The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

The Four Bases of Mineralized Soil (copy & paste job)

The Optimum Food Supply for People and Animals Should Be Grown On Mineralized Soil. This Type Of Soil Isn’t to be Found—It Is Crafted.

Mineralized SoilSoil is a marvelous and complex part of creation. Soil has been meticulously studied and written about from many perspectives. Beginning in the 1850’s Russian scientists began to classify soils based on their various properties including geological origins. By 1900 American scientists were significantly adding to the knowledge of soil science. From the 1920’s-1950’s Russian research on soil microbiology was at its pinnacle. With the honorable exception of Dr. William Albrecht, American research and universities began focusing more on cultural practices that would profit agribusiness rather than raising the nutritional standard of the foods being produced.

Three notable pioneers consisting of Dr. Charles Northern, Dr. Carey Reams, and Albert Carter Savage, all working in the private sector, were greatly alarmed at the precipitous decline in the nutrient density of our foods and the disconnect between soil science and food quality. Each individual made significant contributions in defining a new type of soil. In contrast to classical soil science that observes soil properties in order to name and classify it, these three men looked at soil with a different goal—to craft it into a soil that produced therapeutic food fully capable of rebuilding human health. While others classified existing soils these three men created an optimum soil that I will refer to as mineralized soil.

Bread from Stones by Julius HenselBefore looking at the properties of mineralized soil it is important to acknowledge the supporting role of two other scientists. Both made significant contributions. The first is Julius Hensel. Hensel is widely considered as the father of the soil mineralization movement. His work in Germany in the mid-to-late 1800’s demonstrated the effectiveness of adding finely ground stonemeal as a soil amendment and fertilizer. His work has been recorded in his book Bread from Stones. This book deeply influenced the whole life-focus of Albert Carter Savage. Additionally, Hensel’s section on the benefits of stonemeal on plants became the foundation that Dr. Reams used to develop his concept of brix and nutrient density. The other individual who made significant contribution to the concept of mineralized soil was Dr. William Albrecht. Albrecht proved over and over the supremerole calcium played. His work influenced Albert Carter Savage and hehad regular interaction with Dr. Reams.

Instead of looking at the specific contributions of each of pioneer I want to examine their unified concept of optimum soil. Mineralized soil has a specific outcome—to produce nutrient-dense food and animal feed well endowed with trace elements. To achieve this requires a properly functioning soil. Mineralized soil has 4 basic areas that need to be addressed. To help group each area I have placed them on a diagram shaped like a baseball diamond. 1st base refers to Soil Energy, 2nd base to Foundational Minerals, 3rd base to Humus and Biology, and 4th base to Trace Elements.

The Four Bases of Soil Mineralization
Soil Energy

Soil energy refers to a soils ability to grow a crop and bring it to maturity. It also takes energy to digest limestone and other rock powders. Soil energy comes from the synchronization that occurs when various fertilizers come in contact with soil and/or other fertilizers. The energetic reaction that comes when fertilizers are applied to the soil can be measured with a conductivity meter and is read as micro Siemens/centimeter. Soil energy is greatly impacted be the amount and type of nitrogen in the soil. All soluble fertilizers will impact soil energy as will sodium, chloride, and other soluble trace minerals. It is interesting to note that while all three pioneers used organic products none of them renounced the use of selective commercial fertilizers. Why? Because it takes energy to grow a crop and break down rock powders and that is what fertilizers provide—concentrated energy. To create a mineralized soil requires a proper amount of foundational minerals that must be digested by soil biology and soil energy.

For all its problems, conventional agriculture does understand that it takes energy to grow a crop. For the most part conventional agriculture completely misses the importance of all the other bases and consequently does not grow quality food or animal feed. On the other hand many organic farmers suffer terribly in yield because their soil has inadequate energy. When plants are grown in low-energy soil they are not healthy. Rather they are low brix and susceptible to every passing insect and disease.

Typical products used to create soil energy are calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, MAP, super phosphate, liquid fertilizers, and sea solids. For organics nothing beat high nitrogen fish and Chilean nitrate. Manures and compost will supply some soil energy as well.
Foundational Minerals

Foundational MineralsFoundational minerals refer primarily to adequate available calcium and phosphorous. While both calcium and phosphorous can be obtained in the form of commercial fertilizers, these fertilizers do not build a proper foundation to construct a mineralized soil. Very few soils are naturally endowed with adequate levels of foundational minerals. If the levels are insufficient then they must be supplied in the form of insoluble rock powders. These powders require both soil energy and soil biology to break down into an available form.

