The Gee Spot - You Finally Found It

[Gee64]

It would be really cool to capture those mutant genetics, do you have a clone of her?

I don't.

 

[013]

Pretty cool mutation, might be nice to have that trait carry forward. Cross breed and turn that fuzzy caterpillar into a python

Speaking of condensation… My bottle of 190 has lid on it and has been in the freezer for weeks. Is there any value in running a crucible of plain 190 thru distiller then sealing it up in mason jar and putting in back in freezer? Then next day after it chills down start the quick wash?

 

[Azimuth]

A question for you seed growers (I've grown mostly clones from a cbd plant).

If an indica based seedling is topped between nodes 4 and 5 quadlining style, removing nodes 1 and 2 and letting nodes 3 and 4 construct the quad and those branches are still growing out in an opposite node pattern at branch node 6, can it be "forced" to mature faster by flipping to 12/12 rather than just waiting for the nodes to alternate to indicate sexual maturity?

It's gotta be close to sexual maturity but it's hard to wait another week or two given it's size already and the limited real estate available in flower.

Asking for a friend...

The main limb nodes continue growing out in opposite fashion but the nodes of the branches off of them are alternate so I think I'm going to tip two of the four main branches and send it into flower and see what I learn.

Plants that go too long in veg get too big for my space and throw off the perpetual calendar cycle, though the size issue is the more important of the two.

 

[Gee64]

Pretty cool mutation, might be nice to have that trait carry forward. Cross breed and turn that fuzzy caterpillar into a python

Speaking of condensation… My bottle of 190 has lid on it and has been in the freezer for weeks. Is there any value in running a crucible of plain 190 thru distiller then sealing it up in mason jar and putting in back in freezer? Then next day after it chills down start the quick wash?

I usually rerun my 190 by itself after I'm finished a batch, then into the freezer until next use. It cleans it up really well. Like new again.

I find the biggest moisture draw is after the wash is done. Thats when it's vital to seal and store the wash in the freezer. If it's on the counter and open to atmosphere, the -15C or colder wash condenses the moisture out of the warm household air really quickly.

I tend to do mine in the winter when outside temps are -20C or colder. Where I am that is usually the driest stretch of the year, almost always lower than 30%RH.

Outside of that window, I do my washes and strainings in the freezer, quickly fill the crucible and into the Source, and the remaining wash right back into the freezer.

 

[Gee64]

The main limb nodes continue growing out in opposite fashion but the nodes of the branches off of them are alternate so I think I'm going to tip two of the four main branches and send it into flower and see what I learn.

Plants that go too long in veg get too big for my space and throw off the perpetual calendar cycle, though the size issue is the more important of the two.

Size from seed is my biggest challenge too. Couple that duration with my love of sativas and the roof of the tent is always too low, even at 8'. Height is my biggest challenge. Let us know what you find out please.

 

[013]

I usually rerun my 190 by itself after I'm finished a batch, then into the freezer until next use. It cleans it up really well. Like new again.

I find the biggest moisture draw is after the wash is done. Thats when it's vital to seal and store the wash in the freezer. If it's on the counter and open to atmosphere, the -15C or colder wash condenses the moisture out of the warm household air really quickly.

I tend to do mine in the winter when outside temps are -20C or colder. Where I am that is usually the driest stretch of the year, almost always lower than 30%RH.

Outside of that window, I do my washes and strainings in the freezer, quickly fill the crucible and into the Source, and the remaining wash right back into the freezer.

Perfect this will help tighten up my procedures. I’m stuck with freezer since our temps never get that low. Here’s crappy pic of how last batch separated out, it’s still got few drops of liquid grain alcohol left

69C383A6-4BF6-4E43-B6D2-45D3BB597BAD.jpeg

• 013
• May 4, 2024

 

[Gee64]

Perfect this will help tighten up my procedures. I’m stuck with freezer since our temps never get that low. Here’s crappy pic of how last batch separated out, it’s still got few drops of liquid grain alcohol left

69C383A6-4BF6-4E43-B6D2-45D3BB597BAD.jpeg

• 013
• May 4, 2024

That looks more like excess alcohol that condensation. Condensation is like grey milk and won't evaporate. If you use a small fan it will evaporate off the mat quicker. Keep it in the dark if you can to save terps.

