In The Lab

[SmokeyMcFly]

Another vote for the SLH, im gonna grow one or two of them on my next round

 

[Doc Bud]

not stay away from but stuff that likes heavy ferts are not a awesome right now, i believe Doc has something for that but it needs to be tested first.

The stuff that grows really well in hydro setups doesn't come out right in High Brix soil. It grows really nice and all, but it's not the same.

Try to get as close to landrace genetics as you can. That's where the gems are.

As for the OG drench, it's still not ready but it's being tested. I may have to settle for a 2 part thing where the end user has to supply something along with the drench, like epsom salt. Dumbing down the soil doesn't quite produce the results I'm looking for and you get a lot more insects than normal.

But we're working on it!

 

[Graytail]

I grew a Green House SLH in high brix and finished it at the top of the scale ~18. It's one of the most potent strains I've grown and the high brix took away the metallic high that I got when I grew the same cut in mineralized organic soil. HB made it better.
It'll pretty much kick anyone's ass.

I think the Blueberry might be interesting in HB soil, too. Terpene production is ramped way up in HB. I just harvested a Destroyer pheno that has amazing blueberry - stinks up the whole room.

 

[SmokeyMcFly]

I grew a Green House SLH in high brix and finished it at the top of the scale ~18. It's one of the most potent strains I've grown and the high brix took away the metallic high that I got when I grew the same cut in mineralized organic soil. HB made it better.

It'll pretty much kick anyone's ass.

I think the Blueberry might be interesting in HB soil, too. Terpene production is ramped way up in HB.

Awesome, how did I know you had grown them before

Do you remember big they got and if they took the specified time to finish or if they took longer? I am thinking of just running one in my flower tent from seed first to see how it does. I vegged My blue dream a little longer then I probably should have and I have a feeling is going to be out of control big in my tent so I am going to try and not do the same with the SLH

 

[Graytail]

Actually, mine was small and fast. I chopped the first one at just over 90 days from seed - about 24 inches tall with a bunch of tops from LST. It went about 9 weeks from the flip, but could have gone another week or two. I revegged that one and it yielded over 3 zs the second time, again 24 inches or under.

Then I ran a cut in HB and it was the best of 'em all.

 

[SmokeyMcFly]

Very nice, Thanks GT!

 

[BrixKlinger]

Updated Instructions: October 2014

The Kit:

The End User will need the following:

3.8 cu ft bale of ProMix HP myco, or Sunshine #4 or Promix BX myco. Perlite can be added to the BX in order increase porosity for indoor growing.

20-40 pounds of organic worm castings that show an NPK of zero K. (1-1-0)

A proper growing environment, basic gardening skills, 7 gallon pots and a sprayer capable of putting out a fine spray.

The Products:

Drenches

Growth Energy: This product increases soil energy and provides vegetative growth energy and bulking of fruit and flowers once formed.

Transplant: This product, being organic, slightly favors reproductive growth of seeds, flowers and fruit. It is used to feed the microbial colony in the soil mostly, but it also boosts reproductive growth.

Cat Drench: This product increases soil energy, highly favors reproductive growth and provides cations and the ammonia form of nitrogen, which strongly stimulate fruiting and flowering, as well as seed production.

All drenches are mixed at 1/2 ounce per 6 plants(30 sq. feet of garden space for those in raised beds) Applications up to 1.5 oz can be applied without harm, but very few plants require this much. Heavy feeders might try .75 oz before mixing stronger.

Another practice some container growers are finding helpful is to include 1/4 strength Transplant with every watering.


Foliar Sprays:

Brix: Sprayed every week to 10 days, this product encourages reproductive growth and essential oil and resin production. Brix foliar should not be skipped, even if the plants look perfect.

De-Stress: This product helps plants heal, deal with stress and provides a broad spectrum of trace minerals. This can be sprayed 1-2 times per week when there are signs of plant stress. If the plants look "perfect" there is no reason to spray with De-Stress. Also, mixed at 50% strength it helps high brix clones root much faster.

Both foliar sprays are mixed at 1oz per quart of RO. Use Brix immediately after mixing. De-stress can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Soil Amendments

Amendment: this product is mixed into the bale of Promix, watered, and allowed to "cook" in a barrel for a minimum of 30 days in order to get the soil ready for planting. Please note that the most recent version of amendment has the old "conditioner" added to it already!

Re-Charge: This product is similar to Amendment, but has a few additions and ommisions. It is designed to be top dressed during the 3rd week of the bloom cycle. Outdoors, apply re-charge when buds have set. It's best to scratch it into the top layer of soil and gently water it in to avoid soil compaction.

Roots!: This is a microbial inoculate. A light dusting on rootballs during transplanting and a small amount at the bottom of the hole where seeds are planted is the proper use for this product. 1 Tablespoon per transplanted cutting sprinkled in and around the hole is perfect. More can be used when transplanting from the Veg area to the Bloom containers. Water with 1/4 Transplant for the first application of Roots!.