Specific soil amendments used to build the foundational minerals include limestone, soft rock phosphate, and gypsum. Sadly, conventional agriculture almost entirely misses the need for foundational minerals. Instead they are content with a pH over 6.5 and a minimal amount of available phosphorous. Due to their strong focus on humus, organic matter, and biology most organic farmers are woefully short of calcium and many times short of phosphorous. The exception to this is on small areas with extreme application rates of compost or manure.

Foundational minerals are the backbone of establishing a mineralized soil. Available calcium plays a decisive role in determining the quantity of yield produced. It also plays a tremendous role in the health and quantity of plant roots. When soil has at least 2,000 lbs. of available calcium roots, rootlets, and fine root hairs abound. These fine root hairs are continually growing and sloughing off into the soil. This base exchange of root hairs stimulates soil bacteria and builds humus in the soil.

Soil well supplied with available phosphorous allows greater uptake of phosphorous into the plant. When this happens it causes an increase in the cycling of energy and nutrients via ATP and the Krebs cycle. This results in a greater energy capture via photosynthesis and higher brix readings. It also does something else. As plants produce more sugars they increase the amount of sugars in the plant root exudates. This increase of plant sugars better feed the soil bacteria symbiotically associated with the plant roots. As bacteria are better fed they digest more minerals out of the soil and make it available to the plant. In summary foundational minerals build the optimum environment soil biology needs to flourish. Foundational minerals are the “pre-natal” nutrition needed by soil biology.
Humus and Biology

Humus and biology refers to the living, breathing aspect of soil. As soil biology proliferates they leave behind organic residues or metabolites. These residues increase the humus content of soil. As they decompose these organic compounds give off carbon dioxide which plants use to produce carbohydrates and the cycle starts all over. While conventional agriculture has all but ignored this most important aspect of mineralized soil, many organic farmers have hailed it as the ultimate panacea with nothing else needed – thank you. Both of these approaches are incomplete.

Humus and biologyProducts used to increase humus in soil include: cover crops, green manures, compost, fresh or aged manures, dry humates and many more. Products used to stimulate soil biology include: microbial inoculants, liquid humates, compost tea, molasses, sugar, bio stimulants, enzymes, and many other proprietary products. There are a myriad of approaches on how to stimulate soil biology and increase humus. Many people become so enamored with increasing soil humus and biology that they neglect 1st and 2nd base. This leads to a soil with a fabulous “feel-good factor” but completely unable to produce high-brix foods.

The approach taken by the early pioneers was to apply some organic material mostly in the form of manures and then inoculate and stimulate the biology from that point on. As humus and biology increase in a mineralized soil they impact soil energy. Soil biology will create some energy and the humus will regulate that energy and generally even out the extremes. This explains why fully mineralized soils need less energy inputs i.e. soluble fertilizers.
Trace Elements

The final aspect of a mineralized soil is the addition of a plentiful supply of trace elements. These include the more commonly recognized elements such as boron, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc and the rarer elements such as chromium, molybdenum, nickel, iodine, vanadium, lithium, selenium, cobalt and many others. Products used to supply these minerals include the sulfates and chelates of the more common elements, seaweed, sea minerals, and various rock powders for broad spectrum trace elements.

Like a game of baseball you cannot get to fourth base without first passing the earlier bases. Trace elements bound up in rock powders require soil energy (1st base) and microbial digestion (3rd base) to release them. They also require a plant to have a good level of calcium (2nd base) in the plant in order to pull up the heavy trace minerals. Low-brix plants (i.e. low-calcium plants) are notoriously low in trace elements whereas high brix plants provide an abundance of trace elements.

Trace elements from food are a major supplier of nutrition for our internal organs.

Foods today are severely deficient in trace elements. This is the same complaint that prompted all three pioneers to take action in the 1930’s. If it was so bad then how much worse is it now? Trace elements from food are a major supplier of nutrition for our internal organs. Additionally many metabolic pathways and enzymes are catalyzed or activated by trace elements. When the consumption of naturally chelated trace minerals from food declines, human health falters. Alleviating this is the ultimate goal of mineralized soil.

