permaculture

[venaurafarm <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

On 3/22/2013 4:46 PM, sals3 wrote:
> does mycorrizal grow in compost tea?  I think your right on throw what you
> find under a healthy plant that your growing for most of what the plant
> needs . I never knew mycorrizal was one of them .  I just use to buy it and
> rub it on the roots when planting.  could you use that dirt to make a good
> batch of compost tea for a sick plant of the same kind???

You need these two books, Sal; as an intro to the subject you can read 
the entire Soil Biology Primer, text and images, online at:
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html

http://www.earthfort.com/products/books.html

Soil Biology Primer
Overview
The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component of 
soil.  To read the content of this book online, visit The NRCS Soil 
Biology Website - 
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html
The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component of 
soil and how it contributes to agricultural productivity, and air and 
water quality. The Primer includes units describing the soil food web 
and its relationship to soil health, and units about bacteria, fungi, 
protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms. For farmers, ranchers, 
ag professionals, resource specialists, conservationists, soil 
scientists, students and educators.

and:

Teaming with Microbes Revised Edition
http://www.earthfort.com/products/books/teaming-with-microbes.html
Overview
A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Foodweb. By Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis, 
foreword by Elaine Ingham.
Teaming with Microbes enlightens readers in two important ways. First, 
in clear, straightforward language, it describes the activities of the 
organisms that make up the Soil Foodweb, from the simplest of 
single-cell organisms to more familiar multicellular animals such as 
insects, worms and mammals. Second, the book explains how to foster and 
cultivate the life of the soil through the use of compost, mulches and 
compost teas.
This revised edition updates the original text and includes two 
completely new chapters concerning mycorrhizae and archaea!

<><><><>

Soil Biology Primer
Soil Biology Primer
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html
Soil Food Web
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/buttons/button8A.jpg
Food Web & Soil Health
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/fw_soilhealth.html
Bacteria
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/bacteria.html
Soil Fungi
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/fungi.html
Soil Protozoa
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/protozoa.html
Nematodes
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/nematodes.html
Arthropods
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/arthropods.html
Earthworms
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/earthworms.html

The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component of 
soil and how it contributes to agricultural productivity and air and 
water quality. The Primer includes units describing the soil food web 
and its relationship to soil health, and units about bacteria, fungi, 
protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms. It is suitable for a 
broad audience including farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, 
resource specialists, conservationists, soil scientists, students, and 
educators.

Printed copies of the Soil Biology Primer may be purchased at the Soil 
and Water Conservation Society online store at www.swcs.org.

Starting with The Soil Food Web, use the navigation links at left to 
access the web-based version of the Primer and additional resources. 
This online version includes all of the text of the original, but not 
all of the images of the soil organisms. The full story of the soil food 
web is more easily understood with the help of the illustrations in the 
printed version.

Authors
Elaine R. Ingham
Andrew R. Moldenke, Oregon State University
Clive A. Edwards, The Ohio State University

Editors
Arlene J. Tugel, NRCS Soil Quality Institute
Ann M. Lewandowski, NRCS Soil Quality Institute
Deb Happe-vonArb, Soil and Water Conservation Society

Chapter 1: THE SOIL FOOD WEB
By Elaine R. Ingham
SOIL BIOLOGY AND THE LANDSCAPE
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html
An incredible diversity of organisms make up the soil food web. They 
range in size from the tiniest one-celled bacteria, algae, fungi, and 
protozoa, to the more complex nematodes and micro-arthropods, to the 
visible earthworms, insects, small vertebrates, and plants.

As these organisms eat, grow, and move through the soil, they make it 
possible to have clean water, clean air, healthy plants, and moderated 
water flow.

There are many ways that the soil food web is an integral part of 
landscape processes. Soil organisms decompose organic compounds, 
including manure, plant residue, and pesticides, preventing them from 
entering water and becoming pollutants. They sequester nitrogen and 
other nutrients that might otherwise enter groundwater, and they fix 
nitrogen from the atmosphere, making it available to plants. Many 
organisms enhance soil aggregation and porosity, thus increasing 
infiltration and reducing runoff. Soil organisms prey on crop pests and 
are food for above-ground animals.
Click to see sketch of soil organisms living within a soil aggregate    

The soil environment. Organisms live in the microscale environments 
within and between soil particles. Differences over short distances in 
pH, moisture, pore size, and the types of food available create a broad 
range of habitats.

