Perfect Soil,
Ultimate Food,
Vibrant Health,
and
True Success
A Video Series by
Jana Bogs, MS, PhD
Part 2, Number 9
Macrobes & Microbes
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
© Jana Bogs
Macrobes
Earthworms & other small creatures in the soil food web
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Plant Root Zone (Rhizosphere)
___________________________________
___________________________________
• Plant roots give back to soil
through exudates, creating
specific conditions for itself,
such as attracting beneficial
microbes
___________________________________
• Earthworms open channels
in soil for air and water, and
roots
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Vermicompost
• Special type of compost made by
specific varieties of composting
worms as they consume and
process organic matter
• Unique properties, i.e. plant
growth regulators
• Finer structure & higher level of
nutrients, including plant-available
nitrogen, than typical compost
• Components are variable:
– the type of worms used
– what they are fed
– age of the compost
Vermicompost
• Works well for those who don’t
generate large amounts of organic
matter, i.e. small gardens and
kitchen waste
• Feeding worms-– They are similar to pets!
– Feed small amounts, regularly.
– They enjoy most kitchen scraps, but
not many citrus peels.
– Don’t expect them to eat woody
materials.
– Don’t let them freeze.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Vermicompost Bins
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Compost Tea
• Compost tea “brewing” is a method of multiplying
beneficial microbes in high quality compost (or
vermicompost)
• Decreases diseases while nourishing soil and plants
• How to make-– Suspend sachet of compost in a container of clean, nonchlorinated water
– Add microbial growth stimulants such as sugars,
molasses, humic acid, minerals, fish and/or seaweed
– Bubble air through the system for 24 hours
• Vermicompost is often the compost of choice due to
the variety and complexity of microorganisms that it
contains.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Compost Tea
• Brewing machines--about $200 for home units to tens
of thousands of dollars for large commercial units.
• Make your own tea brewer—not so easy
• Biggest problem is keeping them clean.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Compost Tea
___________________________________
___________________________________
• Application—
– spray on soil and plants with a low
pressure sprayer
– apply through a drip irrigation system
• Application rates—
– 50 to 300 gallons per acre
– 1 to 7 gallons per 1000 square feet
• Apply once per week
• Clean all compost tea equipment
very thoroughly to avoid
contaminating the brew with
harmful organisms
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
IMOs
• Indigenous microorganisms
• Korean Natural Farming developed by Master Cho
• IMO1– cooked rice, bamboo leaves in box, in shade,
out of rain, 4-5 days, white fuzz (other colors = bad)
• IMO2– dilute IMO1 with yellow D brown sugar, 7 days
• IMO3– mix IMO2 into wheat mill run or rice bran,
mixed herbs and fermented plant juice, ferment 7 days
• IMO4– dilute IMO3 with soil
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
EM
• Effective Microorganisms
• Predominately anaerobic
organisms
• Developed in Japan by
Professor Higa
• Contains lactic acid bacteria,
photosynthetic bacteria, yeast,
others from environment
• Fermented with wheat mill run
 bokashi
• Used for agriculture and
environmental clean up
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Many inoculant products on market
•
•
•
•
___________________________________
___________________________________
Look for a broad spectrum of microorganisms
Endo- and ecto-mycorrhizal fungi
Many species of beneficial fungi
Many species of beneficial bacteria, including
N-fixing bacteria
– N-fixing bacteria contain nitrogenase enzyme*
– Symbiotic (in legume nodules) and non-symbiotic
Examples: Azospirillum brasilense, Azotobacter
vinelandii, cyanobacteria, rhizobia, green sulfur
bacteria, Frankia
• Good to check viability with microscope
A Word of Caution
• As Dr. Elaine Ingham, a famous soil microbiologist,
would say, “Don’t be a ‘more-on’.”
• More soil additives are not necessarily better.
• More can easily be too much! (Toxic levels!)
• And then what are you going to do to fix it?
• It really is all about balance.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Current Methods in Biological Farming
– Organic
– Biodynamic
– Permaculture
– Korean Natural Farming
– Japan Natural Farming
– and others, i.e. “sustainable”
– Work together with soil mineral balancing
– Need a clear nutritive outcome as a
standard.
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Microbes/Macrobes--Summary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Make nutrients available to plants
Suppress diseases
Structure soil—air, water, stop erosion/leaching
Fix nitrogen from air
75,000+ beneficial bacterial species/tsp of soil
25,000+ beneficial fungal species/tsp of soil
Compost, vermicompost, compost tea
Inoculants, including IMOs (indigenous
microorganisms)
• Earthworms and other macrobes are very
important components in the soil food web
How do we achieve a working,
living soil?
Manage your Microbes (and Macrobes)—
 Microbiological testing with microscope
 Comprehensive soil mineral+++ analysis
 Amend/fertilize soil according to test results
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Next time…
…we will look into properly preparing
the soil and how it helps us grow the
best food ever!
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________