In summary the optimum food supply for people and animals should be grown on mineralized soil. This type of soil isn’t to be found—it is crafted. By giving soil proper stewardship and learning from the wisdom of generations past we hold within our hands the power to help the generations yet to come and our own.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

High Brix

Doc Bud current active journal regarding high brix.

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

wonderful.

now, how do we get there?

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

yes, BudDoc has a portion of the handle, but his posts are lacking in specifics.

 

[Javahead]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

We, in general, I believe, are getting a handle on the Minerals. The next aspect is Mycorrhizae, a (the) fungus that helps the plants out most. Just plunging "Mycorrhizae" into your favorite "shopping app, should show a few choices. There are other Fungi, and bacteria that may be good to add, I will sift through the "IMPACT" sight and make a list, tonight. More later.....

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

Copy & pasted from wiki.

A mycorrhiza (Gk. μυκός, mykós, "fungus" and ριζα, riza, "roots",[1] pl. mycorrhizae or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic (generally mutualistic, but occasionally weakly pathogenic) association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant.[2]

In a mycorrhizal association, the fungus colonizes the host plant's roots, either intracellularly as in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF or AM), or extracellularly as in ectomycorrhizal fungi. They are an important component of soil life and soil chemistry.
Contents


Mutualist dynamics

Mycorrhizas form a mutualistic relationship with the roots of most plant species. While only a small proportion of all species has been examined, 95% of those plant families are predominantly mycorrhizal.[3] They are named after their presence in the plant's rhizosphere (root system).
Sugar-water/mineral exchange

This mutualistic association provides the fungus with relatively constant and direct access to carbohydrates, such as glucose and sucrose.[4] The carbohydrates are translocated from their source (usually leaves) to root tissue and on to the plant's fungal partners. In return, the plant gains the benefits of the mycelium's higher absorptive capacity for water and mineral nutrients due to the comparatively large surface area of mycelium: root ratio, thus improving the plant's mineral absorption capabilities.[5]

Plant roots alone may be incapable of taking up phosphate ions that are demineralized in soils with a basic pH. The mycelium of the mycorrhizal fungus can, however, access these phosphorus sources, and make them available to the plants they colonize.[6] Nature, according to C.Michael Hogan, has adapted to this critical role of phosphate, by allowing many plants to recycle phosphate, without using soil as an intermediary. For example, in some dystrophic forests large amounts of phosphate are taken up by mycorrhizal hyphae acting directly on leaf litter, bypassing the need for soil uptake.[7] Inga alley cropping, proposed as an alternative to slash and burn rainforest destruction,[8] relies upon Mycorrhiza within the Inga Tree root system to prevent the rain from washing phosphorus out of the soil.[9]

Suillus tomentosus, a fungus, produces specialized structures, known as tuberculate ectomycorrhizae, with its plant host lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia). These structures have in turn been shown to host nitrogen fixing bacteria which contribute a significant amount of nitrogen and allow the pines to colonize nutrient-poor sites.[10]
Mechanisms
Leccinum aurantiacum, an ectomycorrhizal fungus

The mechanisms of increased absorption are both physical and chemical. Mycorrhizal mycelia are much smaller in diameter than the smallest root, and thus can explore a greater volume of soil, providing a larger surface area for absorption. Also, the cell membrane chemistry of fungi is different from that of plants (including organic acid excretion which aids in ion displacement[11]). Mycorrhizas are especially beneficial for the plant partner in nutrient-poor soils.[12]
Disease and drought resistance

Mycorrhizal plants are often more resistant to diseases, such as those caused by microbial soil-borne pathogens,[13][14] and are also more resistant to the effects of drought.[15][16][17]
Colonization of barren soil

Plants grown in sterile soils and growth media often perform poorly without the addition of spores or hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi to colonise the plant roots and aid in the uptake of soil mineral nutrients.[18] The absence of mycorrhizal fungi can also slow plant growth in early succession or on degraded landscapes.[19] The introduction of alien mycorrhizal plants to nutrient-deficient ecosystems puts indigenous non-mycorrhizal plants at a competitive disadvantage.[20]
Resistance to toxicity