Credit: S. Rose and E.T. Elliott. Please contact the Soil and Water 
Conservation Society at pubs@swcs.org for assistance with copyrighted 
(credited) images.
THE FOOD WEB: ORGANISMS AND THEIR INTERACTION

The soil food web is the community of organisms living all or part of 
their lives in the soil. A food web diagram shows a series of 
conversions (represented by arrows) of energy and nutrients as one 
organism eats another (see food web diagram below).

All food webs are fueled by the primary producers:  the plants, lichens, 
moss, photosynthetic bacteria, and algae that use the sun’s energy to 
fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Most other soil organisms get 
energy and carbon by consuming the organic compounds found in plants, 
other organisms, and waste by-products. A few bacteria, called 
chemoautotrophs, get energy from nitrogen, sulfur, or iron compounds 
rather than carbon compounds or the sun.

As organisms decompose complex materials, or consume other organisms, 
nutrients are converted from one form to another, and are made available 
to plants and to other soil organisms. All plants – grass, trees, 
shrubs, agricultural crops – depend on the food web for their nutrition.
Click to see a diagram of a simple soil food webClick for a picture of a 
glossary of soil food web terms
WHAT DO SOIL ORGANISMS DO?

Growing and reproducing are the primary activities of all living 
organisms. As individual plants and soil organisms work to survive, they 
depend on interactions with each other. By-products from growing roots 
and plant residue feed soil organisms. In turn, soil organisms support 
plant health as they decompose organic matter, cycle nutrients, enhance 
soil structure, and control the populations of soil organisms including 
crop pests. (See table of functions of soil organisms below.)
Click to see a table of the functions of soil organisms
ORGANIC MATTER FUELS THE FOOD WEB

Organic matter is many different kinds of compounds – some more useful 
to organisms than others. In general, soil organic matter is made of 
roughly equal parts humus and active organic matter. Active organic 
matter is the portion available to soil organisms. Bacteria tend to use 
simpler organic compounds, such as root exudates or fresh plant residue. 
Fungi tend to use more complex compounds, such as fibrous plant 
residues, wood and soil humus.

Intensive tillage triggers spurts of activity among bacteria and other 
organisms that consume organic matter (convert it to CO2), depleting the 
active fraction first. Practices that build soil organic matter (reduced 
tillage and regular additions of organic material) will raise the 
proportion of active organic matter long before increases in total 
organic matter can be measured. As soil organic matter levels rise, soil 
organisms play a role in its conversion to humus—a relatively stable 
form of carbon sequestered in soils for decades or even centuries.
Click for photo of mites chewing a leaf         

Soil organic matter is the storehouse for the energy and nutrients used 
by plants and other organisms. Bacteria, fungi, and other soil dwellers 
transform and release nutrients from organic matter (see photo at 
left).These microshredders, immature oribatid mites, skeletonize plant 
leaves. This starts the nutrient cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and other 
elements.
Collohmannia sp.

Credit: Roy A. Norton, College of Environmental Science & Forestry, 
State University of New York. Please contact the Soil and Water 
Conservation Society at pubs@swcs.org for assistance with copyrighted 
(credited) images.
FOOD SOURCES FOR SOIL ORGANISMS

“Soil organic matter” includes all the organic substances in or on the 
soil. Here are terms used to describe different types of organic matter. 
See the "Components of Soil Organic Matter" chart below.