Tea: This is a liquid humate product loaded with beneficials. It is mixed with each feeding at the rate of 2.5 mil per 6 plants (30 square feet)


So, how does all this work together?

Upon acquiring the Promix HP myco, the worm castings and enough plastic barrels to contain 60 gallons of soil:

Carefully and thoroughly mix the following:

Amendment
Promix
Worm castings.

Place the above dry mix into barrels and water with 3-5 gallons of water. Stir it, mix it, turn it over....and let it sit covered for one month. Temps must be no lower than 62 degrees and no higher than 85 degrees. Lower temps can take another week to "cook" while higher temps might be ready sooner. 1 month is usually spot on.

Once the soil has cooked, it's now time to plant!

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.

Clones:

Pretty much the same as seeds, but use enough ROOTS! to completely dust the roots and put a small amount at the bottom of the hole. Water with 1 pint of water, or 1/4 strength Transplant drench.

Upcanning of larger plants:

Vertically score the roots, dust all roots with ROOTS!, place some in the bottom of the hole, gently position rootball and soak the medium with water and 1/4 strength Transplant.

Water All seeds, all newly transplanted clones and newly tranplanted vegging plants with 1/4 strength Tranpslant

Use of Foliar Sprays:

Spray Brix and De-Stress 1 time weekly, not on the same day! De-Stress can be sprayed twice a week if the plants continue to exhibit signs of stress.

Mix each spray at 1 oz per quart of RO, using a fine mist try to get the underside of the leaves.

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 1/2 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.

I apologize in advance for asking, but I've tried to read everything and would love some clarification on a couple items.

1. is it reasonable to use the same kind of units across the board? In some cases we have ounces, in others, mils...I like using gallons for bigger units but up to 1000mils........anyway not the biggest deal.

2. everywhere I have read "1/4 strength transplant with waterings". A full strength transplant is 1/2 oz, so a quarter of that would be 1/8th oz, but you say in the instructions there at the end "water with 1/4 oz transplant"...discrepancy...

3. my biggest issue: with the foliars you have made it simple: 1oz/quart ro. However with the drenches you have simply said oz/plant. I realize that this is farming speech and I am an aspiring but not actual farmer and do not understand how or where to create a baseline of water amount to mix. If the same sort of instruction that was given the foliar "concentrate/water", instead of "concentrate/plant" it would be much more simple (at least for me!). I'm all for common sense and if I'm missing the bleeding obvious anyone pls throw a brick at my head. Not criticizing as much as literally I have no idea how much water I would use.....

 

[Governmentchz]

lol...I agree BK. I actually went and made little conversion charts I refer to every time I look in my manila folder on my desk (I printed Doc's instructions and copy/pasted different excerpts, pics and such as a reference guide). As a hobby grower that hasn't run anything perpetual in the past, and usually growing only 2-3 medium-sized plants, I wanted to put it more into perspective, but some of the amounts are being measured in drops the quantities are so small...lol. Not a complaint, just a little more ciphering is all.

 

[Seraphim]

I find myself doing little conversion charts and formulas off Doc's instructions myself. I think its kind of fun but that's just the nerd in me.

 

[Doc Bud]

I apologize in advance for asking, but I've tried to read everything and would love some clarification on a couple items.

1. is it reasonable to use the same kind of units across the board? In some cases we have ounces, in others, mils...I like using gallons for bigger units but up to 1000mils........anyway not the biggest deal.

2. everywhere I have read "1/4 strength transplant with waterings". A full strength transplant is 1/2 oz, so a quarter of that would be 1/8th oz, but you say in the instructions there at the end "water with 1/4 oz transplant"...discrepancy...

3. my biggest issue: with the foliars you have made it simple: 1oz/quart ro. However with the drenches you have simply said oz/plant. I realize that this is farming speech and I am an aspiring but not actual farmer and do not understand how or where to create a baseline of water amount to mix. If the same sort of instruction that was given the foliar "concentrate/water", instead of "concentrate/plant" it would be much more simple (at least for me!). I'm all for common sense and if I'm missing the bleeding obvious anyone pls throw a brick at my head. Not criticizing as much as literally I have no idea how much water I would use.....

I should probably update the updates.....but this should clear it up a bit.

RE: units of measuurement. For tiny amounts, I use mils, for larger oz. A graduated shot glass is my conversion chart.

RE: Drench amounts. The range is 1/2 oz to 1.5 oz per six plants. I recommend people start on the low side and adjust upwards. My plants seems to like an ounce of drench per 6 plants, so I use 1/4 oz transplant.

If your lighting is less, plants are smaller and you don't have C02, you might find that you do better with less. If you're growing large plants and they're wanting more energy, you'll want to use a stronger mix.

You'll get the hang of it. I don't even measure anymore.....I know what a one ounce "plop" of drench sounds like in the bucket. I do measure for the foliars still.

But once you start observing your plants and what the drenches do, you'll probably design your own feeding schedule based on what the products do.....not just based on numbers.

You can err on the side of too much and waste product, but your plants will be fine.