Fungi have been found to have a protective role for plants rooted in soils with high metal concentrations, such as acidic and contaminated soils. Pine trees inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius planted in several contaminated sites displayed high tolerance to the prevailing contaminant, survivorship and growth. One study discovered the existence of Suillus luteus strains with varying tolerance of zinc. Another study discovered that zinc-tolerant strains of Suillus bovinus conferred resistance to plants of Pinus sylvestris. This was probably due to binding of the metal to the extramatricial mycelium of the fungus, without affecting the exchange of beneficial substances.[20]
Occurrence of mycorrhizal associations

At around 400 million years old, the Rhynie chert contains the earliest fossil assemblage yielding plants preserved in sufficient detail to detect mycorrhizas - and they are indeed observed in the stems of Aglaophyton major.[21]

Mycorrhizas are present in 92% of plant families studied (80% of species),[22] with arbuscular mycorrhizas being the ancestral and predominant form,[22] and indeed the most prevalent symbiotic association found in the plant kingdom.[4] The structure of arbuscular mycorrhizas has been highly conserved since their first appearance in the fossil record,[21] with both the development of ectomycorrhizas, and the loss of mycorrhizas, evolving convergently on multiple occasions.[22]
Types of mycorrhiza
Arbuscular mycorrhizal wheat

Mycorrhizas are commonly divided into ectomycorrhizas and endomycorrhizas. The two types are differentiated by the fact that the hyphae of ectomycorrhizal fungi do not penetrate individual cells within the root, while the hyphae of endomycorrhizal fungi penetrate the cell wall and invaginate the cell membrane. Additionally, many plants in the order Ericales form a third type, ericoid mycorrhizas, while some members of the Ericales form arbutoid and monotropoid mycorrhizas.[23][24] All orchids are myco-heterotrophic at some stage during their lifecycle and form orchid mycorrhizas with a range of basidiomycete fungi.
Endomycorrhiza
Main article: Arbuscular mycorrhiza

Endomycorrhizas are variable and have been further classified as arbuscular, ericoid, arbutoid, monotropoid, and orchid mycorrhizas.[25] Arbuscular mycorrhizas, or AM (formerly known as vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas, or VAM), are mycorrhizas whose hyphae enter into the plant cells, producing structures that are either balloon-like (vesicles) or dichotomously-branching invaginations (arbuscules). The fungal hyphae do not in fact penetrate the protoplast (i.e. the interior of the cell), but invaginate the cell membrane. The structure of the arbuscules greatly increases the contact surface area between the hypha and the cell cytoplasm to facilitate the transfer of nutrients between them.

Arbuscular mycorrhizas are formed only by fungi in the division Glomeromycota. Fossil evidence[21] and DNA sequence analysis[26] suggest that this mutualism appeared 400-460 million years ago, when the first plants were colonizing land. Arbuscular mycorrhizas are found in 85% of all plant families, and occur in many crop species.[22] The hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi produce the glycoprotein glomalin, which may be one of the major stores of carbon in the soil. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi have (possibly) been asexual for many millions of years and, unusually, individuals can contain many genetically different nuclei (a phenomenon called heterokaryosis).[27]
Ectomycorrhiza
Ectomycorrhizal beech

Ectomycorrhizas, or EcM, are typically formed between the roots of around 10% of plant families, mostly woody plants including the birch, dipterocarp, eucalyptus, oak, pine, and rose[22] families, orchids,[28] and fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Zygomycota. Some EcM fungi, such as many Leccinum and Suillus, are symbiotic with only one particular genus of plant, while other fungi, such as the Amanita, are generalists that form mycorrhizas with many different plants.[29] An individual tree may have 15 or more different fungal EcM partners at one time.[30] Thousands of ectomycorrhizal fungal species exist, hosted in over 200 genera. A recent study has permitted to conservatively estimate global ectomycorrhizal fungal species richness around 7750 species, although, on the basis of estimates of knowns and unknowns in macromycete diversity, a final estimate of ECM species richness would likely be between 20000 and 25000.[31]

Ectomycorrhizas consist of a hyphal sheath, or mantle, covering the root tip and a Hartig net of hyphae surrounding the plant cells within the root cortex. In some cases the hyphae may also penetrate the plant cells, in which case the mycorrhiza is called an ectendomycorrhiza. Outside the root, the fungal mycelium forms an extensive network within the soil and leaf litter.

