Bio char

There are many species of spider mites (around 1,200 species) all belonging to the family Tetranychidae. They generally prefer living in the undersides of leaves, where they spin protective silk webs which are also used as a means to protect their colonies as well as to travel from plant to plant. Spider mites can be difficult to spot but if unchecked, later move to the upper leaves. Spider mites vary in color, thus scouting and identification are key.
 
ndersoni (Amblyseius andersoni)

Amblyseius andersoni is a predatory mite that feeds on small arthropod prey and pollen. Less than 0.04 in. in length, andersoni mites feed on small arthropod prey and pollen which allows their application before the pest arrival.

Main target pests: Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychis uriricae) and other mites including European red, broad, cyclamen and russet mites. Additional targets are Western flower thrips.

Often used in tomatoes due to its ability to maneuver between trichomes. They are active across a wide temperature range, allowing for early season introduction into crops yet might enter diapause with cooler temperatures and short day lengths (<10 hr.).
 
Persimilis (Phytoseiulus persimilis)

Phytoseiulus persimilis is a predatory mite, proven outstanding, aggressive and highly effective against spider mites. In suitable conditions, persimilis can develop faster as its prey, allowing it to suppress mite infestation quickly and thoroughly. Performs especially well in strawberries and other crops where relative humidity remains above 65%

Targets Pests: Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), Red/Carmine spider mite (Tetranychus cinnabarinus) and related web-spinning spider mites.

The adult female is a distinctive reddish-orange color with a pear-shaped body. Its long front legs allow it to move quickly and easily navigate spider mite webs which makes it an ideal choice to control spider mites in a wide variety of crops.

Phytoseiulus persimilis is available as BioPersimilis and as BioPersi+

BioPersi+ is produced using a new alternative food system and innovative rearing method which allows for efficient, consistent and dependable production for this predatory mite. BioPersi+, an improved version over the traditional BioPersimilis (Phytoseiulus persimilis) in many respects.

Compared to the traditional BioPersimilis, which appears as a shiny red-orange mite, BioPersi+ is white upon arrival. Yet it turns red-orange once it starts feeding on spider mites. This change in color confirms active predation and is a useful visual indicator. BioPersi+ has a higher fecundity than the traditional BioPersimilis: females lay over 19 eggs within 5 days, under favorable conditions. BioPersi+ displays better searching ability and control of spider mite hot spots of predation, an advantageous and unique visual indication to the grower.
 
Hügelkultur (usually transliterated into English simply as “hugelkultur”) has been used for centuries in Eastern Europe and Germany, often as part of a broader permaculture system.

Hugelkultur is a centuries-old, traditional way of building a garden bed from rotten logs and plant debris. These mound shapes are created by marking out an area for a raised bed, clearing the land, and then heaping up woody material (that’s ideally already partially rotted) topped with compost and soil.
 
Downed trees, fallen branches headed for the brush pile, and rough lumber can all be used; you are essentially taking rotting wood and allowing it to compost in place for a super fertile, moisture-retaining garden bed.

These mounds can be 5 to 6 feet high—massive heaps of logs, branches, leaves, straw, cardboard, grass clippings, and manure or compost mounded to be wider at the bottom than at the top. As the wood shrinks and breaks down, a hügelbed sinks; one that is 6 feet high, for example, will ultimately sink to about 2 feet after several years of decomposition and settling.
 
How to Build a Hugelkultur Bed
First, select a sunny spot that’s roughly 8x4 feet. (A bed built parallel to a slope is a good idea, as it will catch water.)

If there is grass or the site is weedy, you’ll need to clear it down to bare soil. Just mow and cover the area with cardboard or wood chips to suppress weed growth.

Now dig out shallow pits, retaining the turf or topsoil for the top of your mounds. Make the pit or trench 12 to 18 inches deep, keeping the same depth the full length of the bed. Beds need to be narrow enough that you can reach to the center; we’d suggest no more than 4 feet across.

