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Alaska

The Truth about “Replenishing” Soil with Microbes
Friday June 29th 2007, 1:16 pm
Filed under: General Info

Although microbial populations in the soil can benefit plant health, plant growers should be aware that the mere presence of “beneficial” microbes is not enough. Unless the soil environment provides proper nutrients, as may be supplied by composts or other amendments, microbes will not produce the level of activity that is sought. In particular, growers should be skeptical of the simplistic statements made by some organizations such as “healthy soils contain typically 25,000 species of bacteria and 8,000 species of fungi.” This statement implies to the reader that adding species or numbers of microbes will have some benefit. The reality is that the activity of the microbes is most important and long-term changes to microbial activity in the soil will likely require changes to the physical and chemical structure of the soil. The introduction of organic matter through soil amendments is one important way to make long-term changes to the soil environment that will in turn promote changes in microbial populations and microbial activity.

The soil microbial community is amazingly complex and although it is often attractive to make simple statements about the benefits of products, growers and homeowners looking to improve the soil should carefully evaluate claims that promise simple solutions to complex problems.

Could not of said it better. IMHO, Later Spudley.

7/31/2007 2:16:10 PM

southwest MO

You should have saved this for a winter discusion...

7/31/2007 6:03:14 PM

President - GPC

Agree, Ill be making some tea tonight....got a new pump, guess some habits are hard to break....lol

8/1/2007 8:45:16 AM

Montoursville, PA

Ditto Spudley..........Very well said. I would like to add that the process shows improvement slowly at first. By the third year of building structure and trace mineral content meaning mixed organic and minerals content up to five percent organic content or more the micro-herd will be just a rolling right along in the direction you would like to see. Trust in the process and patience is the only route that will produce long term sustainable gains.

8/28/2007 9:20:05 PM

Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

Dwaine,

Good to hear from you! You've been missed.

Kenny

8/29/2007 6:11:38 AM

Somers, CT

Is that docgipe sighting? I think so. Good information all. Thanks!

8/29/2007 7:45:43 AM

President - GPC

YeaH.....Doc Good to Hear from you, we have missed you sorely....we need your organic expertise.....!!

8/29/2007 8:36:58 AM

Bristol,RI,USA.

The key word here is "healthy soil" i don't think they are saying pour compost tea on the ground and all is well. most of us pumpkin growers amend our soil to the point of excess trying to get the competive jump on the year.if there is something like compost tea that can help bring it all together i say " pour it on"

Calcubit

9/10/2007 3:06:29 PM

ordinary,VA

Doc,good to see you posting again!!

9/10/2007 4:11:11 PM

Alaska

calcubit what is your personal best pumpkin? Spudley.

9/10/2007 11:06:35 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

Hey Doc!

9/10/2007 11:33:18 PM

Bristol,RI,USA.

Mr. Spudly,
This will be my fifth year of growing,my best has increased every year stated 03, with 427,04 was 627, 05 was 854,in 06 grew four plants and had four pumpkins 890, 898, and 947lbs this year there will be a big jump the scale will tell all.

Calcubit

9/11/2007 1:11:05 PM

Alaska

Not bad!! One thousand pound club this year do ya think? Way to go, later Spudley.

9/11/2007 1:18:43 PM

Yuba City, Ca.

Over winter, feed your fungi. Really. Many stores specializing in products for organic gardening and sustainable agriculture sell micorrhizal spores, which is a fungus that helps soil release its nutrients more easily. Micorrhiza needs to be fed in order to reproduce and survive the winter. Use a hose-end sprayer, and fill it halfway with gooey, blackstrap molasses. If you can find the sulphured kind, so much the better. Fill the rest of the sprayer with flat beer, and spray the solution over your garden. The sugar in the molasses feeds the existing fungi and beneficial bacteria in the soil, and the yeasts and enzymes in the beer add more. You’ll literally make your soil come alive, and that will help your Patch thrive next year.

11/22/2007 2:13:33 PM

Seattle, WA

Just want to comment that you want unsulfured blackstrap molasses. The sulfur is a preservative to PREVENT microbial growth.

1/15/2008 8:13:10 PM

Seattle, WA

Just wanted to comment to the original post. There is plenty of data and studies supporting the use of compost teas in remediating soil and promoting healthy plant growth.

Of course the beneficial microbes would die or go dormant if no nutrients existed in the soil. But if there's living plants....there's got to be nutrients and soil biology!

Plants put out exudates and the beneficial bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protozoa all feed on these simple sugars and carbohydrates (and also each other) to INCREASE nutrient cycling.

Much of the nutrients are there, they're just not in a plant available form.

I'm not saying compost tea is a substitute for compost in all instances, but it can work in a many conditions.

1/15/2008 8:16:32 PM