Does this organic weedkiller REALLY work?
mrs.wiggley
9 years ago
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sylviatexas1
9 years agogmatx zone 6
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Do organic fertilizers work in containers?
Comments (19)Hi, Soeur. Microbial activity is dependent upon the presence of organic matter in soils. Most garden soils, before improvement will contain less than 5% organic matter. The addition of more organic matter supports a larger micro-herd, which in turn, breaks down organic particulates faster making the nutrients available (as long as pH is favorable). The soils that most container gardeners use are usually 100% organic. The microbes are already there. If, by some chance a decision is made to sterilize container soils, the moment you plant anything other than seeds in the soil, it is inoculated with the microbes. As long as there is a N source, they will continue to multiply, but they are not necessary for plants to be able to absorb nutrients. As long as soil pH is within a suitable range, fertilizers, organic or inorganic, can supply all the nutrients necessary for healthy plants whether microbial activity is present or not. I'm not promoting the idea that microbial activity isn't desirable, only that it is a minor factor in container culture & merits minor consideration because microbial activity is always ongoing in containers with organic media. Add N, keep moist & suitably warm = expanding microbial activity. I think the farmer's problem you attributed to the use of chemical fertilizers is more complicated than you make it seem, but that's a discussion for another day. I also don't think there is an "inherent' problem with inorganic fertilizer's use - especially in container culture; perhaps over-use? Just standing up for those of us who don't attach a stigma to the use of inorganic products. As I mentioned - plants don't care where their nutrients come from, and I've had equally satisfactory results from using both organic and inorganic fertilizer products. Al...See MoreReally , really gone organic this year and it's a freaking jungle
Comments (42)The discussion of minerals is very interesting. I read Teaming with Microbes last year, and I thought it was fascinating, as well. I may have missed it, but I don't remember a discussion of minerals. I do live in a cool, moist environment in the glaciated zone - New Hampshire. There are rocks *everywhere* on my property. Every time I put in new plants, even in the veggie garden where the soil was once upon a time double-dug, somehow a rock turns up. (We joke that we have magic rock seeds.) In the front yard and near the house in back, there is a varying amount of top soil with yucky sand underneath from the builder carting away the soil ~40 years ago. In the woods in back, there is about 6" of lovely forest humus with clay underneath. I've been gardening seriously/more intensively for 5 or so years. (I've always done OG and we've owned the house for 11 years.) Assuming my soils were decent in minerals originally (I don't know), what's the best way to keep them that way for the long haul? I do use compost, manure, and a complete OG fertilizer (North Country or Espoma). I just sent my soil for a "real" test at the Extension for the first time - they usually measure some of the trace elements in the OG panel, right? As far as the idea of bringing in praying mantids, I'd advise against it. I let my nature-loving son get a PM egg case 2 years ago. Last year was the first year we ever had insect problems. We noticed a definite change in the overall insect population, including a lot fewer beneficials. We're hoping things will gradually balance themselves. It's like bringing in a T-rex or something - those suckers are a little scary.......See MoreAre these Organic Inputs really that wonderful
Comments (17)Skoka, I guess you're past bed time to answer so fast ! Yes, autodidact, I could have said self taught, but then I'm french and we're pompous and we like to impress with big words ;-) I read the link and honestly it makes me want to buy that ! Concerning the azobacteria, I focused last year on learning about those and found in independant academic research that they are brought to you for free by birds or that one can find them in sediments at the bottom of ponds, lakes, or streams. Which is why I went like a nut in the wet wilderness to gather sediments ;-) To be fully honest, I managed to get a bag of 6 mixed dried glomus sporules (AM Fungi) with much difficulties because they're not used in my country (except for the intradice that is fancied by pot growers). Hence I experimented in my garden on tomatoes with/without, trying to get other parameters as close as possible. Although it wouldn't by far be considered as a true scientific experiment. No difference in growth or production between the toms with 6 glomus and the toms with none. Some great, some lousy, in both groups. I also wonder about the length of time bacteria can stay alive in a liquid. When they are sold dry, they are dormant. Even if I can't see them, I can imagine they're here, ready to spring into life. But in a liquid, they multiply, consume what is around, and then ? Can they go dormant in a liquid ? Or would the buyer get a bottle of useless corpses ? I'm not educated enough to tell you what to do. I'll just tell you what I've been told by my kid who works in mycology and symbiosis research (note that it's myco and not bacterio) : you're allowed to please yourself and waste your money on what you want. I don't want to sound rude, it's just that ungrateful kids show no respect for their mom nowadays ;-) So those were her exact words to me. Anyway if you can give me an Email adress I'll tell her to get in touch. I would feel sorry for you to waste money, time and energy on useless stuff, however satisfying and scientific they sound. Concerning the truth carried by this sort of litterature, well, although I'm still pretty gullible, I tend to have some doubts. I've dealt with corrupted labs in Europe for business and be assured that the most famous and covered with accreditations round here can be bought. I think that one can be sure of results only if one knows personally some honest person Inside. Otherwise, one can never ever be sure. Sorry if it's disappointing, but unfortunately, money runs the world and not many people are unbuyable. I don't know what else I can say and I don't want to sound like a depressive cynical old bag, especially to an enthusiastic young smart person like you. So perhaps it's great for you to go ahead and try. Anyway anything organic will be better than ruining your environment while greasing evil foreign companies....See MoreCan organic (compost & compost tea) really change my soil?
Comments (18)Hi, I am somewhat dissapointed today,,,,, I got my compost delivered and generally the quality seems fine. Inside of the 10 tons pile its really warm. When I showel it into my wheelbarrow it´s steaming. It smells as well "good". BUT,,,,,,, I have a problem with bringig it to my lawn,,,,,, there is pieces of roots, wood, bark in the compost which are apparentely still worked by bacteria and fungi. Those pieces are warm as well and feel soft. But if I bring this on my lawn , the wood-pieces will stay on top of the turf and only smallest pieces sink onto the soil. Even if I brush it in different directions, back and forward..... What can I do? Leave the compost on a pile until the wood decomposes further ? Or "filter" the bigger pieces from the smaller ones (lots of work probably). My father in law opts for anyhow throwing the compost to the lawn,,,,,,,,, but its not him that is going to ruin his new lawn-mower cutting bark, wood and roots with the next lawnmowing.... Any info welcome,,,, Thanks & a nice weekend,,,,,...See Moremrs.wiggley
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