Solutions to Mildew Problems and more...

There are numerous testimonials from gardeners that have been successful in preventing and treating mildew or fungal deseases on foliage with SoilSoup. How is this possible?

As we know, SoilSoup is densely populated with beneficial microbes. While the concentration of microbes is very beneficial, the key to mildew control is due to fact that the microbes are "awake". They are metaboliclly active which means they do not require a specific "envirnonment" in order to wake up from a dormant state. They are eager to "go to work" the moment we spray them onto the effected foliage. After the microbes "land" on a leaf, they start occupying the "surface" and immediately start looking for food.

Please note: It is important to cover both the top and bottom surface of the foliage. The best applicator is probably a "pump sprayer" that holds 1-2 gallons.

A plant produces "nutrients" that penetrates to the surface of the foliage. That's the reason the "pathogens" occupy the surface in the first place. There is a free source of food for them!

When the microbes arrive, they start to compete with the pathogens. They do not directly attack the pathogens. Instead, the overwhelming amount of microbes start to "crowd" the pathogen. Suddenly the pathogen is competing with billions of microorganisms for space. Secondly, the microbes start consuming the nutrients on the surface of the leaf. The microbes will not harm the leaf in their quest for food. Instead, they simply take away the food source for the pathogen.

"Research shows that aerated compost tea used as a foliar spray can not only be used to supply additional nutrients to the plant, but can also be used to suppress plant diseases and help destroy toxins. When aerobic compost tea is sprayed onto the plant foliage, beneficial organisms residing on the leaf's surface is ready to "attack" pathogenic species. Not only do they act against pathogens currently residing on the plant, but they provide an on-going living shield. Foliar pathogens must penetrate this competitive environment before they have a chance to harm your plants. Harmful fungi and air-borne pathogens find this line of defense very difficult to penetrate."

 Excerpt from a news article by Paul McCollum in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 26, 2005.

"As a longtime organic gardener, I have seen the results of using aerated compost tea. I did an experiment on one of my roses.The soil around the rose (a hybrid called Double Delight) was drenched with two gallons of compost tea in December. The plant almost immediately started putting on new growth and forming buds. The resulting flowers in January and February were not only larger in size than before but the fragrance, which is very good under normal circumstances, was noticeably stronger and filled the air around the whole area. Ever since that time I have been a believer in the virtues of aerated compost tea".
     
New Hope for Camellia Disease,
      
Camellia Petal Blight, Ciborinia camelliae, is a common fungus disease of camellias. The disease first appears within 24 hours of infection. It emerges as small, water-soaked spots or small areas in the flower center. The veins, which usually are darker than the surrounding tissues, often give the blooms a distinguishing netted appearance. These spots quickly increase in size until the entire bloom turns a dull brown. Blighted petals are dry or leathery, but do not crumble when handled. Once blooms are dead, they fall intact to the ground.

Here the cycle begins anew. Small black bodies, called sclerotia, are usually seen on the decaying petals after they fall to the ground. The following winter, some sclerotia produce a small, mushroom-like structure, called an apothecia, while others remain dormant for up to five years. Spores, which are released by the apothecia, are spread to camellia flower buds by wind currents, germinate under favorable weather conditions, and rapidly infect the petals.

Until recently, there was no known cure for this disease. The only control is to collect and destroy all diseased blooms on and beneath the plant. Each spring, old mulch should be removed and a two-inch layer of fresh bark, cocoa mulch or worm castings should be added around the base of each camellia. The mulch will interfere with the spread of spores from the apothecia to the flower buds.

The Aerobically Brewed Compost Teas may hold the answer for a possible cure. These teas are concentrates that contains billions of beneficial soil biota in a single teaspoon. Good bacteria work against the injurious ones in four ways: they consume the bad guys, they produce antibiotics that inhibit them, they compete for nutrients and they compete for space.