Re: [compost_tea] Compost tea for Powdery Mildew on Strawberries

From: Mike Harvey <mharvey_at_westnet.com.au>
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 10:40:25 +0800

Tim,
I am currently working with a couple of strawberry growers here in west
australia, conventional but using eco farming or best of organic and
conventional.
To get a better handle on your crop the following info is required.
Albrecht style soil tests, are Ca, Mg, P, K Boron, Co etc in adequate
density and ratio?
Reams style soil test. Reams style tissue test - conductivity, pH, brix
Conventional tissue test, what are Ca, Mg, P, K Boron ratios and percent
etc?? What are SFI soil test results?
Managing plants for profit requires both biology and chemistry of the soil
and plant to be addresed.
I am assuming that the AACT you are using is to SFI specs and that you are
getting adequate leaf and fruit coverage if not you know what to do. As you
are probably aware Compost tea is not a magic bullet and as far as I am
aware cannot address mineral deficiencies per se.
Mineralisation as well as improving biology is required because they both
work together.
Strawberries consume huge amounts of Calcium and is one of the most
difficult minerals to get into the plants. If Ca is lacking (which it likely
is) the plant sap pH will be low say 3 or 4 (other minerals may be lacking
also) and this will mean it is highly likely that fungal pathogens will be a
problem.
AACT in the soil will boost fungi numbers and these are the ones that will
help release Ca into the plants.
If you can give more info it would be easier to help.
Regards Mike Harvey www.composttea.com.au

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Livingstone" <tlivingstone_at_jollyfarmer.com>
To: <Compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 3:00 AM
Subject: [compost_tea] Compost tea for Powdery Mildew on Strawberries


> We are using compost tea on Certified Organic Strawberry plants
> grown in our greenhouse. The plants currently have a good harvest
> coming on, but we are having trouble with powdery mildew forming
> on the fruits making a significant portion of them unsaleable. We
> are able to maintain good control on the leaves using compost tea,
> but for some reason the fruits are not responding so well. We
> cannot use a commercial fungicide and are limited on organic
> sprays listed in Canada. We cannot spray tea on very heavily or we
> will stain the berries giving a rather large washing job!
>
> If anyone has ever encountered this problem and could suggest a
> possible solution, we would be most grateful.
>
> Thank you kindly,
> Tim Livingstone
>
> Jolly Farmer Products Inc.
> New Brunswick
> Canada
> Tel.: 506-325-3850
> Fax: 506-325-3890
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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>
>
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>


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Received on Sat Oct 18 2003 - 01:45:25 EDT

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