Magazine - Nature versus Chemicals

By Editor in General News on 29th Aug 2003 15:35

Nature versus chemicals

By Martin Ward

Have you ever wondered why Poa annua is not the dominant grass species in Europe even though it seeds at 5mm, why you hardly ever get disease in untreated grass, why roots go so deep they appear in the roofs of caves but sometimes stop on a sports pitch at just 25mm deep.

The answers lie in the soil. Sports turf managers have been trained to solve problems with inorganic fertilisers and chemicals. However excessive play demands excessive chemical use and eventually the soil cannot take any more toxins, the microbes, mycorrhizae, protozoa and beneficial nematodes die and natural growth systems close down.

When this happens you are in a cycle of chemical dependency never knowing when the next attack of disease, dry patch or algae will occur.

It is possible to break this cycle and re-establish a healthy soil. Symbio has researched and sold microbial solutions for turf managers since 1990 and have hundreds of customers that make savings and get better playing surfaces because they now have healthier soil.

The key to success is to put back the microbes and small animals which are responsible for making nitrogen available and breaking down dead matter (thatch) and converting it back to humus, the basic food for all plants. When this happens grass grows with less fertiliser and the natural disease suppression mechanisms come back into play.

Symbio is launching a range of new products at Saltex with additions to its range of MycoGro complete biological fertilisers. The most exciting development is the new Xtractor compost tea brewer which enables you to brew you own microbial mix to build up the complete soil food web for healthy fine grass growth and disease management no matter how poor your soil is, at a very affordable price.

You cannot afford not to visit Symbio on stand I 05 or for more information contact Symbio direct on Tel: 01372 456 101 or E-mail Martin Ward at martin@symbio.co.uk.

Read more articles in General News, by Editor or from August 2003.