Toxcrusadr, While never having spoken (conversed) with you before I have read some of your posts and am happy to be able to share a few thoughts with you. As has been stated earlier in this thread, I did my best to keep things simple but do not feel that limit necessary with you, the pleasure is mine. The reason your limit of familiarity with "colloidal humus compost" is due to the fact that the author of the book spoken of coined the phrase is my understanding. Each term stands on its own; however in the original discussion that was the name given to the substance at the time and it has stuck. Humus can develop colloidal properties, yet compost cant; compost can lead to humus, yet humus cannot lead to compost. "Humic substances are key components of a friable (loose) soil structure. Various carbon containing humic substances are key components of soil crumbs (aggregates). Complex carbohydrates synthesized by bacteria and humic substances function together with clay and silt to form soil aggregate. As the humic substances become intimately associated with the mineral fraction of the soil, colloidal complexes of humus-clay and humus-silt aggregates are formed. These aggregates are formed by electrical processes, which increase the cohesive forces that cause very fine soil particles and clay components to attract each other. Once formed these aggregates help create a desirable crumb structure in the top soil, making it more friable." (See link below) While I do enjoy making compost, my larger focus is allowing said compost to develop the largest amount of humic and fulvic acid as possible. And too, auxins, cytokinins, and other grown hormones and enzymes can be present and ready to go to work once the compost is applied to the soil. It is for this reason I constantly stress allowing ones compost be allowed to cure/mature. Those of us who have developed soil with such an organic foundation find we grow plants that refuse to die. As an example, those "Georgia collard greens" in the photo above will live well past a year, growing a stalk over three (3) feet tall, and will harvest collards with a taste to die for. I do have a different understanding of the nature of humic and fulvic acid, with fulvic being much smaller than humic, thus is the main carrier of nutrition in foliar sprays. Fulvic acid and the many wonderful functions it provides for all life on earth is one of my favorite topics so all I will say for now is that once our planet has replaced both fulvic and humic acid in our soils our health will be akin to those collards I just spoke of, in human time. I too will avoid the topic of bio-char as well; I trust you will understand. I do appreciate your insight and sharing of knowledge, it is very much well taken Blutranes @gmail.com

Many of our medical people have not yet accepted that exposure to many of the poisons sprayed on land that is "conventionally" farmed can cause chronic health problems even though they recognize they can cause acute health problems. Exposure to more then one could cause a symbiotic relationship that is not healthy. That some people are more susceptible to adverse reactions to these poisons is also a known and if that person is exposed to more than one of these potential allergins can cause even larger problems. Unfortunately the only way to find put if a person is suscetible to any substance is to expose them to that substance. While an allergist can, and will, test someone for these types of allergies it will only be done if there is good reason to suspect there is a need. So alaria121 if you are still able to please update us on what, if anything has been found.

you are getting there ... for lack of science terms.. this is the type of plant.. that simply heaps upon itself.. as the years roll by ... never give it a haircut ... on top or sides ... when something begins to irritate you ... track the offending piece.. back into the plant.. and remove it far enough back.. so that you wont have to come back for a few years ... any spaces left will fill in ... sooner or later ... and if you are interested.. these types of plants can be rooted .. with a few tricks.. i see the sidewalk?? ... and the light.. so i presume there is a driveway to the left ... you will have to learn all about pruning.. is you want it to stay within those presumed boundaries ... finally ... looking at your pic ... at 9 oclock... i see what looks like at least ..with no scale.. 6 to 9 inch leader growth .... this will be.. a fairly aggressive plant ... if you have a bigger spot for it.. you might want to think about moving it.. this early spring.. or in fall .... if you have a full latin name.. google it.. and find out this plants potential... and decide if it is properly sited .... i have pis's that have both huge annual growth potential.... and much lesser ... [and they are usually planted in the wrong spot.. lol.. the lesser in the large spot.. and the greater growth rate.. in the smaller ... lol ... so dont think you are alone in this conundrum ..] ken

Yuck! Been a battle for me the past couple of years :( ============================================ Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Tospovirus Symptoms: Young leaves show symptoms as turning bronze and many small, dark spots. Tips may dieback and stems may be streaked. Stunting usually occurs with drooping leaves and wilting. If infected early, no fruit will be produced, and if fruit is produced, there will be symptoms of chlorotic ring spots (Figure 8). The concentric rings on green fruit are faint becoming more obvious as the fruit ripens. Favorable Conditions: Since this virus has over 800 hosts, the optimal conditions for TSWV are weedy fields with a high thrips population. ÃÂ (Thrips are an insect that carry the disease from plant to plant as they feed. ) Control: Once infection has occurred, plants must be removed. Control weed populations and use reflective mulches to repel thrips. Insecticides are ineffective against thrips. ============================================ http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1285.htm So this year, out of 115+ varieties, some with TSWV "resistance" are going in "bad" places and new ground is being broken elsewhere. Look for BHN 444, Amelia, Sophya, Mountain Glory etc ... I may end up with cardboard 'maters from this spot but I hope to end up with 'maters! I tilled the area up in the fall and planted winter wheat so hopefully that will help. ===================================================== In Georgia, TSWV and thrips vectors have had a tremendous negative impact on the yield of various crops including peanut, tobacco, tomato, and pepper, causing an estimated $100 million in losses annually across all of these crops. In tomato, TSWV can often reduce marketable yields by 50% besides greatly increasing the incidence of irregular-ripened tomatoes. The thrips species primarily responsible for transmitting this virus in tomatoes are western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca), and others (for example, Frankliniella bispinosa and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci). ======================================================= http://wiki.bugwood.org/Thrips_and_Spotted_Wilt_Management_in_Tomato Serious stuff :(