[tomato] FW: allexperts.com advice
Orchid (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Thu, 22 Jul 1999 11:09:50 -0400
-----Original Message-----
From: Rosesrfun@aol.com [mailto:Rosesrfun@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 1999 10:49 AM
To: videoman@ispchannel.com
Subject: Re: allexperts.com advice
Pete,
Here is the letter that Steve sent me in regard to your email. Hope this
helps.Hi Patricia,
I know Don Chapman of Bio/Organics, Inc. I think he is a sincere individual
who knows something about the symbiotic relationship between plant root
cells and fungi. However there is very little peer reviewed evidence that
soil inoculants are all that they are cracked up to be by the organic
people. Please don't get me wrong here. There are all kinds of papers out
there that claim soil inoculants are the cure all for plant growth,
fruiting, and pest control.
Further, I think you will find that soil inoculants work best on old
varieties of tomatoes, especially beefsteaks. The new tomatoes are bred to
efficiently use the NPK of commercial fertilizers. The chemical companies
paid for the research to develop the newer tomatoes with the idea of
furthering their chemical use.
As you know, I am a big fan of composting. There are tremendous advantages
to using local, well composted material. However there are problems with
using compost material which originated in say Washington State and
transporting it to Florida. How can the fungi that abound in a temperate
rain forest survive in a subtropical climate? One more thing about
composting. Composting does not have to be difficult but it does have to be
done right to have the most effect. You have to have the proper combinations
of greens and browns plus temperature plus water.
Now we come to the problem of using manure on any vegetable crop. If not
done properly there could be serious health problems. If manure is to be
used, it needs to be added to the soil at least six months before planting
and tilled into the soil. The other option is composting it. If that is to
be done the compost must be monitored for temperatures above 160 degrees
Fahrenheit.
As for the citrus, no! They need to be kept bare underneath.
Imho the answer for the organic people is to pay for the research like the
chemical people do. There is some organic research out there but it is few
and far between. Because of that it is hard to get good peer review which is
essential for scientific research.
I'm not sure I answered you questions, but your friend has the benefit of a
listserver that is supposed to disseminate information. Obviously, not
everyone on that list agrees. So without giving you a lot of research, most
of which is anti organic, I can't prove any points, just my opinions. Here
again I wish to point out the reason that the research is anti organic is
because the funds are not there to do the organic research. Organic people
unite, there are answers out there. Do the research. Get the peer review.
Then go out and sell a good product, healthy, safe, good tasting, good
looking food. Build it and people will come.
Steve