Firstly I will wish you a happy, healthy New Year and enjoy Nature through your garden.
The following is a article I wrote 24 years ago in December 2001 when I was wearing a younger man’s shoes…
A chap phoned me for some information to assist him in his change to commercial organic cropping.
During our conversation he brought up a very interesting point about how scientists with their modern laser microscopes have determined that there are friendly bacteria and fungi inside plant foliage, stems, trunks and roots.
He explained that these friends of the plant are vital to the health and well being of the plant. They work continually, gathering and converting nutrients, then conveying them to the cells of the plant.
I was taken with this and so I contacted a botany scientist to understand this aspect further. After listening to the technical talk I have sorted out a simile which I will convey to you.
If you draw a capital Y on a sheet of paper and then at the base of the Y place an inverted Y so the top looks like the bottom but upside down.
Then where your two Y join, draw a horizontal straight line. Now this symbol becomes a plant with the top Y being the part of the plant we see above ground and the lower Y being the roots.
Now imagine that there are little people inside each part of the Y and the ones above ground are called Ectos and the ones below ground are called Endos.
The Endos create lines out from the base Y which you can add to your drawing.
These lines become an extension to the plants root system enabling the plant to receive more moisture and food from the soil as well as protecting the plant from soil borne diseases.
This can increase the plant’s effective root system by 800%!
The gathered food and water is sent up to the Ectos to assist in the conversion of this material which then they not only supply to the plant but also to their counterparts the Endos.
The Ectos also ‘power up’ from energy received from sunlight.
When this system is working in harmony or balance, the plant grows healthy and is able to defend itself against attacks of disease and pests.
If we disrupt the harmony by introducing a foreign substance such as a chemical fertiliser and chemical sprays or watering with chlorinated tap water,
many of the Endos are killed off and the reduced numbers cant supply the Ectos with enough material so they too die.
But not all is lost as both the Endos and the Ectos reproduce rapidly and after a time they will restore a balance, even if it?s a weakened one.
While this is happening the plant?s defenses have been weaken and an enemy (pathogen/disease) can invade the plant.
You notice that the plant looks poorly so you spray with a chemical fungicide. Disaster!
Chemical fungicides kills both the good (Ectos/Endos) as well as the pathogen. This further weakens the plant to attacks from pests and other diseases. Once again the Endos/Ectos try their best to re-build from a severely weakened state.
We often make the mistake at this stage by supplying further chemical foods and sprays along with chlorinated water it doesn?t need, to the plant, to assist, as we think, in helping it.
Can you see this from your own experience?
The actual names are Mycorrhizal Endo and Mycorrhizal Ecto (if I have got that right)
If you want really healthy plants then you should stop using chlorinated town tap water instead put a housing/filter on your outside tap and water with chlorine free filtered water.
Then with your filtered water; water in Wallys Mycorrcin and Wallys Super Liquid Fish Fertiliser into the soil every 1-3 months and ideally spray the foliage with a combination of Mycorrcin and Magic Botanic Liquid about every 14 days.
This will assist in restoring populations of Endos and Ectos and keeping them at peak numbers.
You will have happy populations of Endos & Ectos and your garden plants will look so healthy.
Your vegetables you grow in this way will be super foods and your health will greatly improve and your aging effects will slow down.
This is what nature intended in our relationship with our food chain. (Oh how we have lost sight of this vital health information).
If a disease acts the plant then you can spray with Perkfection which introduces organic phosphates into the plant adding the plant?s immune systems without affecting the Edos/Ectos.
If pests attack the plants use Wallys Neem Oil and Wallys Pyrethrum as this also is safe to our friends.
Looking after our Endos & Ectos you will also have far less problems with plant diseases and pest attacks.
Feed the plants only with organic or natural type foods such as compost, sheep manure pellets, Blood and bone and Wallys Super Fish Fertiliser.
For added minerals supply Wallys Ocean Solids and Wallys Unlocking your Soil to your food crops and safe money on mineral supplements.
All of these are the natural foods of plants and they will build big strong populations of Endos and Ectos.
Your added benefits will be, besides a healthy garden, fruit and vegetables with more flavor, vitamins and minerals which will keep you much healthier and younger looking.
Your flowers, roses etc, will have better leaf and flower colour, stronger fragrance, making your garden a real show piece.
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Now for something different…….
PS…. In conversations there is often talk about how many things have changed to how it was back in the 50’s and 60’s when we referred to NZ as Gods Own.
We may ask why and whats happening and what is in store for the future?
I have recently read what I found is a very interesting recent article that looks to explain it all…If you are interested to read it yourself then email me at wallyjr@gardenews.co.nz and ask.
Image credit: Markus Spiske
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