 cup per cu ft of Azomite
And was going to follow your advice about 6 parts CaCo3, 5 parts SRP and 3 parts Gypsum so,
1 cup per cu ft of powdered limestone
3/4 cup per cu ft of SRP
1/2 cup per cu ft of powdered Gypsum

And if i also added the Oyster shell flour i would split the dosage of limestone in half and the other half would be the Oyster shell flour?

This is and outdoor grow, even though you probably remember that from earlier posts.
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That sounds like a good mix!

I'd lose the Perlite, as the promix already has lots of it. You don't want it to drain too fast.

I'd add some composted chicken manure to it and let it cook.

You might consider epsom salt when bloom commences.....1 tbsp per 5 gallons every each and every time you water once 12/12 starts. Not so much for the magnesium but for the sulfur. I've tried K-mag, but too much potassium.



For nutes, I suggest hydrolyzed fish or cold processed squid, with microbial tea from time to time.

You're going to get higher brix with that mix than you would with plain organic soil. You'll be happy.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

I was planning on using epsom salts and molasses throughout the season.
I also was going to use a diluted tea and let the soil sit for a month.
Speaking of tea's what would be the best ingredients? I was thinking EWC, AFH, molasses and maybe a dash of the 3 minerals.

Also what about the oyster shell flour, should I stick with just limestone.

And your saying there won't be a need for the BPN?
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
I was planning on using epsom salts and molasses throughout the season.
I also was going to use a diluted tea and let the soil sit for a month.
Speaking of tea's what would be the best ingredients? I was thinking EWC, AFH, molasses and maybe a dash of the 3 minerals.

Also what about the oyster shell flour, should I stick with just limestone.

And your saying there won't be a need for the BPN?
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Be careful with the molasses. It makes your beneficials lazy, and it's high in potassium. Use it sparingly.

Regarding the oyster shell, it's very interesting stuff. It will work for the limestone as far as calcium carbonate goes, but I don't know what kind of trace elements are in it, or how it was processed. I worry about sodium and potassium issues, only because I don't know about the stuff. It could be that it is excellent......but the lab never recommends it, so I'm wary. I'm definitely interested in how it works if you choose to use it.

The tea recipe looks good, but I'd ditch the molasses and add alfalfa to it in veg, and cold processed squid or fish hydrolysate in bloom, with maybe one dose of a bloom bat guano in flower. If BPN has something along those lines, you might use it once or twice. However, if you add the chicken manure to the soil as I suggested, you'll be pretty good for weeks. Good organic food is nature's time released ferts....a little goes along way, especially with the minerals in the soil.

Letting the soil cook for a month is a great idea. In winter, many people leave the soil outside or on a cold concrete slab. In that case, the microbial action is greatly reduced. If you can cook the soil in a warm place, it sure helps.

I think you'll have a very successful grow with that recipe. The flavor should be fantastic.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

I've been reading through your other high brix journals and trying to keep up with this one as well. Of course, you realize youre turning everything I thought I knew about growing upside down. I understand now that youre trying to help people to move away from and beyond extensive and expensive nutrient treatments and toward natural, less expensive, and better methods. Bravo to you for that Doc! From here on out I think I'll just stfu, read, and only ask legitimate questions about the way youre innovating on your journals. My bad and my apologies for my earlier post.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

Stormycirca65 said:
I've been reading through your other high brix journals and trying to keep up with this one as well. Of course, you realize youre turning everything I thought I knew about growing upside down. I understand now that youre trying to help people to move away from and beyond extensive and expensive nutrient treatments and toward natural, less expensive, and better methods. Bravo to you for that Doc! From here on out I think I'll just stfu, read, and only ask legitimate questions about the way youre innovating on your journals. My bad and my apologies for my last post.
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What post are you apologizing for? Please keep posting.

What I'm trying to do is get people to think in terms other than what is defined in prohibition. Most of what we do with these plants is largely influenced by factors that have nothing to do with good horticultural practice:

stealth
tiny rooms
electric lighting
limit on plant count
price per ounce

to just name a few.

These are all very real factors, and I understand why they impact our growing. It's the result of prohibition

I mean gram per watt? that expression will never be heard again once we don't have to hide and can have prestige, admiration and respect as growers, just like vintners and wine makers. We'll use the sun, and only turn on the lights on cloudy days.

