The Science Of Soil I was recently recommended one of the most important books on Organic Gardening I have ever read. This book describes exactly why we all need to be growing organically and have to get out of the destructive trend of using chemical ‘cides’. All of them; pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides the list goes on and chemical fertilizers. The book it titled “Teeming With Microbes, The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web”.
Soil is one of the most interesting and important parts of the gardening process. Preparing it right with the proper amount of nutrients, air, and water and by promoting the soil environment to include a multitude of microorganisms and other soil dwellers is what makes our plants healthy and happy. In this section we will look in depth into the world of the soil and how to promote the activity of the soil food web and how this applies to organic gardening. This is basically a short well, sort of collection of articles which describes the active parts of our healthy soils and how we can use this information to promote healthy soil and therefore healthy, thriving plants.
- The Basic Science,
- What is the Soil Food Web and why should we care?
- Classic Soil Science
- An Introduction to the soil food web -Bacteria -Fungi -Algea & Slime Molds- Protozoa-Nematodes –Arthropods -Earthworms-Gastropods-Reptiles, Mammals and Birds
- The Perfect Soil Contents of the Soil:Clay, Silt and SandOrganic Material, Composting and the amazing fulvic acid
- Soil Nutrients, N-P-K and…..
- Surface areas of Soil Vs. Mineral capacity of soils
- Animals and their effects on the soil
- Birds Gophers and Moles Tilling Soil
- Why tilling your soil is a bad idea
- ConclusionWhy Grow Organically? What does this all mean? How does this apply to your garden?
Simply put the use of chemicals in our garden kills the living soil and makes it a wasteland for aerobic activity. Without the beneficial work of the soil food web your plants will be dependent on chemical fertilizers and
Cation Exchange
Microrriza Bacteria anaerobic and aerobic soils Filtered vs. Unfiltered Water and its influence in soil microbes
Uses of chemical fertilizers and its effect on microbe populations
Diseases and other plant problems and how adding beneficial amounts of microbes to the surface of plants effects these levels
Amending Soils With Compost
Compost and Decomposition
Hot and Cold Composting
Folvic acids – the link between life and death
via The Science Of Soil – Soil Fungi – Organic Garden Guides.
Matilija Schoolyard Habitat (SYH) 