Nutrients can be shown to move between different plants through the fungal network. Carbon has been shown to move from paper birch trees into Douglas-fir trees thereby promoting succession in ecosystems.[32] The ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor has been found to lure and kill springtails to obtain nitrogen, some of which may then be transferred to the mycorrhizal host plant. In a study by Klironomos and Hart, Eastern White Pine inoculated with L. bicolor was able to derive up to 25% of its nitrogen from springtails.[33][34]

The first genomic sequence for a representative of symbiotic fungi, the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria bicolor, has been published.[35] An expansion of several multigene families occurred in this fungus, suggesting that adaptation to symbiosis proceeded by gene duplication. Within lineage-specific genes those coding for symbiosis-regulated secreted proteins showed an up-regulated expression in ectomycorrhizal root tips suggesting a role in the partner communication. Laccaria bicolor is lacking enzymes involved in the degradation of plant cell wall components (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins and pectates), preventing the symbiont from degrading host cells during the root colonisation. By contrast, Laccaria bicolor possesses expanded multigene families associated with hydrolysis of bacterial and microfauna polysaccharides and proteins. This genome analysis revealed the dual saprotrophic and biotrophic lifestyle of the mycorrhizal fungus that enables it to grow within both soil and living plant roots.
Ericoid mycorrhiza
An ericoid mycorrhizal fungus isolated from Woollsia pungens[36]
Main article: Ericoid mycorrhiza

Ericoid mycorrhizas are the third of the three more ecologically important types, They have a simple intraradical (grow in cells) phase, consisting of dense coils of hyphae in the outermost layer of root cells. There is no periradical phase and the extraradical phase consists of sparse hyphae that don't extend very far into the surrounding soil. They might form sporocarps (probably in the form of small cups), but their reproductive biology is little understood.[23]

Ericoid mycorrhizas have also been shown to have considerable saprotrophic capabilities, which would enable plants to receive nutrients from not-yet-decomposed materials via the decomposing actions of their ericoid partners.[37]
Discovery

Associations of fungi with the roots of plants have been known since at least the mid-19th century. However early observers simply recorded the fact without investigating the relationships between the two organisms.[38] This symbiosis was studied and described by Franciszek Kamieński in 1879–1882.[39] Further research was carried out by Albert Bernhard Frank, who introduced the term mycorrhiza 1885.[40]

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

Mycorrhizal can be purchased in a granule form which their are several brands aviable on the american market which i'm not to sure about europe at present but very few.


Some pro composts may even come mycorrhizal inoculated also, but your paying a premium price for those brands.

Also you are over looking the importance of wormcasts...

The earthworms derive their nourishment from the micro-organisms that grow upon the organic materials. This process promotes further microbial activity so the casts susequently produced increase the activity of naturally occurring micro-organisms, beneficial enzymes and natural plant growth regulators in the soil to enhance structure and improve plant health.


All of this aids in the process of breaking down minerals for the plant to use.

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

and if you read organic gardening sites which focus on container grows, they say do NOT use Mych in your container.

sorry, I've forgotten exactly why.

 

[Icemud]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

and if you read organic gardening sites which focus on container grows, they say do NOT use Mych in your container.

sorry, I've forgotten exactly why.

I don't understand why they would say that... Mycorrizae work in a symbiotic relationship to plant roots, and help the plants reach more nutrients in the soil faster and more efficiently by requiring less energy and proteins to get the job done. I can't imagine why one would say not to use Myco's in your soil... for more information about how all of the soil life works together, I posted an excellent video link on my current journal that explains how all of this works to benefit the plant.

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

yeah, there are lots of ideas floating about which sound perfect. but read into those organic gardening sites and you'll find more than one warning against using it in containers. for obvious reasons, my short term memory is a mess, so I forget their reasoning.

its among one of the many things unavailable here, so I stopped looking or thinking about it but it's on the list of things NOT to use in organic container growing by the organic set. they also disparage Dolomite lime.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

yeah, there are lots of ideas floating about which sound perfect. but read into those organic gardening sites and you'll find more than one warning against using it in containers. for obvious reasons, my short term memory is a mess, so I forget their reasoning.

its among one of the many things unavailable here, so I stopped looking or thinking about it but it's on the list of things NOT to use in organic container growing by the organic set. they also disparage Dolomite lime.

With out providing good evidence we can only presume verbal diarrhera & procrastinate !

 

[Icemud]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

yeah, there are lots of ideas floating about which sound perfect. but read into those organic gardening sites and you'll find more than one warning against using it in containers. for obvious reasons, my short term memory is a mess, so I forget their reasoning.

its among one of the many things unavailable here, so I stopped looking or thinking about it but it's on the list of things NOT to use in organic container growing by the organic set. they also disparage Dolomite lime.

