[QUOTE=dice;205338]
It is possible that something similar provides a shelf life for
inoculant in a liquid suspension. I would simply like to know
what that is, what keeps the spores from germinating in a
liquid sitting on a shelf somewhere at room temperature.[/QUOTE]

Good question, maybe some chemical treatment? I don't know the answer to that.
From what I understand, dormant spores may sit in suspension for years past the expiration date with some attrition.
Mycorrhizal spores won't germinate in a liquid suspension, they require certain conditions to be right—soil, moisture and roots growing in close proximity to them. If those conditions are not right, the spore won't germinate in the soil either and will eventually die.

[quote=RayR]Mycorrhizal spores won't germinate in a liquid suspension, they require certain conditions to be right—soil, moisture and roots growing in close proximity to them.[/quote]

That makes sense. Nearly everything that they do when alive
and growing is chemically triggered.

After requesting a free sample, what arrived today was a full bottle of Tomato THRIVE (16oz.)! Thanks to RayR, Heather and Tim Galliher, VP of Sales & Marketing. Looking forward to some trials this summer. :)

I received mine today, as well. I thought that was awfully big for a sample!!!!

I just requested my free sample, 16 oz. would be great!

[QUOTE=BSue54;208079]I received mine today, as well. I thought that was awfully big for a sample!!!![/QUOTE]

The enclosed letter from Tim Galliher said, "Hope you don't mind, but we upgraded your sample request to a full bottle of product!"

[quote=kath;208081]The enclosed letter from Tim Galliher said, "Hope you don't mind, but we upgraded your sample request to a full bottle of product!"[/quote]

Thanx for the reminder to look. We had just gotten home from a wildflowering drive, and I was standing in my In-Laws' driveway when I opened the box... Saw what it was, glanced at the letter, and put it in one of the 3 crates of canning jars we found at an estate sale (for $10 -gotta love small town Texas) while out for our drive, and promptly forgot about the letter.

Now that I've read the letter, I'm trying to decide how best to test the Thrive...:twisted:

Decisions, decisions, decisions....:dizzy:

[QUOTE=BSue54;208082]Thanx for the reminder to look. We had just gotten home from a wildflowering drive, and I was standing in my In-Laws' driveway when I opened the box... Saw what it was, glanced at the letter, and put it in one of the 3 crates of canning jars we found at an estate sale (for $10 -gotta love small town Texas) while out for our drive, and promptly forgot about the letter.

Now that I've read the letter, I'm trying to decide how best to test the Thrive...:twisted:

Decisions, decisions, decisions....:dizzy:[/QUOTE]

Congrats on the canning jar score-no such luck around here-folks are forever advertising their "need" for free and/or cheap ones.:roll:

I hear you about trying to decide how to test it...no way will it treat all my plants for the season as directed and I'm not growing more than one of very many varieties, so mine won't be a very scientific trial.:lol:

[quote=kath;208090]Congrats on the canning jar score-no such luck around here-folks are forever advertising their "need" for free and/or cheap ones.:roll:
[/quote]

Unfortunately, that's the case around here most of the times. Freecycle and CraigsList have more needs for free/cheap ones than I've ever seen postings for them for sale. When they are, usually they are more expensive than news ones at WalMart.

We happened across this one by a wrong turn in a town even smaller than the one where I live :yes: And there, under a table in the garage were these three wonderful crates filled with some "collectable" ones I can't use (wire bale type) for canning, but some nice 1/2 gallon ones (for pantry storage), a few nice vintage ones, and prolly 2 dozen realtively modern wide mouth quarts or pints. :cute: And since we were already paying for the gas for the drive.... it felt kinda like Christmas :D

Yes indeed a very nice surprise to find a full size bottle of Thrive! It's nice when a company really wants to make a good impression! :yes:

[QUOTE=sfmathews;208095]Yes indeed a very nice surprise to find a full size bottle of Thrive! It's nice when a company really wants to make a good impression! :yes:[/QUOTE]


If it's a good product and comes out a winner for folks trialing it and posting here, they know they can count on lots of Tomato THRIVE sales being generated by the free advertising they've received.:yes:

[QUOTE=BSue54;208093]Unfortunately, that's the case around here most of the times. Freecycle and CraigsList have more needs for free/cheap ones than I've ever seen postings for them for sale. When they are, usually they are more expensive than news ones at WalMart.

We happened across this one by a wrong turn in a town even smaller than the one where I live :yes: And there, under a table in the garage were these three wonderful crates filled with some "collectable" ones I can't use (wire bale type) for canning, but some nice 1/2 gallon ones (for pantry storage), a few nice vintage ones, and prolly 2 dozen realtively modern wide mouth quarts or pints. :cute: And since we were already paying for the gas for the drive.... it felt kinda like Christmas :D[/QUOTE]

A real find, for sure! Half gallons, too! I really want to make the time to hit the local garage/estate sales, town-wide yard sale days, etc. this year in hopes of finding jars and hopefully a pressure canner...I can dream...:cute:

I used Tomato thrive last year. I was having one of the best years I've ever had until my next door neighbor bombed his yard with some kind of agent orange & the drift almost wiped out my tomatoes a month and a half early.
He apologized profusely and said he would not do it again. (sigh):(
I intend to try it again this year.
Side note , I had some left over so, I thought what the heck, I used it on my little row of blackeyes that I plant every year. Instead of the usual 6 quarts that is normal I got 10.:D

[QUOTE=Charley Gardener;208131]I used Tomato thrive last year. I was having one of the best years I've ever had until my next door neighbor bombed his yard with some kind of agent orange & the drift almost wiped out my tomatoes a month and a half early.
He apologized profusely and said he would not do it again. (sigh):(
I intend to try it again this year.
Side note , I had some left over so, I thought what the heck, I used it on my little row of blackeyes that I plant every year. Instead of the usual 6 quarts that is normal I got 10.:D[/QUOTE]

Sheesh-sorry about the tomato disaster. The results with your peas seem promising, though.:yes:

Thank God my neighbor doesn't use herbicides, that would be an act of war. I have enough trouble with his hound dog that likes to dig holes under the fence.

That was very generous of the folks at Alpha Bio to upgrade the samples to full product. I had already bought some Tomato Thrive and Vegetable Thrive in mid-February to trial this season, so when I saw the free sample offer I chose Compost Thrive. I wanna see if it can accelerate the composting of all those shredded fall leaves and coffee grounds I have piled up in the back yard.

My Rosemary plants that I overwinter indoors took a real beating this year, they were looking like I felt over this particularly brutal cold winter. A lot of needle drop and dead looking branches. So when I got the Vegetable Thrive, I decided why not! I inoculated my Rosemary containers and added some diluted liquid fish/kelp and a bit of molasses to the water to give the beneficial bacteria some carbs to chew on.
About 3 weeks later I started to see some noticeable improvement, things were greening up and new growth was sprouting, even from branches I thought were dead. I did the same with my potted Thyme and now they are growing like crazy indoors.