soil ecology
when adding a microbial inoculant for diversity, moisture retention and increased nutrient absorbtion, what kinds of products should I look for?
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Well for moisture retention, you just have to look to your backyard in the fall ie) Leaves. I like to put the first layer down unmulched but subsequent layers o mulched leaves works well with a layer of manure or other green between each layer of leaves. Maple leaves work great and are a great first layer of leaves, apple leaves probably have the highest nutrient content, Beach, plum, pear, Linden tree aka: Basswood are great, cotton wood work well and so on.
Don't use Walnut leaves and if you plan on growing any grasses (this includes corn) don't use Oak leaves.
You shouldn't have to worry to much about adding a microbial innoculant unless your soil has been dessimated with some sort of Fungicide, herbicide or anyother compound work ending in -cide. Or if it has been recently trampled with machninary.
However, when you add the leaves in the fall; they will be covered with beneficial bacteria and fungi. And if you really want to add something else, you can just go down to your local nursery and they will be able to help you out. Ask the long term staff and not the summer help. If you have a Buckerfields near you, I have found them to be very knowledgeable and very helpful.
Oh yes, nutrient absorption. Well, here is the crux of the game that we play in our gardens. There is not a product that you can buy to help with absorption, what you want to do is assist nature in building a healthy soil which will inturn result in healthy, disease resistant plants that will release small amounts of acid or base to derive water insoluble nutrients from the soil. You'll be amazed at how robust and not to mention green and otherwise colourful your plants will be.
Don't use Walnut leaves and if you plan on growing any grasses (this includes corn) don't use Oak leaves.
You shouldn't have to worry to much about adding a microbial innoculant unless your soil has been dessimated with some sort of Fungicide, herbicide or anyother compound work ending in -cide. Or if it has been recently trampled with machninary.
However, when you add the leaves in the fall; they will be covered with beneficial bacteria and fungi. And if you really want to add something else, you can just go down to your local nursery and they will be able to help you out. Ask the long term staff and not the summer help. If you have a Buckerfields near you, I have found them to be very knowledgeable and very helpful.
Oh yes, nutrient absorption. Well, here is the crux of the game that we play in our gardens. There is not a product that you can buy to help with absorption, what you want to do is assist nature in building a healthy soil which will inturn result in healthy, disease resistant plants that will release small amounts of acid or base to derive water insoluble nutrients from the soil. You'll be amazed at how robust and not to mention green and otherwise colourful your plants will be.