In The Lab

Doc Bud said:
There's a link in my signature to instructions. Don't overcomplicate it. When in doubt (anytime you're in doubt) use Growth Energy.

I just put a plop of drench from a gallon jug in a bucket nowadays.
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So it is essentially just 1/4 Transplant Watering > Growth Energy Drench > 1/4 Transplant Watering until buds are formed and set then Cat Drench x2 then back to alternating Growth Energy Drench and 1/4 Transplant Water? With the 2.5ml of tea in each obviously plus the Brix and DeStress when applicable?

And for clarification... Transplant + Tea can be used in a top watering, and a Drench is when the pot is set in the water and it absorbs it upwards correct?

Thanks! :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
FWIW: my mix has been sweating at a cool 61-62 since jan 26. Its in a tote on a folded sheet in a bathtub upstairs. It doesn't seem warm or cold, it will get into a 72ish degree insulated grow space for a week before I start using it in a couple weeks. I have a 12x24" heat pad that I run a couple times a day in it for 2 hours a pop.

Hope it sounds brixalicious, I just don't have a warm spot to put it yet.

80% of the mix is in the basement at 50f and will also go into 75f for several weeks before I start using it.

I'm guessing any life that is dormant or died will bounce back with the first tea?

Stir in some ROOTS when the bulk moves to the warm spot?

Just some ideas, I won't do anything unless advised, even the cold ones are sweating.

Thx guys/DOC!
 
MaxYields said:
So it is essentially just 1/4 Transplant Watering > Growth Energy Drench > 1/4 Transplant Watering until buds are formed and set then Cat Drench x2 then back to alternating Growth Energy Drench and 1/4 Transplant Water? With the 2.5ml of tea in each obviously plus the Brix and DeStress when applicable?

And for clarification... Transplant + Tea can be used in a top watering, and a Drench is when the pot is set in the water and it absorbs it upwards correct?

Thanks! :cheesygrinsmiley:
Click to expand...

Yep! you've got it.
 
BrixKlinger said:
FWIW: my mix has been sweating at a cool 61-62 since jan 26. Its in a tote on a folded sheet in a bathtub upstairs. It doesn't seem warm or cold, it will get into a 72ish degree insulated grow space for a week before I start using it in a couple weeks. I have a 12x24" heat pad that I run a couple times a day in it for 2 hours a pop.

Hope it sounds brixalicious, I just don't have a warm spot to put it yet.

80% of the mix is in the basement at 50f and will also go into 75f for several weeks before I start using it.

I'm guessing any life that is dormant or died will bounce back with the first tea?

Stir in some ROOTS when the bulk moves to the warm spot?

Just some ideas, I won't do anything unless advised, even the cold ones are sweating.

Thx guys/DOC!
Click to expand...

50 is a little too cool. 60's are just fine, 70's are better.
 
Thank you very much Doc for your quick responses.

Anyone can feel free to answer this next question as it is probably dumb but I have to ask so I know for sure... Am I supposed to water when the soil is dry or am I aiming to keep it moist to keep the life going?

Thanks again.. that should be my last question for now.. Can't wait to get my Kit!!! :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
MaxYields said:
Thank you very much Doc for your quick responses.

Anyone can feel free to answer this next question as it is probably dumb but I have to ask so I know for sure... Am I supposed to water when the soil is dry or am I aiming to keep it moist to keep the life going?

Thanks again.. that should be my last question for now.. Can't wait to get my Kit!!! :cheesygrinsmiley:
Click to expand...

In veg let it dry out nice so the roots search for water, during flower you want to keep it moist and not completely dry out.
 
MaxYields said:
Thank you very much Doc for your quick responses.

Anyone can feel free to answer this next question as it is probably dumb but I have to ask so I know for sure... Am I supposed to water when the soil is dry or am I aiming to keep it moist to keep the life going?

Thanks again.. that should be my last question for now.. Can't wait to get my Kit!!! :cheesygrinsmiley:
Click to expand...

You need to keep the stored soil moist, too - always a bit moist at least. Mine varies according to season and humidity. In the dry winters, I have to add water to covered totes once or twice a month. I'll toss up to a gallon or so into a 15 gallon tote. I don't always turn and mix it into the soil, but I always slow-water it all over the surface.

As Doc said, you can tell if it's alive. There should be an odd moist waft of air that'll wash over the back of your hand when you open it. It feels damp and warm. If I dig my hand into the soil it isn't actually warm, but it feels different - musky/damp - hard to explain until you feel it.
 
Graytail said:
You need to keep the stored soil moist, too - always a bit moist at least. Mine varies according to season and humidity. In the dry winters, I have to add water to covered totes once or twice a month. I'll toss up to a gallon or so into a 15 gallon tote. I don't always turn and mix it into the soil, but I always slow-water it all over the surface.

