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 by 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 whe