    Living organisms: Bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, earthworms, 
arthropods, and living roots.
    Dead plant material; organic material; detritus; surface residue: 
All these terms refer to plant, animal, or other organic substances that 
have recently been added to the soil and have only begun to show signs 
of decay. Detritivores are organisms that feed on such material.
    Active fraction organic matter: Organic compounds that can be used 
as food by microorganisms. The active fraction changes more quickly than 
total organic matter in response to management changes.
    Labile organic matter: Organic matter that is easily decomposed.
    Root exudates: Soluble sugars, amino acids and other compounds 
secreted by roots.
    Particulate organic matter (POM) or Light fraction (LF) organic 
matter: POM and LF have precise size and weight definitions. They are 
thought to represent the active fraction of organic matter which is more 
difficult to define. Because POM or LF is larger and lighter than other 
types of soil organic matter, they can be separated from soil by size 
(using a sieve) or by weight (using a centrifuge).
    Lignin: A hard-to-degrade compound that is part of the fibers of 
older plants. Fungi can use the carbon ring structures in lignin as food.
    Recalcitrant organic matter: Organic matter such as humus or 
lignin-containing material that few soil organisms can decompose.
    Humus or humified organic matter: Complex organic compounds that 
remain after many organisms have used and transformed the original 
material. Humus is not readily decomposed because it is either 
physically protected inside of aggregates or chemically too complex to 
be used by most organisms. Humus is important in binding tiny soil 
aggregates, and improves water and nutrient holding capacity.

        Composition of soil organic matter
WHERE DO SOIL ORGANISMS LIVE?

The organisms of the food web are not uniformly distributed through the 
soil. Each species and group exists where they can find appropriate 
space, nutrients, and moisture. They occur wherever organic matter 
occurs – mostly in the top few inches of soil (see graph below), 
although microbes have been found as deep as 10 miles (16 km) in oil wells.

Soil organisms are concentrated:

Around roots. The rhizosphere is the narrow region of soil directly 
around roots (see photo below). It is teeming with bacteria that feed on 
sloughed-off plant cells and the proteins and sugars released by roots. 
The protozoa and nematodes that graze on bacteria are also concentrated 
near roots. Thus, much of the nutrient cycling and disease suppression 
needed by plants occurs immediately adjacent to roots.

In litter. Fungi are common decomposers of plant litter because litter 
has large amounts of complex, hard-to-decompose carbon. Fungal hyphae 
(fine filaments) can “pipe” nitrogen from the underlying soil to the 
litter layer. Bacteria cannot transport nitrogen over distances, giving 
fungi an advantage in litter decomposition, particularly when litter is 
not mixed into the soil profile. However, bacteria are abundant in the 
green litter of younger plants which is higher in nitrogen and simpler 
carbon compounds than the litter of older plants. Bacteria and fungi are 
able to access a larger surface area of plant residue after shredder 
organisms such as earthworms, leaf-eating insects, millipedes, and other 
arthropods break up the litter into smaller chunks.

On humus. Fungi are common here. Much organic matter in the soil has 
already been decomposed many times by bacteria and fungi, and/or passed 
through the guts of earthworms or arthropods. The resulting humic 
compounds are complex and have little available nitrogen. Only fungi 
make some of the enzymes needed to degrade the complex compounds in humus.

On the surface of soil aggregates. Biological activity, in particular 
that of aerobic bacteria and fungi, is greater near the surfaces of soil 
aggregates than within aggregates. Within large aggregates, processes 
that do not require oxygen, such as denitrification, can occur. Many 
aggregates are actually the fecal pellets of earthworms and other 
invertebrates.

In spaces between soil aggregates. Those arthropods and nematodes that 
cannot burrow through soil move in the pores between soil aggregates. 
Organisms that are sensitive to desiccation, such as protozoa and many 
nematodes, live in water-filled pores.

Click to see a graph illustrating how soil life decreases with soil depth
        Photo of root tip surrounded by bacteria        

Bacteria are abundant around this root tip (the rhizosphere) where they 
decompose the plentiful simple organic substances.

Credit: No. 53 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set. 1976 
J.P. Martin, et al., eds. SSSA, Madison WI. Please contact the Soil and 
Water Conservation Society at pubs@swcs.org for assistance with 
copyrighted (credited) images.
WHEN ARE THEY ACTIVE?

