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Auburn Maine, USA

The more I read the more confused I get. Reading all the replys to the "Verdict" post, I began to wonder if the fungi that is added from tea, both from drenching and foliar feeding, would compete with Mycorrhiza on the roots

1/24/2007 12:48:49 AM

Montoursville, PA

No that would not be competion. The Mycorrhiza is hosted by the pumpkin roots. They bring in fertilizer, minerals and water to the roots. The tea no matter how made would be both taken in by the leaves and absorbed as run off to the ground. The tea's biological and fertilizer if existing becomes a part of your total soil biology. While the Mycorrhiza is a fungi it is a specialized fungi not related to or found in most teas. The Mycorrhiza can not live without the host pumpkin roots which do not live between growing seasons.

1/24/2007 1:21:47 AM

Auburn Maine, USA

The reason I was asking was how the tea makes it hard for powdery mildew to attack the plant. Thought maybe it might do the same to the roots. Thanks Docgipe

1/24/2007 4:11:42 PM

Montoursville, PA

Two or three things help your plant fight off milldew. First a very strong healty plant comes froom a healthy strong soil. Secondly there is the bacteria taking up space and food on both sides of the leaf. If the good critters are there they fight the bad, take up the same space the bad need as well as eat the foods the bad need to get a foothold. The combination of biological management on the leaves does have merit. Some will say they die off and this may be true but if food exists they will not. The plant is largely water. That moisture transpiring to the leaf surface is more than enough water to maintain the army. They are more than likely killed with poison sprays more than by any other problems in their lives. That is why regular tea sprays are needed to keep up the leaf protection.

1/24/2007 7:15:58 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Ditto Dwaines post but I'll add to his thoughts. When applied to the foliage a proper brew will cover the leaves with a "bio-film" that is thought to have fungistatic properties (or something similar to fungistatic) which prevents foliar diseases from gaining a footing on the leaf.

This sort of barrier-film doesn't seem to presist at the depths the roots are growing in the soil. The biological benefit to the soil is well presented elsewhere on this message board & in print.

1/24/2007 10:48:35 PM

Montoursville, PA

Because I have been messing with teas for what seems like eons I can not agree enough with the occupation theories. Having not seen or read the term "bio film" indicates my shortness of knowlege. Some do however stand strong on the fact that a living biology in the presence of food and water can and will expand with the leaf as the plant grows. I do not know if a bio film can or does expand with the living biology. If it can not or does not I have a point or question. I believe that I have correctly noticed that the milldews seem to cause first damage on the newest and tenderest part of the leaf and then expands down towards the base of the leaf. It also seems to break out along a break or tear line in the leaf. Perhaps more weekly or closer cycled aerobic tea spraying is to support the new growth and the open damage as well as to beef up the living community on the leaf. Doing this "may" also reinoculate the soil. Some of that new biology may help reduce the killing effects of some harsh chemicals. Heavy rains may do even more good by flushing the soil thus providing for some recovery in that fashion. This of course only sends the harsh chemicals on down stream to cause more serious problems streams flood plains, bays and oceans.

Dr. Ingram suggests reinoculation or spraying of the aerobic teas within a relatively short period of time following the foliar application of harsh chemicals. Her reasoning at one point also suggests the following of harsh sprays with rinse water and then reapplication of the tea.
That does make sense while realizing some of us do use the harsh chemicals.

These washes or natural run offs from wind blown rain do hit the soil with poison residule on top of what hit the ground when the harsh chemicals were applied.

1/29/2007 7:46:35 PM