 

[Gee64]

Was that bud or trim?

 

[Gee64]

Day 37 since cut.

So that means 23 more days until they get pampered.

They are figuring it out. The detriment has stopped and they actually improved a bit today.

And the roots have been adapting. Look at the fuzz. They want food and they are willing to break down the pure carbon "soil" to get it. I think I'm starting to see how this works. Or it's just wishful thinking. Either way, I expected thread thin damaged roots, not fuzzy ones like these.

The RV clones are really going now. It's day 17 in soil I believe, and they grew a good 2 inches in height overnight. It's showtime and I have no plan lol. I gave them all some fish ferts today. The leaves are getting quite large and every set is bigger than the last.

Going Up!

 

[Gee64]

TMSC - Day 33 of Flower.

The Crew.

RV1.

Ikky.

RV1 cola. I'm getting some random red hairs and it's too soon. Not sure why but it could be the strain/pheno too.

Another RV1 cola.

RV1 from the other side. I need to stop calling Larf Valley Larf Valley. Its now Short Nugget Spears Valley.

They are carbon copies of the 6 mains, just a foot shorter and only about 5 nodes tall.

Here is an Ikky cola. Ikky has the 12 brix and you can see where thrips almost got her. Her lower fans have scars.

Another RV1 cola. You can see the red hairs. All soils are equal and it's only happening on RV1.

Here's a close-up. @Lerugged is this normal for this strain?

Ikky's hairs are still pristine and a cool lemon-butter yellowy. Gorgeous!

 

[Gee64]

And then there is these Gals.

RV1.

RV1.

And Iklwa. Her yellow pistils are easier to see here.

The 3 pillars of Mutantville

RV's backside.

 

[013]

fuzzy roots, centipede buds - me like…

That batch was all bud

 

[Azimuth]

Hey @Gee64 I'd like to revisit our discussion regarding carbon sources, especially leaves vs coco.

I have two sources of leaf input, one is raw, dried and crumbled leaves and the other 2-3 year old leaf mold.

Do I understand correctly that the leaf mold is not the pure carbon input you like since it is already at least partially broken down into humus and therefore the microbes don't see it as a carbon source like they would your raw coco?

And if so, wouldn't my raw leaves serve that purpose as long as there is no associated N which would cause it to actively compost in the pot? Maybe that would require mixing my base soil plus amendments first to process for a month or so and then mix up a soil batch adding in the leaf component since maybe mixing it all together initially prior to the cook degrades the carbon source a bit?

So yes, I’m still hung up on using my leaves for carbon but trying to find the best way to do so. It seems to me that raw leaves and raw coco should be similar source type material.

When in your soil building process do you add your coco?

 

[Gee64]

Hey @Gee64 I'd like to revisit our discussion regarding carbon sources, especially leaves vs coco.

I have two sources of leaf input, one is raw, dried and crumbled leaves and the other 2-3 year old leaf mold.

Do I understand correctly that the leaf mold is not the pure carbon input you like since it is already at least partially broken down into humus and therefore the microbes don't see it as a carbon source like they would your raw coco?

Ok first lets look at Leaf Mold (LM) and this is going to take quite a few posts overall. Carbon is incredibly complex and incredibly simple. We could talk about it for months, or you can just add it in and trust in it, because it works.

So is it the pure source I like?Yes and no.

LM is not the carbon source I like FOR FEEDING MICROBES as it's already been composted. It is however one of the best soil conditioners out there. So it's not a good food source directly as its already composted, and composted translates into eaten.

It's actually whats left of carbon after it's eaten. It's similar in many ways to biochar.

It's a lattice-like carbon structure but the fibre has been removed. It holds water, air, and nutrients but what it really is, is a humate.