The activity of soil organisms follows seasonal patterns, as well as 
daily patterns. In temperate systems, the greatest activity occurs in 
late spring when temperature and moisture conditions are optimal for 
growth (see graph below). However, certain species are most active in 
the winter, others during dry periods, and still others in flooded 
conditions.

Not all organisms are active at a particular time. Even during periods 
of high activity, only a fraction of the organisms are busily eating, 
respiring, and altering their environment. The remaining portion are 
barely active or even dormant.

Many different organisms are active at different times, and interact 
with one another, with plants, and with the soil. The combined result is 
a number of beneficial functions including nutrient cycling, moderated 
water flow, and pest control.
Click to see a graph illustrating how soil microbial activity peaks 
during warmer and wetter times of year
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOIL FOOD WEB

The living component of soil, the food web, is complex and has different 
compositions in different ecosystems. Management of croplands, 
rangelands, forestlands, and gardens benefits from and affects the food 
web. The next unit of the Soil Biology Primer, “The Food Web & Soil 
Health,” introduces the relationship of soil biology to agricultural 
productivity, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and to air and water 
quality. The remaining six units of the Soil Biology Primer describe the 
major groups of soil organisms: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, 
arthropods, and earthworms. For more information about the diversity 
within each organism group, see the list of readings at the end of “The 
Food Web & Soil Health” unit.
-
Next chapter: "The Food Web & Soil Health"
-

<><><><>

NRCS Soil Biology Website - 
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html
Soil Biology
Overview
The creatures living in the soil are critical to soil health. They 
affect soil structure and therefore soil erosion and water availability. 
They can protect crops from pests and diseases. They are central to 
decomposition and nutrient cycling and therefore affect plant growth and 
amounts of pollutants in the environment. Finally, the soil is home to a 
large proportion of the world's genetic diversity.
Soil Biology Technical Notes
NRCS Soil Biology Technical Notes are a series of technical publications 
designed to provide additional information about soil biology.
http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/publications/publications.html#btn
Soil Quality Publications
Publications offering information on soil quality are provided below.
Directives and Series Documents
    Soil Quality Technical Notes
    Soil Quality - Agronomy Technical Notes
    Soil Quality - Urban Technical Notes
    Soil Biology Technical Notes
Education and Outreach Publications
    Soil Quality Demonstrations & Lesson Plans
    Soil Quality Posters
    Soil Biology
    Soil Conditioning Index
    Practice Effects, Programs, Indicators, etc.
Soil Quality Technical Notes

Note 8: Soil Quality Information Sheets
Soil Quality Introduction (PDF, 200KB)
Indicators for Soil Quality Evaluation
Indicators for Soil Quality Evaluation (PDF, 700KB)
Soil Crusts (PDF, 30KB)
Organic Matter (PDF, 30KB)
Soil pH (PDF, 67KB)
Aggregate Stability (PDF, 25KB)
Infiltration (PDF, 65KB)

Resource Concerns
Hydrophobicity (PDF, 280KB)
Compaction (PDF, 25KB)
Soil Erosion (PDF, 20KB)
Available Water Capacity (PDF, 70KB)
Soil Biodiversity (PDF, 60KB)
Sediment Deposition on Cropland (PDF, 25KB)
Pesticides (PDF, 60KB)
Salinization (PDF, 85KB)

Note 9: Soil Quality Thunderbook
Soil Quality Thunderbook Cover and Spine (PDF, 74KB)
Soil Quality Thunderbook Body (PDF, 244KB)
Soil Quality Thunderbook Divider tabs (PDF, 70KB)

Note 10: Soil Quality Physical Indicators: Selecting Dynamic Soil 
Properties to Assess Soil Function (PDF, 210MB)
Aggregate Stability (PDF, 380KB)
Available Water Capacity (PDF, 210KB)
Bulk Density (PDF, 340KB)
Infiltration (PDF, 315KB)
Slaking (PDF, 500KB)
Soil Crusts (PDF, 250KB)
Soil Structure and Macropores (PDF, 480KB)

Go to Assessment for additional topics on biological and chemical 
indicators of soil quality.

