What is Brix?
Brix is a measure of the amount of sugar in your produce. It can also be used to measure how well your plants are reacting to a change in the system. As well as give you an overall idea of your plant health. To be more specific, Brix levels tell you how much sugar is dissolved in solution. It is measured in degrees and one degree means that there is one gram of sugar in a hundred grams of solution.
How to measure
Brix is measured using a refractometer which you can easily buy from our online store. You also need your plant sample. If it’s a fruiting plant, you can use a fruit to test your Brix levels. However, if your plant doesn’t fruit, you can just use a leaf from the plant. You’ll want to squeeze your plant sample to get all those delicious juices out. These juices are used for the test with the refractometer. It’s that simple! However, if you want some guidance through the testing process, this article is a great help for step-by-step instructions for Cucumbers, Leafy Greens, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes and Watermelons.
Optimal levels
When it comes to Brix, we want the values to be as high as possible. Anything that measures as 12 or above is considered a healthy plant. If your Brix measurement is 10 or below, you could be dealing with a nutrient deficiency and should tend to it right away.
Why is it important
Whether you are selling your produce or serving it to your family, you want to make sure it tastes good! If your plants are suffering from any nutrient deficiencies, their Brix levels will be low and they won’t taste as good as produce that is healthier with higher sugar levels. Additionally, increased levels also help improve plant immunity against harmful root-borne pathogens such as Phytophthora, Pythium, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia.
Here at Ichthys, we strongly believe in reconnecting with our food and using our food as fuel and medicine to live out our best lives. Food that contains higher Brix levels is actually healthier to consume and great for your diet. When a plant has a higher Brix level some minerals like calcium, secondary metabolites and other micronutrients are more available. These nutrients are quite limited in most foods. Therefore, having a higher Brix level makes for healthier food and a happier consumer.
Whether you are a hobbyist or a budding entrepreneur, we believe that understanding your Brix levels is a crucial part of produce farming. It’s an easy and simple process that can help you stay on top of your plant health. If you have any questions regarding plant health and management, check out our blog or book a course with us to learn more about growing produce in an aquaponic system.
