Re: Vapedogg223's Got a Brand New Bag! All Organic, High Brix, Nirvana Ice, 49 Plant
Hey there Vape! First off let me say
! I have read Doc's entire journal and it is amazing to say the least.
I have a couple of questions for you. You say you add 2/3 cup of the 6/5/3 powders, but I don't understand the ratios. I know its not 2/3 cup of each, so can you clarify this some? Thanks
I already have azomite - really great stuff and I have just ordered the rest of the powders needed for this soil conversion I am going to make. I use promix as my soil/soiless base.
and you are doing a great job!
brother!
Sure, I think I can clear it up. You've read Doc's Journals, but I'm going to go into a little detail in case someone reading this hasn't, so please bear with me.
Let me just preface by saying again though, that the best way to properly mineralize your soil, is by first having it tested. Then you'll know exactly what needs to be added.
Okay, that being said...DocBud did all the legwork on this, and is the one that came up with these recommendations, and deserves all the credit.
There are specific amounts and ratios of minerals in relation to each other, that we need to have in the soil to grow plants with the highest Brix. I'm still learning myself but I've read the calcium/magesium balance should be 7:1 and the phosphorus/potassium balance should be 2:1, but there may be newer data and updated recommendations, so please don't hold me to these numbers.
Now, I think I'm a pretty smart guy...but numbers and me really don't get along. If you want to see the color drain out of my face, just start talking about statistics...
My ADD kicks in full bore in times like that, and the subject of mineral ratios is getting dangerously close to my ADD tipping point.
Thankfully, DocBud's been researching this for quite a while, and did most of the thinking for me.
The method below that I used to mineralize the soil, when done with a quality potting soil, is supposed to get you pretty close to where you could get with a soil test.
The first thing I do is powder everything. My CaCO3, and Azomite are already finely ground, but the SRP and gypsum I have are pelletized, so I throw them in a spice grinder. Some folks use a mortar and pestle...screw that! I grow chilies...if I had to grind chill powders with a mortar and pestle I wouldn't grow them any more.
Anyway, once they're all ground I just use any size container to measure the parts. I used a 1/2 cup measuring scoop, and dumped 6 scoops of CaCO3, 5 scoops of SRP, and 3 Scoops of gypsum all into a container, and used my hand to mix them up really well. You'll end up with a gray powder...that's your 6/5/3 powders. Those three ingredients combined in those amounts, provide the minerals needed in the proper ratios to each other, and we have a mineral base that's easy to use or measure for different sized bags of soil.
Doc has been tweaking these amounts based on how his own plants are behaving. His current recommendation was 1 cup of 6/5/3 powders and 1/2 cup Azomite to be added to a 1.5 cubic foot bag of soil...for the 1 cubic foot bags I use, it works out to 2/3 cup of the 6/5/3 powders, and 1/3 cup Azomite.
Does that explain it a little better?
If you're using ProMix the only thought I would add is that high Brix is all about soil biology, and a thriving micro heard. Pro-Mix is a soilless mix and is basically steril, with some select bacteria and/or fungi like mycorrhiza added. I think some of their lines have polymer crystals added for water retention...but I could be mistaken...it will say it on the bail. If you use that, I would add a decent amount of worm castings and some quality compost in there as well...off the top of my head, maybe 8 cups of each.
If you can, prepare the mix, put in in a clean garbage can, and water it down with some EWC tea and fish fertilizer or add some manure to the mix. Then let the soil cook for 2-4 weeks, but even a few days is better than nothing. That will really get things going in there.
I keep learning something new here; Just wanna add, I use egg-shells for calcium along with blackstrapp unsulphered molasses.
