High Brix

[headstash]

hey doc bud,

another longtime lurker/medical grower outing himself here. THANK YOU for freely sharing your work! i've read and followed your journals from your first journal until now. my first indoor grow was in 1985. first outdoor grow was in 2006. i'm a lifelong learner, so your experimental nature and detailed writing style is right up my alley. what has finally prompted me to register and post this message is my excitement to get one of your 'kits' in my eager hands. i already have purchased 11-12 cubic feet of pro-mix HP and was just about to go ahead and buy 1 gallon of each of the sprays and a whole broadcast, like you did. BUT, if the kit is available now, i'd rather try it that way first. i just can't wait any longer to get my own high brix shit happening too!

 

[Doc Bud]

hey doc bud,

another longtime lurker/medical grower outing himself here. THANK YOU for freely sharing your work! i've read and followed your journals from your first journal until now. my first indoor grow was in 1985. first outdoor grow was in 2006. i'm a lifelong learner, so your experimental nature and detailed writing style is right up my alley. what has finally prompted me to register and post this message is my excitement to get one of your 'kits' in my eager hands. i already have purchased 11-12 cubic feet of pro-mix HP and was just about to go ahead and buy 1 gallon of each of the sprays and a whole broadcast, like you did. BUT, if the kit is available now, i'd rather try it that way first. i just can't wait any longer to get my own high brix shit happening too!

You're not going to be able to get the broadcast without a soil test....

Here are some pics:

 

[headstash]

thanks for the PM doc bud. i cannot respond until i get 50 posts though. please PM me an email address so i can answer you back.

 

[Hash Hound]

Doc,

Instead of PMing you with my questions, I will ask them here in case others have the same ones as I do.

If I am only going to use half a bale of Promix for 3 plants;

Should I just mix half batch at a time, or the whole bale at once? (For the sake of saving space, storing a bale cut in half would be easier than storing a large container of cooking soil.)

Also, if I mix the whole bale, and I only am going to use half and save the second half, that would mean it would be "cooking for about 4 months", is that OK?

And in the instructions, you say to mix .5 oz Energy per gallon of water, should that be cut in half to .25 oz for half a batch since I will be distributing it to fewer plants?

Same with the 2 ml Tea, should I reduce that to 1 ml?

Basically, should all quantities be reduced in half for a half batch grow?

I don't want to make things to difficult, but I don't wanna mess up either.

Measure twice, cut once is the rule for any craftsman, so I figure ask and ask before I mix.

ps.

Dry ice hash is soooooo easy compared to other extraction methods.

 

[FretNot]

Welcome! Your first post is in my journal, what an honor.

The soil I'm using as of this minute is designed for vegetables, but not root, tuber or leafy. The exception would be carrots, but this soil was designed for tomatoes, beans, peppers, etc. Ultra high end vegetables, like you would get in 5 diamond restaurant....that sort of thing.

It grows superb weed, but of course I'm making trial runs with minor tweaks to the soil, mainly just to satisfy my own curiosity and see if I can unlock some flavor or other. My first attempt, adding K-mag, proved to be a flop. Very interesting. Back when I was in organic soil, such an addition wouldn't have made much difference, but in high brix soil the addition of the K-mag has caused problems in calcium uptake and the nitrogen fixing bacteria have struggled a bit. They're still super nice plants, as the pics will show, but not as good as the "factory" soil.

So I'll try using a ripening agent on a couple this time, like molasses and epsom salt, or succanat and epsom salt.

Anyways, I hope you have the pleasure of growing some high brix produce. It's definitely a treat.

Thanks Doc I can't wait to get started. I will have to wait until next year to try high brix veggies, but I am slowly putting an indoor room together where I hope to use your kit. Are you growing any vegetables with the high brix soil? I have no hands on experience growing indoors, but I have been blessed with a fairly green thumb it seems.

I'm a tinkerer by nature... so I like that you try different things. I guess the lesson learned and satisfying your curiosity is worth the one time slight decrease. I'm sure with everyone trying the mix, we can figure out the tricks for the new soil if they exist. The ladies look awesome!

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc,

Instead of PMing you with my questions, I will ask them here in case others have the same ones as I do.

If I am only going to use half a bale of Promix for 3 plants;

Should I just mix half batch at a time, or the whole bale at once? (For the sake of saving space, storing a bale cut in half would be easier than storing a large container of cooking soil.)

Also, if I mix the whole bale, and I only am going to use half and save the second half, that would mean it would be "cooking for about 4 months", is that OK?

And in the instructions, you say to mix .5 oz Energy per gallon of water, should that be cut in half to .25 oz for half a batch since I will be distributing it to fewer plants?

