Microbes...you gotta see this one !!!

has55 wrote:Just got my book from the library yesterday. Only had time to read the forward and preface. Looking forward to getting into the meat of it.

I will look forward to your take on this book, hass55, as I think you are very knowledgeable about this subject.

Any suggestions for the less adept at gardening will be appreciated by me.

trolleydriver wrote: In my regular soil veggie garden (that which is not converted to SFG) I will try to apply the NO rototilling (or no deep digging) principle this year. The book deserves at least a second read if I have time.

I feel that when I pull up the exhausted plants, I am doing a little "rototilling".  From the book, I am gathering that the bacteria are the most important for veggies, the threaded fungi to a lesser degree.  I try to be careful of the worms and use that as the gauge for the amount of disturbance.

TD, I created a 3' x 3' flower spot where the backyard tree was, like your 4' x 4'.  Since is was only for flowers, I first spread a layer of horse manure, then various bags of compost, Kelloggs, some peat moss, ancient bags of perlite, etc.  It transformed over the months into rich growing media as judged by the healthy, huge flower plants.

Kelejan wrote:

has55 wrote:Just got my book from the library yesterday. Only had time to read the forward and preface. Looking forward to getting into the meat of it.

I will look forward to your take on this book, hass55, as I think you are very knowledgeable about this subject.

Any suggestions for the less adept at gardening will be appreciated by me.

Thank you kelejan for the blessing. I feel I'm walking among giants. I have learned so much from the forum.

In the teaming with Microbes book, page 142, Jeff said to add fungi at the end of brewing, because it is fragile and would be destroyed during the making of the brew. So do we dip it in, shake it or just place the fungi in at the last few minutes to get it off the homemade fungi compost we produced from the recipe on page 141-142.




I was impressed with their results with powdery mildew using a fungal dominated tea on the leaves and bacteria dominated tea for the garden soil. He suggested using a hand pump concrete sprayer to decrease the need of straining  and removing many one microbes  out when using a regular garden . hand pump sprayer. This pump is made for large particles. Has anyone every use a concrete hand pump sprayer and could recommend one?  I never heard of it till I read the book

Jeff recommended on page 157 using a traveling  lawn sprinkler for dispersing your tea on the lawn? Has anyone every use one?

Fungal domination is recommended in compost tea for soil drench instead of hauling piles of compost. what is everyone thoughts?

Has, I think Mel's Mix basically takes care of the issue of bacteria and fungi and other critters in the veggie beds. The book seems to be geared towards understanding the complex food web for dirt, be it veggie row gardening, shrubs, lawns, or trees. One section I still have to read is fighting diseases (near the end but before Lawns). Every time we water the beds, some tea is released. One thing that made me feel better is that nutrients are held within the soil and that the dripping under the beds may be brown but is not necessarily washing out all the critters and nutrients (just some). They and the nutrients are secure within the structure of the mix.

sanderson wrote:Has,  I think Mel's Mix basically takes care of the issue of bacteria and fungi and other critters in the veggie beds.  The book seems to be geared towards understanding the complex food web for dirt, be it veggie row gardening, shrubs, lawns, or trees.  One section I still have to read is fighting diseases (near the end but before Lawns).  Every time we water the beds, some tea is released.  One thing that made me feel better is that nutrients are held within the soil and that the dripping under the beds may be brown but is not necessarily washing out all the critters and nutrients (just some).  They and the nutrients are secure within the structure of the mix.  

I'm sorry, I left off a part of that statement. it was about doing large lawns, not the garden SFG beds which should have the mel's mixed or homemade compost. He was giving a alternative to people with large lawns, a cost and time saving method for those lawns. I have 3,000 feet, so It caught my attention.  

Also I noticed tat I didn't say the fungal dominated tea was for the lawn too and for attacking powdery mildew on the garden plants

Has, I'll check the book later, but the disease I am fighting is a fungus, so bacterial would be indicated. ??

jimmy cee wrote:Do you think microbes may be a good section in the forums ? Like along side pests and disease under the SFG title ?

...or how about the entire scope of "permaculture"?

(There's a university library that's a 5 minute walk from where I work... I'll have to go check out this book.)

Those who have read this book, Teaming with Microbes, know the word Archaea.

Well, I came across that word in an article I was reading and I said to myself, "I know that word".

The article I was reading was about the microbiome of belly buttons.  Some of us are a home for Archaea.

(I'm wondering if I should have put this under Senseless Banter?)

Kelejan wrote:Those who have read this book, Teaming with Microbes, know the word Archaea.

Well, I came across that word in an article I was reading and I said to myself, "I know that word".

The article I was reading was about the microbiome of belly buttons.  Some of us are a home for Archaea.

(I'm wondering if I should have put this under Senseless Banter?)

I get it, Kelejan!

I have now handed back to the library the copy I had, and have ordered the book, "Teaming with Nutrients" published in 2013.

