In this issue

Here at GrowingWISE the growing season is already heating up even though our growing environment is still nestled under a deep blanket of snow.  We are getting our onion and celery seeds planted.  These seem to take the longest to mature so they have to be started early.

We are also working diligently to get some new products online and available within the next several weeks.  John has been busy working with his worldwide network of friends and associates to make the Alaska Bounty Soil Stimulant System even better and easier to use than before.  We strive to make your flowerbeds, lawn and gardening experience as simple and easy as possible without sacrificing quality and sustainability.  Please continue to watch www.alaskagiant.com for further developments.

Johns’ travels recently took him to Denver, Colorado for the 2004 Progreen Convention.  While at the convention, John was greeted by many individuals, businesses and institutions interested in using the Alaska Bounty Soil Stimulant System.  The reduction in water needs for the plants has great appeal for those living in areas of water drought.  The City of Vail, Colorado has committed to using the products for all of their horticultural needs.  Another exciting development is the rebalancing of 14 million acres of farmland in China.  This will be a big endeavor, but John looks forward to the challenge and is confident that the Alaska Bounty Soil Stimulant System will work anywhere in the world.

A significant part of the Alaska Bounty Soil Stimulant System is the mycorrhiza that is used to accomplish many benefits for you in your growing experience.  This is a name that is not only difficult to pronounce, it is also a difficult topic to understand.  We have tried in our feature article to make it a little simpler for you.  Keep in mind that mycorrhiza is a very important part of the soil food web and its interaction with all of your plants.  We hope you enjoy this edition of GrowingWISE.

The GrowingWISE Team.

With a name like MYCORRHIZA, it's gotta be good!

The benefits of Mycorrhiza simplified:

Mycorrhiza is like a whole new root system and more!  It attaches itself to the feeder roots and multiplies a thousand fold which allows for more nutrients to be easily consumed by your plant.  Mycorrhiza helps your soil to be ‘root friendly’.  Here’s a quick list of the benefits.

1. Protection from pathogens. (disease)
2. Resistance to drought. (soil holds more water)
3. More nutritious vegetables. (plant is better able to absorb nutrients)
4. Faster growth. (larger more developed root system)
5. Dark green leaves. (more chlorophyll = better photosynthesis)
6. Better soil structure. (better suited for plant growth)

These are not the only benefits, but you can see that Mycorrhiza will create a healthy environment for our plants to thrive.

The benefits of Mycorrhiza explained:

Mycorrhiza refers to several types of beneficial relationships between the plant and the soil fungi.  The fungus is micro in size, but functions on a macro scale with the root system it works with.  It grows like a fine thread between soil particles and other decomposing organic matter in the soil. The fungi can develop into 70% of the soil's microbial biomass.  It solubilizes phosphorus and other vital nutrients for the plant, because the fungus will process them into a form that is easily absorbed by the roots.

There are many types of mycorrhizal fungi and each group of plants tend to prefer a single kind.  Most annual & biannual plant groups tend to prefer Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM).  Some perennials tend to prefer Ectomycorrhiza (EM).  Studies have shown that all seedlings started off with VAM and then some change over to EM.  This is caused by the diminishing of sunlight to the plant from other plants growing up around it (canopy) and the accumulation of dead leaves around the plant (leaf litter) which influences the soil conditions as they decompose.

These fungi work to establish an environment for the roots in a wide range of plant species.  This is frequently the case with VAM fungi.  Typically, there is a network of mycorrhizal fungi interacting between plant species within any “undisturbed” soil area.  This would be ideal for new seedlings that can be connected to this network very quickly, but in most cases this is not possible since a strong healthy network does not exist.

The network is very important in the efficient processing of nutrients.  Not only does the network accumulate and process the available nutrients quickly, but this process also limits the available nutrients for weeds.  This is typically the case in a healthy perennial environment that is dominated by EM.  This can be verified by walking through an old growth forest.

Promoting a healthy network is the main reason for minimizing disturbances to the soil structure.  More disturbance to the structure equates to more disconnection in the nutrient processing availability for the plants.

An additional benefit of these fungi is their support to the root systems in defense of soil-born diseases.  Studies have shown that the improved phosphorus nutrition provides a significant strengthening to the plant.  Both VAM and EM fungi provide a natural barrier to pathogens when viewed under a microscope.  Both types of mycorrhiza also promote beneficial bacteria that are directly responsible for protection from root pathogens.

One of the biggest benefits of these fungi is their influence on the soil structure.  The structure in this case refers to how particles are arranged, as well as the voids that exist between the soil particles.  The voids are called “pore spaces” and provide corridors for roots, water and air to move through.   Earthworms are also very attracted to a soil of this nature.  They can move through it easily, thus providing protection from predators above, and generally have greater access to food sources like decomposing organic matter.  The fungi adhere to the soil particles and to the plant roots thereby binding the structure in place.  Soil bacteria work similarly to contribute to the structure as well.

Another huge benefit of maintaining strong mycorrhiza associations which has been studied for years is a 500% increase in transplanting success compared to plants that don’t have mycorrhiza associations.  This is especially important for seedlings when they are often at the most sensitive stage.

Although not all mycorrhiza are the same, it seems pretty obvious that a lot of the risk is taken out and the benefits are astounding!  What we have that others do not is John Evans expertise to know "what is good for our natural world".

A Nifty Method for Sowing Small Seeds

Planting small seeds directly into the ground can be cumbersome and time consuming.  Here is a tip you are sure to love.  When planting small seeds, prepare a fluid gel to assist you in this tedious task.  Before starting this fluid gel process prepare the seed bed with a furrow slightly deeper than the seed package you are planting calls for. 

Put cornstarch and COLD water into a pan and stir thoroughly (1 pint water per 3 ½ tbs. cornstarch).  Bring this mixture to a full boil while stirring constantly.  Continue stirring the mixture while you cool it rather quickly to lukewarm.  This can be done by placing the pan into cold water.  Always continue to stir so you don’t get lumps.  Lumps will make it difficult to plant. 

Put the mixture into a plastic baggie, sandwich size is preferred.  Add some seeds to the mixture and stir gently.  Snip corner of bag while holding it up so nothing spills out. Squeeze the seed gel mixture out onto another plastic bag or other slick surface to determine the appropriate seed spacing.  Add more seed to mixture if spacing is to far apart.  Scrape up the test sample and place it back in the bag after determining spacing.  Squeeze the gel bead into the prepared furrow as evenly as possible.  The seeds will be spaced as well as the gel was mixed.  Its generally better to have the seed spacing a little too close rather than too far apart.  Thinning can be accomplished as the seeds germinate.  Cover the gel with soil as per directions on the seed package you are planting.  Firm the cover soil and moisten immediately.

The gel does become stickier as it cools, so keep your focus until finished.  The gel provides a moist environment for the seeds for the first few days.  Once you get the feel for the amount of seed you need for the proper spacing, you’ve got a new tool to help you get your small seeds in the ground quicker and easier.