Same with the 2 ml Tea, should I reduce that to 1 ml?

Basically, should all quantities be reduced in half for a half batch grow?

I don't want to make things to difficult, but I don't wanna mess up either.

Measure twice, cut once is the rule for any craftsman, so I figure ask and ask before I mix.

ps.

Dry ice hash is soooooo easy compared to other extraction methods.

Yes, go ahead and mix up half, using half the amendment and half the recharge when the time comes.

As for feeding, I think there might be a problem. You should use 1 oz Energy for one gallon of water, but only half a gallon of this mix is evenly distributed to all the plants. Do the Tea exactly the same way, make sure everything gets fed full strength.

There's no problem cooking for 4 months. In fact, its best. This soil is going to improve tremendously after about 4 runs. Recycle it, and soon I'll have a re-charge recipe for recycled soil.

 

[BigIrishDoode]

one thing i love about organic/brix soil is how it seems to get better after every reuse with some minor adjustments, it seem to colonize much faster and the texture gets better, i do add a little extra perlite to keep the mix light, save $ on many levels like it takes less amendments to get it "in the zone" but like nature mother earth does not throw out the soil and start over lol she makes it richer by decomposing and growing more life into the soil, such a great way to do things, funny im doing a couple sterile bubble buckets this run (just cause) and the seedlings look different than the one in soil less "something" not as green or shiny nothing i can pinpoint atm, but not what im used to seeing.

 

[Vapedogg223]

one thing i love about organic/brix soil is how it seems to get better after every reuse with some minor adjustments, it seem to colonize much faster and the texture gets better, i do add a little extra perlite to keep the mix light, save $ on many levels like it takes less amendments to get it "in the zone" but like nature mother earth does not throw out the soil and start over lol she makes it richer by decomposing and growing more life into the soil, such a great way to do things, funny im doing a couple sterile bubble buckets this run (just cause) and the seedlings look different than the one in soil less "something" not as green or shiny nothing i can pinpoint atm, but not what im used to seeing.

You know, I'm still using my last soil. I added a gallon of alfalfa pellets and a cup of manure per ten gallons of soil, and let it cook for a couple of months...then I recharged it with the minerals and let it cook some more. My moms are it that now, and growing like gangbusters! I'd honestly say better than the last time...now I can't wait to grow in the purpose-built high Brix soil!

Speaking of which, my kits have arrived safely! There was a slight delay in my bails of soil arriving...my local shop doesn't stock the HP, and the distributor had to bring them in from another warehouse... But, they are on their way, and I should be mixing soil next week!

 

[BudTester420]

So here is my question, I'm not able to use doc's kit do to various reasons. But what if any amendments are good for soil if your using nutrients instead of teas? I fear that if I add anything its either going to wash out or cause a issue with the nutes. When I can grow again I want to use ffof cut with light warrior, any ideas?

A+ on the journal doc. Another one to add to my frequently read list.

 

[Doc Bud]

So here is my question, I'm not able to use doc's kit do to various reasons. But what if any amendments are good for soil if your using nutrients instead of teas? I fear that if I add anything its either going to wash out or cause a issue with the nutes. When I can grow again I want to use ffof cut with light warrior, any ideas?

A+ on the journal doc. Another one to add to my frequently read list.

If you want an easy, fool proof way to grow really nice weed, just use OC+. If you want to do an organic grow, use FFOF and their
Big Bloom fert, but add some rock powders to the soil, like we discuss on high brix grows. That will do very well!

 

[BudTester420]

If you want an easy, fool proof way to grow really nice weed, just use OC+. If you want to do an organic grow, use FFOF and their
Big Bloom fert, but add some rock powders to the soil, like we discuss on high brix grows. That will do very well!

Excellent, I have enough bpn to last myself a while so I really shouldn't do the OC+. But after looking it up and seeing it I definitely want to try it in the future, thanks for that tip. Looks like I'm off to rock powders!

Thanks

 

[CoryDavid88]

just dropping by to say high

 

[CoryDavid88]

nice pics too!

 

[Icemud]

Plants are looking amazing Doc!! I feel so privileged to be a part of this pioneering of High Brix in the Cannabis realm! So far my plants are really taking off Doc, when ya get a chance take a swing by and check out their shine I very much appreciate you introducing High Brix to all of us, I have to say, 420 Magazine is going to be the high brix home to cannabis growing worldwide, as well as other gardeners

 

[Doc Bud]

Plants are looking amazing Doc!! I feel so privileged to be a part of this pioneering of High Brix in the Cannabis realm! So far my plants are really taking off Doc, when ya get a chance take a swing by and check out their shine I very much appreciate you introducing High Brix to all of us, I have to say, 420 Magazine is going to be the high brix home to cannabis growing worldwide, as well as other gardeners

I'm always checking out your journal Ice!

