Lowenfels

habitat_gardener · April 14, 2009

I went to a talk by Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, last week. If you haven't come
across this information on *why* organic gardeners say "feed the soil
not the plants," and why to avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides
and rototilling, here's a very brief summary. For details, see the
book.

As Lowenfels described this elegant system, 60 to 70 percent of a
plant's energy goes to producing exudates that it drips out through
its roots to attract bacteria and fungi, who in turn attract
nematodes and protozoa to the root zone. To get carbon, the protozoa
eat bacteria, and the nematodes eat bacteria, fungi, and other
nematodes, and poop out the rest, which feeds the roots. The plant
can change the exudates it produces if it wants different foods!
That's because different exudates will attract different bacteria,
fungi, nematodes, and protozoa. The huge diversity of soil biota
helps the good guys keep the bad guys in check.

A common way to destroy the microbiology in the soil is to add salts
(nonorganic fertilizers). The salts kill the bacteria and fungi by
dehydrating them, with the result that the plant can no longer feed
itself and becomes dependent on its fert fix. In addition, without
bacteria and fungi, the other parts of the food chain start dying off
as well.

The soil food web is also responsible for soil structure. Bacteria
create slime that glues soil particles together, and fungi weave
threads to create larger soil aggregates. Larger fauna in the soil,
such as mites and earthworms, create pathways for air and water.
(Lowenfels called worms taxicabs for bacteria and fungal spores,
distributing them through the soil.) To destroy soil structure, the
most common methods are rototilling and using pesticides.

To bring soil back to life, you can do the following:
1. add a quarter inch of good quality compost
2. use appropriate mulches -- dry leaves for perennials, shrubs, and
trees (which prefer the form of nitrogen produced in soils where
fungi predominate), or straw/grass clippings for annuals (which
prefer the form of nitrogen produced in soils where bacteria
predominate)
3. use properly prepared aerated compost tea, made with good quality compost
4. apply mycorrhizal fungi, especially in a new garden that's been
rototilled or chemically fertilized.

(also, try to avoid walking on the root zone. Lowenfels said palm
trees were dying in Hawaii and redwoods were dying in Calif. because
tourists were walking all over the root zone, which kills fungi)

When asked about tomatoes, Lowenfels said tomatoes are perennials and prefer a fungal-dominated soil. He also said it's not a good idea to plant brassicas near tomatoes because brassicas are nonmycorrhizal.

amideutch · April 15, 2009

habitat, good stuff and thanks for posting. Ami

garnetmoth · April 15, 2009

indeed. awesome information, thanks!

Sherry_AK · April 15, 2009

Jeff is the garden columnist in the Anchorage Daily News, and has been for many years. It was interesting to watch his sudden conversion to promotion of the soil food web. He was very upfront about admitting the error of his ways in previously telling us every year to fertilize the lawn, etc., etc.

I have also heard Jeff speak. He is full of interesting information.

I depend on him to remind me to plant this or that each week. Except for tomatoes, that is. For some reason, he seems to tell us they can be started right around this time, which I think is way, way too late! I imagine his column can be viewed online at the Anchorage Daily News, on Thursdays.

April 14, 2009	#1
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Lowenfels I went to a talk by Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, last week. If you haven't come across this information on why organic gardeners say "feed the soil not the plants," and why to avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides and rototilling, here's a very brief summary. For details, see the book. As Lowenfels described this elegant system, 60 to 70 percent of a plant's energy goes to producing exudates that it drips out through its roots to attract bacteria and fungi, who in turn attract nematodes and protozoa to the root zone. To get carbon, the protozoa eat bacteria, and the nematodes eat bacteria, fungi, and other nematodes, and poop out the rest, which feeds the roots. The plant can change the exudates it produces if it wants different foods! That's because different exudates will attract different bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa. The huge diversity of soil biota helps the good guys keep the bad guys in check. A common way to destroy the microbiology in the soil is to add salts (nonorganic fertilizers). The salts kill the bacteria and fungi by dehydrating them, with the result that the plant can no longer feed itself and becomes dependent on its fert fix. In addition, without bacteria and fungi, the other parts of the food chain start dying off as well. The soil food web is also responsible for soil structure. Bacteria create slime that glues soil particles together, and fungi weave threads to create larger soil aggregates. Larger fauna in the soil, such as mites and earthworms, create pathways for air and water. (Lowenfels called worms taxicabs for bacteria and fungal spores, distributing them through the soil.) To destroy soil structure, the most common methods are rototilling and using pesticides. To bring soil back to life, you can do the following: 1. add a quarter inch of good quality compost 2. use appropriate mulches -- dry leaves for perennials, shrubs, and trees (which prefer the form of nitrogen produced in soils where fungi predominate), or straw/grass clippings for annuals (which prefer the form of nitrogen produced in soils where bacteria predominate) 3. use properly prepared aerated compost tea, made with good quality compost 4. apply mycorrhizal fungi, especially in a new garden that's been rototilled or chemically fertilized. (also, try to avoid walking on the root zone. Lowenfels said palm trees were dying in Hawaii and redwoods were dying in Calif. because tourists were walking all over the root zone, which kills fungi) When asked about tomatoes, Lowenfels said tomatoes are perennials and prefer a fungal-dominated soil. He also said it's not a good idea to plant brassicas near tomatoes because brassicas are nonmycorrhizal.

April 15, 2009	#2
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	habitat, good stuff and thanks for posting. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

April 15, 2009	#3
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	indeed. awesome information, thanks!

April 15, 2009	#4
Sherry_AK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alaska Zone 3/4 Posts: 1,857	Jeff is the garden columnist in the Anchorage Daily News, and has been for many years. It was interesting to watch his sudden conversion to promotion of the soil food web. He was very upfront about admitting the error of his ways in previously telling us every year to fertilize the lawn, etc., etc. I have also heard Jeff speak. He is full of interesting information. I depend on him to remind me to plant this or that each week. Except for tomatoes, that is. For some reason, he seems to tell us they can be started right around this time, which I think is way, way too late! I imagine his column can be viewed online at the Anchorage Daily News, on Thursdays.