V4L's Canuk Seeds Comparative Grow: Cherry Pie Fems, LOS, 2023

[Vegan4life]

Sweet! See if brix climbs after the storm is done.

I have also read that Brix readings will be highest mid day, do you find any truth to that?

 

[Gee64]

I have also read that Brix readings will be highest mid day, do you find any truth to that?

I usually take mine at about 9 hours after lights on, when they have been working all day long. I don't know if theres an optimal time, but I check my vpd then, so if I'm doing a brix test I do it then too.

 

[Jon]

Wow, awesome Brix discussion. Thanks you guys. That filled in a few gaps for me. I so want to test the Skywalker but she’s not the leafiest plant, and I hear Gee’s warning on taking leaves. In theory, her highest Brix level should be right at harvest, right? I’ll do it then. I haven’t intentionally taken more than six leaves from her this whole grow. The other two I could, but they’re autos and someone will say it doesn’t matter. Lol. I want to know though, so I’m gonna try the Cherry Pie. She’s still green even this late.

Your canopy is incredible. That’s a lot of bud. Very healthy. Awesome.

Two nickels, eh Gee? Ok I’ll try that. I was using a small piece of screen but it’s really difficult.

 

[Gee64]

Wow, awesome Brix discussion. Thanks you guys. That filled in a few gaps for me. I so want to test the Skywalker but she’s not the leafiest plant, and I hear Gee’s warning on taking leaves. In theory, her highest Brix level should be right at harvest, right? I’ll do it then. I haven’t intentionally taken more than six leaves from her this whole grow. The other two I could, but they’re autos and someone will say it doesn’t matter. Lol. I want to know though, so I’m gonna try the Cherry Pie. She’s still green even this late.

Your canopy is incredible. That’s a lot of bud. Very healthy. Awesome.

Two nickels, eh Gee? Ok I’ll try that. I was using a small piece of screen but it’s really difficult.

electrical slugs work even better than coins if you have any.

 

[Jon]

electrical slugs work even better than coins if you have any.

Ah, cuz they’re flat rather than carved with a shape?

 

[Gee64]

Ah, cuz they’re flat rather than carved with a shape?

exactly.

 

[Vegan4life]

Wow, awesome Brix discussion. Thanks you guys. That filled in a few gaps for me. I so want to test the Skywalker but she’s not the leafiest plant, and I hear Gee’s warning on taking leaves. In theory, her highest Brix level should be right at harvest, right? I’ll do it then. I haven’t intentionally taken more than six leaves from her this whole grow. The other two I could, but they’re autos and someone will say it doesn’t matter. Lol. I want to know though, so I’m gonna try the Cherry Pie. She’s still green even this late.

Your canopy is incredible. That’s a lot of bud. Very healthy. Awesome.

Two nickels, eh Gee? Ok I’ll try that. I was using a small piece of screen but it’s really difficult.

Good morning! I did another Brix reading last night after the lights had been on for 6.5 hours. I used Gee's nickel vise grip trick. It worked great, I rolled up the leaf into a ball and put between the nickels and squished it. A lot of leaf matter was sticking out from the edges, so I released the leaf rolled it up again and squished. More leaf matter still sticking out and no drip yet. So I released leaf again, rinse repeat... Third squeeze and I got plenty of juice... The reading that I got was very similar to the reading that I took yesterday morning at around 13+ maybe 14? So the temp in my grow room when I took the reading was about 25 Celsius. I found a Brix temperature correction chart. From what I am reading you should do your brix reading @ 20 celsius. According to the chart I need to add .3 to my reading. This tells me that I don't really need to be worried about the temp correction as it is not much of a difference. I posted my reading from last night and the Temp correction chart below.

 

[Gee64]

Good morning! I did another Brix reading last night after the lights had been on for 6.5 hours. I used Gee's nickel vise grip trick. It worked great, I rolled up the leaf into a ball and put between the nickels and squished it. A lot of leaf matter was sticking out from the edges, so I released the leaf rolled it up again and squished. More leaf matter still sticking out and no drip yet. So I released leaf again, rinse repeat... Third squeeze and I got plenty of juice... The reading that I got was very similar to the reading that I took yesterday morning at around 13+ maybe 14? So the temp in my grow room when I took the reading was about 25 Celsius. I found a Brix temperature correction chart. From what I am reading you should do your brix reading @ 20 celsius. According to the chart I need to add .3 to my reading. This tells me that I don't really need to be worried about the temp correction as it is not much of a difference. I posted my reading from last night and the Temp correction chart below.

