Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

["Soil Foodweb, Inc." <info AT soilfoodweb.com>]

Tom Jaszewski asked

> "Perhaps sustainable practices also mean realistic expectations?"

Yes, and it means understanding what is important to plants.  Extreme pH 
values
- above 10 and below 4.5 are detrimental to plants but not because of the
hydrogen ion concentration (which is what pH really measures), but because
calcium, iron, phosphorus and other important nutrients are not available at
those extremes.  But in between?  Plants don't really care, they have the
bacterial and fungal "castle wall", or bio-shield they grow around their roots
to protect them from pH they don't like.

> "Crops that require lower pH shouldn't be grown in high pH soils and
> irrigation water? "

Unless you have a foodweb that will protect them from the inappropriate pH and
the salts in the irrigation water. You can grow roses, which like acidic pH, 
in
alkaline soil, IF you establish the right fungi around the roots.

> "CT and a healthy soil food web make this concern with pH a
> part of the chemical paradigm, and are not as important with sustainable
> practices?"

That is correct.  But, you still have to know the limits.  It's a Goldilocks
thing..... not too high, and not too low.  Anything in-between, as long as you
have your helpers working for you in the soil, can be just right!

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.