As you can see on my posts I have been working extensively on an organic hydroponics system that is completely self-sustainable and works. Up until now, I have had a few successes and many failures.
The main problem in getting seedling to live in an organic environment seems to be the high amount of contaminants present inside the organic preparations. My last experiment involved the planting of 25 cherry tomatoes (harmony F1) which died after struggling with the composition of the organic media. At first, almost 10 died of damping off disease (although I had extensive biological control through the use of biological fungus) and the others continued to fight until they eventually died from different diseases. The main problem seems to be that the organic nutrients are not sterile enough.
But if I sterilized the organic nutrient media then there would be no micro organisms available for symbiosis formation with the plant's roots. The problem is quiet complicated as it is very difficult to find a balance between pathogens and beneficial species in an artificial media.
The cultivation method would work if the nutrients were sterilized but that would be as providing mineral nutrients to the plant, as in a traditional hydroponic system. And being my goal the production of a truly organic hydroponic system with all the microbial relations it implies I refuse to take that course of action. Hence, I am going to make a second attempt on the method, changing my seedling "hydroponic bed" scheme with a direct planting of the seedlings in pots containing hydroponic media and organic fertilizers which also contain low temperature charcoal which has a reputation of improving microbial relationships and growth.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have in mind.
The main problem in getting seedling to live in an organic environment seems to be the high amount of contaminants present inside the organic preparations. My last experiment involved the planting of 25 cherry tomatoes (harmony F1) which died after struggling with the composition of the organic media. At first, almost 10 died of damping off disease (although I had extensive biological control through the use of biological fungus) and the others continued to fight until they eventually died from different diseases. The main problem seems to be that the organic nutrients are not sterile enough.
But if I sterilized the organic nutrient media then there would be no micro organisms available for symbiosis formation with the plant's roots. The problem is quiet complicated as it is very difficult to find a balance between pathogens and beneficial species in an artificial media.
The cultivation method would work if the nutrients were sterilized but that would be as providing mineral nutrients to the plant, as in a traditional hydroponic system. And being my goal the production of a truly organic hydroponic system with all the microbial relations it implies I refuse to take that course of action. Hence, I am going to make a second attempt on the method, changing my seedling "hydroponic bed" scheme with a direct planting of the seedlings in pots containing hydroponic media and organic fertilizers which also contain low temperature charcoal which has a reputation of improving microbial relationships and growth.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have in mind.