I'm just constantly worrying that you're spraying too much sugar and other stuff on your plants.....so it makes me nervous. But they do look amazing!

 

[Hash Hound]

Doc,

I finally got the hang of making some nice frothy teas.

Why no need for teas with the high brix? Just curious.

 

[Icemud]

I'm always checking out your journal Ice!

I'm just constantly worrying that you're spraying too much sugar and other stuff on your plants.....so it makes me nervous. But they do look amazing!

Much appreciate your guidance and overwatch Doc!!

So far in later veg my levels are 12.5-16 but thinking that once I flower and the roots consume more of these larger pots I may even see a larger increase. I probably will check 1x per week with the brix readings to see where they stand, which will allow me to better formulate what gives + brix and what reduces it..

with your soil and amendments, are you still "recharging" with a 6-5-2 every so often on the top of your soil? or just leaving it sit as mixed with the right amendments.

The sugars in my foliars usually are in very tiny amounts, like drop sized additions so I think the ppm is low enough that its not too strong, but just in case I usually will follow the amended foliar spray with a plain r/o misting to help dilute the concentration further, and usually every day I give them a light misting of plain r/o d/i water to help wash the leaves as well as help them uptake any available nutrients that may have broken down from the previous foliars... I am trying to keep the foliar feeding down to 1 to 2 times a week but may even stretch it out further, being that I noticed the leaf shine usually forms with less frequent foliars vs more frequent ones.

What is your foliar spray/feeding rotation, in frequency and product used?

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc,

I finally got the hang of making some nice frothy teas.

Why no need for teas with the high brix? Just curious.

We're still using microbes, just in a very concentrated product that is included in the kit, not to mention what is already in the promix. In other soils, there are other products.

Much appreciate your guidance and overwatch Doc!!

So far in later veg my levels are 12.5-16 but thinking that once I flower and the roots consume more of these larger pots I may even see a larger increase. I probably will check 1x per week with the brix readings to see where they stand, which will allow me to better formulate what gives + brix and what reduces it..

with your soil and amendments, are you still "recharging" with a 6-5-2 every so often on the top of your soil? or just leaving it sit as mixed with the right amendments.

The sugars in my foliars usually are in very tiny amounts, like drop sized additions so I think the ppm is low enough that its not too strong, but just in case I usually will follow the amended foliar spray with a plain r/o misting to help dilute the concentration further, and usually every day I give them a light misting of plain r/o d/i water to help wash the leaves as well as help them uptake any available nutrients that may have broken down from the previous foliars... I am trying to keep the foliar feeding down to 1 to 2 times a week but may even stretch it out further, being that I noticed the leaf shine usually forms with less frequent foliars vs more frequent ones.

What is your foliar spray/feeding rotation, in frequency and product used?

I spray weekly with "Brix" and 1 or 2 times weekly with "Stress." The former is basically Amaze/PGR with some acidic fishy ferts. The latter is a broad spectrum trace mineral, l-amino acid, PGR spray.

 

[gittergreen]

Docbud, how are the microbes kept alive in these products and do these products have a shelf life?

 

[Doc Bud]

Docbud, how are the microbes kept alive in these products and do these products have a shelf life?

The shelf life can be measured in years. The microbes are dormant, in spore form. All they take is the right environment and they start reproducing, etc. The promix is also loaded with very high quality beneficials and the kit reflects that.

The difference I am noticing with the kit, as compared to Nature's Own tea is that I have fewer problems with the kit. When I was brewing tea, the plants would go yellow now and then, as the microbes in the tea ate either everything up, or they would crowd out and kill the nitrogen fixing bacteria. They would always bounce back, of course, but I didn't like the swings and the plants were vulnerable during their yellow periods.

I'm not getting as much of that now, for whatever reason. Outdoors in the earth this doesn't happen so much, but indoors in containers it's not uncommon. The key is not to get worried and just let the plants sort themselves out, which they always do.\

I've got a bit of it this time around, as seen by these pics.

Here are the worst of them. I added K-mag to the soil on these and it definitely created problems! Brix is 13 on a good day on these.

Those of you who are trying to do High Brix in a guess work fashion....please understand that small changes in the ratio of elements in the soil creates large swings in quality! At this point, I'm sticking to the recommendations and making very small changes here and there. So far, doing things exactly as instructed has produced noticeably better results than my experiments.

I can't help myself, I've gotta do 'em.....but now I only torture one plant at a time. Can you guess which one of these had bat guano added?