Doc Bud's High Brix Q&A With Pictures

[Amy Gardner]

Thanks Doc for the reply. I get that a full batch is the most desirable.Just need options.

Why can't members using the kit, just mix up the whole kit or 'bale', cook it and use what they need,...better to cook the whole bale. Doesn't mean they have to use it all at once,..it won't go bad. Just my thought on that! Enjoy the day gang!

That's what I recommend and practice too.

Ok I get that. For me it’s not just space, although that is an issue (one can always work around it... maybe).

No, in my case it’s physical capacity. I have a pretty debilitating condition so anything more than the 11gal mix is gonna require employing someone to help (so more $ I don’t really have).

Plus, I will literally grow one plant at a time in this. So that means the cooked soil would sit for a very long time like a year or more! and that doesn’t seem ideal to me.

If your cooking soil for long periods of time, you might want to crack your seeds in some sort of root plug or plain promix.

How long is too long?

Also Doc, any thoughts on my question about perlite (or pumice)?

 

[overlord]

How long is too long?

I don't think there is a "Too Long" with cooking soil. Unless your cracking seeds in it, and even then I didn't have a problem until about a year into the cook,

Keep that in mind too, after a year the soil is still doing great just too strong for cracking seeds at that point

 

[Doc Bud]

I usually do two kits worth at a time, then two more on back up, I originally started my 1st four kits probably around a year ago and just used the last of the 1st run soil.

As things changed, I didn't use the soil as fast as I had intended.

There were no problems cracking seeds in the 1st run soil until this last round (The last of my year plus cooked 1st run soil). Out of 8 seeds only 1 made it , so I cracked some more in those jiffy pellets I had lying around and transplanted the sprouts into the 2nd run soil no problem. When I checked the ones that failed I couldn't find a seed, so I assumed the soil ate them.

If your cooking soil for long periods of time, you might want to crack your seeds in some sort of root plug or plain promix.

I always germinate right in the soil, like I showed on the DarkScotia thread.

For people who are afraid of that for some reason, it's fine to germ in a jiffy peat plug, or rapid rooter plug that is IN THE SOIL.

Please do not do the paper towell thingie Give your plants a chance to excell....

 

[Doc Bud]

Thanks Doc for the reply. I get that a full batch is the most desirable.Just need options.


Ok I get that. For me it’s not just space, although that is an issue (one can always work around it... maybe).

No, in my case it’s physical capacity. I have a pretty debilitating condition so anything more than the 11gal mix is gonna require employing someone to help (so more $ I don’t really have).

Plus, I will literally grow one plant at a time in this. So that means the cooked soil would sit for a very long time like a year or more! and that doesn’t seem ideal to me.



How long is too long?

Also Doc, any thoughts on my question about perlite (or pumice)?

If you're using Promix HP, there's no need to add perlite or pumice. If you're using BX, that has less perlite in it than HP, go ahead and add 20% or so.....perlite or pumice. Same /same for all practical purposes.

 

[Graytail]

For reference, the perlite ratio for ProMixHP is 27%.

 

[Amy Gardner]

In lieu of the thankyou button - i’ll have to do it loudly

If you're using Promix HP, there's no need to add perlite or pumice. If you're using BX, that has less perlite in it than HP, go ahead and add 20% or so.....perlite or pumice. Same /same for all practical purposes.

(No ProMix or BX here. Am looking at Teem, just trying to work out getting ti here - no local supply - or a brand called Brunnings, which i’m not sure about...)

For reference, the perlite ratio for ProMixHP is 27%.

And too!

 

[Doc Bud]

In lieu of the thankyou button - i’ll have to do it loudly

(No ProMix or BX here. Am looking at Teem, just trying to work out getting ti here - no local supply - or a brand called Brunnings, which i’m not sure about...)


And too!

Post a pic of the label and ingredients and let's see if we can figure it out.

 

[Van Stank]

I’m in New England too, Docs gear ialways is delivered super fast....because he gets it out the door pronto.

Where are you located? I am right down the highway from Lady G. Have a couple other folks near me in Massachusetts.

 

[LadyGaea]

Quick question. My two Cat drenches were done. Do I use water next or do I go right into alternating the TP & GE again with the goal of finishing with GE? Thanks in advance!

 

[Duggan]

Hi Lady,...good question. No, no more TP for a bit OK. The CD is mostly TP , so , go with straight water , then a GE Drench after that ....Have a great day woman....

 

[LadyGaea]

Hi Lady,...good question. No, no more TP for a bit OK. The CD is mostly TP , so , go with straight water , then a GE Drench after that ....Have a great day woman....

Cool beans! Thanks Duggan! Have a great day yourself!