<><><><>

Frequently Asked Questions
http://earthfort.com/faq1.html


BIOLOGY

What is Soil Biology?

Soil Biology is the study of microbial and faunal activity and ecology 
in soil.  These organisms include earthworms, nematodes, protozoa, fungi 
and bacteria.  Soil biology plays a vital role in determining many soil 
characteristics.

What are the benefits of healthy soil?

Reduced water usage

Improved nutrient cycling

Increased drought resistance

Deeper root growth

Improved soil structure (less compaction)

Increased disease resistance

Safe for children and pets and cannot be over-applied

What is plant succession?

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological 
community overtime.  The orderly process of one plant community 
gradually or rapidly replacing another can result from the developmental 
changes in the ecosystem itself or from disturbances such as wind, fire, 
volcanic activity, insects and disease or harvesting.  In a particular 
environment, there is a characteristic sequence of biotic communities 
that successively occupy and replace each other overtime following 
disturbance.

What is compost?

Modern, methodical composting is a multi-step, closely monitored process 
with measured inputs of water, air and carbon- and nitrogen-rich 
materials. The decomposition process is aided by shredding the plant 
matter, adding water and ensuring proper aeration by regularly turning 
the mixture. Worms and fungi further break up the material. Aerobic 
bacteria manage the chemical process by converting the inputs into heat, 
carbon dioxide and ammonium. The ammonium is further converted by 
bacteria into plant-nourishing nitrites and nitrates through the process 
of nitrification.  A good book on compost:  Field guide to on Farm 
Composting www.nraes.org

Do I have enough Mycorrhizie Spores?

The quickest and best way to know if you have enough spores is to plant 
then take a sample of the roots and have it tested for mycorrhizal 
colonization.  No matter how many spores you have if it ultimately 
creates the roots to be colonized then it has been successful.  The 
issue can be that spores must be within close range of roots when they 
germinate for colonization to work.  If they are not in close proximity 
they will die.  One thing you should know is that if your soil is in 
good health this process happens naturally.  If you get the fungal and 
bacteria count in balance and have good protozoa the mycorrhizal 
colonization will take place without buying any products at all.

What type of environment to plants need?

Broccoli/Cabbage (Strongly bacterial)

Row Crops/Grasses (Slightly bacterial)

Berries (Equal bacteria and fungi)

Deciduous Trees/Vines (2-10 times more fungal)

Conifers (100+ more fungal than bacterial)

Note: Tomatoes are in the grass/row crop category, while strawberries, 
grapevines, kiwi, rhododendron, and snowbrush fall in the 
berry/vine/shrub category.  Deciduous trees include poplar, almond, 
peach, citrus, coffee, apple, avocado and olive.  Conifers include pines 
and most evergreens.

Mycorrhizal Inoculum - Endo or Ecto?

For row crops, vegetables, grass, most berries, shrubs and deciduous 
trees, vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAM) are the fungi of 
choice, while conifers and some late-successional deciduous trees 
require ectomycorrhizal fungi.



TESTING

Why is biology testing important?

By knowing the current biology you are able to make adjustments that are 
more suitable for the desired crop, which will maximize crop production. 
 Ongoing monitoring ensures optimal conditions throughout the growing 
season and leads to reduced dependency on fertilizers, pesticides, 
herbicides and fungicides which is more environmentally friendly.  When 
using less traditional fertilizers you lessen the amount of salt in the 
soil which in turn requires less water consumption.  In addition, good 
biology creates less compaction creating room for a deeper roots system.

Why should I test with Earthfort?

Earthfort specializes in Soil Biology.  We have been measuring biology 
since the laboratory opened in 1996.  We use proven methods of direct 
count micropathy which are referenced under our assay descriptions 
http://earthfort.com/assets/images/lab/assay_descriptions.pdf .  Upon 
results Earthfort provides a telephone report interpretation for those 
customers new to interpreting data.  If requested we are able to provide 
remediation consulting for those who want assistance on the practical 
application of soil amendments.  If you can measure it you can manage it.

How do I take a sample?

