How to Raise Brix in Plants – Part 2

In How to Raise Brix Part 1 I shared three ways that you can raise the Brix level of your plants.  Here are some more ways to improve the health and raise the Brix of your plants.  These three things are things to avoid or fix

1) Salt

Many products we use on our fields and gardens are high in salts.  NPK fertilizers and pesticides are high in salt.  Fresh manures that are not composted are also high in salt.  To avoid salts in your soil, use less synthetic products, don’t use pesticides, and use composted manure.

2) Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation (DI) fosters poor plants.  The roots of plants with DI do not spread out looking for water.  The roots just focus their growth around the drip tape.  DI only provides a minimum of a plant’s required water.  Plus, the plant has little tolerance for a low-water situation.

Since the roots are not spread out they also have much less access to the soil minerals that they need to build a healthy plant.

It’s good for plant leaves to experience rain.  When it rains they open up all their stomata to take it in.  Also, when it rains the plant pulls up a lot of water from the soil.  When this happens heavier minerals come up with the water and are made available to the plant.  Some of these minerals include Calcium, Magnesium, and Copper.  This does not happen when you use drip irrigation, which leads to major Calcium deficiencies.  You can correct these deficiencies with rain water.

If you have DI and your plants are not getting what they need try irrigating differently now and then.  Don’t just get rid of it, but just change up your irrigation style now and then.  Turn off your DI for a  few days to a week.  Then give your garden a heavier watering.

3) Compacted Soil

Soil must have adequate air for the aerobic microbes living in it.  Compacted soil is low in air.  Thriving aerobic microbes will raise the Brix of your plants because the microbes are feeding your plants.  Help them live.  Give them air to breathe!  Learn more about this at our post regarding Air here.

Summary

So now you have three more things you can do to help your plants achieve a higher level of health.  This will show with a higher Brix reading.

Reduce salt inputs

Don’t us Drip Irrigation

Fix compacted soil

Thanks for joining us.  There are a couple more ways to help achieve a higher Brix.  More to come in Part 3!

Read How to Raise Brix in Plants – Part 1.
Read How to Raise Brix in Plants – Part 3.