RE: How long does it take to grow high brix produce?

July 15, 2004

suze:

At 12:22 PM 7/15/2004, you wrote:

> " To bring plants from consistent low readings to consistent high readings

>usually requires a ***year or two*** (emphasis mine) of intensive building

>with accompanying foliar sprays. It can be done though, as demonstrated by

>the experience of many farmers across the United States. Basic soil

>fertilizing is the first step. Using only quality, high energy,

>bio-enhancing products is the second step. Foliar spray assistance is the

>third step. " (p.118)

i think the key here is the foliar sprays...it's my impression, and i may

be wrong, that foliar sprays are not actually raising the true brix of the

produce, but only of the measurement for a temporary period of time.

it takes longer to raise the brix just through soil, and also it depends on

what the soil you started with is, but i think this is the more " real " way

to do it.

could be wrong...

-katja

July 15, 2004

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 12:18:45 -0400

katja <katja@...> wrote:

> suze:

>

> At 12:22 PM 7/15/2004, you wrote:

> > " To bring plants from consistent low readings to consistent high readings

> >usually requires a ***year or two*** (emphasis mine) of intensive building

> >with accompanying foliar sprays. It can be done though, as demonstrated by

> >the experience of many farmers across the United States. Basic soil

> >fertilizing is the first step. Using only quality, high energy,

> >bio-enhancing products is the second step. Foliar spray assistance is the

> >third step. " (p.118)

>

> i think the key here is the foliar sprays...it's my impression, and i may

> be wrong, that foliar sprays are not actually raising the true brix of the

> produce, but only of the measurement for a temporary period of time.

> it takes longer to raise the brix just through soil, and also it depends on

> what the soil you started with is, but i think this is the more " real " way

> to do it.

>

> could be wrong...

> -katja

>

Hmmm...well I have been watching this debate from the sideline, and

decided to step away after some rather untoward and illegitmate remarks,

but I think I'm going to hop back in.

The above response misses the WHOLE point of the post, which is how long

does the process of increasing nutrition take. Whatever it is, and

regardless of the answer to the foliar spray question, which has been

discussed at length on the Brix Talk list, it doesn't take 40 plus years

to increase the nutritional value of produce. But given such results

from the " organic movement " one has every right to question - and

conclude - that the movement is not moving in the right direction.

And certainly, in my opinion, its not worth paying the premium prices

for the organic tag *alone* which gives mostly statistically

insignificant increases in nutritional value.

War, the God That Failed

http://tinyurl.com/2npch

" They told just the same,

That just because a tyrant has the might

By force of arms to murder men downright

And burn down house and home and leave all flat

They call the man a captain, just for that.

But since an outlaw with his little band

Cannot bring half such mischief on the land

Or be the cause of so much harm and grief,

He only earns the title of a thief. "

--Geoffrey Chaucer, The Manciple's Tale

July 16, 2004

At 12:59 PM 7/16/2004, you wrote:

> >i think the key here is the foliar sprays...it's my impression, and i may

> >be wrong, that foliar sprays are not actually raising the true brix of the

> >produce, but only of the measurement for a temporary period of time.

>

>Untrue from what I've read. Also, the reason many folks are doing foliar

>feeding is because nutrients are absorbed much more efficiently than via

>soil feeding. According to both Andersen and Wheeler (in their respective

>books that I mentioned in a previous post) Michigan State U. in conjunction

>with the Atomic Energy Commission conducted experiments in 1940 in which

>they found that plants utilized foliar-fed nutrients from 8 to 20 times more

>efficiently than soil applied nutrients. But, Wheeler warns, if you have

>poor soil and do foliar feeding, you can have very mixed results. The best

>program has good soil as its base - foliar feeding is best used to

>strengthen a basic fertility program, not to serve as its foundation.