In The Lab

SweetSue said:
I'm not connecting something here. The tap water would effect the acidity of the foliar?
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I believe Doc was replying to my distilled water suggestion/question, which surprises me as well. Near zero TDS and 7.0 PH. I don't know why RO would keep the foliars more acidic.
 
And tap water would change that?
 
IntoTheClouds said:
Hey doc, i know you have a tutorial for molasses feeding. can you point me in the in the direction of that article you wrote on it? i cant find it anywhere and i stumbled upon it before now its lost.... thanks for your valuable time.
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Oh man.....that was a few years ago. Search old journals....perhaps back in the organic super soil days. I don't know where to find it, LOL.

But it's quite easy to use:

Depending on what you're growing in and so forth, if you mix about 1-2 oz molasses per 5 gallons of water at a strategic time (late bloom at some point) and perhaps include some epsom salts you're pretty much duplicating the "Sweet" products put out by Botanicare.
 
Major PITA said:
I believe Doc was replying to my distilled water suggestion/question, which surprises me as well. Near zero TDS and 7.0 PH. I don't know why RO would keep the foliars more acidic.
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I haven't looked back to what you're referring to, but the sprays are recommended to be used with RO or very low PPM water.

The reasons for that are pretty straightforward: You don't want sprayers clogged with salts from hard water, and because of the dilution rates----1 oz foliar spray per quart of water----if a person had really hard water the acidity of the foliar spray would be at a 32 to 1 disadvantage to the acid demand of the water.
 
DrZiggy said:
Brix and DeStress Foliars are acidic on purpose
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Right - I get that part. I don't understand why distilled water would change them any more or less than RO water.
 
Major PITA said:
Right - I get that part. I don't understand why distilled water would change them any more or less than RO water.
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Distilled and RO are for all practical purposes identical and interchangeable as far as foliar spraying is concerned. Both have no buffering ability.
 
DrZiggy said:
if the water is alkaline, above pH 7, yes.
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According to my search our water is at 7.7. I'll need to find a source of RO water for the foliars then.

Thank you gentlemen for your patience. :Love:
 
SweetSue said:
According to my search our water is at 7.7. I'll need to find a source of RO water for the foliars then.

Thank you gentlemen for your patience. :Love:
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Sue, I just buy the purified or distilled water in the 16.9 oz bottles ( you know the bottled water we drink), you are only going to mix an ounce at a time with your small number of plants. That would last you a long time. I've also been stockpiling 2.5 gallon jugs of purified water for later in the grow. I just grab a jug or 2 every time I go to the grocery store.
 
SweetSue said:
According to my search our water is at 7.7. I'll need to find a source of RO water for the foliars then.

Thank you gentlemen for your patience. :Love:
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Since Doc cleared it up, you can get distilled water almost anywhere and it is very cheap.
 
Doc Bud said:
Depending on what you're growing in and so forth, if you mix about 1-2 oz molasses per 5 gallons of water at a strategic time (late bloom at some point) and perhaps include some epsom salts you're pretty much duplicating the "Sweet" products put out by Botanicare.
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thanks for the reply doc! yeah i went ahead and read the bottle directions (it was the Hi-Brix) brand. i remember your post on it said to heat up some water and let it dissovle, so i did and blended it with my 24 hour tap water. Didnt see anything about epson salt though, how should i go about that? any specifics on the type i should use?
 
IntoTheClouds said:
thanks for the reply doc! yeah i went ahead and read the bottle directions (it was the Hi-Brix) brand. i remember your post on it said to heat up some water and let it dissovle, so i did and blended it with my 24 hour tap water. Didnt see anything about epson salt though, how should i go about that? any specifics on the type i should use?
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Just regular old epsom salt. Don't get the lavender or fresh spring scented stuff.....

BTW, please feel free to ask this stuff over on the Q and A journal. This journal is focused on my kit, which does not use molasses.
 
