Folks, I've been swinging back-n-forth on the subject of ACT's and their usefullness for an indoor grow. I'm sure this has been noted by many. This is purely a "personal issue" and in no way is my current thinking putting down the potential efficacy of an ACT. We're straight on that so don't hate on me. If one wants to brew an ACT and dump it on their container have fun with it. I sure have. Anyway, so, here's the Q. Decomposing strains of bacteria and most fungi only work on dead or dying organic matter (at least to my understanding). What is it about these decomposers that keep them from decomposing/digesting living plant roots? Is it an exudate from the roots that tell the bacteria "I am alive, don't eat!". We all know if you throw a rootball in the recylce bin just about every single trace of that root mass will be gone in ~7days. So, what is "IT" that is keeping them from decomposing a plant's roots when the plant still has a heartbeat? Is this just another one of the many miracles of nature that science has yet to solve?
Take a look at this. Mycorrhizal Associations: Structure of Roots 1. Protection of the Root Surface Roots of plants growing in natural ecosystems often have outer cell layers with a high degree of suberisation and/or lignification, unlike the crop plants we look at more often. These exodermal and epidermal cell wall modifications are permeability barriers and also strengthen and protect long-lived roots (Brundrett & Kendrick 1988). Chemical substances that accumulate in roots may also help to protect them from predators and parasites.
I think that 'IT' is life, health and vigor. A decomposer wont attack a healthy root for the same reason that a pest wont pick on a healthy plant. Same reason that disease doesnt pray on healthy people. I dont have any fancy words to explain it though. Let that root become unhealthy though and they will attack and start decomposing
If you think about it, we are part of the same soup. The same bacteria, fungi, etc would decompose us if it weren't for our immune system. Plants have an immune system as well, albeit not as advanced as ours. The same things that keep decomposers at bay from decaying our bodies is something probably similar to what keeps them from being decomposed whilst alive. I've even noticed, both indoors and out, that plants are even 'cleaned' by some bugs. Or at least that's how I interpreted it . . . . I have noticed the 'white blob decomposer' mites will sometimes congregate around the base of the stem, right at soil level. I first thought they were sucking the sap or something, but I watched them for a bit, and they seemed to be 'cleaning' the trunk stem. Also I noticed outdoors, when I was making an FPE last spring, when I pulled dandelions and other weeds up, there seemed to be worms on the main tap root. I thought to myself, maybe they were 'cleaning' and/or subsiding off of the root microherd during the lean times of winter. Like the plant would give sugars to the bacteria/fungi and the worm would farm those for it's winter food. Or something.
Well, this has been bugging me for a minute or two. I feel like you folks provided some very cogent and to the point answers. Thanks for that. Pretty phrikkin' amazing this Nature thing eh. I'm like one of the posters in another thread proclaimed in that prior to becoming imeresed in organic MJ gardening most of this esoteric stuff just remained under our feet - literally - I'm just walking around dumb and happy. LOL. "antibodies" indeed. Makes perfect sense. G'Day!
I feel as though this has been touched on before, so would you think added composted at different stages of decomp would increase the micro-herd? I feel like WeeDroid posted this in his Urban Soil Crafting thread
IDK cuz I can't read that yellow text in your quote of my post. If mullethead covered it in one of his cut-n-paste posts nevermind. I'm sure it's been asked and answered previously in years past and only because of my super-S-L-O-W broadband connection perhaps I've just not yet caught up to the infamous droid's spatial thinking. Damn. Foiled again!
I have wondered about decomposers and plant phases because the white furry fungus was constantly all over the surface when plants were in late flower, and then it really erupted with white fungus when I added some oatmeal to the surface (captain puff crunch I know). a while after the harvest I took all the soil outside, threw it on a tarp, added a CF of farmyard compost and a cf of pumice/vermiculite, and stirred it up by turning the pile a few times. Then all 50 gallons of it went back in the smart pots and they've been watered down and sitting in the shade for a few weeks. No fungus on the pile but the worms are all over- even visible on the surface... I really have no idea what's going on... I think the soil is good though, it smells good and should be plenty nutrient. the only way I could imagine improving it would be adding leaf mold or leaf mold compost in- I don't know.
Decomposers break down dead plants and animals. They also break down the waste of other organisms. Decomposers are very important for any ecosystem. If they weren't in the ecosystem, the plants would not get essential nutrients, and dead matter and waste would pile up.Without decomposers, nutrients would not cycle back into our environment and waste would accumulate at an alarming rate. Great thread posted on this site..I enjoyed all post..It really helps for increasing our knowledge..
Personally, unless it's entirely laborious dump it out of the smart pots and keep it on your tarp until the day you're going to use it for a transplant. That's just my style of thinking it doesn't mean it's necessary to do it this way. I got so burned on using raw, unfinished, decomposing organic matter that no matter that I pontificate on the merits of compost I am equally as vocal in proclaiming "be careful with compost" becuase dude, if it ain't finished it ain't fit for indoor gardening. Outdoors very little concern. I get the whole "cooking the soil" paradigm (damnit I dislike using that word) but here once again I stand with very few supporters for the following. This "cooking thing" IMO has gotten way out of hand. I think folks should study a wee bit more to understand what is happening with this so-called "cooking the soil" process. I don't know why folks think they need to "cook" anything. The potential loss of N due to N volitization is extremely high. If not for the "NPK" component as justification for "cooking" why in hell do people do it? To let "things" start breaking down... in a container. IDK, not good thinking IMO. Left outside in a pile, OK. Put it in a container to "cook", Not OK. Just my thoughts. So, hope, FWIW, if I were in a similar situation I would empty those smart pots into a pile, keep it moist, keep it loosely covered, and when you're to transplant use it as you see fit.
Thanks for the perspective possum. I think by adding it to containers I can more easily store them in a shed, it does not access to the varmints. I also put chicken wire with bricks around the base of my veggie garden. my neighbor thinks her 20x20' blackberry thicket is cool and "good for shakes"- yeah, shakes when you get cholera....