Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures

@Amy Gardner , I spent a little time on the 'bay.au and I found that Jiffy brand has some garden mixes that are buffered. I managed to get a soil engineer from ProMix (Premier) on the phone one day, and he was more than happy to fill me in on their mixes. Perhaps you could find a similar guy at Jiffy. There's also a garden vendor called The Climbing Fig that might be helpful about soils, etc.

:Namaste:
 
Like I said, if i were in Sydney say, where i used to live. A bale of each would’ve been in my house weeks ago! I tried getting worm castings last year when setting up for summer and nada! Literally. There’s a local worm guy, but he produces worms to sell (supplies the big hardware store) so apparently not many castings come from that operation. There is 2 boutique worm castings businesses and I could get their castings in an instant in the city garden centres. But no matter where I find them, shipping them here is going to cost just a bit more than the castings themselves. However, when you break down thusly: 4 plants per cycle; 3, maybe 4, cycles: 12-16 plants... it starts to look pretty ok!
 
Graytail said:
@Amy Gardner , I spent a little time on the 'bay.au and I found that Jiffy brand has some garden mixes that are buffered. I managed to get a soil engineer from ProMix (Premier) on the phone one day, and he was more than happy to fill me in on their mixes. Perhaps you could find a similar guy at Jiffy. There's also a garden vendor called The Climbing Fig that might be helpful about soils, etc.

:Namaste:
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Yeah thanks hey. I’d avoided ebay... i been a bit sus with it lately. So I can find stuff all over it’s just where I am, shipping is always a lot, especially for weighty stuff. But I’ll check out the Jiffy folks. Thanks!

I’m not exactly sure what you mean about buffered mixes, I thought I was just looking for straight SPM - that’s been the instruction. I really dont want to have to do anything more to it than add the castings and kit ammendments mix and cook. SO maybe I dont want to be getting that one then?
 
Yes, the trouble with raw peat moss is that the pH is 4 or less. Most peat companies sell bales of their raw product for amending alkaline soils, and also formulate pH balanced garden soils for retail sale. It looks like you have 3-4 main brands to choose from, but all the bales I saw were raw product. Then when they mix the garden soils, they add crap we don't want, so that's why Doc has only certified the two brands, ProMix and Sunshine.

So ... if you can find a buffered peat, yer golden. If not, we'll have to dig up the ratio numbers for how much calcium you'll need, and you'll have to premix that and let it blend first - gets a little more complicated, but doable.

I've had to pay $80USD to get a bale of ProMix shipped to where I live. I can get all the raw Premier peat moss I want at any garden store.
 
Ok then. I’ve asked about this before and thought Doc just said I needed to find Sphagnum Peat Moss. Now I read back and se that he said:
Doc Bud said:
Peat moss is what you're looking for Amy. You want Peat Moss, pH stabilized with limestone if possible. Dolomite is not as desireable, but will do in a pinch.
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So I’ve been looking for slightly the wrong thing. I’ll reset and go again.

:Namaste:
 
I don’t think I’m going to find a buffered mix. So the correct amount of calcium to add would be good. I’m planning to cook a half size batch.
Is the (non dolomite) garden lime the garden store sells good quality enough?

And Gray, are you saying I’ll have to blend the calcium with the peat for a while before I mix the castings and amendments in for the cook? (Just trying to get clear on what I’m in for ;) )

And apologies all misfits! It’s hard down here in the Southern Hemisphere with everything topsy-turvy! I’ll get this sorted eventually...
 
We're getting to ground I haven't yet trod, so we'll need to get something definitive from Doc, but yes, if your lime is 90+% calcitic, you're good - better than Sunshine #4 in fact, which uses dolomite.

30 years ago, I experimented with adding lime to soil and I made a big mess of it, so it seems to me that it's something that needs to work its way into the soil over some time - don' know how much time. But that should be basic garden info, easily searched.
 
I have to say if room is available, these tomatoe cages are great supports, and training aids. The big OG in front needs support when buds are mature, and the cage keeps it open, plenty of light penetration and CO2 circulating in there.
D28CD9DC-A585-4EB1-915D-2D210BB5D778.jpeg

D28CD9DC-A585-4EB1-915D-2D210BB5D778.jpeg

Headband og (big)
Bubblegum (small)

6FAD3FCD-A57B-43A5-BB6E-81AC049E7E88.jpeg

6FAD3FCD-A57B-43A5-BB6E-81AC049E7E88.jpeg

Headband OG (big)

159552FA-DFFB-4FF5-81AD-96C267780D41.jpeg

159552FA-DFFB-4FF5-81AD-96C267780D41.jpeg

Headband og

The small bubblegum in the back doesn’t really need the cage, but it helps when I roll it around to do maintenance. The mature heavy buds can easily snap a branch if I’m careless.

First Cat done 4 days ago at 24 days pf, probably 2nd Cat tonight.
 
Amy Gardner said:
Finding stuff in this country is way hard when you don’t live in the city (how ironic)! SPM is no exception. Then finally, another call to the local and talking to someone who knew anything I have discovered they have this... I’m hoping it is the same as the Sunshine SPM you get there...

