High Brix soil grow

[Drek]

I like High Brix. I need to get a refractometer one of these days so I can start checking levels.

The way I see it, as important as brix level is, it's still just a part of an equation including genetics and light. High Brix farming is more less assuming outdoor conditions(..at it's best).

My last little grow was aimed at high quality. I used ok genetics, CDM 400w lighting, full line of Earth Juice original formula, cal/mag and Nitrozyme.....perlite, etc added to soil. Plus, i foliar fed thorughout veg w/ kelp/nute tea's etc. All the while not overdoing it (which is hard anyway with these nutes). My plants were healthy and green till the end. Nice big sticky buds, colors and smell. Taste was great, burnt great..smooth. Effect - ok.



Next time I'll add some of the soft rock minerals, azomite and other brix stuff...and get a meter. I'll switch to the Promix HP as well. Also have other genetics to try and some badder ass lighting.

 

[Duael]

Late to the Party.

I am replying to Budrunners mention in '13, not to use Greensand. Too much K.

I am noticing that many Green sands are high in K.
Down To Earth 0-0-3
Texas Greensand 0-0-1
But,
Espoma is only 0-0-0.1

Some may say we still don't want to use Greensand (especially if we are using Promix HP).
However, Greensand has other advantages.
It has Glauconite which promotes soil acidity (we may not need that).
It also has Silica.
Somewhere in this thread there is a suggestion to move away from Silica Blast (as it is 0-0-.5) to Diatomaceous Earth with Crab Shell. No K, but the Crab Shell gets ya 2-3-0.

Would we still want to use a low K Greensand as a source of Si, as it has no N or P?
As we don't have the safety concerns of Diatomaceous Earth.

Thanx

 

[Granger2]

The only real safety concern about DE is breathing it. Don't. Fine crystaline particles not good in lungs. My only concern with Green Sand is how quickly it will release silicon. I believe it is very slow to do that, and I don't think it will release much in the first crop. I'm guessing. I'd like to find some micronized Green Sand. -granger

 

[Grapefruitroop]

without cooking.....

without cooking.....

Thank you so much Budrunner.....and everybody...
I was thinking to use your (aglab) recipe for this year grow...but..
But i dont have a month to let sit the soil to "cook"...so i was thinking to prepare it a plant....
Is it possible anyway ? maybe ca i supplement the nutes that are not already available?
thanks again!

 

[Sluicebox]

Here is a quick list so far and will keep adding more info as time allows
I used a 16oz. measuring cup for scooping the equal parts for the minerals listed below
THIS IS THE 6-5-3 MINERAL BASE MIX I USE

6 parts Calcium Carbonate - Marble dust its 98+% pure 50# bag 7.00 kelp4less has it for 5# 14.00

5 parts Soft Rock Phosphate - picked it up at kelp4less

3 parts Gypsum - Hoe-Down Gypsum soil conditioner 23% available calcium 15-18% sulfur 40# bag 11.00 kelp4less has it listed as calcium sulfate

blend all minerals together, this is your mineral base

75% premier peat moss ( my brand preference )
25% Happy Frog potting soil ( it has mycos, worm castings etc. )
2-3 gallons of perlite per 2 cu ft of soil mix ^^^ ( I use fabric containers this amount is good, add a little more for plastic containers )
3 quart bag of earth worm castings per 2 cu ft of soil mix
1 cup bone meal per 2 cu ft of soil mix
1/2 - 1 cup azomite per 2 cu ft of soil mix - picked it up at kelp4less
1-1/2 to 2 cups mineral base ^^^^ per 2 cu ft of soil mix

Mix it up, then put in a clean container I like using garbage cans, brew up a good tea about 2-3 gallons pour it slowly over the soil to activate the microbes so they can get to work, it needs to be in a warm space. Ready to use after a month cooking so to speak

A quick list of items I like to use for my drenches and foilar feedings

I prefer Earth Juice Catalyst, Micro, Grow, Bloom. Dextrose, Steens 100% pure cane sugar syrup ( once a week ) Hygrozyme, Neptune hydrolyzed fish and seaweed ( foliar ) Koolbloom cationic drench NH4 ( to rev up plant energy at initial flower formation stimulates reproductive growth then again 2 weeks later, weak mix not full strength ) Calcium Nitrate ( used after Koolbloom to change plant energy back to Anion energy NO3 to promote growth and bulking ) Medina Liquid Humus

Stopped using PGR, Amaze and Bloomit ..... PGR is seaweed in a bottle and replaced it with Neptune fish and seaweed, Amaze is basically calcium nitrate NO3 to promote growth and bulking and Bloomit NH4 to trigger reproduction is very similar to Koolblom which burns plants if mixed wrong all this was used for foliar feedings

the feedings are once week the energy drenches happens in the place of watering between feeding

