High Brix

[Doc Bud]

Isnt Nitrate N chemical form Nitrogen? Wouldnt that kill the microbial life in the soil? I'm not 100% that why i'm asking.



How do you do this?

Nitrates are found all over the place, including in food as a preservative. Calcium Nitrate is an unusual fertilizer, because of the ++ charge on the Calcium. It acts like a cation (++) and a nitrate (anion -). So it's not skewed way over to the growth side.....which is the anionic side.

Cationic forms of nitrogen stimulate reproductive growth. This is your Ammonium stuff; ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, etc. So, this one soil drench has AS and AP, as well as fishy ferts/beneficials, etc. It's basically an organic product with the AS and AP added in to stimulate seed crops to reproduction.

I watered once with that right when I put them in bloom. Yesterday, I gave them their next energy boost and I used Calcium Nitrate and fishy ferts, along with humic acid and a microbial boost. I want to see some swelling.

 

[JB42]

So all these Nitrates are organic like the fish ferts?

Whats in the Microbial boost? Dam your clever! haha did you do chemistry and biology in university?

Would the grow i'm doing currently be best fed with just compost teas or some added organic stimulants as well? Sorry for all the questions, I could ask a hell of a lot more but i'm holding back, dont want you on the other side slapping your head

 

[Doc Bud]

So all these Nitrates are organic like the fish ferts?

Whats in the Microbial boost? Dam your clever! haha did you do chemistry and biology in university?

Yup. All kinds of biology, physiology, genetics, botany, inorganic chem, Ochem, Pchem, physics, biochem....all of it and for a long time.

Chilean Nitrate is, I believe OMRI. It's as natural as can be....dug out of the ground. Calcium Nitrate can be made from organic materials and it is perfectly safe for soil life...even enhances it if used properly.

My grow is organic except for 1 drench that had Ammonium phosphate and sulfate, and a one time foliar spray that had Ammonium Nitrate and Ammonium phosphate.

While I like the idea of all natural, these are very simple salts that do no more harm than a sheep taking a leak on a spot where a gopher died underground. You'll find ammonium sulfate and probably some phosphate in organic compost. It's the urine/ammonia smell you get at a feed lot too.

I'm all about nutrient density and ultra healthy plants. I'll feed them anything nature or science can provide if it increases brix and makes better produce.

The High Brix High needs to be experienced.

Oh...on edit:

The microbial boost is a highly concentrated product that contains a bunch of humic acids, a bit of biochar, and a ton of microbes.

I'm growing in amended peat moss, so the humic acid is derived not just from coal, but from peat. The biochar is a probiotic and of course the microbes are designed to go with the soil, which has already been inoculated with beneficials.

The amendments are mostly rock powders and organic fertilizer, but there's a bit of other stuff in there too. It all comes together synergistically and as long as I follow directions I grow fantastic plants!

I just have to keep myself from ruining crops with my addiction to experimentation. But I'm doing better with that after the K-mag debacle. I don't mess with the soil anymore.....just the drenches and sprays.

 

[JB42]

Do ammonium based food essentially destroy the soil leaving the plants dependent on constant feeds from then on?

I really appreciate all the info Doc, will probably have to read again tomorrow so I dont forget. So much info

 

[Doc Bud]

Do ammonium based food essentially destroy the soil leaving the plants dependent on constant feeds from then on?

I really appreciate all the info Doc, will probably have to read again tomorrow so I dont forget. So much info

Ammonia, in correct doses, will not harm soil life one bit. In fact, it helps it. Think animal piss.

 

[JB42]

What chemical nutes do hurt soil life? I thought some did.

 

[Doc Bud]

What chemical nutes do hurt soil life? I thought some did.

Well, like they tell you in environmental engineering, "The answer to pollution is dilution." None of the chemical nutes are fatal to soil life in small concentrations.

Some are very toxic in moderate doses, like the high phosphate ferts. Those nuke soil life. Others, like epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is non-toxic, as is calcium sulfate (gypsum, organic) and Calcium Carbonate (limestone)....you get the picture.

Intensive industrial farming uses chemicals to excess, and they destroy the soil, which is loaded up with bicarbonates, phosphates, and devoid of microbial life and minerals. In that case, overuse of everything is the culprit.

However, used correctly, these substances, many of which are natural, can be of great assistance in growing the best possible produce.

The only stuff we use that will really harm soil life is the super phosphate type of ferts like you see in koolbloom, fox farms solubles, Advanced, etc. You don't want to use those if you're trying to grow in living soil. They will have an impact for sure.

Too many nitrates can give rise to conditions that lead to pathogens in the soil, but you'd have to use lots of manure and keep it way too wet to get that way in a true organic system. Certainly a small application of calcium nitrate every 2 or 3 weeks isn't going to harm anything, and the plants love the calcium.

 

[JB42]

Aaah ok, thanks doc bud defnately have a better understanding of organic and chem nutes now,

 

[Hash Hound]

Doc,

Is this the sort of shine we are looking for? That's Pineapple Express front and center.

They are going to get a trim this weekend. I swear there hasn't been a bad leaf on either of the 3 plants.

