Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago

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Want healthier pastures and stronger plants? This simple BRIX test could be the tool you're missing. It’s cheap, easy, and tells you more than you'd think.

In this video, I’m joined by Ben from GreenMate Agriculture to demonstrate how to test your pasture or crop health using a refractometer and a garlic press. BRIX testing can help you track plant sugars, diagnose stress, improve pest resistance, and fine-tune your regenerative management practices. 🌱

We cover:

How to collect a proper BRIX sample

What the readings mean for pasture health

Why sugar levels matter in pest resistance

When and how often to test

What to do when readings are low

🎥 Filmed in Southern Victoria, Australia
👨‍🌾 Guest: Ben Christensen, GreenMate Agriculture
🔍 Gear: Garlic press, BRIX refractometer (handheld)

📺 Watch next:
🔬 Sunday Soil: Digging Deeper Into Plant Health
💧 Using Goats to Restore Revegetation Projects

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00:00 BRIX testing for plant health
00:14 Meet Ben from GreenMate Agriculture
00:32 Why test your pasture with BRIX?
00:49 Tools you need (they're cheap!)
01:06 Collecting a representative sample
01:23 Extracting plant sap with a garlic press
01:36 Using a BRIX refractometer
02:15 What do the readings mean?
03:15 When and how often should you test?
04:00 Low BRIX? What to do next
04:42 What impacts plant sugar levels?
05:05 Interpreting BRIX across your farm
05:34 Ideal BRIX levels in Victoria
05:51 Final thoughts & how to get help