I am hoping to learn more.

Kelejan wrote:I have now handed back to the library the copy I had, and have ordered the book, "Teaming with Nutrients" published in 2013.

I am hoping to learn more.

I could never remember even most of it, It will be a read that I keep by my side forever. I already have so many marking in it that any one else would consider me crazy

I read 'Teaming with Nutrients'. Actually I just looked at the pictures/diagrams.
Too much chemistry for my li'l pea brain.

CC

I'm returning my copy of Teaming with Microbes to the Library today. At the same time I am picking up the Second Edition of ANSFG which I had placed a hold on.  I have the first edition and want to compare it with this second edition.

Anyone read both TWM and TWN? As far as difficulty, how do they compare? Microbes is moderately difficult if one hasn't taken microbiology. I think it is excellent for those without a background, enough technical info but basic enough to get the idea that there is a whole fascinating world in the soil.

CapeCoddess wrote:I read 'Teaming with Nutrients'.  Actually I just looked at the pictures/diagrams.
Too much chemistry for my li'l pea brain.

CC

CC
Take it apart in topics and not the entire book, for instance  Compost Tea, read it and when you come across an item that is strange to you ( heck the entire book is strange to me ) look it up in the index and read up on it..

My understanding of the compost tea is that it's almost a cure all for everything... I'm going to read it about a dozen times and still not understand it, however each time I do, something sinks in.

sanderson wrote:Anyone read both TWM and TWN?  As far as difficulty, how do they compare?  Microbes is moderately difficult if one hasn't taken microbiology.  I think it is excellent for those without a background, enough technical info but basic enough to get the idea that there is a whole fascinating world in the soil.

I think I learned a lot reading this book and I have no background in microbiology, just an interest in how things work.

Two clicks of the mouse and I accidentally  ordered Teaming with Nutrients.  Has anyone besides CC started reading it?

I'm now going through my second read, Concentrating on compost tea now, is such an amazing topic. If for no other reason this in itself was worth it.
Being able to manufacture the tea in a bacteria, fungal, or balanced tea is a great task..
A tip
Fungal dominated tea can prevent powdery mildew on plants, ( can, not does )  it also helps with many pests surprisingly. The microbes in the tea when added to leaves produce a slime material that helps them stick to leaves, once established, neither rain, or wind can dislodge them..There they sit and wait to do their thing.
If you do nothing else, read about compost tea, in this book or elsewhere...

Tomorrow from the library I will collect the book, "Teaming with Nutrition".

sanderson wrote:Has,  I'll check the book later, but the disease I am fighting is a fungus, so bacterial would be indicated.  ??

Just saw this. I don't have a answer. I'm still reading the book. I'm buying a copy tomorrow to reread, esp the compost, mulched and compost tea section. This way I can mark it up my book like a little kid on Christmas Day or like Jimmy Cee. Hee,Hee

sanderson wrote:Two clicks of the mouse and I accidentally  ordered Teaming with Nutrients.  Has anyone besides CC started reading it?

Let's us know what you think. I'm behind the posse in reading the book, still on TWM

sanderson wrote:Has,  I'll check the book later, but the disease I am fighting is a fungus, so bacterial would be indicated.  ??

 I just read the part that explains your problem..
Pathogenic and parasitic fungi are many, it indicates and filling books to try explaining them would be easy.
Looks like to me You must find which one you have, then go on to find the cure or treatment.
If you have the book check page 72. under Pathogenic and parasitic.
There may be beneficial fungi to treat it

Still waiting for TWN. Where is that book?

I split the compost tea maker into a separate topic. Others may be interested in buying or making a set up.

sanderson wrote:

trolleydriver wrote: In my regular soil veggie garden (that which is not converted to SFG) I will try to apply the NO rototilling (or no deep digging) principle this year. The book deserves at least a second read if I have time.

TD, I created a 3' x 3' flower spot where the backyard tree was, like your 4' x 4'.  Since is was only for flowers, I first spread a layer of horse manure, then various bags of compost, Kelloggs, some peat moss, ancient bags of perlite, etc.  It transformed over the months into rich growing media as judged by the healthy, huge flower plants.

I'm thinking now that I will leave the two 4x4 soil beds (the ones behind my SFG beds) as regular soil beds and try to apply some things from the Teaming With Microbes book. I was going to convert them to SFG this year. In the past that area of the garden has always done well for growing tomatoes, peppers and beans. Of course, it also grows weeds which can be a nuisance. The only amendments I ever used were my home made compost and some horse manure (added the manure just one year). I have applied no chemical fertilizers in the 29 years we have been here. This community was farmland before the houses were built in the 1960s and the soil is quite easy to work. Below the top 18 inches there is clay. If I leave the two 4x4 soil beds as is then I can focus on adding more SFG beds elsewhere.