But be warned! Do not let soil energy go flat in the middle of bloom! That's what the 1/4 strengh Transplant helps.

Also, I can't stress enough how important the Growth Energy drench is! You could grow the whole crop with this drench. It's what makes the stems strong, buds swell, etc. Don't get all excited about the exotic Cat Drench, or the coy Transplant......Don't neglect growth Energy!

 

[scrubby]

1 ounce is 30 mils
1 gallon is 128 ounces which is 4 quarts
Divide by 6 for drench #s
.5 oz =15 mils divided by 6 is 2.5 mils per plant with drenches
Rule of thumb I use for sprays is 1 mil per ounce of water brix or destress
.25 oz = 7.5 mils divided by 6 is 1.25 mils per plant with transplant
You can adjust after you know what strains like what and how much.
Im on 3rd round soil and this plan has worked for me for about a year now

 

[Graytail]

1 ounce is 30 mils
1 gallon is 128 ounces which is 4 quarts
Divide by 6 for drench #s
.5 oz =15 mils divided by 6 is 2.5 mils per plant with drenches
Rule of thumb I use for sprays is 1 mil per ounce of water brix or destress
.25 oz = 7.5 mils divided by 6 is 1.25 mils per plant with transplant
You can adjust after you know what strains like what and how much.
Im on 3rd round soil and this plan has worked for me for about a year now

I do exactly the same thing.

And we're on the low side this way - plenty of room to boost, if necessary.

 

[Capn Kush]

Doc, got my soil cooked and beans went in last night. My first grow officially failed when my "backup" failed to water while I was away AND the humidifier crapped out so the room sat at ~30% RH for several days. It was for the best; those poor girls had been through so much with me following my local hydro store's "advice" from the beginning. With that behind me now, I'm excited to get this off the ground with your kit.

I'm a little concerned the soil was too dry during the cook. Cooking in two 30 gallon totes, the soil at the very top (the top 1/4") was light colored, not moist. The rest of it was dark colored and moist enough that it would stick to my hand if I handled it. I never had condensation on the lid, nor did I get any fungal "fuzz" on top. I used about six gallons of unaltered RO water for the whole batch at the beginning and at the halfway point, I added 1-2 gallons more after I dumped it all out and mixed it once again.

Thoughts? I'm always concerned about these little details....

 

[scrubby]

I dont worry about the "fuzz" any more. It sounds like you have temp issues? Someone else will chime in im sure but to me it sounds like your totes are allowing exchange of fresh air with whats in the bin. When I was cooking my soil I didnt disturb it for the whole month and well, its been a year now and my kit soil is still pumping out lovelies Id say not to sweat it and youll be fine. Just follow the directions from here on out and youll get some beauties like the rest of us (brix gang)

 

[Capn Kush]

The temps were 76 for the duration besides the first two weeks where it was only 70. The totes did have a few air holes in the "handles" and probably explains why the very top was a little dry, but I wanted there to be air exchange so it didn't end up oxygen deprived and start smelling due to anaerobic organisms.

I dug around more today and the very bottom 5" of soil was good and damp so I think it was fine. I probably didn't get the fuzz since the top was a little dry. I figured being in the grow room with ~70% RH would ensure they didn't lose much moisture.

 

[DrZiggy]

Not everyone gets 'The Fuzz' even with properly prepared soil.

 

[scrubby]

The temps were 76 for the duration besides the first two weeks where it was only 70. The totes did have a few air holes in the "handles" and probably explains why the very top was a little dry, but I wanted there to be air exchange so it didn't end up oxygen deprived and start smelling due to anaerobic organisms.

I dug around more today and the very bottom 5" of soil was good and damp so I think it was fine. I probably didn't get the fuzz since the top was a little dry. I figured being in the grow room with ~70% RH would ensure they didn't lose much moisture.

The three best pieces of advice I can give you is to #1 follow the directions! #2 is to get your enviornment where it needs to be. Im sure Doc has posted what the ideal conditions are for your area. #3 is to be patient! Following the directions til you get a feel for what your plants want is so important dude! Get the temps and rh spot on after that and its all downhill from there! Good luck

 

[Doc Bud]

The temps were 76 for the duration besides the first two weeks where it was only 70. The totes did have a few air holes in the "handles" and probably explains why the very top was a little dry, but I wanted there to be air exchange so it didn't end up oxygen deprived and start smelling due to anaerobic organisms.

I dug around more today and the very bottom 5" of soil was good and damp so I think it was fine. I probably didn't get the fuzz since the top was a little dry. I figured being in the grow room with ~70% RH would ensure they didn't lose much moisture.

Just water it and give it a week. It should be fine.

 

[BudTester420]

Not everyone gets 'The Fuzz' even with properly prepared soil.

I was sad when I didnt get mine but my soil smells amazing compared to my organic mix.

 

[Doc Bud]

I was sad when I didnt get mine but my soil smells amazing compared to my organic mix.

I don't always get the fuzz....usually happens during warmer months.