A humate is a colloidal platter. The best kind too. It's negatively charged and attracts cations. Very similar to a clay colloid in practical terms. It has cation exchange capabilities and very good ones at that.

So when you add coco or dried uncomposted leaves or sawdust or wood chips or any other uncomposted carbon source, the microbes eat what they can and whats left is humate. LM is one type of humate.

Where it really excels is the fact that leaves are high in minerals as they are where trees store minerals for future use. Minerals are what the cation exchange moves so it's like buying a car AND the tank is full.

So the end result is yes it's carbon, but it's not microbe food, it's the conveyor belt that moves cations to the plant, but it still has carbon qualities for water retention, air flow, all the good things. It creates tilth but.... too much holds too much water.

I prefer coco for 3 reasons. One is that I want to supply the minerals, I don't know whats in leaves exactly, but I do know whats in a bag of rock dust or dolomite, etc.

2 is that too much water is not good.

3 is that LM isn't sterile, it comes with all sorts of bugs and eggs etc, and pretty much guarantees pests. Outdoors? heck yeah! Bring on the LM, but indoors, I don't want the pests.

So if you mix 5 or 10% of your mix as leaf mold, beauty! Any more and it will get soggy quick.

Now to composting carbon. Dry leaves or coco or whatever. Each kind has a density rating. The higher the density both the longer it takes to break down and the more nitrogen that is required in the process.

So paper breaks down really fast and needs little nitrogen, but it can get hot quickly, then poof it's gone.

Wood requires huge amounts of nitrogen and breaks down slowly. It doesn't go poof, it smoulders for years.

When your pot runs out of compostible greens it will hog all atmospheric nitrogen and your plants get a nitro def.

BUT, when paper or coco or wood or any carbon finishes breaking down, humate is whats left, so you can create humate like leaf mold and then add it, or you can include coco or whatever your choice is and cook it in the mix to release it's nutrients as you make it into humate.

I choose coco because it's slow release K with a good carbon number and I strive to never uppot, I like popping seeds in final containers, so I need slow release carbon thats dense but not too dense. Coco lasts for 5 or 6 months so it's perfect, and it's a great water holder because its just over medium density. It fits my recipe.

So in a nutshell, leaf mold is great but don't expect it to cook, it's already cooked.

Thats the condensed version of the condensed version. So I hope that helps but I doubt it really answers your question. All I can say about carbon is you don't get it until you get it but once you get it it's really easy, so lets start with that and it should cause you more questions than answers so lets keep conversing.

I'm glad you asked. This is the big talk son, well daughter, I saw your hands remember. An organic compound IS an organic compound because it's carbon based, so it's kinda important in organics.

And if so, wouldn't my raw leaves serve that purpose as long as there is no associated N which would cause it to actively compost in the pot?

I think you know that answer now. LM is already composted so it won't compost again. Dry leaves will compost.

Maybe that would require mixing my base soil plus amendments first to process for a month or so and then mix up a soil batch adding in the leaf component since maybe mixing it all together initially prior to the cook degrades the carbon source a bit?

Hey! We just answered that too, and 5% in a small pot is better than 10%. Did you know biochar is carbon? So your doubling down, your getting soggy.

So yes, I’m still hung up on using my leaves for carbon but trying to find the best way to do so.

Hehe damn we are on a roll! both ways is bestleaves for composting and LM as a conditioner. FINISHED LM won't compost so you can include it in your cooking process or add it later.

It seems to me that raw leaves and raw coco should be similar source type material.

They are. When all my kelps, alfalfas, etc are finished cooking I still have raw coco in my soil so as long as I don't add more greens, it won't continue to cook and as it does break down it's number is low enough that atmospheric nitrogen can supply it and supply the plant. Now if nitrogen fixing microbes come to eat it some gets stored in the soil and as nodules in the roots. Wood is too dense, it sucks all the nitrogen. Leaf carbon density is all over the map so you need to research your leaves. number between 50 and 70 is great for slow release.

When in your soil building process do you add your coco?

