Ecological Laboratories microbial products

[RayR]

Anybody using their products?
I've had them on my radar for a few years and recently ordered their sample kit.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this could be a game changer in the fight against Septoria because after a week of using it there has been a dramatic reduction in Septoria on all the plants that received the foliar spray, even with all the rain we've recently had.

https://www.microbelifehydro.com/

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by RayR

Anybody using their products?
I've had them on my radar for a few years and recently ordered their sample kit.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this could be a game changer in the fight against Septoria because after a week of using it there has been a dramatic reduction in Septoria on all the plants that received the foliar spray, even with all the rain we've recently had.

https://www.microbelifehydro.com/

I haven't tried them yet. They are pricey. But they are on my watch list as well.

[JamesL]

Originally Posted by RayR

Anybody using their products?
I've had them on my radar for a few years and recently ordered their sample kit.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this could be a game changer in the fight against Septoria because after a week of using it there has been a dramatic reduction in Septoria on all the plants that received the foliar spray, even with all the rain we've recently had.

https://www.microbelifehydro.com/

Ray,
Septoria - Which product do you think is helping?

[RayR]

Originally Posted by JamesL

Ray,
Septoria - Which product do you think is helping?

I only used the Foliar Spray & Root Dip as a foliar. 1oz. per gallon and added a little Yucca Extract as the wetting agent as they recommend. You can use Photosynthesis Plus as a foliar also. They have the same bacterial cultures in them.

[RayR]

Here's some videos recorded a few years ago with some info on the technology.

[Lindalana]

Yay! Very exciting! Ordered sample pack too! Hoping we can get more microbes to like my soil too.

[Lindalana]

Ray, are there any other products on your radar? Have never heard of the company Microbe Life, thus asking if there others? It is such interesting approach to gardening.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Ray, are there any other products on your radar? Have never heard of the company Microbe Life, thus asking if there others? It is such interesting approach to gardening.

Not really at the moment. Ecological Laboratories has been around a long time, since 1976. Their original products were for large scale commercial, industrial, Ag and wastewater treatment applications Then they moved into the aquarium and pond market, their original web site is microbelift.com. I never heard of them before until a few years back when they entered the gardening market with Photosynthesis Plus. That product evolved from their Quantum Growth series products for Ag.

It's no magic bullet, but most plants respond well to it. I just received a quart bottle of the Foliar Spray & Roor Dip. The 4oz sample doesn't go very far with my tomato plants and I want to try it at 2oz per gallon and see how that goes. It would be great to try their products on plants that aren't stressed out by disease which would be any plant that's not a tomato in my garden.
Another brutal humid day with rain since last night and I see I have more issues cropping up on some plants in-ground that appears to be Verticillium. I guess my years of growing tomatoes in the same area maybe catching up with me. That's a bummer. Anyway it's supposed to be dry the rest of the week.

[Lindalana]

Yep, another few brutal first cold and rainy now hot/humid and rainy weather days I do not even want to think what it going to bring, Septoria looked pretty good till now but EB seems to started? and couple of plants are decidedly on its way out for no reason- am thinking drainage is a problem at certain spots even with raised beds. I would settle for magic bullet now LOL
The company surely taking its sweet time sending the products though- not a good sign considering gardeners want things in the season...
I will report on my results.

[Lindalana]

EB seems to went away after I added compost extract with added Mycorgrow packet and Biota Max tablet to the roots. Maybe it is a coincidence. So we still have Septoria to deal with.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

EB seems to went away after I added compost extract with added Mycorgrow packet and Biota Max tablet to the roots. Maybe it is a coincidence. So we still have Septoria to deal with.

Like I explained before in another thread research has proven that inoculating tomato seedlings with mycorrhizal fungi dramatically increases resistance to Early Blight. I've seen the results myself so I'm sold on that scientific research.
There is always that coincidence factor but since induced resistance to serious pathogens by certain bacteria and fungi at the roots is a known thing, it can't hurt to unleash the beneficials and see what happens. If it can at least reduce the need for chemical fungicides that's a good thing.
I'm really surprised at the lack of serious research on Septoria I can find. Aside from Late Blight. Septoria is the next most devastating foliar disease of tomato I've ever encountered. The last 2 seasons have been the worse with it coming on very early in the season. Before that I would always expect Septoria to show up only in late July or first week of August here. I did find out that there are at least 2 known races of Septoria which makes me think that what I have now is a more virulent race.
I've eliminated Verticillium as a possibility here, the yellowing I've seen after all the rains and humidity I can attribute to Septoria. It's been mostly dry and sunny the last few days and the yellowing symptoms on some branches have stopped anyway.

[Lindalana]

Did not know the stuff stinks to high heaven- now all my toms smell like rotten eggs LOL

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Did not know the stuff stinks to high heaven- now all my toms smell like rotten eggs LOL

Oh yes, Photosynthesis Plus and Vegetable & Fruit Yield Enhancer have the strongest smell when you open the bottles. Hydrogen Sulfide is part of the preservative to keep the vegetative photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Rhodospirillum rubrum) asleep in the bottles for a long shelf life. They don't form spores like the bacillus species so they can only exist as a live culture.
The smell dissipates pretty quickly outdoors but I guess indoors or in a greenhouse the scent would be more lingering.

[Lindalana]

I am cautiously optimistic.
Few days ago, right after last bout of cold rain/humid/hot weather/downpour I was thinking my plants are done for. It is an interesting experiment. I got big bottles now.
Most of all I am hoping that microbes in the solutions will unlock the soil that got damaged at community gardens and improve nutrient uptake.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by RayR

Anybody using their products?
I've had them on my radar for a few years and recently ordered their sample kit.
I'm cautiously optimistic that this could be a game changer in the fight against Septoria because after a week of using it there has been a dramatic reduction in Septoria on all the plants that received the foliar spray, even with all the rain we've recently had.

https://www.microbelifehydro.com/

Do you recommend the sample Kit? Worth the shipping cost at least?