Improving Soils with Microbiology

[TrueXile420]

Best thing ever to use for your plants. Advance Nutrients is a joke compared to this stuff

[welfarewebdeveloper]

Brass Hole, Reforestation is a wise move, since that is what Nature will continue to insist on, and you will otherwise spend time, energy, resources fighting it into eternity. Be sure to consider forest principles, including architecture, diversity, layers (plant supporting shrubs, ground cover, herbs, etc., to loosen soil, confuse pests, accumulate nutrients, provide microclimate and friends for the trees ....), and so forth. Blessings to you and your efforts! Glenn

[welfarewebdeveloper]

Brass Hole, First, mycorrhizae needs to be in the soil. It is usually best to add a small amount to the hole, whether or not you dip wet roots (assuming bare root here) into the product. Second, since the development was recently forested, there may me sufficient soil fungus available. I wouldn't count on it. If I can find similar species in existing woods, I will add a handful of that soil to the planting hole -- there are studies that verify the benefits of including much greater root growth.

[soilhumic]

welfarewebdeveloper, Mycorrhizae can inoculate when surface applied. We did a massive study with the USDA where we proved that both ecto and endo can be surfaced applied and inoculation took place. It's true that a faster inoculation will take place if the propagules are placed in direct contact of seed with the endo types, but ecto are wind dispersed in nature so surface is fine. Adding a handful of soil from a forested site may work, but there's a better chance it won't.

[welfarewebdeveloper]

I stand corrected. The products I have used are no doubt designed to be endo. Still, the endo method makes sense when implementing, ecto after it's too late. Agreed, not all forest soil additions will work. I do it where practical based on images I have seen of a study on Douglas Fir seedlings in the 60's. Considering that many plantings fail, the practice provides an extra chance for survival. We can both agree that plant and soil ecology are vital and should be considered when designing. g

[wingz3636]

Is using roots in that way someone can do one their own if they grew enough plants to harvest the roots? If so which plants are grown for it. Or is it something done in a lab.

[soilhumic]

The harvesting is done in a lab clean room, isolating the spores from the host plant roots and growing medium. It's critical that the spores be very clean to avoid pathogens and decay to the spores providing a shelf life to the product. This is why compost and potting soils are not a viable medium for selling the spores, as they too easily get contaminated and lose viability. Compost is also full of microbiology that's function is to decompose organic matter, not good for the spores.

[wingz3636]

I have very heavy clay soil here in new mexico.I kept one area in the shade very moist this brought life to the soil and definately the worms. now Ive been bringing in large amounts of compost,  It seems to come with the bacteria intact. this microbial stuff can only be made in a lab, but could this be part of why cover crops work?(lots of roots)Personally I think compost must bring the benificial bacteria by, being light enough to hold oxygen yet absorbant enough to hold water. ideal medium

[soilhumic]

In New Mexico, clay is hard and collapsed because of the occlusion caused by salts and dissolved base minerals such as calcium. This is the reason for a high pH soil! Compost is often a rich source of these minerals and salts which make the problem worse and not better, particularly if the compost was made with manures as a major ingredient. Humus (the humic substances composed of Humic acid, Fulvic acid and Humin) is the solution to fixing the tilth of clay that's high in pH.

[soilhumic]

The point is well taken and it is true that much still needs to be learned when it comes to soil microbiology. The video is stating a fact of science that we understand and know can be validated with strong science/research. We do know and understand the value of the mycorrhizae and the associated helper bacteria all of which can be commercially produced on the roots of living host plants. Compost is not a source of the symbiotic or mutalistic bacteria and fungi.

[promanx1]

Not a source, thats interesting, I have worked with composts and soil mixes for over 15 years along with Microbiology, I certainly believe that composts are sources, along with habitats that encourgae beneficials, hence why when added to soil or plant mediums the aid in the process that you have described. When plants grow, beneficials do not just come from no where they are either in the medium, soil or atmosphere. Good compost I believe certainly supply certain types of symbiotic sources.

[promanx1]

When you plant these plants, do you innoculate the seeds or the roots? Do you use a potting mix or compost when growing the plants, my point is these beneficials have to come from some were, there is a lot of research out there showing the benefits of composts in supplying symbiotics and beneficals,Some mediums either add or aid more then others, not so much Mycorrhizae, as plant roots are generaly needed for these species to survive, unless the medium has been ionnoculated with spores ect.

[soilhumic]

Compost is potentially an excellent organic source of major and minor nutrients and certainly has the microbiology associated with decomposition. But it's a poor source at best of the mutalistic microbes such as the mycorrhizae and the associated helper bacteria that we can make legal and ethical claims about. Also, unlike Humus, compost is primarily made of carbohydrate calories (cellulose) that is rapid cycling carbon turning into CO2 when fully decomposed. Humus is long lasting soil carbon

[soilhumic]

In a mycorrhizae production nursery the plant seed is inoculated with all the known associated microbiology that we can find on that species in the wild. The growing mix is organic compost and soil which otherwise does not have these species and never will unless we add them. This is true almost without exception with all potting soils and composts.  Be clear that the microbes of composts are also essential in a healthy Soil Food Web, they just aren't the same microbes.

[TheBrassHole]

Mr. Melendez, I just purchased a house in a new develpment where they cleared all the trees. I am going to start planting and my question is: Can I use the mycorrhizae as a root dip just before I plant? Or do you recomend just ammending the soil from the top after planting? What would be best? P.S. I know for a fact that this develpment was a forest. And now that I know this, I am bitter towards it. All my neighbors probably think I'm crazy when I explain to them about the soil here.

[promanx1]

Hmmm intersting concept but not sure I totaly agree with that, it will no doubt give you a certain criteria in Soil Microbiology but what about Composts and other beneficial environmental nursery zones.

Keep up the great work guys :-) So much more for us to learn!!!!