What is in your organic soil. (Or what should be)

afrawfraw

afrawfraw

Well-Known Member
Beneficial Bacteria are aerobic. There are several varieties you need:

1) Actinomycetes – Helps provide Cellulose and Chitin
2) Azotobacter – Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
3) Azospirillum - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
4) Clostridium - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
5) Rhizobium - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. These bacteria colonize the roots.
6) Nitrosomonas Spp. – Eat Ammonium and secrete Nitrites
7) Nitrobacter – Convert Nitrites into Nitrates

FUNGI


Green Algae Fungi are very beneficial

Mycorrhizae help transport nutrients to the root system. The 2 types are:

1) Ectomycorrhizal colonize in the Rhizosphere
2) Endomycorrhizal colonize in the root flesh

Plant bound Fungi that are beneficial for prevention = Endophytes live in the plant and protect from infection or infestation.

Fast growing vegetables, fruit and Pioneer Weeds (that’s us) really like a soil with MORE BACTERIA THAN FUNGI. If the Fungi out number the bacteria, you get “Forest Soil” which is good for OLDER ROOT SYSTEMS, but not new, fast growing ones. I use a ratio of .5:1 - .7:1 F:B


Soil Bound Animals


Are a great source of slow release N-P-K’s.

The largest are Protozoa. Examples are Pseudo pods and Amoebae.
The smaller are Ciliates. One example is Paramecium.
The smallest are Flagellates.

By introducing large numbers of Protozoa, the smaller animals are controlled which means the existing animals have more food. It sounds backwards, but if you introduce too many Ciliates and Flagellates, there isn’t enough food, so the Nitrogen cycle suffers.

Watch what you put in your soil! Some varieties are Herbivores and will eat your roots to death.

Algae are only beneficial if controlled with herbivoric nematodes. (Hydro show maybe?)


Nematodes

Herbivoric Nematodes will eat your plants’ roots. They suck.

Bacterivoric Nematodes eat bacteria and their waste is good nutrients.

Omnivoric nematodes eat bacteria AND organic matter directly! Very good source of nutrients.
 
afrawfraw

afrawfraw

Well-Known Member
CJ’s Soil Notes



Beneficial Bacteria are aerobic. There are several varieties you need:

1) Actinomycetes – Helps provide Cellulose and Chitin
2) Azotobacter – Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
3) Azospirillum - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
4) Clostridium - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. Soil Born bacteria
5) Rhizobium - Turn atmospheric Nitrogen into available Nitrogen. These bacteria colonize the roots.
6) Nitrosomonas Spp. – Eat Ammonium and secrete Nitrites
7) Nitrobacter – Convert Nitrites into Nitrates


FUNGI

Green Algae holds a LOT of beneficial fungi.

Plant bound Fungi that are beneficial for prevention = Endophytes live in the plant and protect from infection or infestation:

Endophytes benefit host plants by preventing pathogenic organisms from colonizing them. Extensive colonization of the plant tissue by endophytes creates a "barrier effect", where the local endophytes out-compete and prevent pathogenic organisms from taking hold. Endophytes also produce chemicals which inhibit the growth of competitors, including pathogenic organisms. The presence of fungal endophytes has been shown to cause higher rates of water loss in leaves. This will increase transpiration so bear this in mind.

Trichoderma have been developed as bio-control agents against fungal diseases of plants as well as nutrient availability. The various mechanisms for defense include:

1) antibiosis
2) parasitism
3) inducing host-plant resistance
4) competition.

Most bio-control agents are from the species T. harzianum, T. viride and T. hamatum. The bio-control agent generally grows in its natural habitat on the root surface, and so affects root disease in particular, but can also be effective against foliar diseases.

Other species used for slow release of nutrients are:

1) T. reesei is used to produce cellulase and hemicellulase
2) T. longibratum is used to produce xylanase
3) T. harzianum is used to produce chitinase

Mycorrhizae help transport nutrients to the root system. The 2 types are:

1) Ectomycorrhizal colonize in the Rhizosphere
2) Endomycorrhizal colonize in the root flesh


Bacteria in balance with Fungi
Fast growing vegetables, fruit and Pioneer Weeds (that’s us) really like a soil with MORE BACTERIA THAN FUNGI. If the Fungi out number the bacteria, you get “Forest Soil” which is good for OLDER ROOT SYSTEMS, but not new, fast growing ones. I use a ratio of .5:1 - .7:1 F:B


Soil Bound Animals


Are a great source of slow release N-P-K’s.

The largest are Protozoa. Examples are Pseudo pods and Amoebae.
The smaller are Ciliates. One example is Paramecium.
The smallest are Flagellates.

By introducing large numbers of Protozoa, the smaller animals are controlled which means the existing animals have more food. It sounds backwards, but if you introduce too many Ciliates and Flagellates, there isn’t enough food, so the Nitrogen cycle suffers.

Watch what you put in your soil! Some varieties are Herbivores and will eat your roots to death.

Micro-Algae
The vitamin B12 in algae is not biologically active. Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids, but the original source is algae (micro-algae in particular), which are eaten by marine life such as copepods and are passed up the food chain. In my opinion, for this and other reasons, there is no need for fish emulsions. You can obtain everything they offer without introducing nasty, anaerobic bacteria that De-Nitrify your Nitrogen (N). Finding a good source of algae (Seaweed) usually fulfills this requirement.


Nematodes

Herbivoric Nematodes will eat your plants’ roots. They suck.

Bacterivoric Nematodes eat bacteria and their waste is good nutrients.

Omnivoric nematodes eat bacteria AND organic matter directly! Very good source of nutrients.


The Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms. This transformation can be carried out via both biological and non-biological processes. Key processes in the nitrogen cycle include:

1) Fixation
2) Mineralization
3) Nitrification
4)De-nitrification.

The majority of Earth's atmosphere (approximately 78-80%) is nitrogen, making it the largest pool of nitrogen. However, atmospheric nitrogen is unavailable for biological use with out the use of bacteria (See above), leading to a scarcity of usable nitrogen in many types of ecosystems. The nitrogen cycle is critical because nitrogen availability can affect the rate of key ecosystem processes, including primary production and decomposition. Human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, use of artificial nitrogen fertilizers, and release of nitrogen in wastewater have dramatically altered the global nitrogen cycle.
 
P

PhatColas

Member
This one is easy. Most soil or potting soil mixes are sterilized before being bagged. Even the big name brands.
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The better quality ones like FoxFarm OF add in, micro-life after the soil cools, replacing the micro-life killed during the sterilizatoin. But let it set in cold warehouses or in the back of hot trailers, and even their micro-life can get zapped a bit.
.
Easy solution, SPT by BMO, or Roots Oregonism XL, that way you know the good stuff is going in, to work it's organic magic.
.
 
afrawfraw

afrawfraw

Well-Known Member
PhatColas said:
This one is easy. Most soil or potting soil mixes are sterilized before being bagged. Even the big name brands.
.
The better quality ones like FoxFarm OF add in, micro-life after the soil cools, replacing the micro-life killed during the sterilizatoin. But let it set in cold warehouses or in the back of hot trailers, and even their micro-life can get zapped a bit.
.
Easy solution, SPT by BMO, or Roots Oregonism XL, that way you know the good stuff is going in, to work it's organic magic.
.
Click to expand...
Yes, those products contain some of the organisms listed. But this goes beyond that, giving someone the ability to balance their medium to their own plant needs. All these root products have their own blend of fungi, bacteria, animals, etc. But is their blend best for you? You decide...
 
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