V this is awesome that you are exploring brix. I never mention the temp chart to people for the very reason you discovered, because it confuses a very easy process.

Google "Thomas M. Dykstra brix" and you will get a ton of info. He has done a lot of scientific research into brix and pest management. If you read all his stuff you will find some good tips on using brix readings as a tool, plus tons of other cool stuff.

It's a rabbit hole unto itself lol.

Once you wrap your head around the synergy that raises brix, it becomes crystal clear that environment is really important, as it drives the speed of the plant, which needs to be at what promotes the best photosynthesis for the stage the plant is at in order to make enough sugars.

Without proper environment, you can't get exceptional photosynthesis, so if you read a bit about VPD to just know the basics, and get your environment into the general ballpark of where it should be, it will help you a lot if you intend to try for higher brix.

If you already know VPD, brix will be easy.

If your environment is good ( and how well you water is part of your environment, as is light intensity), brix comes down to 5 things. Calcium, carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, and microbes/fungii.

Your calcium is good, which means magnesium is in check, so if you don't overwater, the good calcium ensures good oxygen, so you already have 2 covered.

You are over 12 so you are getting your carbon from the air now, so carbon is good. That only leaves two things. Don't fuck (pardon my language) with phosphorus unless you have explored all other options, so that leaves microbes/fungii.

So at a glance, if your grow were my grow, and I wanted to raise my brix, I would give them a myco drench today, and start a microbe tea for 48 hours from now. Not a feed tea per se, just ewc/compost molasses, and kelp if you have it, and not strong on the molasses and kelp.

Just try to boost the microbes.

Don't go overboard and burn your tips, that will lower photosynthesis. A few weak microbe teas weekly are better than one strong one.

If that doesn't raise your brix, phosphorus is your limiting factor. Hope that makes sense.
(You are already high brix so your trace minerals are all fine)

But wait until your storms are over and see what your brix are really at.

To be honest, I have been lurking your grow for awhile. The 1st time I saw your plants I knew you were high brix.

I would guess after the storm leaves you should be about 17 brix, but if that takes all week, likely you will be 18 or 19 by the time the storms leave and then a couple days to move all the sugars back up.

I look forward to your Flower Show!

P.S. Too much nitrogen will lower brix drastically. That won't be an issue with your grow style, but it is something to be aware of.

 

[Vegan4life]

V this is awesome that you are exploring brix. I never mention the temp chart to people for the very reason you discovered, because it confuses a very easy process.

Google "Thomas M. Dykstra brix" and you will get a ton of info. He has done a lot of scientific research into brix and pest management. If you read all his stuff you will find some good tips on using brix readings as a tool, plus tons of other cool stuff.

It's a rabbit hole unto itself lol.

Once you wrap your head around the synergy that raises brix, it becomes crystal clear that environment is really important, as it drives the speed of the plant, which needs to be at what promotes the best photosynthesis for the stage the plant is at in order to make enough sugars.

Without proper environment, you can't get exceptional photosynthesis, so if you read a bit about VPD to just know the basics, and get your environment into the general ballpark of where it should be, it will help you a lot if you intend to try for higher brix.

If you already know VPD, brix will be easy.

If your environment is good ( and how well you water is part of your environment, as is light intensity), brix comes down to 5 things. Calcium, carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, and microbes/fungii.

Your calcium is good, which means magnesium is in check, so if you don't overwater, the good calcium ensures good oxygen, so you already have 2 covered.

You are over 12 so you are getting your carbon from the air now, so carbon is good. That only leaves two things. Don't fuck (pardon my language) with phosphorus unless you have explored all other options, so that leaves microbes/fungii.

So at a glance, if your grow were my grow, and I wanted to raise my brix, I would give them a myco drench today, and start a microbe tea for 48 hours from now. Not a feed tea per se, just ewc/compost molasses, and kelp if you have it, and not strong on the molasses and kelp.

Just try to boost the microbes.

Don't go overboard and burn your tips, that will lower photosynthesis. A few weak microbe teas weekly are better than one strong one.

