Discussion forum for environmentally-friendly alternatives to replace synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.
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April 2, 2011 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Locust Grove, VA
Posts: 292
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Mycorrhizae and fertilizer?
Sorry, not trying to beat the subject to no end, but...
I swear, that I've read somewhere here that application of fertilizer with high phosphorus or potassium (for the life of me can't remember which one) decrease the colony of mycorrhizae? Reason for asking, I have my simple set fertilizer routine, at planting time a handful of Tomato tone 3-4-6, handful of bone meal 6-12-0 into the planting hole along with a hand full of garden lime. Later on in the season, I do monthly foliar feeding as a mix of fish base Aggrand 4-3-3 with Aggrand kelp/potash 0-0-8 and Aggrand liquid bone meal 0-12-0 Based on all my standard feeding regiment, would I have to apply MycoGrow and Biotamax as a soil drench more often to keep the population of those "good" microbes where it needs to be or...? This is my first time I'll be using MycoGrow, Biotamax and Actinovate as a root dip at planting time... Thank in advance for your feedback! Regards, D |
April 2, 2011 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Abilene, TX zone 7
Posts: 1,478
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D,
I would just eliminate the bone meal and liquid bone meal products. You want to keep your phosphorus around 4, lower is okay. The Mycho's make it easier for roots to utilize what is in the soil. I am sure others with more knowledege will give you more info. |
April 3, 2011 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-Ohio
Posts: 847
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I copied that article but it's on my broken computer. I remember it because I looked it up twice. IIRC, myco-free plants did well in high phos soil, while the myco inoculated plants did better in low phos soil.
This might be the article. http://www.mendeley.com/research/myc...ze-phosphorus/ This is an interesting quote form another study. "At high plant phosphorus (P) status, the mycorrhizal Pi uptake pathway was almost completely repressed and the mycorrhiza-inducible Pi transporter genes were down-regulated" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19140941 also "It seems also that under medium soil P levels, as that of the 335 experimental condition, P fertilization has a very limited effect on tomato growth and yield. Instead the presence of the mycorrhizal infection improves P availability, but, in order to avoid negative effect on mycorrhizal effectiveness, P fertilization should not exceed the rate of 60 kg·ha-1 P2O5." from here http://www.reforest.com/desk/questio...ion+and+Tomato I just I found this which seems to say the opposite, but looking at the results, the nonmyco plants grown with high soil phosphorus had better results than myco plants grown under low soil phos. They didn't do myco plants with high soil phos. http://afrsweb.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles...logist2002.pdf The point of using myco inoculant on tomatoes may be mute if organic fields experience phosphous buildup due to repeated inputs of manures etc to provide nitrogen. |
April 3, 2011 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E
Posts: 5,041
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Here is a link to the thread where we discussed the subject of mycorrhiza and phosphorus. Ami
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...rus+Mycorrhiza
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Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!' |
April 3, 2011 | #5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Locust Grove, VA
Posts: 292
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Thank you all very much for your time and research on this subject, much appreciated indeed!
Between last night and this morning reading through the posted links and threads (some a bit too complex, some are simple enough to understand). To keep it simple, in my mind, based on the response to Ami's questions to Thomas G. that Ami posted in another thread: Quote:
Part of the enjoyment in the gardening is the experiments, so looking forward to 2011 garden season to start! Again, many thanks to all for your time, indeed appreciate it!!! Regards, D |
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April 3, 2011 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 1,150
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If you haven't had a soil test lately, it might be a good time to do so. Without knowing the proportions of minerals currently in your soil, you're really just shooting in the dark. Phosphorus binds to the soil and has a tendency to build up - especially if you've been applying it annually. Whereas most other minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.) will leach from the soil over time - how quickly, depends on the structure of your soil.
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April 4, 2011 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Nashville TN zone 6-B
Posts: 133
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doesn't tomato tone already contain bio-tone (with these microbes)?
I use garden-tone that also contains bio-tone... do I still need to be dipping the root ball ? I also apply compost/vermicompost tea to the plants and soil thruout the season. am I still lacking micorrizae? |
April 4, 2011 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Locust Grove, VA
Posts: 292
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Forty - I do, every year with the basic kit, and in the lab for pH. It usually stays pretty even across the board. In the fall, I normally apply well composted cow manure from the friends farm, and spring, I add home made compost to each planting hole.
Aphid - both, GT and TT indeed have mycorrhezae in it, but diversity and population is far less than mycorrhezae specific products mentioned. And since few spots in my garden have some wilt problems, I'm hoping that by adding those additional microbes and fingi to extend the life of those plants as long as I can. Regards, D |
April 4, 2011 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Nashville TN zone 6-B
Posts: 133
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thanks Duh vinci that's good info ,, I had a terrible problem with some type of blight last year I wiped out my crop(2 raised beds).. I moved all my tomatoes out of the infected raised beds and started a new one along with some earth tainers this year.
However I still want to grow cucumber and peppers in the affected beds.. I have been solorizing the soil in them as best as possible and need to renew the soil .. I added a ton of compost tea to them last week . along with additional fresh compost 2 months ago. |
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