Bob Ames is AMS' Senior Scientist, bringing his extensive background
in soil microbiology and plant pathology to bear in support of current
and future AMS product solutions.  Bob's bio

Periodically, Bob will post questions from the field and respond with
some of his thoughts.

The current "Ask Dr. Bob" question is:

I've heard that microbial products don't work as well in the fall because of cooler
soil temperatures. Is this true for AMS products also?

Dr Bob:   " Fall is an ideal time to plant ornamentals, new sod or overseed existing turf. This
is because soil temperatures, although cooler, will stay in a good range for root growth and microbial activity for many more weeks. Fall rains also keep the soil moist which is more favorable for microbial functioning compared to frequent wet and dry cycles which occur with watering programs in the heat of summer.

Microbial products from AMS offer many benefits which are especially important in the fall.
Our microbially based products contain organisms which have a wide variety of funtions
under both warm and cool soil conditions. Stimulation of root development is another
important benefit from AMS products. It's important to maximize root growth in the fall so ornamental plants or grass will be able to store nutrients and develop a strong root system
to support renewed shoot growth in the spring. 

Our products also improve the plant's ability to capture soil nutrients. This will help not only
to improve plant growth in the fall, but may also help reduce the loss of nutrients due to
leaching with fall and winter rains. Finally, AMS products contain a natural biochemical component that, along with the soil microorganisms, contributes to improving soil conditions. Plant growth may slow down in the fall but building the soil is a year-round function."

Feel free to submit your own question to Dr. Bob by clicking here: Ask Dr. Bob