Hello wondering if I could start a serious conversation here. My serious question is if you use a blank canvas soil any kind that your heart desires and you use liquid nutes and you decide I want more microbial activity and add something to increase your microbes how benificial are those microbes when your only using liquid fertilizer???
There’s lot’s of debate over this, I’ve seen it talked about in several videos and podcasts. If the nutrients we’re feeding are already chelated to a form that’s available to the plants, why add microbial life? Fungi is still very beneficial no matter what nutrients we use because they add surface area to the roots and help the plants move water more efficiently through osmosis.
from the start, what do you mean by blank canvas soil?
do you mean inert soil?
if your going the soil way why not use living soil and forget liquid nutes?
seems kind of counter productive to me to use inert soil and then add microbes.
and microbes are what makes the world go around BTW
just my rookie thoughts here though, so take it as you will
and me once again.
i’m drunk so cut me some slack if i’m wrong.
why use soil if you want to use liquid nutes?
they will push the girls yes, but the soil will get loaded with salts and force you to flush, which is the last thing you want to do with soil.
feel free anyone to correct me, but flushing soil is nothing but asking for root rot
@Shadowjams G’day mate good question my first question would be why are you using liquid ferts on soil plants ? you would get more doing a tea an leaving for a day an let foam up,that is where all ya microbes are mate.am not sure on liquid ferts doing this maybe someone else can chip in good question tho mate :)edit i think liquid nutes be a waste mate when you can make ya own outta compost or fertilzer teas
I think there is benefit. However in an inert soil, the benefit might be quite small. Maybe not even worth the cost of the beneficial microbes.
There are many types of microbes with many different benefits. A lot of the bacteria that are sold provide a benefit by eating nutrients in the soil to grow bigger and/or make more bacteria. The bacteria, some when living and some once they die, become food that is easy for the plant roots to eat.
In an inert soil - there isn’t a lot of food for the bacteria to eat. Especially not carbon. Bottled nutrients are made to be as easy as possible (or close to it) for the plant roots to eat. So bacteria aren’t helpful to make nutrients more available for the plant, in this situation they’re actually competing with roots for nutrients. My guess, the competition isn’t likely to be significant or affect plant growth.
The few bacteria that do live and reproduce, could provide a non-nutritional benefit by being eaten by the roots. They could stimulate certain plant growth, such as cannabinoids or terpenes. That might be the benefit you get.
I agree with @Cap_Ron, fungi is likely the type of microbe to give you the most benefit.
Beneficial fungi can get fed carbon from the plant roots, so they have a much better chance of living long-term.
I think if you are adding microbes, then it would help a lot to add some organic material, generally one or more types of compost, to the inert soil. Only a relatively small amount would be needed to provide food for the microbes. Then feed bottles nutrients, at normal dilutions, could be used like to feed the plant. The beneficial microbes could also survive in the soil and provide their various benefits as well.
I will agree with you. And my biggest reason for this is some line of nutrients carry a microbe solution to go with the line up but it raises a serious red flag to me which is how benificial are microbes with a 6-4-1 or even a 4-4-4 liquid?? Thank you for your input it goes a long way !
Soil without pre additives, my thoughts as well and my biggest question is what’s with microbe solution sold in a line up of liquid nutrients some brands sell em like that but is it worth it too?? I wanted to hear others thoughts on this.
There’s the max you can load your plants and there’s the bare minimum you can load your plants mineral build up is no doubt gonna happen but you can control it .
I agree with you that flushing is kind of odd.
Well put it was my thought as well why increase high numbers of microbes when it’s already in a usable form thank you
Well put as to trying to get the most out of both worlds
@Shadowjams G’day mate good thread . usally in the genral gardening in soil you would not put liqiuid nutes in just amend the soil, a bag of chook poo probably do it,add garden lime add shark microbes if you like but ya soil will do it anyway just take longer,as to ya question increasing microbes i not think mate ya get what ya get,adding,adding powdered microbes is good imo. but the sol or coco not need it in that much,less or more with microbes.)