I love the soil.

Structural crust is formed from water drop impact. If there is sufficient organic matter on the soil surface, the impact of rain will be lessened and soil structure, microbiology and porosity will be maintained.

It takes time for disrupted soils to become fully active in diverse microbial populations. Organic matter on the soil surface will encourage microbiological activity. Dropped leaves, for example, are ideal mulch over the compost-and-nutrient-mixture we have applied already. On immature or unprotected soils, the rain drops break apart the soil aggregates. These aggregates are formed by the exudates produced by the individual soil biology organisms that then act to adhere particles of soil to one another; when these aggregates have little organic matter in the surrounding or surface soil (e.g., no protection) a structural crust results.

The porosity of soil is, thereby, reliant upon a high level of organic matter and healthy microbiology – the makings of soil aggregates which are THE prevention of erosion.

It is important to leave the soils undisturbed as much as possible (e.g., no raking). The soil biology resides primarily in the top 5 cm of soil; any disturbance, such as raking, disrupts the expansion of a healthy soil foodweb.

A helpful reference sampling soil structure and tillage impact:
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/soils/soilstructure.pdf

Our region can be classified as “semi-arid”.
http://www.paton.com.au/Research/Horticulture/Pedocare/TheSealingProcessandCrustFormation.pdf

Anyway. Enjoy. Love that soil. Abundance will result. Well, I suppose Abundance always is the result of Love.

Glorious abundance.

Our home, Revery, and the garden. It shows what healthy soil and thoughtful planting can become without management.

Fungi the Magnificent

Yesterday, I nudged through a debris pile in my garden. It contained begonia rootballs that I had pulled from a site after the last hard frost. Observing the new leaves on what had appeared completely dead plant matter was another opportunity for learning - begonias are toughies. As I unearthed the begonias planning to replant them at the site, I marveled at the mycelium, a fungal network of threadlike cells, that was evident.

The white threads visible here are the mycelium. Not only is fungus essential for the transfer of nutrients between the soils and plants, the health of plants and soils is enhanced by their presence.

In all installations of plants, we apply myccrrhizal spores to the root ball of the new plant. The product I use is produced by a friend and colleague, Carole Ann Rollins, Ph.D., at her company Nature Technologies http://www.nature-technologies.com/Mycorrhizae.html

My clients and crew laugh when I rush to them at a job site, holding gently a blob of soil held together by mycelium and giddy from the discovery. I often ponder whether I love more the fungi or the dung beetle for their importance to soil. Then realize it is like my children, animals, and tribe - I love them all, equally.

Peace. And fungi.

Jae

Living WITH nature.

The creekside remediation project with Villa San Ramon has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. Perhaps most beautiful for me are the dialogues we have with the residents of the community, sharing their memories - of time in their home gardens, of their favorite flowers, of the lush colors and aromas - and expressing their appreciation for our work.

Last week, I toured the site with the Executive Director and the Vice President of Operations for Vintage Senior Living. As we walked, it was noted that the trees now in lush flower had only few flowers in the year prior. And, Virbunums previously with limited flowers are now with abundant flowers.

It is, simply, providing the opportunity for abundant diversity within the community of soil microbes that results in this kind of plant health. And love, I think.

We continued our work on the property and discovered the marvel of Nature in the parking lot. Within the deep cover of Boxwood in a parking median, lay a mother Mallard on her nest. I captured two snails and dropped them to her as an offering for her trust in us. And, as we have worked this site, the Canada Geese, Snowy Egrets, Peregrine Falcons and Cooper's Hawks have graced us with their presence as we apply compost, plant natives (e.g., Penstemon pseudospectabilis), and broadcast wildflower seeds.

It is a gift to do the work of healing soils. Truly. And so much more to share...

Heroes, Microbes and Earth

My interest in the Microbiology of Soil is rooted in the fact that the health of our plants begins and ends the level of microbial diversity in the soil. It is this that creates the essence of the soil food web. You can glance at this page and it illustrates beautifully the topic. http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html My fascination with this information allows you to understand why Soil Geek is an appropriate title for me.

One of my heroes is a microbiologist, Dr Elaine Ingham. She now heads a firm, Soil Food Web Inc. http://www.soilfoodweb.com/03_about_us/approach.html My work with her has transformed my vision of how we can work with soil and nurture plants. Another hero, Dr Carole Ann Rollins, brews the Actively Aerated Compost Tea ("AACT") that I apply to my own and clients' gardens. http://www.nature-technologies.com/

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. Therefore, dirt doesn’t turn to soil overnight nor does compaction transform in a short time. However, if we nurture the opportunity for microbiology to regain its natural state in a situation where dirt and compaction exist, we can create the opportunity for the soil food web to become engaged and, thereby, soil is made. We just provide the conditions for the abundance.