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Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

So I was online reading up on cornmeal today and I ran into an article that mentioned "Horticultural cornmeal or whole ground cornmeal is the natural disease fighter that is especially good for use on fungal diseases". http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=18 Heck they even said it might help your ooogy fungal toenails! My question is, does anyone know if cornmeal will harm the mychorrhizal fungi that we're all trying so hard to establish in the soil?

3/16/2008 5:19:20 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Funny you should mention that Erin. The subject came up at the OVGPG seminar yesterday. Apparently, there is not enough research on the subject.

Tim Parks raised the question and, specifically, wondered about the timing of fungicide applications. Most of us apply a fungicide prior to planting and mycor at planting time. I guess the only way to know for sure is to read the labels(or research the product you are using)and see specifically what fungi are controlled by the product.

Based on my own experience, Cleary's 3336G doesn't seem to affect the colonization of mycor. I have seen an exponential increase in root mass by using mycor in a Cleary's-treated patch. Could I have seen more without using the Cleary's? I don't know.

3/16/2008 7:02:08 PM

West By God Virginia

I thought I read somewhere that Tricoderma (sp?) grows naturally in cornmeal after being applied to the soil. Most good Mycorrhizae products contain Tricoderma as well. Not sure about how Mycorrhizae and cornmeal would interact.

3/16/2008 8:17:46 PM