Marijuana cultivation is about to go through a massive paradigm shift, and the old prohibition inspired adaptational grow methods will be left behind forever. I want to be a part of the future, so I'm working hard now so I have something to contribute when its legal.

That means we can start growing and focus all our attention on what the plants can do, not all the other stuff.
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

When you say sparingly like once a month or like every 2 weeks?

I'll pass on the oyster then, maybe one day.

The BPN line is 100% organic, here are the ingredients

GROW:
Total Nitrogen (N).......................................2.0%
Available Phosphate (P2O5).........................1.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O).................................1.0%

Derived from: High Nitrogen Bat guano, High Phosphorus Bat guano, alphalpha meal, kelp meal, fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, molasses, soft rock phosphate.

MICRO:

Sulphur (S)..................................................0.65%
Magnesium (Mg)...........................................0.50%
0.50% water soluble magnesium (Mg)

Boron (B).....................................................0.02%
Copper (Cu)..................................................0.0015%
0.0015% Amino Chelated Copper
Soluble Iron (Fe)............................................0.14%
0.14% Amino Chelated Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)............................................0.05%
0.05% Amino Chelated Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)..........................................0.0009%
Zinc (Zn)......................................................0.01%
0.01% Amino Chelated Zinc

Derived from: Iron Amino Chelate, Manganese Amino Chelate, Boron Amino Chelate, Zinc Amino Chelate, Copper Amino Chelate, sodium molybdate, Magnesium Sulfate.

BLOOM:
Total Nitrogen...............................................0.5%

Available Phosphate (P2O5)............................3.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O)....................................2.0%

Derived from: High Phosphorus Bat Guano, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Fish Meal, Bone Meal Molasses, Soft Rock Phosphate.

I was going to feed every 3 waterings, aka water, water, feed, water, water, feed.

Also do you ever use cold pressed seaweed?
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

Well said brother. As Rangers say... Lead the way. That being said, I have a mix of something approximating subcools super soil. Will amending the soil with the 6 5 3 rectify this mix or should I start over?
 
re: Doc Bud - High Brix Q&A With Pictures

koffeekush said:
When you say sparingly like once a month or like every 2 weeks?

I'll pass on the oyster then, maybe one day.

The BPN line is 100% organic, here are the ingredients

GROW:
Total Nitrogen (N).......................................2.0%
Available Phosphate (P2O5).........................1.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O).................................1.0%

Derived from: High Nitrogen Bat guano, High Phosphorus Bat guano, alphalpha meal, kelp meal, fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, molasses, soft rock phosphate.

MICRO:

Sulphur (S)..................................................0.65%
Magnesium (Mg)...........................................0.50%
0.50% water soluble magnesium (Mg)

Boron (B).....................................................0.02%
Copper (Cu)..................................................0.0015%
0.0015% Amino Chelated Copper
Soluble Iron (Fe)............................................0.14%
0.14% Amino Chelated Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)............................................0.05%
0.05% Amino Chelated Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)..........................................0.0009%
Zinc (Zn)......................................................0.01%
0.01% Amino Chelated Zinc

Derived from: Iron Amino Chelate, Manganese Amino Chelate, Boron Amino Chelate, Zinc Amino Chelate, Copper Amino Chelate, sodium molybdate, Magnesium Sulfate.

BLOOM:
Total Nitrogen...............................................0.5%

Available Phosphate (P2O5)............................3.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O)....................................2.0%

Derived from: High Phosphorus Bat Guano, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Fish Meal, Bone Meal Molasses, Soft Rock Phosphate.

I was going to feed every 3 waterings, aka water, water, feed, water, water, feed.

Also do you ever use cold pressed seaweed?
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I think your idea of feeding sparingly is a good one. Like I said, if you add the chicken manure and use a tea from time to time, you shouldn't have much of a need for feeding. Those products look pretty good, if you need them.

There's too much potassium in all that to get brix much over 9 or 10, but that's still better than most. I've used seaweed, but not so much anymore, except in foliars. Too high in potassium.

Google "Potassium pump". You need some, but not much. The reason K is so popular is because it bulks up the flowers. It does add some weight, but mainly adds volume. With high brix, you'll harvest a lower volume of buds, but they'll weigh more.

On second thought, I'd use the Grow and Micro products only, with your soil mix.
 
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