Take your samples from 5–10 different spots.  Usually you will want to 
sample from problem areas you have if any.  One easy way to sample is 
using an apple corer.  Push through the top of the soil down 3-4 inches. 
 Do this 5-10 times and put all the samples in a clean bucket.  Then 
you will mix these samples together.  Out of the mixed material put 
approximately two cups of material in a sandwich size plastic zip lock 
bag.  You will want to leave some air in the bag.  Again, you only need 
two cups of material.

How do I submit a sample?

Place 2 cups of material into a sandwich size zip lock bag.  Leave some 
air and empty space in the bag.  With liquid samples, use a clean 1 
liter plastic bottle.  Include about 300ml or 10 oz of liquid in the 
liter bottle.  Do not fill the bottle, leave room for air.  Try to take 
the samples the same day you plan to ship if possible.  If you must 
store samples until the next day keep it refrigerated.   Do not freeze 
material as the freezing then thawing will kill many of the microbes. 
If shipping compost teas please ship next day air otherwise your samples 
can arrive within 3-4 days.  Send sample to:  Earthfort 635 SW Western 
Blvd Corvallis, OR 97333.  Please include the testing form.

Does it matter what time of year the soil sample is submitted?

The two times you don't want to pull a soil sample for biological 
testing: when the ground is frozen or water logged. Other than that, 
anytime will provide a good profile of the soil relative to the target crop.



COMPOST TEA

What is compost tea?

Compost tea is an aerated solution that is teaming with billions of 
beneficial microorganisms that can be applied directly to the leaf 
surface of a plant as a foliar spray or used as a soil drench to improve 
root systems.  It is made by extracting and replicating the beneficial 
biology and diversity in compost into a liquid form.  Compost tea works 
by putting the aerobic beneficial biological diversity that your plant 
needs onto the leaf surface of the plant or the soil.  Compost tea 
should be used within 4 hours once the aeration has stopped.  You can 
apply compost tea every two weeks to your garden.

How do I reduce foam when making tea?

Use a very small amount of organic corn oil.

What should my DO meter read?

Your dissolved oxygen meter should read between 7 and 10 parts per 
million.  You should not be lower than 7 parts per million.

What PSI should be used when injecting compost tea?

Injection of the tea into an irrigation system is a very common practice 
and can be quite successful.  Diaphragm pumps are the preferred type of 
pump as they tend to minimize damage to the biology.  We have worked 
with tea pressurized as high as 300psi.  The important consideration is 
what is the impact pressure after the tea leaves the system?  Also, how 
many right angles or sharp surfaces does the tea have to travel over 
before leaving the system?  Minimizing the internal damage and allowing 
adequate travel through space before impact will all greatly reduce the 
damage to the organisms.  Typically, it is assumed that once the tea 
exits the emitters the actual pressure drops dramatically.

How often for foliar application?

Typically, to prevent foliar diseases apply 5 gallons of tea per acre 
every two weeks, starting a couple weeks before bud break.  Continue 
every two weeks until harvest.  If disease is observed, spray 
immediately on to affected areas, drenching the area.  This results in 
protection of the leaf surface by beneficial organisms consuming or 
out-competing the disease.

How long can tea be held?

Tea generally will remain aerobic for 6 to 8 hours.  After 8 hours, 
aerobic activity falls rapidly due to lack of oxygen.



HOW TO

How do I make good compost?

    Wood chips, a couple of yards work well, alder, maple or some other 
non-aromatic wood.
    Organic steel cut oats, about 50#'s or so.
    Source of starter biology, either a good compost tea (about 5 
gallons) or Soil ProVide (one gallon should work).
    Cardboard, non-waxy, with minimal printing, enough to cover the 
whole finished pile.

Create a 3-4 inch layer of wood chips  apply the oats over the layer, 
spray it with the liquid, and then repeat the process until the wood 
chips are used up.  Then cover the whole pile with the cardboard, it may 
be useful to put something over the cardboard to keep it from blowing away.

Let the whole thing sit for 6-9 months, it is best to do this on soil. 
After the 6-9 months mix the whole pile together, let sit for another 
2-3 weeks then send a sample into the lab.

