Trichoderma (& treatment of Botrytis galanthina)

[Lesley Cox]

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned before, but Trichoderma is pretty useless for cuttings if you are using a high or total grit content for the rooting material. The fungus, not un-naturally, needs quite a high humus content to be effective. I read somewhere that it should be not less than 25% but I think even that is rather sparse. I tend to use the fungus when the grit content is 25% or less.

But then, one is likely using a rooting hormone of some kind, or the excellent willow water for cuttings.

[Croquin]

Yes, it seems that it needs to have something to eat.

The commercial product I was mentioning in my last message under this thread...
It gives two different information about the microorganism perennity:

1) the information I already gave is in the instruction booklet
2) written on the packet is: to use every 6 to 8 weeks

héhéhé...

[annew]

Me using it for chipping when the chips are incubated in perlite/vermiculite is giving it a hard time, then. But I suppose it only has the bad fungi to go for...

[Croquin]

I'm not sure I've understood the situation 
chipping is too specific to find the correct meaning in the dictionary without cultural references, please give me more information.
then the relation between chipping and bad fungi.
sorry 

[annew]

Apologies, Croquin. "Chipping" is the process where bulbs are cut into pieces in order to force them to make small new bulbs on the pieces. This is a fast way to get more bulbs of a cultivar.  The pieces are stored in perlite or vermiculite until the new bulbs form. I hope I have explained - it is difficult without using too many words! Please ask if it is not clear.

[annew]

Also - a fungicide is usually used to prevent disease on the cut pieces. I tried trichoderma instead.

[Lesley Cox]

For anyone new to the practice, it may be worth mentioning that chipping involves slicing the bulb lengthways, down the bulb so that a small section of the base is present on each new piece.

[Croquin]

Thanks Anne and Lesley, I understand the technique (I know about it but I was far away to get the reference to it from Anne's sentence, it is the type of situation where words have a very technical meaning and will bring confusion - associated meanings to the word "chipping", I had only computers and preparing compost, which was not making sense AT ALL !  )

Are you saying that Trichoderma is in a way or another digesting/attacking bulb chips ?
Or that it is having troubles developping as a fungicide replacement for protecting chips from other fungi ?

I guess without being 100% sure that you meant the second point.

If so, is it not due to the lack of organic matter in the environment, replaced by vermiculite ?
I would guess we are back to Lesley's message of December 3.

[annew]

Or that it is having troubles developping as a fungicide replacement for protecting chips from other fungi ?
If so, is it not due to the lack of organic matter in the environment, replaced by vermiculite ?

That is what I meant - but I hope that the trichoderma would still feed from the 'bad' fungi before it died of hunger.

[annew]

What is the name of the 'chipping' technique in your language, Croquin? (French?)
I wonder what it is called in German, Dutch etc?

[Lina Hesseling]

In The Netherlands we also say chipping. I think in Germany they do too. As far as I know there is not a real dutch word for it.

Lina.

[annew]

Now is your chance to invent one!

[Croquin]

it seems to be... cutting 
but most of the time people will be less technical and rather say "division" or "bouture", even though it really is a barbarian axe-slicing like procedure.
I guess the plant must hate its grower after that 

[gote]

Or that it is having troubles developping as a fungicide replacement for protecting chips from other fungi ?
If so, is it not due to the lack of organic matter in the environment, replaced by vermiculite ?

That is what I meant - but I hope that the trichoderma would still feed from the 'bag' fungi before it died of hunger.

Anne,
I may be talking through my hat but as I understand it, the use of perlite is because perlite is sterile. What would happen if the scales/chips were placed in leafmould with trichoderma added?? As far as I know lily scales work well in normal soil with humus fungi and all as long as there is not too much Botrytis around (It has worked for me)
Perhaps even putting say five chips in high humus soil with trichoderma and just letting them grow "naturally"??
Interesting stuff this
Göte

Göte

[annew]

I'll try and remember to do that next year. This year.