At every stage. After my cooking is finished, and finished is the important word here, I add more to get the right water retention and more fibre for the microbes.

Here is the easiest way to look at it... Would you use leaves or LM in your composter? and why?

Again you likely have more questions but this is equally important as calcium is so lets kick it around, cuz right now your likely thinking that some of what I said doesn't really seem to make sense, almost oxymoronic. Thats because of carbon density. Talk it out because it won't make sense until it makes sense, but once it makes sense it will make sense.

Make sense?

PS, and this is the kick in the nuts for what you are trying to achieve.... sort of....

Exudates are pure carbon. Microbe food. So once you cross over into high brix your plant pulls carbon out of the air and the only purpose soil carbon serves is as a conditioner, so striving for high brix negates the need for soil carbon BUT too much water leads to over nitrification and high nitrogen crashes brix. Too much leaf mold crashes brix. Think nature. Your roots go 10 feet deep but a half inch of leaf mold on the surface is enough. 5%. Any more and the soil gets wet, brix crash, and pests roll in.

Now I bet you got questions, and some cussing

It comes down to what Gramma always says. You know sweetie, too much of a good thing isn't a good thing.

So you need to get your head around it, then its really easy.

Most of my coco in my mix is to regulate moisture, then I cut it with perlite to regulate air, then I add P, Ca, minerals, and microbes and brix takes over as my carbon source via exudates. Its called carbon sequestration. Now the microbes stop composting the coco and eat the exudates, nitrogen isn't being hogged, and big buds pop up. I should get carbon credits for this

C, P, Ca, 02, and microbes, the 5 parts to high brix. All you need after that is minerals, water, and light.

Read that a couple times, it's confusing to say the least, and it's also hard to explain, so shoot away with questions til it sinks in. I'm glad your here, this is the part that confuses everyone.

Or just learn high brix and trust it and never know about carbon and you will be just fine. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. This is one of those times.

 

[Carmen Ray]

lattice-like carbon structure

A humate is a colloidal platter

compostible greens

2 my

well daughter, I saw your hands remember

I've always wondered about this

Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. This is one of those times.

It's my motto

 

[Lerugged]

I've seen it before. Hopefully it's not pollinated. But yes I have had browning stigmas early with no ill effects.

 

[Gee64]

I've seen it before. Hopefully it's not pollinated. But yes I have had browning stigmas early with no ill effects.

Thanks Matt. I don't think it's pollination as it's only the one pheno of RVDV that it's happening to. This puts me at ease, I was worried I may have a pathogen.

 

[Jon]

Ok first lets look at Leaf Mold (LM) and this is going to take quite a few posts overall. Carbon is incredibly complex and incredibly simple. We could talk about it for months, or you can just add it in and trust in it, because it works.

So is it the pure source I like?Yes and no.

LM is not the carbon source I like FOR FEEDING MICROBES as it's already been composted. It is however one of the best soil conditioners out there. So it's not a good food source directly as its already composted, and composted translates into eaten.

It's actually whats left of carbon after it's eaten. It's similar in many ways to biochar.

It's a lattice-like carbon structure but the fibre has been removed. It holds water, air, and nutrients but what it really is, is a humate.

A humate is a colloidal platter. The best kind too. It's negatively charged and attracts cations. Very similar to a clay colloid in practical terms. It has cation exchange capabilities and very good ones at that.

So when you add coco or dried uncomposted leaves or sawdust or wood chips or any other uncomposted carbon source, the microbes eat what they can and whats left is humate. LM is one type of humate.

Where it really excels is the fact that leaves are high in minerals as they are where trees store minerals for future use. Minerals are what the cation exchange moves so it's like buying a car AND the tank is full.

So the end result is yes it's carbon, but it's not microbe food, it's the conveyor belt that moves cations to the plant, but it still has carbon qualities for water retention, air flow, all the good things. It creates tilth but.... too much holds too much water.

I prefer coco for 3 reasons. One is that I want to supply the minerals, I don't know whats in leaves exactly, but I do know whats in a bag of rock dust or dolomite, etc.