How do I reduce pests and improve disease resistance?

Pest infestation and plant disease result from a lack of competition 
against plant predatory organisms.  The rich biodiversity of healthy 
soil systems prevents the outbreak of over population of any one 
microbial species.  Without protective ecology to balance the food web, 
plants are more vulnerable to antagonists and pathogens unchecked by 
competition from beneficial organisms.  Determining the vitality of the 
organisms in your soil is the first step in supporting the diversity 
that will protect your plants.

How can I save water?

Soil biology can increase a field’s water holding capacity by adjusting 
the chemistry and physical properties of a soil.  As the organisms 
consume and excrete organic matter, they produce the substances that 
glue soil particles together, stabilizing soil aggregates and improving 
texture.  This process creates a diversity of small pore spaces in the 
soil that hold water by the molecular forces of adhesion.  Building soil 
biology to increase water holding capacity saves money on irrigation, 
prevents leaching of nutrients, and makes your soil more tolerant to 
drought.

How can I cycle nutrients naturally?

Testing your soil will help you to understand how nutrients become 
available to plants through the different communities of microorganisms 
that make up your food web.  Bacteria and fungi are the primary 
decomposers that break down dead plant matter and compost.  Larger 
organisms, including protozoa and nematodes, eat the primary decomposers 
and excrete excess nutrients in a form plants can absorb.  Most soils 
disturbed by tilling and pesticides are highly bacterial and lack the 
protozoa required to complete the nutrient cycle.  When you understand 
what biology is active and living in your soil, you can improve 
fertility by adjusting practices which support the organisms needed to 
balance your food web and deliver nutrients to the plants.



AMENDMENTS

What is Humic Acid?

Humic acid is the dark, stable component of fully decomposed organic 
matter.  Microorganisms excrete small molecules from digested organic 
matter that attract each other and reform into large, highly complex 
supramolecules with chaotic structures that are very resistant to 
further decomposition.  The molecular structure of humic acid is shaped 
by many folds and branches that create increased surface area with both 
positive and negative charges to hold all different kinds of nutrients 
and other ions in the soil solution.  The complexity of the humic acid 
molecule also aerates clayey soils by separating clay particles with 
substances of lower density, holds excess water in micropores created by 
its high amount of surface area, and chelates heavy metals to release 
phosphorous and other nutrients tied up in insoluble molecular forms. 
Humic acid is the end product of living cells after decomposition. 
There is a very low concentration of humic acid in regular soils, 
especially low in agricultural soils with depleted organic matter 
content.  There are higher concentrations of humic acid in finished 
compost.  The most potent source of humic acid is from ancient deposits 
of slowly decomposed organic matter preserved from ancient wetlands eg. 
Alaskan humus.  A good humic acid will be cold water processed as a low 
acid extraction.  It will contain humic acid, fulvic acid, ulmic acid 
and trace elements.



What is the difference between Fish Hydrolysate and Fish Emulsion?

Fish hydrolysate, in its simplest form, is ground up fish carcasses. 
After the usable portions are removed for human consumption, the 
remaining fish body, which means the guts, bones, cartilage, scales, 
meat, etc., is put into water and ground up. Some fish hydrolysate is 
ground more finely than others so more bone material is able to remain 
suspended. Enzymes may also be used to solubilize bones, scale and meat. 
If the larger chunks of bone and scales are screened out, calcium or 
protein, or mineral content may be lacking in the finished product form. 
Some fish hydrolysates have been made into a dried product, but most of 
the oil is left behind in this process, which means a great deal of the 
functional food component would be lacking.

Comparison with fish emulsion:
If fish hydrolysate is heated, the oils and certain proteins can be more 
easily removed to be sold in purified forms. The complex protein, 
carbohydrate and fats in the fish material are denatured, which means 
they are broken down into less complex foods. Over-heating can result in 
destruction of the material as a food to grow beneficial organisms. Once 
the oils are removed and proteins denatured and simplified by the 
heating process, this material is called a fish emulsion. The 
hydrolysate process has substantially lower capital and production costs 
compared to fish emulsion production.


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