Without proof of the myco's being bad, I can't believe that this is true... Without bacteria and mycos, organic materials would not break down into usable nutrients for the plant??? so how does not using myco's benefit a plant, unless your using sythetic ferts which are already broken down to usable form... the whole concept of High Brix gardening is to create a healthy soil life and the appropriate soil nutrient ratios to let these microbes and mycos thrive...so I can't see how this would negatively affect growth in potted plants.. as far as I know, all natural soil has microbes and mycos already in them...

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

go to Phil the Smiling Gardener. he has a free 15 hour course on organic growing and this is a good place to start.

there is no such thing as a magic bullet but some things you attempt to give your plants may not be all that good for them.

did you want me to do more research for you?

 

[Icemud]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

go to Phil the Smiling Gardener. he has a free 15 hour course on organic growing and this is a good place to start.

there is no such thing as a magic bullet but some things you attempt to give your plants may not be all that good for them.

did you want me to do more research for you?

organic gardening isn't high brix gardening.. I don't need you to do any research at all, I'm asking for proof of your statement. I did a quick google search and the first 4 pages were all about mycos being good.. so thats why I asked for proof, I know way more about high brix growing that most so save your cocky comments for some noob who deserves them. I only go off proof to believe something, a big mistake most growers make is believing the many "word of mouth facts of growing which simply are not true". matter of fact, here is a video that will get you started on how soil actually works.... and high brix isn't organic, high brix involves feeding whatever makes a plant get the highest sugar levels (brix) whether its natural, organic or synthetic. and Mycos and bacteria speed up the breakdown process.

[video=youtube;eGxjcxVMbsg]

[/video]

since you can't provide proof....here is a quote taken from your recommended page...phil the gardener or whatever..

I use mycorrhizal inoculant in my organic garden almost every time I plant and seed. I wouldn't plant without it.

Over 95% of plant species form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. The fungi provide nutrients and water to their host plants in exchange for carbohydrates and other goodies.

In fact, many plants will trade more than 50% of their carbohydrates with these fungi and other microbes. Mycorrhizal fungi greatly improve soil characteristics, and are among the most important microbes that form relationships with plants.

Mycorrhizal Inoculant - Hard To Spell, Easy To Use

 

[Farang]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

OK.

you're God. and nobody can teach you a thing.

my humble apologies. of course you didn't pour though the hours of research I did and Phil says mych in earth but NOT in containers. and he's not alone, but then again I did hundreds of hours of reading about organic growing or which high Brix is a division.

 

[Icemud]

Re: The need for a "BRIX FAQ" and input for said.

To each their own then....


All I asked was proof of your statement which actually is a willingness to learn... too bad you see it otherwise....I left you with plenty of good information to learn from... since you like researching you may find them useful... Good luck to you and Farmer Phil.

Here is his video.

[video=youtube_share;P1E8zwUXV4E]

[/video]

 

[Farang]

thanks for posting those videos. but where in those do you see anything about using it in containers?

I dug deeper. you might want to, also.

it's just a suggestion.

see, it doesn't matter to me. mych is incompatible with the trichoderma/chitosan based soil which I use, per that research, so forgive me for not bookmarking what for me became irrelevant.

I'll say this again: there is no magic bullet. mych works in certain conditions and not in others. I hope it works for you!

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

I just recently finshed up a grow using remineralized compost & a very poor mans version of high brix which i shall state my reasons for !

I'm in general an organic grower as best as i can & became interested in high brix with remineralized soil for various reasons, there can be much to debate about the method & materials used which i will comment on later !

The sourcing of materials used can be problematic depending of country of origin ?


I choose the following for an experiment, not that i have any means to test brix levels at present... but do have a refractometer on order for future use...

My last grow consisted of volcanic rock dust known to contain 2/3's of the periodic table of elements & all but one macro nutrient i believe, i used bone meal as a replacement for soft rock phosphate as bone meal contains both calcium & phosphorus plus some other macro/micro nutrients normally not labeled on the product.

I was not to concern about other forms of calcium tho as i live in a hard water area the water does contain trace calcium deposits, i also use alg-a-mic by Biobizz a calcium/magnesium supplement derived from sea weed which also contains trace macro/micro nutrients of some 40 to 50 nutrients if not more !

