by Lydia Holley June 21, 2021
Good soil is the secret to large blooms, bountiful harvests, and green, disease-free foliage. But do you know what lives in it? Earthworms, nematodes, and mites call the soil their home. Also underfoot are algae, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, collectively called microbes.
Although each one is microscopic, the soil has so many microbes in it, just one acre of land can contain thousands of pounds of them. The soil is held together by their secretions. Some of them are thought to give the soil its earthy smell.
Most gardeners are aware of the benefit of earthworms and their role in feeding on organic materials such as compost, mulch, or manures. But once those particles are small enough, microbes go to work. It is the microbes which help plants take up nutrients. Without them, plants cannot utilize the fertilizer you throw out or the nutrients already contained in the soil.
Ever wonder why plants seem to grow better after a rain? It is the soil microbes which take the nitrogen available in the air and break it into a source plants can use. Some live along the plant’s roots, helping to feed the plant. Without the protozoa present in the soil, it would be hard for a plant to take up the nitrogen it needed to live.
It is no coincidence that most plants grow best in an environment where microbes thrive. This is what is meant by the saying, “feed the soil.” You are not feeding the soil; you are making an environment conducive for soil microbes.
The most important factor for increasing soil microbes is organic carbons such as mulch, compost, etc. The more organic matter present in your soil, the more soil microbes you will have.
Some other factors which affect the amount of soil microbes are temperature, moisture, and soil pH. The best environment for microbes is a moist soil. Perhaps when you water the plants, you are really making certain the microbes are happy.
Gardeners know that organic material breaks down fastest in temperatures between 60 to 85 degrees F. Those temperatures are also optimal for soil microbial growth. That is why gardeners in hot climates such as East Texas must refresh their mulch more often than gardeners in colder climates.
Optimal soil pH for most microbes is between 6.0 to 8.0. Seems most of the advice given to gardeners—keep your soil moist but not wet, mulch well, and adjust your soil pH for the plants you are growing—could also be intended for soil microbes.
Because microbes actually breathe, taking in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, the plants have an additional source of carbon dioxide, which increases their photosynthesis ability. Microbes also excrete ammonia. Plants can use that as a source of nitrogen.
To increase the soil microbial activity in your soil, add mulch, compost, or manures to your garden. This gives them more to eat. If their food runs low, their numbers will decrease.
Want beautiful plants? Take care of your microbes.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email hendersonCMGA@gmail.com.
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