Do you ever wonder about the difference between mere dirt and productive soil? It is all about the variety and density of the microbial life within it. Based upon the teachings of the Soil Food Web School, we at Soil Again, LLC measure how much microbial life is found per gram of your soil sample. We look at bacteria, fungal hyphae, protozoa(flagellates, amoeba, ciliates), nematodes, and actinobacteria. Knowing how much life is in your soil can help you determine which management practices are beneficial and which are harmful. You can also find out how to remedy a shortage of certain creatures once you understand your starting point.
What you need to get started:
An idea of which plant or patch of soil you want to learn about
A permanent marker
An apple corer or hay sampler
A few sandwich baggies
Click below to find out how to take your own soil sample to send in!
E-mail or call and speak to our Certified Lab Tech about which samples to take and how to ship them in for greatest accuracy. Address and shipping instructions will be supplied once we speak.
Soil Again, LLC Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512)-415-2897
Bf Nematodes keep the amount of bacteria down and also help with nutrient cycling for your plants. Other types of nematodes include fungal feeders, omnivores, predatory and root feeding. Only the root feeding nematodes are bad news.
Stellate amoeba are beautiful and useful. They eat bacteria and release nutrients into your plant's root system. An amoeba is a protozoa, along with flagellates and ciliates. Having protozoa in your soil is a great sign, though ciliates can indicate low-oxygen conditions.
Healthy soils contain not just bacteria, but also fungal hyphae, actinobacteria, nematodes, and protozoa.
How to take a soil sample There are three different scenarios from which to take a soil sample: soil, compost, and liquid amendment. Here is a small guide to walk you through the steps. Regular soil sample Choose the plant you care about. Look at the plant, and determine how far out from the stem the leaves and branches of…
Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web School is the basis for what we do here at Soil Again, LLC. There are several informative videos at their website, as well as on YouTube. Feel free to check them out!