Next, lay the woody material into the dug-out area, starting with large logs or downed trees. Add a layer of branches and twigs. A mix of hard and softwoods is recommended. Avoid using woods that are slow to rot, such as locust, cedar, or redwood or any that release toxins that inhibit plant growth such as black walnut.

Like building a lasagna garden on top of the wood, top it with grass and grass clippings—nearly any kind of organic material—and pack firmly. If you have excavated turf, place it root side up on the wood.

Continue to arrange the wood longitudinally and as tightly as possible. The pile can be as long and high as you like, but I suggest a 2- to 3-foot high bed as it’s easier to work with (and can last without water for two or three weeks). Some folks build them really tall, up to 5 or 6 feet high, but I would need heavy equipment to achieve that.

Then, water the layers well. “When it sprouts mushrooms, you know it’s wet enough,” says Tim Murphy, a gardener in Kingston, New York. Fill in any cracks or spaces with grass, leaf litter, and manure. “The tighter the better,” he adds.

Finally, top off the bed with 2 to 3 inches of topsoil and a layer of mulch.
 
Maintaining the Hügelbed
If you build this in the fall, let the whole thing settle over the winter, and it will be ready for planting next spring.

In the first year, the pile will need watering as the wood breaks down. The rotting wood will also be using up nitrogen that would otherwise be going to your plants, so it’s recommended that you plant legumes the first year since they produce their own nitrogen.

Note that the greater the mass, the greater the water retention. Experienced hügel gardeners have found that if the beds are high enough, they don’t require irrigation at all after the second year. Steep beds also mean more surface area for planting; plus, their height makes harvesting easier.

Eventually, the rotting wood will hold water like a sponge, making the bed drought-resistant. The top of the bed will be naturally drier than the base so you can plant things that need more water nearer the bottom and those that like it drier near the top. You can plant on the sides as well as on the top and bottom, increasing yields in a small garden.
 
A Living Sponge
In the first few years, the heat-producing composting process warms the soil in a hügelbed, providing a somewhat longer growing season. The decaying woody matter is a source of long-term, slow-release nutrients and helps to keep excess nutrients from filtering into groundwater.

The wood, acting like a sponge, stores rainwater to release during drier times. Hügelbed soil is self-tilling over time. As woody material breaks down, tiny air pockets open in the crumbling soil, allowing air to reach plant roots. In time, you can plant into the topmost layer of soil/compost, which becomes rich with beneficial microorganisms.

First-year hügelbeds can be big producers. Murphy reports a harvest of 120 pounds of cucumbers and 42 good-size pumpkins, as well as giant sunflowers, from two first-year beds. Murphy looks beyond the first few years, though: “These are serious, permanent raised beds. What you are building is a living, breathing sponge.”
 

Getting to where you can't even tell that it's been flowered once Already
IMG_20230718_112537.jpg

 
Brix levels are what you need to know about if your plants are looking a little wilted. It's the measure of how much sugar is in the plant sap and it can be raised by adding nitrogen rich fertilizer, watering more often, pruning out dead branches or leaves, and removing any weeds that could be taking up water. You'll also want to make sure there is enough potassium in the soil for strong root growth - this will help with drought tolerance.

So what does BRIX stand for? BRIX (symbol °Bx) stands for Balling Relative Intensity Index which is the sugar content of an aqueous solution. This means that if your plants have low BRIX levels then they're not getting enough nutrition from their roots.
 

How to Raise BRIX Levels in Plants​

Brix levels are what you need to know about if your plants are looking a little wilted. It's the measure of how much sugar is in the plant sap and it can be raised by adding nitrogen rich fertilizer, watering more often, pruning out dead branches or leaves, and removing any weeds that could be taking up water. You'll also want to make sure there is enough potassium in the soil for strong root growth - this will help with drought tolerance.
So what does BRIX stand for? BRIX (symbol °Bx) stands for Balling Relative Intensity Index which is the sugar content of an aqueous solution. This means that if your plants have low BRIX levels then they're not getting enough nutrition from their roots.

