Re: [compost_tea] Re: fungal foods for worms

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:48:17 -0400

In a message dated 10/20/2003 4:45:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, irene_at_trilliumwoods.com writes:

> So, given that there appears to be plenty of fungal activity all around us, what am I trying to accomplish with fungal teas? I know that they're really important for protecting leaf surfaces from colonization by The Bad Guys, but what am I trying to accomplish with soil drenches? If there are already fungi in the soil, seems to me that I just have to keep feeding them via compost and soil amendments like kelp, rock dust, etc. Is this right?

That's right - once you have lured the fungi into your garden soil, you just have to feed them. The point of soil drench teas is to get the whole mix of organisms: fungi, protozoa, beneficial nematodes, to move into your soil. The teas also have some foods to feed those organisms. Compost and plant residues are longer term food resources for these organisms, so if you have good compost, and plant residues, use those too.

Many places don't have your great growing conditions, so they have to use the soil drenches to build the soil life and the foods to feed soil life.

To make sure you have the life in your soil in the right balance, you might want to test your soil to make sure everyone is home. Now is a good time to check.

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
www.soilfoodweb.com

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Received on Mon Oct 20 2003 - 15:05:45 EDT

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