Teaming with Microbes The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition

by Lowenfels, Jeff; Lewis, Wayne

• ISBN13: 9781604691139
• ISBN10: 1604691131
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-02-24
• Publisher: Timber Press

Summary

Smart gardeners know that soil is anything but an inert substance. Healthy soil is teeming with life '” not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web '” the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

Author Biography

Jeff Lowenfels is the author several of award-winning books on plants and soil, and he is the longest running garden columnist in North America. Lowenfels is a national lecturer as well as a fellow, hall of fame member, and former president of the Garden Writers of America.

Wayne Lewis is a lifelong Alaskan gardener. He has worked with Jeff Lowenfels on many projects over the past 25 years, including the now national Plant a Row for the Hungry program, which encourages gardeners to donate a portion of their harvest to charitable organizations in their community.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 9
Preface	p. 11
The Basic Science	p. 17
What Is the Soil Food Web and Why Should Gardeners Care?	p. 19
Classic Soil Science	p. 8
Bacteria	p. 43
Archaea	p. 52
Fungi	p. 61
Algae and Slime Molds	p. 75
Protozoa	p. 80
Nematodes	p. 85
Arthropods	p. 89
Earthworms	p. 96
Gastropods	p. 102
Reptiles, Mammals, and Birds	p. 105
Applying Soil Food Web Science to Yard and Garden Care	p. 107
How the Soil Food Web Applies to Gardening	p. 109
What Do Your Soil Food Webs Look Like?	p. 114
Tools for Restoration and Maintenance	p. 124
Compost	p. 131
Mulch	p. 143
Compost Teas	p. 148
Mycorrhizal Fungi	p. 162
The Lawn	p. 172
Maintaining Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials	p. 182
Growing Annuals and Vegetables	p. 189
A Simple Soil Food Web Garden Calendar	p. 199
No One Ever Fertilized an Old Growth Forest	p. 203
Appendix. The Soil Food Web Gardening Rules	p. 205
Resources	p. 207
Index	p. 211
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