Re: Brix Readings

There is an additional "catch" to Brix readings. When done on crops in the field (while the plant is still growing), the Brix level will vary depending on the time of day the time of day a Brix reading is taken. Brix levels are an indication of the amount of sugars in the leaf or fruits of a plant. The peak Brix time is about 2 pm. The sugars are developed in the leaf by day if there is sunshine (photosynthesis). At night the sugars go out of the leaves and down into the roots where they feed the roots and the symbiotic soil organisms. Then, in the morning the the sugars move back up into the above ground portion of the plant.

Farmers Market farmers typically get out very early ( as early as 4 am) in the morning on days they are going to market and pick the produce so it is fresh, fresh, fresh for farmers market. But, the Brix is mostly down in the roots still, and not in the leafy green parts. If the plant has good Brix readings in the middle of the day, you will have a plant that is full fo minerals and vitamins at market even though it was picked while the Brix was underground. But, it becomes much more ify to know what the Brix by day is. You really want a Brix of 5 or 6 in your greens at Farmers market to ensure that the daytime Brix while the plant was growing was high enough.