2 is that too much water is not good.

3 is that LM isn't sterile, it comes with all sorts of bugs and eggs etc, and pretty much guarantees pests. Outdoors? heck yeah! Bring on the LM, but indoors, I don't want the pests.

So if you mix 5 or 10% of your mix as leaf mold, beauty! Any more and it will get soggy quick.

Now to composting carbon. Dry leaves or coco or whatever. Each kind has a density rating. The higher the density both the longer it takes to break down and the more nitrogen that is required in the process.

So paper breaks down really fast and needs little nitrogen, but it can get hot quickly, then poof it's gone.

Wood requires huge amounts of nitrogen and breaks down slowly. It doesn't go poof, it smoulders for years.

When your pot runs out of compostible greens it will hog all atmospheric nitrogen and your plants get a nitro def.

BUT, when paper or coco or wood or any carbon finishes breaking down, humate is whats left, so you can create humate like leaf mold and then add it, or you can include coco or whatever your choice is and cook it in the mix to release it's nutrients as you make it into humate.

I choose coco because it's slow release K with a good carbon number and I strive to never uppot, I like popping seeds in final containers, so I need slow release carbon thats dense but not too dense. Coco lasts for 5 or 6 months so it's perfect, and it's a great water holder because its just over medium density. It fits my recipe.

So in a nutshell, leaf mold is great but don't expect it to cook, it's already cooked.

Thats the condensed version of the condensed version. So I hope that helps but I doubt it really answers your question. All I can say about carbon is you don't get it until you get it but once you get it it's really easy, so lets start with that and it should cause you more questions than answers so lets keep conversing.

I'm glad you asked. This is the big talk son, well daughter, I saw your hands remember. An organic compound IS an organic compound because it's carbon based, so it's kinda important in organics.

I think you know that answer now. LM is already composted so it won't compost again. Dry leaves will compost.


Hey! We just answered that too, and 5% in a small pot is better than 10%. Did you know biochar is carbon? So your doubling down, your getting soggy.

Hehe damn we are on a roll! both ways is bestleaves for composting and LM as a conditioner. FINISHED LM won't compost so you can include it in your cooking process or add it later.

They are. When all my kelps, alfalfas, etc are finished cooking I still have raw coco in my soil so as long as I don't add more greens, it won't continue to cook and as it does break down it's number is low enough that atmospheric nitrogen can supply it and supply the plant. Now if nitrogen fixing microbes come to eat it some gets stored in the soil and as nodules in the roots. Wood is too dense, it sucks all the nitrogen. Leaf carbon density is all over the map so you need to research your leaves. number between 50 and 70 is great for slow release.

At every stage. After my cooking is finished, and finished is the important word here, I add more to get the right water retention and more fibre for the microbes.

Here is the easiest way to look at it... Would you use leaves or LM in your composter? and why?

Again you likely have more questions but this is equally important as calcium is so lets kick it around, cuz right now your likely thinking that some of what I said doesn't really seem to make sense, almost oxymoronic. Thats because of carbon density. Talk it out because it won't make sense until it makes sense, but once it makes sense it will make sense.

Make sense?

PS, and this is the kick in the nuts for what you are trying to achieve.... sort of....

Exudates are pure carbon. Microbe food. So once you cross over into high brix your plant pulls carbon out of the air and the only purpose soil carbon serves is as a conditioner, so striving for high brix negates the need for soil carbon BUT too much water leads to over nitrification and high nitrogen crashes brix. Too much leaf mold crashes brix. Think nature. Your roots go 10 feet deep but a half inch of leaf mold on the surface is enough. 5%. Any more and the soil gets wet, brix crash, and pests roll in.

Now I bet you got questions, and some cussing

It comes down to what Gramma always says. You know sweetie, too much of a good thing isn't a good thing.

So you need to get your head around it, then its really easy.