Nutrient drenches and foliar schedule coming up later

Sorry to bother you with this old thread but this is excellent information. I would like to know if you have modified this at all since you posted it. Second question as I am new to this method, is this soil reusable or does it get better the second run?
I am leery of using soil again and was thinking about cooking up new batch for every run, is that a mistake on my part? You state above to pour 2-3 gal of tea over soil before you let it cook so to speak for 30 days. How much tea for a 55 gal drum of soil mix? Does the soil need to breath, or can drum be sealed? I imagine that co2 would be produced from the working action of the mix. I was thinking of adding an liquid air lock bubbler like those used for making wine. Basically a P trap that holds a sanitary solution. They allow the co2 to escape but no air or bugs back in. Is this going to create a lot of heat if done in my house, smells? Thanks again for your time, any who answer.

 

[Scrappy4]

Sorry to bother you with this old thread but this is excellent information. I would like to know if you have modified this at all since you posted it. Second question as I am new to this method, is this soil reusable or does it get better the second run?
I am leery of using soil again and was thinking about cooking up new batch for every run, is that a mistake on my part? You state above to pour 2-3 gal of tea over soil before you let it cook so to speak for 30 days. How much tea for a 55 gal drum of soil mix? Does the soil need to breath, or can drum be sealed? I imagine that co2 would be produced from the working action of the mix. I was thinking of adding an liquid air lock bubbler like those used for making wine. Basically a P trap that holds a sanitary solution. They allow the co2 to escape but no air or bugs back in. Is this going to create a lot of heat if done in my house, smells? Thanks again for your time, any who answer.

If your old.soil was grown organically there should be no worries about reusing it. You don't reamend everything like a new soil. If you replant within a few days the microbial networks will.stay active and help the new crop. That's how I do it anyway.

To cook new soil, let it breath. Sealed up will make anaerobic microbe life, but to grow plants in the soil mix you need areation while it cooks and after when plants are growing in it.


The amount of water or tea needed depends. You don't want to flood it, just make it damp through out. You want microbes to cycle nutrients so don't dry them out or drown them. They need moisture, but not a lot. And if it heats up, you might want to turn it over, to let it breath evenly.

 

[Sluicebox]

So do you pull the plant out of the container and beat the root ball to release the soil then collect and reuse that? I'm not knocking anything you much more experienced folks are doing. I was under the impression that this plant is the depleter of soils, much like corn. It would seem that for consistent results you would want to use newly cooked soil. I would love however to use this left over 1 run soil in my raised bed vegetable garden. I just wasn't sure if you are getting better results reusing soil, or if it is just a cost issue. Don't get me wrong please, "dirt cheap" is a misinterpretation in our case as soil is a significant cost factor. I have a deep respect for you growers who have figured this out. I have only grown salty buds and am tired of it. I would love to see some pics of organic buds and any side by side comparison reviews. If there is such a thread in here, please send me the link. I'm seriously looking forward to happy plants and happier patients. Thank you so much for sharing with me.

 

[Buddyy]

Sluicebox, no the roots are organic material and will decompose into nutrients. After you have chopped the plants put soil with roots into large container. Break up roots, re-amend, mix, keep moist and let to sit for 3-4 weeks if possible and also depending on what the soil was amended with. There is no reason to not reuse soil. The companies have made cannabis growing into a myth based moneymaking machine where they sell you a product which doesn't work. i.e. soilless mixes e.g.. Plagron grow mix and then they sell you a product line which makes it work i.e the nute package....So a 12 week 9 x 3gal container grow costs a nice 100 bucks or so. Instead make your own soil using a mix of topsoil (yes dirt from your backyard), high quality compost (can be bought), high quality earthworm castings, coco coir, peat, some rock dusts and perlite and you can free yourself of this trap of constantly buying soil and nutes and this booster and that chemical for bugs and all this crap they try to sell us in pretty bottles with chicks showing cleavage....it is all BS.
I wouldn't bother looking at some comparison of salt vs organic...too many variables and it's not about yield anyway. Judging by your post you have a lot of reading still to do, not that I know anything.
good luck

 

[Scrappy4]

I'm not sure there is a wrong way to reuse soil. I try to imediently replace the root ball with a new plant. Ussualy within a few days at most after harvest. The idea behind this is the plant slash soil connections will seamlessly transfer to the new plant. This thread will go into more details. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=268468

 

[Sluicebox]

Thanks for the link to the other thread, I just looked at it and will study it as well. My yard is full of worms from past money making ideas I had. No joke some of them are pretty big and will make a person afraid of snakes start a bit. Decades ago I built worm bins and imported night crawlers from Europe, as well as red wigglers. Turns out the red wigglers are native here and the manure pile at the barn has millions of them teaming throughout. I let them all go after a year or two and now they are well established. We have chicken coops, and black berries are wild and thrive here. I have been told they only grow in the best soil. I can see the insect damage to the leaves though. Looks like aphids and thrips, mites etc. I would be freaking out bringing that into my house. Is there a way to treat it first? I heat treat my bagged soil now in out door wood furnace. I just did a batch and took it to 120-140F for several hours. I could reintroduce the worms and such after the treatment. Thoughts?

