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Subject: Re; Organic fungus copntrol
From: "Bill Robinson" <roseguy@gte.net>
Organization:
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 99 18:24:55
Message-ID: <MOD$990131.26035@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Judy posted that she grows veggies and was looking for
"a way of preventing, curbing and curing fungus in the soil."

There are hundred of millions of individual soil microorganisms in
a single teaspoon of a typical garden soil. These many millions of
individual soil microorganisms are representatives of many thousands
of different kinds. Most of them are not only beneficial but, in fact,
are the very life of the soil and that which makes the soil work.
Only a very few of these microorganisms or kinds of microorganisms
are pathogens.

Just about any material or cultural practice that will "prevent, curb,
or cure" the pathogens will also do a number on at least some of
the beneficials which, in turn, will do a number of the way the soil
can do its job.

There is a saying in agriculture, "Chronic problems with pests or
disease are SYMPTOMS of crop failure and not the CAUSE." I think
the same thing pretty much holds true when you start talking about
"gardening" or "farming" the soil. If a crop of something is simply
not making it because of disease, the problem doesn't have to be
the presence of some pathogenic fungi, it can also be the soil
environment. In most cases, I would expect, the problem is even
more likely to be the soil environment.

My two cents worth is that rather than targeting on "preventing,
curbing, or curing" the fungi, the better approach would be to
focus on those conditions that favor those specific crops and
those specific cultivars. A well chosen plant that is growing
well in an appropriate environment has pest and disease
resistance. Specifically, the healthy plant can remain healthy
even when pathogens are present. It happens all the time.

Bill