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Old February 13, 2018   #1
Tiny Tim
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Default Recharge Microbial Superpack

Recharge is an Organic Living Soil SuperPack that uses colonies of living soil bacteria & beneficial fungi to increase overall plant available nutrition. Has anyone used this for tomato plants in containers. I have used it for other plants indoor and it works well. I've grown with and without it in 3,5,and 8 gallon fabric pots using synthetic nutrients in coco coir. The root mass is much better developed than without using it. I've notice spring-tails and beneficial nematodes in my runoff. So if you do try it be aware you may get these as well. It is a bit pricey, so if anyone has suggestions on a more economical alternative I'd love to hear it. This year I intend on going much bigger with containers outdoors on my deck.

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Old February 14, 2018   #2
Koala Doug
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I use various brands of mycorrhizae products in my containers. I haven't settled on any one yet, but I do notice a benefit and will continue to employ their use.

It really isn't necessary for people who grow in the ground as mycorrhizae are naturally found in the soil. But for someone like me who container grows, it can be helpful.
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Old February 14, 2018   #3
bower
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Crabshell and shrimp shell are great media for beneficials like T. harzanium. Yes it's found in natural compost anywhere in the world, but you can expect to boost your Trichoderma quotient by tossing shrimp shells or crabshell meal into the mix. Or use the ground up shell as a supplement in your containers. Then you don't need to buy inoculum... at least, that's what I figure.
OTOH if you buy shrimp meal or crab meal it's probably just as pricey! I would rather eat the shrimp and save the shells (or tails) for my compost...
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Old February 14, 2018   #4
Nan_PA_6b
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Bower, How do the microbes live through the cooking of the shrimp/crab?

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Old February 14, 2018   #5
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Nan, they don't live through cooking.. They will grow on the (previously cooked or not) waste.

T. harzanium is literally found in composts and soils worldwide. However the chitin in shrimp or crab shell is a food for them, not so much for other species. This is how they attack fungi, because chitin is what fungi are made of as well.
So there is no need to inoculate (they are everywhere) but you can raise their population by providing their favorite food. That way they will outcompete other species that don't eat chitin.
Tossing mushrooms in the compost would likely accomplish the same result.
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Old February 14, 2018   #6
Tiny Tim
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Default Thanks for your input Folks.

What we seem to agree on is that although helpful, it's not necessary with a good organic soil. I've built a good pile last year, double ground wood chips to reduce chip size, grass and hardwood fireplace ashes. Also everything green from the kitchen. Also will be mixing 3 cu. ft of peat moss and 10-50 lb. bags of black kow organic manure. The kid that got that down from the shelf at home depot last month thought I was crazy. It was frozen, but is next to my compost pile ready to go come spring. I also have about 3 cu.feet of an experimental mycorrhizae inoculated compost I've tried to grow for the past 5 years in a no till compost pile using leaves and grass clippings. I'm hoping to grow healthier plants with few issues this season. I may just add some ground shrimp shells, good excuse to eat shrimp. Happy growing and thanks for the tips.
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Old February 14, 2018   #7
Koala Doug
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I don't use soil or compost in my containers (I use Pro-Mix HP), so I feel it is beneficial for me to add some endo-mycorrihzae/trichoderma.

I'm hoping to find the time and space in the future to start a composting pile... but we'll see if that comes to fruition.


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Old February 14, 2018   #8
Tiny Tim
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Koala Doug, with my indoor plants I expand coco coir blocks wash until I get below 50 ppm and add 30% perlite.. Then buffer with calmagic. I use Foxfarms trio and just start using General Hydroponics trio as a side by side comparison. So far, I've only run one side by side and have seen very little difference. The General Hydroponics is much cheaper. Outdoors this year I'll be watering 15 gallon,8 gallon and 5 gallon fabric pots, 5 of each. Way to much for me to be mixing nutrients, therefore going organic for that reason. You can start composting with a 5 gallon bucket.
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