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market-farming - Re: More bad luck starting plants

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  • From: Alex McGregor <waldenfarm AT sprintmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: More bad luck starting plants
  • Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2001 10:06:06 -0400


Marlin,

It sounds like you subscribe to the "germ theory" that erupted soon after the
discovery of bacteria. This is the idea that all "germs" are bad and to be
avoided at all cost. A more rational approach (and in line with our present
understanding of soil ecosystems and soil/plant relationships) is that a
diverse ecosystem, minus stress, means health. To apply this to your current
woes, start plants in the same soil that you would grow them in- well
balanced in mineral nutrients and with beneficial life dominating.

The mix I use is 1/2 soil from my mature beds & 1/2 finished, sifted
compost. I use a high per cent of compost because my soil has no clay in the
top 12"- it's sand & silt- and the high compost content means I only water
once a day. You may need to experiment to find the right mix for your soil
texture.

Damping off becomes a problem when environmental conditions favor this
fungus. The fungus grows and attacks plants in a cool, moist environment
where there is no air movement. This will happen despite the soil mix. To
avoid this, keep the air in your greenhouse and/or cold frames moving, temps
up and humidity down. Do this with a combo of fans, heat source and water
maintenance.

I start my plants in cold frames. I watch the temps in the morning and crack
the lids as soon as it gets warm in there, and open them slowly to full as
the day warms. I water in the mornings only and let the plants "go to bed"
at night with fairly dry soil. I rarely get damping off any more, and when I
do, it's because I failed in my management.

As far as sterilizing- I never do, not even rinsing, and I've been using some
of them for almost 10 years. This for a number of reasons: it's expensive,
time & money wise; chlorine is a major pollutant- some is converted into
dioxin; it kills the beneficials along with the "bad guys"; it's unnecessary
in a well-balanced system.

Another thing- my plants grow at a good pace and are strong and healthy. I
add no supplemental fertilizer (fish emulsion, blood meal...). I'm surprised
that you grow your lettuce for over a month before transplant. Mine go for 2
weeks in "six-pack" cells and are just right for transplanting- that is, the
roots have just started to show around the outside of the plug when I take
them out and they hold the plug together. Size of top growth is not a factor
here.

Most of what I, and a few others, saying is heresy in chemical circles. But
we're supposed to be ORGANIC! That means nurturing life, not trying to kill
off everything but a selected few.

Alex McGregor

Walden Farm





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