Most of my coco in my mix is to regulate moisture, then I cut it with perlite to regulate air, then I add P, Ca, minerals, and microbes and brix takes over as my carbon source via exudates. Its called carbon sequestration. Now the microbes stop composting the coco and eat the exudates, nitrogen isn't being hogged, and big buds pop up. I should get carbon credits for this

C, P, Ca, 02, and microbes, the 5 parts to high brix. All you need after that is minerals, water, and light.

Read that a couple times, it's confusing to say the least, and it's also hard to explain, so shoot away with questions til it sinks in. I'm glad your here, this is the part that confuses everyone.

Or just learn high brix and trust it and never know about carbon and you will be just fine. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. This is one of those times.

You make my head spin. I’m still so far behind on organics that this thread still intimidates me and makes me feel stupid. I’m psyched to drop all my bullshit growing techniques and get serious once I finally move. Jeez.

 

[Gee64]

Ok first lets look at Leaf Mold (LM) and this is going to take quite a few posts overall. Carbon is incredibly complex and incredibly simple. We could talk about it for months, or you can just add it in and trust in it, because it works.

So is it the pure source I like?Yes and no.

LM is not the carbon source I like FOR FEEDING MICROBES as it's already been composted. It is however one of the best soil conditioners out there. So it's not a good food source directly as its already composted, and composted translates into eaten.

It's actually whats left of carbon after it's eaten. It's similar in many ways to biochar.

It's a lattice-like carbon structure but the fibre has been removed. It holds water, air, and nutrients but what it really is, is a humate.

A humate is a colloidal platter. The best kind too. It's negatively charged and attracts cations. Very similar to a clay colloid in practical terms. It has cation exchange capabilities and very good ones at that.

So when you add coco or dried uncomposted leaves or sawdust or wood chips or any other uncomposted carbon source, the microbes eat what they can and whats left is humate. LM is one type of humate.

Where it really excels is the fact that leaves are high in minerals as they are where trees store minerals for future use. Minerals are what the cation exchange moves so it's like buying a car AND the tank is full.

So the end result is yes it's carbon, but it's not microbe food, it's the conveyor belt that moves cations to the plant, but it still has carbon qualities for water retention, air flow, all the good things. It creates tilth but.... too much holds too much water.

I prefer coco for 3 reasons. One is that I want to supply the minerals, I don't know whats in leaves exactly, but I do know whats in a bag of rock dust or dolomite, etc.

2 is that too much water is not good.

3 is that LM isn't sterile, it comes with all sorts of bugs and eggs etc, and pretty much guarantees pests. Outdoors? heck yeah! Bring on the LM, but indoors, I don't want the pests.

So if you mix 5 or 10% of your mix as leaf mold, beauty! Any more and it will get soggy quick.

Now to composting carbon. Dry leaves or coco or whatever. Each kind has a density rating. The higher the density both the longer it takes to break down and the more nitrogen that is required in the process.

So paper breaks down really fast and needs little nitrogen, but it can get hot quickly, then poof it's gone.

Wood requires huge amounts of nitrogen and breaks down slowly. It doesn't go poof, it smoulders for years.

When your pot runs out of compostible greens it will hog all atmospheric nitrogen and your plants get a nitro def.

BUT, when paper or coco or wood or any carbon finishes breaking down, humate is whats left, so you can create humate like leaf mold and then add it, or you can include coco or whatever your choice is and cook it in the mix to release it's nutrients as you make it into humate.

I choose coco because it's slow release K with a good carbon number and I strive to never uppot, I like popping seeds in final containers, so I need slow release carbon thats dense but not too dense. Coco lasts for 5 or 6 months so it's perfect, and it's a great water holder because its just over medium density. It fits my recipe.

So in a nutshell, leaf mold is great but don't expect it to cook, it's already cooked.

Thats the condensed version of the condensed version. So I hope that helps but I doubt it really answers your question. All I can say about carbon is you don't get it until you get it but once you get it it's really easy, so lets start with that and it should cause you more questions than answers so lets keep conversing.