As Doc said, you can tell if it's alive. There should be an odd moist waft of air that'll wash over the back of your hand when you open it. It feels damp and warm. If I dig my hand into the soil it isn't actually warm, but it feels different - musky/damp - hard to explain until you feel it.
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All else fails, throw a handful of fresh leaf on the top and see what happens in a week ;)

Congrats btw Gray!!!

I have some of the Lemon Paki cross soaking :high-five:
 
Hmmm... I started cooking my soil on 2/14, so two+ weeks ago. It is indoors at 72-75F and not on a cold floor, but I don't see, feel or smell any difference since I mixed it. It is still moist (will clump when squeezed but falls apart very easily). No sweating or heat. Any reason for concern? Should I do something to it?
 
Major PITA said:
Hmmm... I started cooking my soil on 2/14, so two+ weeks ago. It is indoors at 72-75F and not on a cold floor, but I don't see, feel or smell any difference since I mixed it. It is still moist (will clump when squeezed but falls apart very easily). No sweating or heat. Any reason for concern? Should I do something to it?
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When you remove the lid is there moisture/condensate on the lid? Use the back of your hand....can you feel some warmth?

I'm sure your soil is great, in those conditions.
 
Doc Bud said:
When you remove the lid is there moisture/condensate on the lid? Use the back of your hand....can you feel some warmth?

I'm sure your soil is great, in those conditions.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is my problem (?):
I didn't use a tote or trash can for storage. I have the soil in large doubled-up plastic trash bags which are contained inside a very large fabric/soft pot.
No condensation on the inside and no warmth I can detect. I'm sure my setup breaths a little more than a covered trash can, but the soil isn't drying out. I put my arm all the way down in and the soil seems fine all the way through but I can't say I feel any "cooking". Do you think it should be in a more air-tight container?
 
Major PITA said:
Maybe this is my problem (?):
I didn't use a tote or trash can for storage. I have the soil in large doubled-up plastic trash bags which are contained inside a very large fabric/soft pot.
No condensation on the inside and no warmth I can detect. I'm sure my setup breaths a little more than a covered trash can, but the soil isn't drying out. I put my arm all the way down in and the soil seems fine all the way through but I can't say I feel any "cooking". Do you think it should be in a more air-tight container?
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Put a few leaves on top, with a slight dusting of Roots!. If you don't see fuzz and digestion of the leaf in a couple days, sumpin's wrong.
 
Doc Bud said:
Put a few leaves on top, with a slight dusting of Roots!. If you don't see fuzz and digestion of the leaf in a couple days, sumpin's wrong.
Click to expand...

On it. Will report back either way.
 
Major PITA said:
On it. Will report back either way.
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I think you're fine with those temps, and the bag shouldn't be air tight, there should be some oxygen exchange.
 
Doc Bud said:
I think you're fine with those temps, and the bag shouldn't be air tight, there should be some oxygen exchange.
Click to expand...

Thanks Doc!
The only leaves I have right now are dry. I moistened them slightly and dusted them with roots on the top of the soil.
 
Major PITA said:
Thanks Doc!
The only leaves I have right now are dry. I moistened them slightly and dusted them with roots on the top of the soil.
Click to expand...

You're not going to muck anything up! Everything is going to work great.
 
Don' worry too much about the cook, PITA. In my experience, it's mostly a matter of when (time) not if.

I've had upcanned plants that limped along for a week or two before suddenly hooking up, as if the soil cooked right in the pot. I've potted plants in soil that was less than three weeks into the cook and they hooked up just fine. If the ingredients are there, the biota will take advantage of them and prosper. I suspect even having new roots to suckle on is a boost to otherwise dormant biota.

I think you'd see dramatic results - a big change in the character of the soil - if you warmed it up to the high 70s. I've noticed that heat is a big overlooked factor in the cook. Higher temps = higher microbial activity.

In any case, as long as it's had a month or two to cook at lower temps, when the soil gets a crack at some fresh roots, it'll do what it always does - grow great produce. :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
Thanks GT!
I can't do much to increase the temps, but it never gets cold. This will cook at least 45 days before it sees any action.

HELP?
I don't want to derail the High Brix topics, but I have a few girls in rockwool (my 1st grow) and they need some help bad.
If anyone is willing to take a quick peek and throw out some ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it. I've tried everything I can think of but am at a loss.

They can be seen HERE.
 
I have another question about the kit, how do we know how much of each drench or foliar spray to add to water? Is the standard an OZ (I've seen this amount mentioned on the first few pages of the Journal) per gallon, or is each one different?

Thanks.. I know these are probably dumb questions but I like to prepare, so I am doing lots of research before my Kit arrives. :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
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