F18AAB5E-38DF-4225-9B8E-A129D3061B33.jpeg

F18AAB5E-38DF-4225-9B8E-A129D3061B33.jpeg


FA9BD24C-FC37-4D7E-B236-9A1FDE16525C.jpeg

FA9BD24C-FC37-4D7E-B236-9A1FDE16525C.jpeg


It costs a bomb, I can find to cheaper elsewhere but then shipping is a nightmare.

Worm castings are even more ridiculously hard to come by. I’ve been trying for about 9 months now. I have found some that are 1:blushsmile:1 so that’s no good (and they’d cost me a bomb shipped anyway). Other sources don’t list their NPK at all. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I will have sourced them too. I hope this SPM is the stuff - that’ll be one less thing to look for!

Thanks Doc ‘n’ gang

:Namaste:
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Just out of curiosity, have you considered starting a worm farm to harvest your own castings? I know you don't grow many plants and don't need the massive amount all at once. Might be in your best interest to look into your own small worm farm. They are pretty easy to run. Just an idea for you Amy.
 
DopyLemontree said:
I have to say if room is available, these tomatoe cages are great supports, and training aids. The big OG in front needs support when buds are mature, and the cage keeps it open, plenty of light penetration and CO2 circulating in there.
D28CD9DC-A585-4EB1-915D-2D210BB5D778.jpeg

D28CD9DC-A585-4EB1-915D-2D210BB5D778.jpeg

Headband og (big)
Bubblegum (small)

6FAD3FCD-A57B-43A5-BB6E-81AC049E7E88.jpeg

6FAD3FCD-A57B-43A5-BB6E-81AC049E7E88.jpeg

Headband OG (big)

159552FA-DFFB-4FF5-81AD-96C267780D41.jpeg

159552FA-DFFB-4FF5-81AD-96C267780D41.jpeg

Headband og

The small bubblegum in the back doesn’t really need the cage, but it helps when I roll it around to do maintenance. The mature heavy buds can easily snap a branch if I’m careless.

First Cat done 4 days ago at 24 days pf, probably 2nd Cat tonight.
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What a healthy garden!
 
Van Stank said:
Just out of curiosity, have you considered starting a worm farm to harvest your own castings? I know you don't grow many plants and don't need the massive amount all at once. Might be in your best interest to look into your own small worm farm. They are pretty easy to run. Just an idea for you Amy.
Click to expand...

Hi VS - yes, thanks I do already have a worm farm. I’ve been doing this for a little while ;).
20-40pounds of castings are hard to come by with the small amount of food waste we are able to give them - and mostly ours are used for the vege garden.

@Doc Bud
Any thoughts about that SPM? Is Gray right that I would need to ammend it with calcium before ammending it with the kit? And if so, how much calicum? For how long?

I’m sure this seems tedious to many of you - but without easy acces to something like promix this whole thing is proving more of a challenge than I’d expected. I’m not alone in this either. I’m in contact with anther 420 member here who is also in Aus and he’s having all the same issues. Even raw peat was something he had to ahve shipped.

Actually he mentioned that Doc had once said to him that the TeEm brand of SPM we can get here would be fine and that it also just straight Canadian SPM. SO I really need to know about this additional amendment with calcium question.

:Namaste:
 
Duggan said:
Why can't members using the kit, just mix up the whole kit or 'bale', cook it and use what they need,...better to cook the whole bale. Doesn't mean they have to use it all at once,..it won't go bad. Just my thought on that! Enjoy the day gang!
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I totally agree with this! It actually gets better over time like vino lol
 
Quick questions as I feel I may be mixing brix too strong. When using about 400ml of h2o about how much brix would most people put into that? Thanks all
 
organicgrowr said:
Hey guys just wondering, I’ve read in the past that the first 4 weeks and last couple of weeks of flower you should just use 1 gallon of water when watering. Then Inbetween use deep soakings. Is this still the method being used?
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That would really depend on how big of pots your using really. My 7 gallons I use a gallon to water every time. My 20 gallon pots my roots would probably not like me to much
 
Hey Dark. I'd say about 13ml of brix. That's a lot, how many plants you spraying with that? I've never used more than 8oz of water but don't grow a lot of plants.
 
weenmeoff said:
Hey Dark. I'd say about 13ml of brix. That's a lot, how many plants you spraying with that? I've never used more than 8oz of water but don't grow a lot of plants.
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Ok I’ve been using 10ml. Maybe I’m just spraying to much and not a light mist
 
Amy Gardner said:
Hi VS - yes, thanks I do already have a worm farm. I’ve been doing this for a little while ;).
20-40pounds of castings are hard to come by with the small amount of food waste we are able to give them - and mostly ours are used for the vege garden.

@Doc Bud
Any thoughts about that SPM? Is Gray right that I would need to ammend it with calcium before ammending it with the kit? And if so, how much calicum? For how long?

I’m sure this seems tedious to many of you - but without easy acces to something like promix this whole thing is proving more of a challenge than I’d expected. I’m not alone in this either. I’m in contact with anther 420 member here who is also in Aus and he’s having all the same issues. Even raw peat was something he had to ahve shipped.

Actually he mentioned that Doc had once said to him that the TeEm brand of SPM we can get here would be fine and that it also just straight Canadian SPM. SO I really need to know about this additional amendment with calcium question.

:Namaste:
Click to expand...

Add about half a cup of high calcium limestone to the entire bale of peat moss, along with the DB First Run Amendment. You'll be just fine.
 
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