Increasing Brix Levels in Plants​

The best organic farmers often boast about growing nutrient-dense, high brix plants. But this isn't just a foreign concept to many indoor growers - it's also the key to being healthy in your garden! Brix is an indicator of how much sugar content there is in sap and generally speaking anything over 12% will keep most insects from recognizing any plant as food even if they are full strength beings who can eat whatever they want at anytime without getting sick or tired before tomorrow morning when their next meal arrives again (I'm looking out for you).
 
Brix Refractometer for Plants
The refractometer is a tool used to measure degrees of Brix. Juice from plants like apples or strawberries can be extracted using garlic presses, and then measured by this device in order for you to know how much sugar content there is on your fruits/veggies! The higher the Brix level (sugars, vitamins, minerals, proteins and other solids), the higher the nutritional value of the fruit or vegetable - and, because of the increased presence of simple and complex sugars, the better the flavor!
 
Covington

How to Raise BRIX Levels in Plants​

Brix levels are what you need to know about if your plants are looking a little wilted. It's the measure of how much sugar is in the plant sap and it can be raised by adding nitrogen rich fertilizer, watering more often, pruning out dead branches or leaves, and removing any weeds that could be taking up water. You'll also want to make sure there is enough potassium in the soil for strong root growth - this will help with drought tolerance.
So what does BRIX stand for? BRIX (symbol °Bx) stands for Balling Relative Intensity Index which is the sugar content of an aqueous solution. This means that if your plants have low BRIX levels then they're not getting enough nutrition from their roots.

Increasing Brix Levels in Plants​

The best organic farmers often boast about growing nutrient-dense, high brix plants. But this isn't just a foreign concept to many indoor growers - it's also the key to being healthy in your garden! Brix is an indicator of how much sugar content there is in sap and generally speaking anything over 12% will keep most insects from recognizing any plant as food even if they are full strength beings who can eat whatever they want at anytime without getting sick or tired before tomorrow morning when their next meal arrives again (I'm looking out for you).

​

Brix Refractometer for Plants​

The refractometer is a tool used to measure degrees of Brix. Juice from plants like apples or strawberries can be extracted using garlic presses, and then measured by this device in order for you to know how much sugar content there is on your fruits/veggies! The higher the Brix level (sugars, vitamins, minerals, proteins and other solids), the higher the nutritional value of the fruit or vegetable - and, because of the increased presence of simple and complex sugars, the better the flavor!

Brix and Plant Resistance to Insects​

When plants ascend the leaf Brix ladder and reach between 8-11, insects metaphorically “fall off”. This is because at this point in their life cycle they've developed a shield to protect themselves from insect predators; however as a general rule you will find that sucking or chewing insects won't tolerate higher than 10 brix (or 11 if it's an oak). Some examples of these types would be caterpillars who eat leaves directly with enzymes on them while others like grasshoppers feed only when their roots have been ingested causing more damage over time due being high sugar content making things less appetizing/palatable until finally disappearing altogether once reaching 12 brix.
 

Brix Levels and Plant Health​

When brix levels are high, plants are stronger and more resistant to frost. The brix readings give us useful information about the plant's ability to fight off disease or future pest infestation. Brix is a term used in horticulture to measure the amount of solids suspended in liquid. Any given liquid contains dissolved sugars, salts, amino acids and proteins. Because brix reading remains quite stable throughout plant growth stages (flowering, fruiting or vegetation), brix is an excellent marker for the fertilization needs of plants during flowering (fruiting).

The brix scale ranges from 0-32% with fruits/vegetables generally ranging between 12-18%. A brix level of 4 or 5 would indicate that the plant is suffering from boron deficiency. A brix level of 18 would indicate a very healthy and well fed plant.

The brix levels of leaves and stems must be matched by an adequate brix reading in the sap (juice). If brix levels are high in leaves and stems, but not to par in sap, we can assume that there's stress on either nitrogen or calcium/magnesium. Brix readings will also remain high throughout flowering as long as the plant was initially fed well during vegetation. Nutrient ratios should be monitored to prevent brix readings from dropping too low during flowering
 

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