 

[Duggan]

Used my last holiday from last yr....enjoying it. Cheers.

 

[Deltatrichs]

Ok gang, quick question :

I'm mixing up a third run soil. Switching to 10 gallon pots requires me to make a batch and a half.

Problem is that I only have 1 batch of used 2nd run soil and a half bale of fresh promix.

I'm thinking about adding the 3rd run amendment plus a half measure of 1st run amendment - and probably about 30 lbs of worm castings.

Can I get an amen from the congregation? Or should I tweak it a bit?

Cheers!

 

[Duggan]

Ok,..had to think a min. there , what u have and what u wanna do. I like your logic Delta....sounds good , but i would only use about 20 pounds of EWC's. , at the most OK. Problem with them , is after we amend three times with so many EWC's. the organic matter percentages start to get way up there. Too high and our precious microbes don't like it. So for first run use between 20 and 40 pounds ,...second run use 20 -30 pounds and third run use 10 -20 pounds. This also depends on how much leaves , old roots and stems u add to the cooking soil too. These are just my thoughts OK,...Doc may advise differently , so wait for his input please. Cheers eh!

 

[Doc Bud]

Ok gang, quick question :

I'm mixing up a third run soil. Switching to 10 gallon pots requires me to make a batch and a half.

Problem is that I only have 1 batch of used 2nd run soil and a half bale of fresh promix.

I'm thinking about adding the 3rd run amendment plus a half measure of 1st run amendment - and probably about 30 lbs of worm castings.

Can I get an amen from the congregation? Or should I tweak it a bit?

Cheers!

Add the fresh promix to the 2nd run soil and amend per usual with 3rd run amendment. As Duggan wisely said, use 20 pounds of EWC. It will work just fine.

 

[TripleBeam]

I wanted to learn how to upload and post pictures on the new website before I started a journal. So I posted pictures of the spring where I collected twenty gallons of water in about 30 minutes this evening. I zip tied two 1/2 inch tubes to a wooden stick and jammed it in the hole where the spring water comes out of and voila. We have cold fresh water. Of coarse i need to let it warm up before using. For shits and giggles I tested the water's ph and checked for chlorine. Ph was about 7.2 and no chlorine. Good to find a free source of water.

Contraption filling jug .jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

Spring opening.jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

Wide shot of spring.jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

 

[overlord]

I wanted to learn how to upload and post pictures on the new website before I started a journal. So I posted pictures of the spring where I collected twenty gallons of water in about 30 minutes this evening. I zip tied two 1/2 inch tubes to a wooden stick and jammed it in the hole where the spring water comes out of and voila. We have cold fresh water. Of coarse i need to let it warm up before using. For shits and giggles I tested the water's ph and checked for chlorine. Ph was about 7.2 and no chlorine. Good to find a free source of water.

Contraption filling jug .jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

Spring opening.jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

Wide shot of spring.jpg

• TripleBeam
• May 22, 2018

Every year when I was a kid, we would would go to The North Carolina Mountains over the summer.
These pictures remind me of the roadside springs we would stop and get water from sometimes. Pure & fresh tasting water to say the least.
The mountain across the valley had one at the top, which the residents built a reservoir and used as their water source.
Sadly that reservoir was tainted with E. Coli in the last few years.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Post a pic of the label and ingredients and let's see if we can figure it out.

Finding stuff in this country is way hard when you don’t live in the city (how ironic)! SPM is no exception. Then finally, another call to the local and talking to someone who knew anything I have discovered they have this... I’m hoping it is the same as the Sunshine SPM you get there...

F18AAB5E-38DF-4225-9B8E-A129D3061B33.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• May 22, 2018

FA9BD24C-FC37-4D7E-B236-9A1FDE16525C.jpeg

• Amy Gardner
• May 22, 2018

It costs a bomb, I can find to cheaper elsewhere but then shipping is a nightmare.

Worm castings are even more ridiculously hard to come by. I’ve been trying for about 9 months now. I have found some that are 11 so that’s no good (and they’d cost me a bomb shipped anyway). Other sources don’t list their NPK at all. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I will have sourced them too. I hope this SPM is the stuff - that’ll be one less thing to look for!

Thanks Doc ‘n’ gang

 

[Graytail]

Heheh, the reason it's so spendy is that it's from Canada - genuine Canadian peat moss. So, yep, you have the right stuff, but I don't see any pH buffering, just 100% peat moss. So, you'll have to source some calcitic limestone to pH it.

Sheesh, peat moss is rare around the world? And ... worm poop? Worm poop isn't ubiquitous?

The Sunshine #4 is already blended and buffered for use.

 

[Amy Gardner]

I know right?!