I'm glad you asked. This is the big talk son, well daughter, I saw your hands remember. An organic compound IS an organic compound because it's carbon based, so it's kinda important in organics.

I think you know that answer now. LM is already composted so it won't compost again. Dry leaves will compost.


Hey! We just answered that too, and 5% in a small pot is better than 10%. Did you know biochar is carbon? So your doubling down, your getting soggy.

Hehe damn we are on a roll! both ways is bestleaves for composting and LM as a conditioner. FINISHED LM won't compost so you can include it in your cooking process or add it later.

They are. When all my kelps, alfalfas, etc are finished cooking I still have raw coco in my soil so as long as I don't add more greens, it won't continue to cook and as it does break down it's number is low enough that atmospheric nitrogen can supply it and supply the plant. Now if nitrogen fixing microbes come to eat it some gets stored in the soil and as nodules in the roots. Wood is too dense, it sucks all the nitrogen. Leaf carbon density is all over the map so you need to research your leaves. number between 50 and 70 is great for slow release.

At every stage. After my cooking is finished, and finished is the important word here, I add more to get the right water retention and more fibre for the microbes.

Here is the easiest way to look at it... Would you use leaves or LM in your composter? and why?

Again you likely have more questions but this is equally important as calcium is so lets kick it around, cuz right now your likely thinking that some of what I said doesn't really seem to make sense, almost oxymoronic. Thats because of carbon density. Talk it out because it won't make sense until it makes sense, but once it makes sense it will make sense.

Make sense?

PS, and this is the kick in the nuts for what you are trying to achieve.... sort of....

Exudates are pure carbon. Microbe food. So once you cross over into high brix your plant pulls carbon out of the air and the only purpose soil carbon serves is as a conditioner, so striving for high brix negates the need for soil carbon BUT too much water leads to over nitrification and high nitrogen crashes brix. Too much leaf mold crashes brix. Think nature. Your roots go 10 feet deep but a half inch of leaf mold on the surface is enough. 5%. Any more and the soil gets wet, brix crash, and pests roll in.

Now I bet you got questions, and some cussing

It comes down to what Gramma always says. You know sweetie, too much of a good thing isn't a good thing.

So you need to get your head around it, then its really easy.

Most of my coco in my mix is to regulate moisture, then I cut it with perlite to regulate air, then I add P, Ca, minerals, and microbes and brix takes over as my carbon source via exudates. Its called carbon sequestration. Now the microbes stop composting the coco and eat the exudates, nitrogen isn't being hogged, and big buds pop up. I should get carbon credits for this

C, P, Ca, 02, and microbes, the 5 parts to high brix. All you need after that is minerals, water, and light.

Read that a couple times, it's confusing to say the least, and it's also hard to explain, so shoot away with questions til it sinks in. I'm glad your here, this is the part that confuses everyone.

Or just learn high brix and trust it and never know about carbon and you will be just fine. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. This is one of those times.

So now Azi, you need to evaluate your LM to pot size ratio.

Too much LM holds too much water AND it takes up space in the pot.

As a humate, which drives your CEC, at 1st glance you would think more is better, but in reality those minerals that we all seek and pay top dollar for are only about 5ish percent of the dry weight of the plant, so you desperately need minerals, but not that much of them in the big picture, so once you have enough LM to run your CEC properly, all the excess LM after that is really just a soil reservoir for water retention.

You are in very small pots, so can you afford the space required to have extra water retention? (soggy soil) or would that space be better served by other things, such as more greens to supply aminos which are pre-proteins, aka greens?

You need 2 browns (fibre rich uncooked carbon sources such as dried leaves or coco) for every green. Carbs to proteins for plants are the same as carbs to proteins ratios that humans require, as it's the same microbial biome in both soil and our gut, to a large degree.

So extra browns never get used because you are out of greens. Balance is key here.

In humans, who have evolved to pull up their roots and now have the ability to chase food, we developed evolutionary fuel tanks.

Carbs are the fuel to power cells and cells are factories that make things out of proteins.