I meant no disrespect jumping to the end of the thread to post a question. I will go back and read up a bunch more but it is a very large thread.

Best to you all and be safe everyone.
R.

 

[Buddyy]

Sluice box,
My thought is that you are killing the microbes by heating the soil.
I used to worry about spider mites and aphids and broad mites but now I don't care because I have predators in my room that kill them...at least it is what I tell myself, I do have dannylongleg spiders and centipedes in my room so maybe they help. It's when you have a sterile environment and spider mites come in that problems can arise.
As for this being a long thread, you are joking right?!? Why don't you try reading the 526page Organic Living soil from start through recycling thread....and then try reading a book or 2 like Teaming with Microbes and then you will see that knowledge is power.

 

[Sluicebox]

Thanks Buddy, I will try reading that. I had two threads open when I posted this, your right 13 pages is small compared to the other one. Someone sent me a link that put me about halfway through this thread with a soil recipe. I do need to go back to pg 1 and start over but will see ya when I catch up. I will for that book too. I've had patients tell me they want Organic and no chems. My wife hates the smell of chemicals, so win win. Again though, outside... sure there are natural predators to all pests. Indoors and one bug becomes a huge problem. There has to be a happy medium somewhere that one can be bug free yet organic. Isn't there a way to reintroduce the microbes and nematodes and such with teas, top dressing etc? I just torched a plant today that I thought may have broadmites, It was in quarantine and still showed signs of microscopic pest, however my lens was not powerful enough to confirm, so into the furnace she went and her cuttings. Sad day but it is what it is. For me no more cuttings from anyone ever, seed only from now on. I will work toward organic but have to hit numbers or can't keep the lights on. So yes yield is critical. I could see a small garden being fun if it was all personal stash, but several sick patients depend on me and I have had nothing but bug problems last 6 months. That was with bagged soil and chemical fertz. I was told by someone in the bug threads to check this Hi Brix Method out as the bugs do not like a healthy plant and they will leave the room vs attacking the plant.

Anyway I'm off to read from the beginning, thanks again.
R.

 

[Scrappy4]

Thanks Buddy, I will try reading that. I had two threads open when I posted this, your right 13 pages is small compared to the other one. Someone sent me a link that put me about halfway through this thread with a soil recipe. I do need to go back to pg 1 and start over but will see ya when I catch up. I will for that book too. I've had patients tell me they want Organic and no chems. My wife hates the smell of chemicals, so win win. Again though, outside... sure there are natural predators to all pests. Indoors and one bug becomes a huge problem. There has to be a happy medium somewhere that one can be bug free yet organic. Isn't there a way to reintroduce the microbes and nematodes and such with teas, top dressing etc? I just torched a plant today that I thought may have broadmites, It was in quarantine and still showed signs of microscopic pest, however my lens was not powerful enough to confirm, so into the furnace she went and her cuttings. Sad day but it is what it is. For me no more cuttings from anyone ever, seed only from now on. I will work toward organic but have to hit numbers or can't keep the lights on. So yes yield is critical. I could see a small garden being fun if it was all personal stash, but several sick patients depend on me and I have had nothing but bug problems last 6 months. That was with bagged soil and chemical fertz. I was told by someone in the bug threads to check this Hi Brix Method out as the bugs do not like a healthy plant and they will leave the room vs attacking the plant.

Anyway I'm off to read from the beginning, thanks again.
R.

Heating your soil mix is killing beneficial microbes. No need to do that. Would a farmer burn his soil? Good compost will help here, it should also have some preditors. And a good compost will balance prey and preditors. I have not had a major bug problem in years. But I spray vegging plants with neem oil weekly. I use gnatrol if I see gnats. I've had mites from who knows where? but regular spraying eliminates them.

Yields will depend on plant/root size pot size, amount of light, amount of co2, nutrients and so forth. I don't think .75 grams per watt would be too far out of line, for an organic grower with a dialed in room. And higher with more light, more co2, bigger plants. I've never bought the higher yields with salts theory. Good growers get results, regardless. And I think it's safe to say most end users prefer organic bud.

 

[Sluicebox]

Thank you Scrappy4, that is excellent information and gives me hope. I was getting .75 gpw with salts so maybe I could do it Hi Brix as well. Your post makes my day and is the best news I've heard in a while. Thanks again.
R.

