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Geoff Whistler posted an update in the group
11 months agoMake Your Own Biological Inputs Hi, I’m new to this group, but was at the recent David Hardwick workshop for making Bioferments. I plan on making biofertilisers (as soon as I get my soil analysis results back from EAL) but would like to know if anyone has experience at applying either through spraying (foliar) or soil injecting and which is the more effective when it comes to kick-starting the soil life.
Look forward to and appreciate any thoughts.
Geoff
5 Comments-
Hey Geoff,
I have made and applied bio fertilisers to the soil and plants. It is a big ask to expect any input to significantly change the soil biological status on its own without applying very large quantities. If however, they are used strategically to improve plant growth then the plants will provide a more lasting source of food for soil biology in the form of root exudates and organic materials.
As such, bio fertilisers are best applied in conjunction with and to living plants.
The actual levels of nutrients in bio ferment type bio fertilisers are actually quite low, if the levels get too high, the biology doesn’t survive.
As foliar applied nutrient uptake is much more efficient I would be inclined to go that way.
How well the biological component of a bio ferment survives, and what effect it has in the soil is pretty hard to quantify and would also vary with soil types and seasonal conditions.
Either way, it’s best to apply bio ferments/fertilisers to living plants as a means to improve plant growth rather than as a stand alone input to improve soil biological or nutritional status.
Hope that makes sense and helps.
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Thanks Mark. That does make a lot of sense. Injecting into the soil with the hope of interacting with some live plant root and its biome could be low percentage particularly as opening a groove for the injection could suddenly dry that area.
Very much appreciate your thoughts.
Geoff
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Hey Geoff,
I haven’t trialled injecting it into the planting furrow with seed vs controls and something like a compost extract.
If you end up doing anything along these lines, let us know how you go.
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Hi Geoff, check out the article that’s just been published in the Knowledge Bank.. written by Mark. Some great information to help you on this topic.
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Hi and thanks Kate. I’ll head there now 🙂 Geoff
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