--answer--Testimonial-- Higher Brix of plants up to 9, 10, 13 and 16. Thanks! & some questions

Hi ForZion,

Your question: Can't get DAP from the farm supply here in the fall. I had some humic acid on hand and so I tried dissolving the bonemeal in a stronger solution of acid and then diluting it before applying with fish and molasses. Worked great! The brix of my plants now range from 8 to 16. Wasn't high enough on the plants with aphids to get rid of them, but I consider the brix readings a great success since this is my first season at it. Thanks for the tips.

Answer: I am glad to see that someone is able to learn to think for themself !

Your idea of mixing the Bonemeal with the Humic Acid and fish and molasses was a good idea, because it helped the phosphates in the Bonemeal to become available to the plants to give your higher Brix readings as you have gotten !

But I have a question as to what kind of plants had the aphid problem and do you know what their Brix readings were during this time of problem with the aphids and were the plants Lush Green and growing, or did the plants seem to not be Lush and growing?

Question: Will burying fish waste multiply the fireants in garden and yard? I've got two little ones who play a lot in the backyard.

Answer: I do not believe the fish will bring in more fireants, but where you have fireants, just dust some Calcium Hydroxide over their mounts and they may leave!
And you can buy the Calcium Hydroxide(Hydrated Lime) from a builders supply in 50# bags, where they use it to mix in cement or plaster etc and it does not cost much this way !

My broccoli seedlings are growing great in peat and mineral mixture outdoors without insect problems, but in the soil all the brassicas seedlings get chewed up. So I am suspecting that the ph and the resistance is too high in the soil. Without the instruments to measure ph and EC, I am afraid of applying too much gypsum to bring the ph down. How much do you recommend?

Answer: You may use max. amount of 10 pounds of Gypsum per 1000 sq. feet a couple times a year when you have plenty of moisture !

So, this may mean that when you mulch , if you may apply over the mulch and water it in ?

You may find that if you take 10# of Gypsum and mix it with 10# of Calcium Lime and 10# of Bonemeal and apply this over the mulch and then water it in with some fish emulsion and Molasses, that you may get real good results ? End.

I am covering the unused beds with lots of mulch and watering with molasses to supply the acids. I'm hoping that will be enough to get the beds ready for the spring? Any advice will be appreciated. I'm also wondering whether burying the fish waste will pump enough energy into the system to help my seedlings grow healthily?

Answer: You may be best to bury the fish 1 year ahead of time, for it is too easy to get too much fish under the plants and then burn the roots in a dry year ?

But by watering in the fish emulsion with Molasses over the mulch where you have applied the gypsum and Lime and Bonemeal mix, you may expect Better results ?

The mulch is very Important and one can raise 10 to 100 times more in the same area when we use mulch and have the Minerals needed !

Smile Tis your choice.