If that doesn't raise your brix, phosphorus is your limiting factor. Hope that makes sense.
(You are already high brix so your trace minerals are all fine)

But wait until your storms are over and see what your brix are really at.

To be honest, I have been lurking your grow for awhile. The 1st time I saw your plants I knew you were high brix.

I would guess after the storm leaves you should be about 17 brix, but if that takes all week, likely you will be 18 or 19 by the time the storms leave and then a couple days to move all the sugars back up.

I look forward to your Flower Show!

P.S. Too much nitrogen will lower brix drastically. That won't be an issue with your grow style, but it is something to be aware of.

I do not have any water soluble Myco, can I crush up some Dynomyco to make a drench? I am also going to do a top dress this week and add some malted barley flour and mustard seed meal, both of these start a fungal growth. Maybe I'll add some of the Dynomyco to my top dress.

 

[Gee64]

I do not have any water soluble Myco, can I crush up some Dynomyco to make a drench? I am also going to do a top dress this week and add some malted barley flour and mustard seed meal, both of these start a fungal growth. Maybe I'll add some of the Dynomyco to my top dress.

However the Dynomyco instructions say, just do that and myco should be fine.

I haven't used Dyno myco but I only hear/see good things with it.

If you are using myco regularly, then likely only increasing microbes would be needed but... wait til the storm passes. You may surprise yourself and be crazy to change anything.

You may not need to increase microbes, but if you decide to raise brix even higher,and calcium is good, microbes are good place to start.

Make sure the food system can supply a rootball adequately before you increase light, or a deficiency pops up and brix bursts like a bubble.

The higher light will drive photosynthesis harder than the soil biology/root system can supply the photosynthesis department.

Above 17 is getting seriously high, your nugs will be fantastic for the strain, and every strain has a DNA dictated maximum photosynthetic rate.

That translates into some strains almost never getting above 17 or 18 because their DNA won't allow it, and others that seem to have no limits.

I have a purple kush that will pull over 20 brix outdoors in a 10 gal pot with little help from me, just soil and water with the odd mineral top dressing and some fish water. It makes me look like a brix pro, but it's the plant doing it, not me. But I'll still brag that one up.

But mostly just keep that line fuzzy, if it's not fuzzy your engine is sputtering.

Nothing will work if calcium isn't correct. EWC topdressing keeps it fuzzy really well.

Again, very nice job with your plants, you have your bases covered really well.

Try to leave a few leaves.

 

[CaptainLucky]

I do not have any water soluble Myco, can I crush up some Dynomyco to make a drench? I am also going to do a top dress this week and add some malted barley flour and mustard seed meal, both of these start a fungal growth. Maybe I'll add some of the Dynomyco to my top dress.

From what Shedster has told me that it’s not water soluble and that it has to be in contact with the roots. CL

 

[Vegan4life]

From what Shedster has told me that it’s not water soluble and that it has to be in contact with the roots. CL

I have roots at the surface of my pots and worms too, the worms mobilize my top dressing. They do sell wettable powder, that you can use as a drench.

 

[CaptainLucky]

I have roots at the surface of my pots and worms too, the worms mobilize my top dressing. They do sell wettable powder, that you can use as a drench.

I was talking about @DYNOMYCO because that’s what you were talking about using. But as far as water soluble I know that there’s other brands that are. CL

 

[Vegan4life]

I was talking about @DYNOMYCO because that’s what you were talking about using. But as far as water soluble I know that there’s other brands that are. CL

The plants have been inoculated twice with @DYNOMYCO , when I first dropped the seeds and again when I transplanted. Thank you for confirming what I was thinking...

 

[CaptainLucky]

The plants have been inoculated twice with @DYNOMYCO , when I first dropped the seeds and again when I transplanted. Thank you for confirming what I was thinking...

CL

 

[Jon]

However the Dynomyco instructions say, just do that and myco should be fine.

I haven't used Dyno myco but I only hear/see good things with it.

If you are using myco regularly, then likely only increasing microbes would be needed but... wait til the storm passes. You may surprise yourself and be crazy to change anything.

You may not need to increase microbes, but if you decide to raise brix even higher,and calcium is good, microbes are good place to start.

Make sure the food system can supply a rootball adequately before you increase light, or a deficiency pops up and brix bursts like a bubble.

