As we’ve already beat to death in our BRIX blog series, BRIX measures how well a plant is photosynthesizing. The higher the BRIX level, the healthier the plant—and this health doesn’t just show up in thick, dark glossy leaves, sweeter-tasting fruit, more fragrant blooms (too bad dahlias don't have a scent) , resilience to weather mishaps and even better resistance to disease. It also shows up in the plant’s ability to resist—or maybe better said, repel—pest pressure . Simp

If you’ve been following along our BRIX post series, you know that high BRIX levels come from healthy soil, happy microbes, and efficient photosynthesis . Consistent, long-term high BRIX levels happen when we support the soil and microbes over time . But while we’re working toward that, we can help our dahlias along with a temporary BRIX boost foliar spray / soil drench. A Foliar Spray for Temporary BRIX Boosts This past season on our farm, we experimented with an all-nat

In the last post, we covered how to care for your soil microbes so they can in turn care for your plants. Quick recap: When we support soil microbes, they become more effective at making nutrients available to plants . Those well-nourished plants photosynthesize more efficiently and send more sugars to their roots , feeding the microbes and allowing them to continue their important work . The more efficient this little symbiotic relationship is, the higher your BRIX levels w

A single handful of healthy soil can contain billions of living organisms, or soil microbes—bacteria, fungi, nematodes, etc. These guys are microscopically tiny, but they carry a huuuge impact. Soil microbes break down organic matter, cycle nutrients, and support plant roots —all of which helps plants grow strong and healthy. Combine a flourishing population of these mighty microbes with nutrient-rich soil and you get dahlias (or any plants for that matter) that are more

When I took my first BRIX reading on my farm—which had been an alfalfa field for over 20 years—we came in at a 7. A refractometer reading of 7 °BRIX means that the sugars in my plants’ sap were at about 7%. That number doesn’t mean much on its own unless you know your target. Most scientists agree that the ‘sweet spot’ —where plants reach optimal health and enjoy the greatest resistance to pests and diseases— is a BRIX level of 12 or higher. So how do you take that first read

I first heard about BRIX readings in an article on Joe Gardener. I’ve always been a sucker for ways to help my plants thrive naturally , so let's just say I was immediately intrigued. After years of studying and trying to implement permaculture practices on my Georgia farm (another post for another time), learning how to increase BRIX levels felt like the perfect next step in my nerdy fascination with plant health. Before I move on, I have a disclaimer...please hear me wh