milk as soil food?

[buckwheat]

ran across this article and was wondering if anyone has tried this method for vegetable garden?

[David Hare-Scott]

It is true that milk and molasses will encourage the growth of some fungi and bacteria. Whether they are benefical and this is a net benefit to the soil and if it is any better than (say) adding organic matter such as compost, manure etc is less certain. You would have to read up on any well conducted studies to find out. There are many "magic bullet" garden treatments that are said to do wonders, people swear by them and pass them around, it doesn't mean they necessarily work or that they are better than other systems. There are side effects, molasses will attract ants etc.

The classic case of this is Biodynamic farming, where a number of special potions are prepared through complex and arcane rituals. The last I heard the results were indistinguishable from standard organic growing methods. This doesn't say that BD doesn't work, it does work. It is just a lot more trouble than other simpler systems that work just as well. But people love to have magic potions.

[songbird]

David Hare-Scott wrote: ...

exactly. it's all about the big show and ritualistic buyin is how the big show perpetuates.

songbird