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Kutztown, PA

Anyone ever considered steaming their patch? A grower near me (Olley Valley) is preparing to do this:

https://ipm.missouri.edu/MPG/2020/11/steaming-RA/

12/14/2022 4:30:33 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

I would NEVER steam my soil,you'll kill so many good fungi/bacteria!!!

12/14/2022 5:57:00 PM

Torrance, Ca.

The Patons have tried it once or twice with pretty good success.:)

12/14/2022 8:38:44 PM

Torrance, Ca.

But I wouldn't change what you're doing Dan! Those tomatoes are almost unbelievable!!:)

12/15/2022 9:34:45 AM

Grittyville, WA

I there is science suggesting that some plants literally can eat microbes. Tomatoes are carnivorous plants it seems:)

12/15/2022 12:39:24 PM

Grittyville, WA

*I think there is science

12/15/2022 12:40:14 PM

Lodi, California

Dan Sutherland what if you have a soil disease that makes it impossible to grow and won't go away?

People don't do this to kill the good guys, its not cheap

12/15/2022 12:40:30 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

Pg3- that's a very good question! My first thought would be, do we find such a situation in untouched nature say a forrest where man hasn't intervened and caused some sort of imbalance to occur and I don't think we would find such a thing, so now we have to think about how nature might be able to overcome, my first thought is it would take time to get back into equilibrium, I doubt whether it would happen very quickly, that's one of our shortcomings as humans,we don't have much patience, we want a pill to fix everything right now,that just isn't going to happen! But if we do decide to take a quick cure pill we are going to throw everything out of balance so now we just made a problem worse,so back to what I've been saying biology biology biology is the key! There's many many ways to increase the biology and that is where I would start,that and patience, it's going to take time for the good biology to destroy the bad.

12/15/2022 2:15:29 PM

Kutztown, PA

I really didn't give this much credence but thought it was interesting. I'd never heard anything about it up until I was told the guy bought some sort of steam equipment at a local auction.
Certainly you'd be killing off the good and the bad and then you'd have to restock the good. I think biologically you'd be much better off enhancing the native microbe species since they've evolved to fit the soil in your patch.

Anyway, I cant afford a big piece of equipment. I'd have to call "Stanley Steamer" out and have them hit the living room at the same time. :)

12/15/2022 2:29:02 PM

Grittyville, WA

Ha ha. In a way, people have been doing this for centuries... flood irrigation changes the microbial make up of the soil, as would slash and burn. Different crops will want different amounts and types of soil biology. Willemijns did some soil sterilization and repopulation for his WR, fyi. If I remember correctly it was the 2nd year after doing some soil intervention and adding back the microbes that he wanted, that he grew his WR. And my memory is probably inaccurate, but it's all I've got. (At one point info on his WR grow was available. One of the clubs should find it & republish it?)

12/15/2022 3:33:58 PM

Torrance, Ca.

This is so true Dan! There's so much scientific proof of how much humans have destroyed the soil. Some areas would take a decade of more to get back to where it needs to be.

I've always thought about going deep in the forest where no man has ever been. Grabbing 4 truck loads of soil from this area and making my patch out of it. This would never happen and the cost would be something I can't afford,, but imagine the soil biology and how many good microbes this soil would have!! It would be amazing for about 2 years until I destroyed it with all the watering I do for the pumpkins.:(

12/16/2022 12:52:42 PM

Kutztown, PA

Gritty do you remember what the reason for Willemijns "soil intervention" was? Disease?

12/16/2022 2:39:00 PM

Grittyville, WA

I cant remember specifically but I think he knew what he was doing. There's a lot of crap in avg soil. Ive seen a benefit from solarization. Solarization, and then adding a tea or brew that I knew was good, in my case this would produce better results. Granted, its clear Dan has altogether superior (and simpler?) methods but thats his way and all I know is my own.

12/16/2022 8:03:57 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Dan has what we call " magic soil " and knows exactly what to do!:)
Yes, I'm very jealous of Dan's soil and what he does to get those monsters!!

12/17/2022 11:15:39 AM

Walla Walla Wa.

Biology biology biology:)

12/19/2022 4:23:13 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Yup!

I love the science and biology behind growing! Its what makes my winters fun! We learn new techniques each year and its so fascinating to me.

12/21/2022 10:16:59 AM