Snowdrop growth stimulants

[johnw]

Re-potting snowdrops this month I had thought of adding a Mycorrhizae product for bulbs.  Since I've added superphosphate to my mix and roots will not appear for some time that idea is out as P will kiill the mycos andf the soil needs to be moidst and the mycos applied in the root area.

My former employer gave my this new product to try out.  Have not read up on it thoroughly yet but it apparently can be applied as a drench after the roots have emerged, perhaps in week or so when they get their first good drench though I'll never know if roots have formed.  I see the jar says to avoid freezing but I'm not sure if that applies to storage or post application. The powder is extremely fine and dense like powdered iron or sugar.  I wonder if anyone has tried anything comparable?

These pix will be readable if you click on them once.

http://earthalivect.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/EarthAlive_SoilActivator_8PAGES_EN.pdf

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Perfectly readable on my laptop screen, John, and able to be enlarged  much more by scrolling if needed.  Thanks.

[annew]

A controlled experiment seems in order!

[Alan_b]

The trouble with snowdrops (and some of their pests and diseases) is that they grow when soil temperatures are near their annual minimum.  These cold conditions are not going to suit all microorganisms that might benefit other plants.

[johnw]

My thought was not disease or pest control but to get a really strong root system underway a little faster than normal.  I much prefer a pot full of roots from several bulbs rather than the alternative.  I have an email in to the company asking if the 3 strains will tolerate cold conditions as the window of opportunity I reckon is rather short as it is.





johnw

[Alan_b]

The right sort of mycorrhizal fungi can act as a sort of supplementary root system so might produce a similar effect.  Applied as a surface treatment, the issue is whether the fungi get down to the roots.  Applied in the compost/soil when the bulbs are planted, the issue is whether the fungi will survive until the bulb starts to make roots. 

[johnw]

Alan  - This is precisely the problem as mentioned.  Once applied Mycco needs watering (I hesitate to drench too early), the Mycos need to be in close contact to roots (which haven't yet formed) and Phosphorus will kill Myccos in their intitial growth phase (and I have a charge of 0-60-0 in my mix).  SuperPhos is difficult to apply later as it is reluctant to move vertically to must be mixed in.


The repsentative from the Mycco manufacturer had no solution for this dilemma and could not explain how his formulation would work for any dormant bulb.  His only offering was to plant the bulb in a smaller pot and when roots had formed to up the pots size and apply the Mycco.  He was at a loss on the Phos. part of the equation. If I had access to 0-20-0 rather than treble phosphate 0-60-0 I can imagine omitting the P but poking a dowel deep in the soil and adding a pinch of 0-20-0 after establishment of the Mycos a month or so later. 0-60-0 is far too hot to do this and needs even distribution.


I believe Valentin Wijnen has trialed Mycos and I'd be interested to hear of the results.


john - Can you imagine they announced we got .02" of rain last night? Wouldn't the number of drops have given us a better idea of how much fell?