Doc, I've had some good growth on my seedlings over the past few weeks but noticed some yellowing and downward curling of the leaves. I've only been watering every few days with distilled water, although today I gave them transplant since I hAvent yet. Do I need some cal-mag?
 
incontrol7 said:
Doc, I've had some good growth on my seedlings over the past few weeks but noticed some yellowing and downward curling of the leaves. I've only been watering every few days with distilled water, although today I gave them transplant since I hAvent yet. Do I need some cal-mag?
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A picture would help....

Most likely you've overwatered them. Remember that in veg, we want to let them dry out, them saturate, dry saturate.

Let it dry out to where the plant is just starting to wilt a bit....carefully scissor off the yellow leaves.....and then submerge the container to about 3/4 up the pot (3/4 submerged)....with this:


1 oz Transplant per 1 gallon of water and 6 mils Tea.

Next time after they dry out from that^^again submerge them in a normal strength Growth Energy drench, after that begin alternating water in between.

There's no need for calmag....the soil is friggin loaded with calcium and you've been feeding Growth Energy per the directions, right?

The problem is most likely your roots.

Most users find that including 1/4 strength transplant per watering works well. From the directions:

Seeds:

Using a gallon sized container of newly cooked High Brix soil, make sure the soil is still slightly moist from the barrel. Not soaking wet....but moist.

Using a pencil, or chopstick or a non-functioning vape pen, make a divet in the soil about 1/4 inch deep. Add a small amount of ROOTS! in and around this hole, in which you deposit the seed and lightly cover with surrounding dirt. Gently water with 1/4 strength Transplant if needed to keep the soil moist, but not wet.
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Using Drenches:

Tea: All drenches are "served" with 2.5 mils of Tea. No execptions.

In High Brix growing, drenches do far more than feed the plant. They signal the plant to grow or re-produce, and they keep the biology in the soil happy and productive. This is where the magic happens! Water with straight water plus 1/4 strength Transplant between drenches with one exception.*

Growth Energy: used nearly exclusively in veg. This is where strong stems and healthy leaves come from. It is also used during the latter half of the bloom cycle to bulk up fruit and flowers. Mix at 1/2 oz per 6 plants. Stronger doses can be used if needed, but generally you'll just waste product. Finishing the growing cycle on Growth Energy results in a sweeter produce.

Transplant Should be used during the bloom phase alternating with Growth Energy. It is used at 1 oz per 6 plants (30 square feet.) Some growers have found that essential oil and resin production can be increased by using 1/4 oz of Transplant evenly distributed to every plant with each and every watering....whether with a drench or with just plain water. Please note, this does not mean 1/4 TO EVERY PLANT, but 1/4 oz divided equally to all plants.

**Cat Drench: This is used right when buds set. It is strongly reproductive in effect and if used at the wrong time will result in stunted growth and lower yields. Used at the proper time, unprecedented resin formation takes place. It is used twice in a row (no water in between applications). Using Cat Drench late in bloom may increase certain flavors and smells, but it also results in a more "gamey" flavor in produce.

These are the basic instructions for using the kit! A few pointers:

When in doubt about which drench to use, use Growth Energy.

If the plants seem weak and need a boost---almost never happens unless you made a mistake or there has been some environmental issue or circumstances beyond your control---try this:

1 oz. Transplant per gallon of water with 6 mils of Tea. Feed a solution with this composition to all the plants. It will re-colonize the roots and get things back on track. Do not do this if you aren't having any problems.
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MIx up your drenches on the strong side when dunking. Normal strength when top watering.
 
I havent gave them any growth energy or drenches yet as they dont have 5 sets of leaves. The ones that were really yellow and dry were just the bottom first set but the others seem to be headed that way. I've been spraying them with water with my mister to keep the soil moist... Unless I'm not supposed to do that? I've only watered them 3 times now including this morning with transplant.

Is there a way to post pics without a URL?
 
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