The higher light will drive photosynthesis harder than the soil biology/root system can supply the photosynthesis department.

Above 17 is getting seriously high, your nugs will be fantastic for the strain, and every strain has a DNA dictated maximum photosynthetic rate.

That translates into some strains almost never getting above 17 or 18 because their DNA won't allow it, and others that seem to have no limits.

I have a purple kush that will pull over 20 brix outdoors in a 10 gal pot with little help from me, just soil and water with the odd mineral top dressing and some fish water. It makes me look like a brix pro, but it's the plant doing it, not me. But I'll still brag that one up.

But mostly just keep that line fuzzy, if it's not fuzzy your engine is sputtering.

Nothing will work if calcium isn't correct. EWC topdressing keeps it fuzzy really well.

Again, very nice job with your plants, you have your bases covered really well.

Try to leave a few leaves.

Great White is water soluble myco and works as well or better than Dyno-.

 

[Vegan4life]

However the Dynomyco instructions say, just do that and myco should be fine.

I haven't used Dyno myco but I only hear/see good things with it.

If you are using myco regularly, then likely only increasing microbes would be needed but... wait til the storm passes. You may surprise yourself and be crazy to change anything.

You may not need to increase microbes, but if you decide to raise brix even higher,and calcium is good, microbes are good place to start.

Make sure the food system can supply a rootball adequately before you increase light, or a deficiency pops up and brix bursts like a bubble.

The higher light will drive photosynthesis harder than the soil biology/root system can supply the photosynthesis department.

Above 17 is getting seriously high, your nugs will be fantastic for the strain, and every strain has a DNA dictated maximum photosynthetic rate.

That translates into some strains almost never getting above 17 or 18 because their DNA won't allow it, and others that seem to have no limits.

I have a purple kush that will pull over 20 brix outdoors in a 10 gal pot with little help from me, just soil and water with the odd mineral top dressing and some fish water. It makes me look like a brix pro, but it's the plant doing it, not me. But I'll still brag that one up.

But mostly just keep that line fuzzy, if it's not fuzzy your engine is sputtering.

Nothing will work if calcium isn't correct. EWC topdressing keeps it fuzzy really well.

Again, very nice job with your plants, you have your bases covered really well.

Try to leave a few leaves.

I have been using ROOTWISE MYCROBE COMPLETE throughout this grow, I just realized that it does contain Mycorrhizae. @Gee64 Do you have any recipes for fungal dominant teas?

 

[Gee64]

I have been using ROOTWISE MYCROBE COMPLETE throughout this grow, I just realized that it does contain Mycorrhizae. @Gee64 Do you have any recipes for fungal dominant teas?

I actually use cold hydrolysed fish ferts to feed the fungii, and put dry organic basmati rice in my global mix to again promote fungii, and I try not to add microbes in a tea or any ewc until the pot has become fungal dominant. It makes it so I don't need fungal teas, only a microbial one after the pot gets fungal dominant. So sorry, I don't have a recipe but just off the top of my head I would say kelp, comfrey, hydrolysed fish ferts, and a bit of molasses would really work well.

The molasses is just a carb to offset the nitrogens. If you want to use a different carb thats OK too. Organic cane sugar works good. Molasses has a great nutrient profile though, so it's really good once in awhile.

@Azimuth will have a good list of fungal promoting tea ingredients

 

[Azimuth]

@Azimuth will have a good list of fungal promoting tea ingredients

I haven't done teas in a while. Doesn't The Rev have a version in his book? Maybe @StoneOtter would know that answer.

 

[Jon]

I actually use cold hydrolysed fish ferts to feed the fungii, and put dry organic basmati rice in my global mix to again promote fungii, and I try not to add microbes in a tea or any ewc until the pot has become fungal dominant. It makes it so I don't need fungal teas, only a microbial one after the pot gets fungal dominant. So sorry, I don't have a recipe but just off the top of my head I would say kelp, comfrey, hydrolysed fish ferts, and a bit of molasses would really work well.

The molasses is just a carb to offset the nitrogens. If you want to use a different carb thats OK too. Organic cane sugar works good. Molasses has a great nutrient profile though, so it's really good once in awhile.

@Azimuth will have a good list of fungal promoting tea ingredients

How do you know when it has become “fungal dominant?” When you see mold everywhere?