 

[MrBreeze911]

Food for thought I copied

Remineralize and Balance the Soil

In college classes soil has been endlessly classified according to its’ proportion of organic mater, sand, silt, and clay while soil typing assigns names to various soils based on its structure, texture, and other parameters.

In the real world of growing high brix plants none of this matters one hoot. What really matters are things like:

How much calcium is available for the crop to build healthy cells?
Is calcium in correct ratio with magnesium?
Is there sufficient available phosphates in the soil needed to carry other nutrients into the plant and provide the energy transfer within the plant?
Is there a broad-spectrum of trace minerals available to the plant?
How active is the soil biology?
These are the important issues that must be addressed if we are to achieve high brix.

Calcium

Let's start with calcium. Calcium is needed in every healthy cell—no life can survive without it. It takes good microbial activity to make calcium available in the soil. At the same time when soil biology is increasing rapidly they will utilize available calcium—even taking it away from what the plants need. High brix foods are higher in calcium than low brix foods. Consequently it is imperative for available calcium to be addressed when embarking on the Path to High Brix.

Phosphates

Let's move on to phosphates. High brix foods cannot be built with low phosphates—it just doesn’t happen. Dr. Reams said it this way: “Available phosphates determine the sugar content in plants.” High Brix foods are not particularly high in phosphates; rather they are significantly higher in calcium, sugars, and trace minerals. Phosphates are the catalysts that transport nutrients within the plant. Once the nutrients are transported to the correct location the phosphates recycle and again carry more nutrients to the correct location within the plant. Phosphates are the trucker moving nutrients and joining these nutrients to the plant. They are the catalysts of chemical reactions but are not part of the union. When phosphates are low fewer minerals are transported within a plant—hence lower mineral density. Phosphates also play a major role as the energy source in the Krebs cycle. This is just a fancy way of saying that phosphates help the plant get more energy out of the sunlight, which leads to a greater production of carbohydrates.

Trace minerals

Trace minerals have received a lot of coverage in the health world lately. They are vital and must be in our diet for good health. A few come to mind: selenium, iodine, cobalt, lithium, and vanadium. They all play a role in our health and we know it. Unfortunately most people just aren’t getting enough in their diet because they are not in our foods. Most trace minerals are quite heavy and when foods contain rare earth minerals they weigh more than low brix foods. In other words if two apples of differing weights are the same size the heavier apple will be the most nutritious because it contains more minerals. So how do we get trace minerals into our foods? Obviously the first thing we have to do is apply them to the soil. Since trace minerals are so dense uptake also requires high levels of calcium and phosphates in our plants.

Potassium, nitrogen and sulfur

Other important nutrients to consider when remineralizing soil include potassium, nitrogen, and sulfur. Potassium plays a key role in plant health and yield but its use in recent times has been excessive to the detriment of calcium availability. Nitrogen, like potassium, has also been over used and rarely understood. Sulfur, in the form of sulfates, is indispensable for proper protein formation within plants.

Microbiology

Soil Remineralization is the best time to add microbiology. By combining biology with rock powders, soil amendments, and fertilizers, the soil has greater digestive capacity to make the minerals available for plant uptake. In the High Brix Garden program soil remineralization is accomplished by the annual broadcast of nutrients that is custom formulated according to the results of the soil test.

Achieving Balance

An important consideration in growing high brix is to achieve balance. Excesses and deficiencies are equally debilitating. Deficiencies are, however, much easier to overcome. Many gardeners have so imbalanced their soil with excessive phosphorous and potassium from manure or compost that their soil is virtually ruined for growing high brix. By following the roadmap of the soil test we can avoid the extremes while supplying the missing nutrients. Once we have begun soil remineralization, we need to follow it up with an equally vital step ...







Create and Maintain Soil Energy

Energy in the soil is measured by electrical conductance. The unit of measurement is microSiemens (mS) per centimeter on a conductivity meter. On the soil test electrical conductance is shown as ERGS. This is an acronym, given by Dr. Reams, which stands for Energy Released per Gram per Second.

The governor for electrical conductance in soils is humus. When humus levels are high the Ergs reading is stabilized and does not “climb the highest peak and then plunge to the deepest valley.” When striving for high brix plants on soils with low humus levels it is important to keep the Ergs up. As the growing season progresses plants draw heavily on soil reserves and the Ergs reading drops. In other words the soluble nutrients in the soil are taken up by the plants, which results in a decrease of electrical conductance in soils. Low soil energy causes plant growth to slow way down.

Could I use rock dust from my local quarry? They say they have california green rock, and also seems to be called serpentine rock. I'm not sure if this is paramagnetic or not. Or if it has the right mineral analysis.

 

[Bio boy]

Did this say don’t use kelp if you want high brix then spray kelp at em ?

Hi want high brix but kelp is my main neediest if I dropped everything els kelp would be what I’d keep lol it can literally start to Finnish a plant solo on n pearlite n water hempy