The human body will never waste anything, so extra carbs get stored as fat.

Plants don't have this storage tank so they need to have a constant proper ratio of carbs to proteins. This is where Ca and Mg come in.

Nitrogen from soil or atmosphere can be turned into amino's by microbes, so Mg becomes very important. When in proper ratio to Ca it allows nitrogen to freely flow in from atmosphere, but if Ca gets low, Mg gets high, and locks out N. It's a throttle governor to stop carbon from composting and going to waste in a plant unfriendly environment.

Plants can't store fat around their waist so once carbon is gone, it's gone.

Carbon is also tied to PH, as it becomes a colloid, and colloids move cations, and cations require proper PH to run the CEC properly.

The CEC runs on static electricity, for a simple example. It's a negative platter that has many parking spots on it. 70-ish percent of those spots need calcium parked in them, 17-ish Mg, to balance out the electrical field and dial it in to attract cations. The cations stick hard here and fill up about 6 or 7 spots and are electrically locked to the platters. Now in the remaining 6 or 7 spots hydrogen moves in.

Hydrogen is a flaky nutbar redhead hairdresser named Tiffany, and she's a certified volatile whacko.

She can become a little bit positive or a little bit negative any time she wants and her state of mind is a reflection of who's in the room. When she is happy, her wacky charge neutralizes everything just a little bit (think a childs toy horse shoe magnet here) when you put 2 magnets together they stick, but flip one and they repel.

Well Tiffany flips back and forth so well that when she is happy she neutralizes all the cations stuck to the platters enough to cause a very slight amount of repelling.

Now the cations can slide around the platters but still stick very slightly so they don't fall off, but can be very easily removed.

When one gets removed the platter gets a bit stronger in magnetism so a new one laying in the soil gets pulled on. Thats the exchange part of Cation Exchange, the final C in CEC is Capacity.

So what Tiffany really is, is PH. When PH is correct, Tiffany is happy and cations can be pulled off by the plant and eaten and new ones get pulled onto the colloidal platters as others are consumed.

This translates into proper PH and allows the CEC to work, improper PH locks the platters and you get lockout.

Now you have a picture of how PH works, and it's directly tied to C, then controlled by Ca and Mg.

Thats why Ca is called a soil buffer. It fills the parking lot and with Mg's help it buffers it from too many Tiffany's in the kitchen. Tiffany is a full on whack job but if she's happy she's THAT smokin' hot redhead.

Microbes aren't really looking for carbon, they are looking for the fibre that is in uncooked carbon sources.

So carbon is the main ingredient and it allows PH to work but it needs Calcium and MaGnesium's help. Calcium sets the magnetic field, magnesium fine tunes it to be nitrogen friendly, and then Tiffany steps in to run it.

But your plant is only 6 or 7 percent minerals, so you don't require as much humate as you think. Excess humate needs extra calcium and magnesium and minerals or else Tiffany gets unhappy and locks everything up, so extra LM requires extra everything which takes up extra space in the pot, but just sits there for the most part because most of that extra is never required, but must remain in balance or Tiffany gets upset and has a hissy fit.

Thats how PH works. Thats why Ca is the most important mineral. NPK is useless at the wrong PH and it all rides around on carbon platters.

So carbon provides fibre to feed the microbes and it provides colloidal platters.

Exudates can replace the microbes needs for fibre as they eat the fibre to turn it into energy, which requires energy, but exudates don't need to be processed as they were built pure, so they are easy energy for microbes.

 

[Azimuth]

So, that makes it sound like, given my small pots and therefore limited overall storage tank size, that maybe I'd be better off using just a little LM in the mix to get it on the buffet table, but supply extra reserves as a top dressing.

Which, I suppose, is how Mother Nature does it. There's no crew constantly mixing up the soil on a global basis, but rather a steady annual top dressing of raw leaves that turn into LM over the course of years. Well, earthworms but that's one particle at a time.

So maybe supply the basics in the pot and supplement from above with a steady stream of cal/Mag, worm castings, LM etc.

Yes?