The compost was recycled or reused Biobizz All Mix which had added farmyard manure to in the last grow, which i had achieved some of my greatest yields with this present mix at present (did not include rock dust, bone meal or fungi)

So i think i've got things pretty much covered as best as i can with alternative ingredients...


All i can say is if high brix methods achieve greater arome & resin product... fuzzys soul is sold

I grow a low ordour strain but my last harvest stinks & i've just freshly trimmed it for drying & curing, i can only look fowards to the cured results.


Notes.

Volcanic rock dust, Azomite alternatives may be viewed as sea weed/kelp meal products or liquid fertilizers both contain a larger amount of macro/micro nutrient elements.

Bone meal is a poor mans version of soft rock phosphate it contains both calcium & phosphorus plus other nutrients & should be obtainable in any country i hope.

Calcium can be sourced in other products...

Dolomite lime/garden lime both contain calcium & magnesium normal used as a PH buffer tho... if mixing your own compost with peat based products is the main use.



Using hard to come by rock dusts in some countrys is not the way foward other products can be sourced open your minds you die hard brix enthusiastic's !



Fuzzys personal opinion.

Rock dust takes time to break down even with microbes/micro organism/fungi at hand before the plant gets to use such nutriention.

It takes time for such benifical colonies to build up to be effective !

Is it really applicable for indoor growing ? due to the short cycle of time being of 3 to 5 months average per harvest if growing in a soil medium including veg time time ?

Pre cooking the soil is an alternative via preparation before use is at hand tho !

I see the long term benifits for out door growing tho

 

[Farang]

good for you, Fuzzy Duck. you are thinking your way through the issue.

in general, I read people advocating discarding their soil after a single use. you raise a point which bothers me. I use Azomite, too, but I'm not sure it breaks down sufficiently within the time frame of this crop. is it possible that because of the added minerals that soil can be re-used?

clearly, the Organic Farming sites are focused like a laser on longevity of the soil. with most grows, finished in a few months, are we simply throwing money away on rock dust and the other long term additives? perhaps the question is, is high brix cultivation even possible in a container environment.

remineralization of the soil OVER TIME is the crux of the high brix literature. do we have the time? I hope you continue to report your results.

another thing which leaves me with questions is the concept of force feeding plants. I haven't encountered a site where people think it's possible. any vegetation will do better in a well mineralized and nutrient rich soil, but by simply pumping up the amounts of calcium available, does that automatically translate into greater uptake?

I'm thinking that the plants will take their fill but cannot be coerced into taking more.

and thanks for bringing this thread back to its topic!

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

In good horticultural practise we should use fresh/new compost every time to eliminate possible diseases issue's ! which is normally assoicated with on mass scale product of plants etc

As an indoor grower disease issues are very minor & if a disease would occur my soil/compost would be deposed off after the grow, sanitation of growing enviroment/pots etc would commence also.


As my own compost contains worms cast which has various micro organisms in which live in the soil by recycling my compost in theory some colonies of microbes/micro organism etc get chance to grow & become more effective in the soil/compost... even tho breaking a part the root ball is some damaging to the soil structure which may effect microbes colonies a bit but not total destroyer them etc

A fresh application of organic matter (OM) like manure is good as this helps provides food for the microbes and a place to live etc

Where as mycorrhizal fungi is destroyed once the plant is removed from soil, mycorrhizal lives on the roots of plants & not in the soil, this is why we need to inoculate the root system/seeds with myco every time we grow with it ! it also sensitive to high levels of P - phosphorus which may stunt/slow down the formation of the fungi...

Rock dust being solid may well be classed as slow release nutrients over time its going to take decades for some of that stuff to break down, infact i would be inclined to sieve some rock dusts & only use the finest dust as this will be easyer for microbes/micro organism/fungi to assimulate into nutrients.



I'm not even to sure what benifits thier is to growing high brix MJ is yet ?

All i know is that in the long term its about improving vitamin content of fruits and veggies through the remineralisation of soil !

As a large majority smoke MJ may i ask where the vitamin content is in the smoke ! (rofl)



But do see the point of increasing some values of calcium & phosphorus in the soil/compost by other means tho making these nutrients a bit more aviable to the plant to use... but must maintain a balance as soils containing high phosphorus are particularly susceptible to creating insoluble forms of calcium.