Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Soilsecrets@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/7/2006 8:51:00 A.M. Mountain Standard Time, martyk@allspecies.org writes:

We do not know the consequences of
transplanting soil organisms from one ecosystem to another

Marty,

 

We do know the consequences of transplanting soil organisms from one ecosystem to another.  It is a carefully studied and regulated industry by  the EPA, the FDA and each States own Regulatory Agency.  Microbes that are exotic and listed by these entities cannot be introduced.  But the real issue is that the fungi called mycorrhizae and the associated helper bacteria are specific to the type of plant, genus and species that they can infect and work with.  Nearby organisms may not work because the ecotone of the nearby may be a completely different ensemble of plants then those you are attempting to grow.  It may be your garden that is full of exotic plants that are not indigenous to the site and therefore the organisms that those plants need will not naturally occur on the site.  Pinto beans, onions, chili, tomato's and potatoes  are not native to the old world but today are grown there.  I have no idea where broccoli is native to, but the bacteria that are needed by that plant are very specific and mycorrhizae don't associate with that family at all. 

 

Dr. Michael