permaculture

[Allan Balliett <igg@igg.com>]

I definitely misspoke with this msg. BD508 is a equisetum tea. 
Equisetum tea is made through a 20min decoction and used as is, or is 
diluted homeopathically or is aged for a varying number of days -- or 
any combination of the foregoing. It has a high level of silica. I 
use it as an anti-fungal, but technically it is used to promote the 
life and energy of the soil. I assume this also means the innate 
anti-fungal properties of living soil

-Allan

> Why not compost tea for the fungal problems, Elijah? It think it is 
> touted as being very effective for that. More info at 
> http://www.soilfoodweb.com
>
> In biodynamics we use BD501, which is known as Horn Quartz. It is 
> far from being simply 'silica.' Moreover, it is used as part of a 
> system and probably would have some downsides if the appropriate 
> groundwork was not done before it was sprayed. (Can also raise hell 
> with seedlings, transplants, and cuttings.)
>
> -Allan
>
> > Hoping to get a usefully rollicking discussion going here...
> >
> >  I'm sorta working with a nursery in the area (Hawaii) that is 
> > staffed by a pretty traditional crowd but is owned and run by a guy 
> > who's willing to try new things.  So far, I'm turning the cuttings, 
> > etc into compost, trying to phase out vermiculite for the (locally 
> > available) cinder, brewing compost tea, etc.
> >
> > I've heard, mostly through anecdotes and biodynamics texts, that 
> > silica is an effective remedy for mildew & fungus diseases. 
> > Currently, the nursery is using some sorta biocide spray for this 
> > (we're on the wet side of the island).  When the ironwood 
> > discussion came up, Robyn posted a quick and simply ironwood tea 
> > recipe for fungal spray.  This would be cool, cheap, local, etc but 
> > I need some sorta reference to back up these claims.  Does anyone 
> > know of any studies, reports, books, etc to that effect?
> >
> > Any help is greatly appreciated!
> >  Thanks,
> >    Elijah
>
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