Mineralized soil and tea feedings, and Stump Tea foliar.

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc,

Is this the sort of shine we are looking for? That's Pineapple Express front and center.

They are going to get a trim this weekend. I swear there hasn't been a bad leaf on either of the 3 plants.

Mineralized soil and tea feedings, and Stump Tea foliar.

Yep. that's the stuff!

 

[Icemud]

Hey Doc, 2 quick questions for you....

Do you, or have you used earthworms in your soil for high brix...? not castings but actual earthworms?

2nd question.

Have you found any good resources or information on the proper soil EC for high brix...? I have only found that you want to keep your soil ec between .2 and 1.2 um/cm but it was not a high brix site, more of a organic gardening site... any thoughts you wouldn't mind sharing on soil EC? I found a hanna soil ec probe that takes real time readings without having to mix up a solution and think it may be vital to understanding the soil just a bit more would love to hear your take on it..

 

[Doc Bud]

Herijuana/Afghan:

Cherry Pie:

 

[Doc Bud]

Cherry Pie:

 

[Doc Bud]

Pictures are screwy tonite.

Other stuff:

 

[Doc Bud]

Hey Doc, 2 quick questions for you....

Do you, or have you used earthworms in your soil for high brix...? not castings but actual earthworms?

2nd question.

Have you found any good resources or information on the proper soil EC for high brix...? I have only found that you want to keep your soil ec between .2 and 1.2 um/cm but it was not a high brix site, more of a organic gardening site... any thoughts you wouldn't mind sharing on soil EC? I found a hanna soil ec probe that takes real time readings without having to mix up a solution and think it may be vital to understanding the soil just a bit more would love to hear your take on it..

Hey Ice!

Thanks for stopping by. I haven't used real live earthworms yet, but I plan on giving it a go sometime. I'm considering growing in large horse troughs, about 3x8 troughs that hold 300 gallons. I would keep the soil between grows and thought running a bunch of worms through it would be a good idea. But those are future plans. I haven't done it yet.

In high brix gardening they talk about ERGS and measure it with a probe. It's a form of EC, but I don't know the conversion factor. I was going to purchase one of their probes, but haven't done so yet. I have a budget, so I need to buy expensive items like that infrequently.

As I expand production a bit more----still at about half my personal recomendation----I'm finding tools like EC probes and moisture meters very useful. It's not fun trying to lift 20 pots to see if they need water. The moisture meter works well, and tells me how far down the moisture is. In veg, I wait till there's only a bit of moisture at the bottom of the pot before I water.

I'd like to get a probe......soon.

 

[Curso]

Cherry Pie:

I need a cut of this Beautiful Doc!!!

 

[Doc Bud]

I need a cut of this Beautiful Doc!!!

I hate to say it, but its a little disappointing. The buds are gorgeous, but the smell and taste do not live up to the legacy of the parents. I'm giving it one more chance.....got a dozen clones of it waiting in the wings if this harvest is better than last. But I doubt it will be, because the last grow of CP was perfect.

All the other plants had great flavor, the CP isn't bad.....just not as good as it's parental lineage suggests it should be. I'd much rather have OG, Durban, or GDP by themselves.

Now, the Afghan x Herijuana? That's a winner.

 

[Hash Hound]

Doc,

are you using one of those cheap analog type moisture probes, or a digital one?

 

[Doc Bud]

Doc,

are you using one of those cheap analog type moisture probes, or a digital one?

I use el cheapo. The needle jumps when there's wet.

 

[Icemud]

Hey Ice!

Thanks for stopping by. I haven't used real live earthworms yet, but I plan on giving it a go sometime. I'm considering growing in large horse troughs, about 3x8 troughs that hold 300 gallons. I would keep the soil between grows and thought running a bunch of worms through it would be a good idea. But those are future plans. I haven't done it yet.

In high brix gardening they talk about ERGS and measure it with a probe. It's a form of EC, but I don't know the conversion factor. I was going to purchase one of their probes, but haven't done so yet. I have a budget, so I need to buy expensive items like that infrequently.

As I expand production a bit more----still at about half my personal recomendation----I'm finding tools like EC probes and moisture meters very useful. It's not fun trying to lift 20 pots to see if they need water. The moisture meter works well, and tells me how far down the moisture is. In veg, I wait till there's only a bit of moisture at the bottom of the pot before I water.

I'd like to get a probe......soon.

I was reading about the good that earthworms do to the soil from their excretions to the air movement in the soil and seems definitely like a valuable addition to our high brix soils I am going to look into using them as well...now just have to find a fishing bait shop locally

The EC/EGRS meter is definitely in one of my near future purchases, but their pretty pricy and I've only found 2 models, one by hanna for like 100$ and another by a company for 400$. I think that these will probably be the most useful tool to help us measure the soil EGRS and to keep it in the right levels...I am definitely interested in what my soil is currently reading and have a feeling that too much Na may be contributing to the yellowing that I am experiencing with my grow. It will be really cool to be able to stick in a probe and see exactly how much "energy" is going on. I read that too much energy will burn/stunt the roots and slow nutrient uptake so it is very possible. Now just to save up the money