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Midwest

Ok. At the risk of sounding really stupid I would like ask about an idea that I'm considering this year. I would like to bury some air diffuser tubing in my patch at about 8in and run a constant supply of air via a pump. Why? Hydoponics supplies constant air to the root along with constant nutrient. The only diff in my system is the soil. Now, the problems that I anticipate are the tubes possibly clogging (not that Swedish dance step!) and having too much air. Roots need air and the beneficial organisms need air. I'm hoping that the air will naturally raise through the soil. I found some hydroponic ferts (very organic) which can also be used in soil. Is this pie in the sky or, would it even help?
Thanks,
Greg

3/30/2006 2:12:02 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

i did something simular to that last year, i used an below soil watering system and was worried about it becoming clogged so made up an adapter to hook my air compressor to the hose fitting to keep it clear of soil.

Glenn

3/30/2006 4:29:38 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Soils that are high in organic materials & in good tilth will have enough oxygen. Hydroponic gardeners need to aerate their water/solution because it is a soiless root media.

3/30/2006 5:35:36 PM

Norton, MA

I've thought of this before. It might be cool. You'd need to put them close together, requiring a ton of air volume at once, requiring a MASSIVE electric bill, all requiring $mucho dinero$. If it is doable for you though, I'd try it. It would take water from the soil faster. I doubt they'd clog. AleX Noel.

3/30/2006 7:42:58 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

You wouldn't want to move large volumes of air. I've done this while trying to heat the root-zone of a professional football field. We did consume vast amounts of energy. But we also dried & damaged the roots.

If a soil was so heavy & compacted as to really benefit, then a passive system might be better. But then tilling in some compost, gypsum, aged manure & calcined clay would be even better.

3/30/2006 9:51:17 PM

Midwest

Thanks everyone! Well, I'll put an air stone at the bottom of a 2 liter bottle and plant a seed. Then, a second bottle without air. and, see what happens! Hopefully some differences will appear (good or bad).

Thanks!
Greg

3/30/2006 10:50:04 PM

ENGLAND

Introducing Air/Oxygen into the soil when a plant is quite established, and the growing medium has settled, is something that i thought of doing with Tomatoes a few years back. At the time the most obvious way of introducing Air into the root zone was to use a perforated pipe and an air supply from a compressor. However, just recently i received a new product promotion Email from a local Hydroponic Supplies company with information on this product... http://www.growell.co.uk/p/4456/Soilox.html Although it states that the product should be mixed with the potting soil i cannot see why it cannot be introduced at a later stage when the plants are actually well into different growth stages.

3/31/2006 3:08:19 AM

New Bremen, Ohio

A friend of mine owns a golf turb business. A salesman came in and wanted to show him how the to pump air under the greens. So go out to a green on a golf course and starting pumping air. The next thing he said was hell broke loose. The huge air bubble developed under the green and explosed the green. He laughs now, but was not happy then. Let nature explode your pumpkin.

4/2/2006 11:50:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Vertigo,

A few years back a guy was promoting a machine that sounds similar. It involved a compressor, air tank & granular amendment injection device. A hydraulic ram first forced a needle into the green, fairway, etc. Once the air pressure reached a predetermined point, the thing let loose with the force of a hand grenade beneath the soil. The earth was supposed to fracture in a radial pattern around the needle. In hard clay soils it worked well especially when Pro's Choice Soil Master (or similar) was injected through the same needle to keep the fractures open.

One day I'm at a Golf trade show field day & here comes the machine. Keep in mind that we had to pay $150 to demo each machine one time.

This poor guy fires up his monster fracture aerator thingy. The ram starts pushing the needle into the ground when the hydraulic hose lets loose spewing red hydraulic fluid all over the white jacketed food service staff & several superintendents. To add insult upon injury, the air blast went off with the needle partly inserted sending a spray of soil & turf all over everyone who might have escaped the oil shower.

I never did see that vendor again. At $8.00 for a cheeseburger, its a good thing the food was still covered.

4/2/2006 5:33:26 PM

Chico, Ca

We put in 12 cu ft of coarse pearlite in our soil every year to trap air and keep the soil loose. Lowes has the best price at around $11 for a 4 cu ft bag. Our patch size is around 1500 sq ft. Our patch looks like a giant pile of potting mix.

4/9/2006 11:20:54 PM

Midwest

I should get my air pump this week. I will put my 1in stone on the bottom of the 2 2liter bottles taped end-to-end to make approx. 2ft container. Fill with mixture of earthworm castings, perlite and soil. Perlite to a depth of 8in. Seed is my own 2005 pumpkin. Management: only water, no foliar, no fertilizer, light source: Sun. Soil temp between 80-90 F.


Control: Second and third container: No air supplied via air pump, same growing medium, seed from same pumpkin, same management.

Hypothesis: additional air supplied from bottom of container will cause deeper root growth, deeper aerobic conditions. Roots will be visibly thicker at a deeper level. Plant and roots will grow faster.

4/10/2006 1:52:38 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I disagree with your Hypothesis. If increased air flow was good for a garden we would encourage moles. The roots if given to much air will stop. This is called air pruning in the greenhouse business,

4/10/2006 3:10:17 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Yep.

4/10/2006 10:44:26 PM

ENGLAND

http://www.growell.co.uk/p/4456/Soilox.html

4/11/2006 9:28:01 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Now using a chemical such as Calcium Peroxide to increase soil oxygen is a different Story.

4/11/2006 9:39:28 AM

Western NY

I've used Calcium peroxide before. it's some pretty interesting stuff, and quite relevant to the buried air discussion.

word of caution - that stuff will jack your pH up very fast, so i'd only use it if you are on the low end to start with.

4/11/2006 10:03:48 AM

Midwest

Thank you Shannon and everyone else for the advise. I did some Googling and yes, you are correct, roots are burnt by exposure to open air. Adaptation.

This experiment will be conducted with 6 pots. 3 pots will be 'air pruning' pots, 3 pots will be regular black plastic pots.

Hypothesis2: Air pruning promote healthy, branching root system, elimination of circular root system, allow extensive secondary root structure and increase the growth and overall plant health. The plant is better able to establish itself once transplanted. Air pruned plants are more vigorous in 4 weeks.

Air prune: in black pot (3) put air stone on bottom, 1in gap over stone put a wire-mesh form 'insert' which conforms to pot shape. Support mesh to 1in of bottom and sides. inside mesh put growing medium: worm castings, perlite and soil. Seed is 2005 pumpkin. management: only water, no foliar, no fertilizer, light source: Sun.

Control: fourth, fifth and sixth black pots (3) filled with same medium. No air supplied. No mesh form insert, same seed, same management.

4 weeks duration.

4/11/2006 1:42:29 PM

Midwest

Forgot something.

In order to establish which plants are more vigorous, all plants will be transplanted after 10 full growing days inside pots. This will allow roots to out-grow pots. Observation of roots before transplanting. 1 air pruned plant and 1 non-air-pruned plant will be selected. Removal of growing medium on the plants to expose roots structure. Check the density of root structures.

4/11/2006 1:46:55 PM

New Bremen, Ohio

I asked this question last year.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=65327

4/11/2006 4:45:55 PM

Midwest

Wow, what a great discussion and contribution by Steve and others. Thanks for the link Vertigo. If you don't mind Steve, barring extreme cost of a leaf test, "I think they're $15", I will try to have leaves from the plants tested after 10 days. I will try to find CH and include it in the experiment. First, though, the air pruning.

4/12/2006 1:57:49 AM