Identifying MicroOrganisms using a Microscope
Identifying what is in your soil takes you many steps closer to understanding how the world works around us. If you are a beginner to microscopes and to microscope slides with sample preparation, you first need to get a lesson oh how to use a microscope. Using microscopes is not hard, but is not as simple [...]
Preparing Soil Samples
Preparing soil samples for microscope analysis is easy. The actual analysis has a steep learning curve. It takes a bit of practice. Preparing soil samples is different than preparing compost tea and compost extract samples. In preparing soil samples we are going to be measuring the amounts of micro-0rganisms contained in the soil. That means [...]
Florakill Miticide (bifenazate)
Usefull for controlling Spider Mites – Two Spotted, Pacific, Strawberry, European Red, Citrus Red, Clover, Southern Red, Spruce and Bamboo – Use as directed: Spider Mites on all types of ornamental plants 4 oz – 8 oz per 100 gallons of water. Bifenazate has a solubility in water of 3.8 mg/L at 20°C, and [...]
Aphids
What to use to Control: Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA For more Information on Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA and how to use it, Click Here
Slugs
Slugs are a wet weather pest for most vegetable gardens. They can destroy your whole garden in a few nights. If you do not look to eat Escargot, then here are a couple of methods to control this pest. What to use to Control: Diatomaceous Earth, Copper Strips, Chickens For more information on use, availability [...]
Xylella fastidiosa Bacterium
Also called Pierce’s disease, California vine disease, Anaheim disease (grapevine), leaf scorch (almond), dwarf (lucerne), phony disease (peach), leaf scald (plum), leaf scorch (elm, oak, plane, mulberry, maple), variegated chlorosis (citrus) Xylella fastidiosa Bacterium is carried by the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. For More Information on the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, click here. Xylella fastidiosa Bacterium proliferates only in [...]
Cabbage worm
Cabbage worm Use: Bacillus thuringiensis, Kurstaki(This product is produced by: Biobit, Dipel, MVP, Steward, Thuricide) This can be purchased at any hydroponic store. Where to buy this, Click here Videos on Natural Ways to Control Insects. Click here if you want to learn more. More Insect Control. Click here if you want to see more.
Borers
Borers Use: Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA. This can be purchased at any hydroponic store. Videos on Natural Ways to Control Insects. Click here if you want to learn more. More Insect Control. Click here if you want to see more.
Black fly
Black fly Black fly Use:Bacillus thuringiensis, Israelensis(This product is produced by: Vectobac, Mosquito Dunks, Gnatrol, Bactimos) Videos on Natural Ways to Control Insects. Click here if you want to learn more. More Insect Control. Click here if you want to see more.
Microbiology For Leaves -Video
How disease suppression on leaves works is no secret. On the leave surface, each leave cell has many ports where fungi and bacteria can connect to. This is a normal process for plants. Good and bad fungi can connect. Good and bad bacteria can connect. Each micro organism takes up a connecting ”portal” on the leave [...]
Creating Soil No cost
This is a no cost method to create soil from really neglected soil or soil that had been buried for years and is used a plant beds. Advantages: Free, no money, totally organic (remember chemicals and fertilizers cost money), This makes the best tasking veggies and has the longest lasting impact on soil. Disadvantages: Takes [...]
Soil Building
If you are just starting out in gardening and soil care, or have been doing it for years, you can use this recipes to change what kind of plants you want to grow on the existing neglected soil. These methods will change watering requirements and can improve taste of vegetables in new vegetable gardens. See the following posts [...]
Bacillus coagulans
Bacillus coagulans Bacillus coagulans is a lactic acid-forming bacterial species within the genus Bacillus. The organism was first isolated and described in 1932 and was elaborated in the fifth edition of Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. It’s purpose in soil is to secrete organic acids which dissolve phosphate into a soluble form and make it [...]
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of budding yeast. It is perhaps the most useful yeast owing to its use since ancient times in baking and brewing. It is believed that it was originally isolated from the skins of grapes (one can see the yeast as a component of the thin white film on the skins of [...]
Bacillus polymyxa
Bacillus polymyxa takes released (NH4) from Protozoan and Nematodes. It digests it and produces NO2. Bacillus polymyxa is important in established older gardens where there is a higher count of Protozoan and Nematodes. It fixes nitrogen from NH4 as part of the predator/prey nitrogen cycle. Download paper (.pdf) Click here to learn more?
Pump Batteries
The battery is the last thing people think about. In this case, I have used an 11 amp-hour 12 volt sealed lead-acid battery. It is strapped to the bottom of the applicator using Velcro bought from the local fabric store. It is recharged once a month. I used a cheap motorcycle battery charger. Any 12 [...]
Setting up the Right Hose
The hose and nozzle cannot destroy the micro-biology as it passes through. In this case, I have used a typical chemical pump up sprayer nozzle. This can be bought in any hardware store. You can buy the parts separate from the whole applicator. A 3/8 inch clear hose is used between the pump [...]
Nitrogen Cycle With Rhizobium Bacteria (Legumes)
Rhizobium Bacteria is part of the nitrogen fixing cycle for Legumes. It has a symbiotic relationship with plants where starches are eaten by the bacteria and the bacteria give back proteins to the host plant. The protein is stored in nodules connected to the roots. For Information on bacterial and mycorrhiza inoculants, click here. [...]
Compost Extraction
Extraction is only used when very little compost is available. Compost is placed in a fine meshed bag and agitated in a bucket of water. The micro organisms are washed off the organic material and end up in the water. Food supplements are added to the extracted organisms and then are delivered to the garden/soil [...]
Calculations for Amount of Released Fixed Nitrogen From Soil Biology
Calculations for Amount of Released Fixed For Information on bacterial and mycorrhiza inoculants, click here. For More Information on Nitrogen Cycles, click here.
Nitrogen Cycle from Nematodes (Fungal Feeding) Cycle
Fixed Nitrogen from Nematodes. This nitrogen cycle is mainly appart of late succession plants and forests. For Information on bacterial and mycorrhiza inoculants, click here. For More Information on Nitrogen Cycles, click here.
Nitrogen Cycle from Nematodes (Bacteria Feeding) Cycle
This is one of the more tricky and interesting Nitrogen Fixing Cycles. The Ammonium comes from the nitrogen eaten of bacteria by nematodes. By default, bacteria bodies have a C:N ratio of 5:1. Bacteria have a very narrow split between Nitrogen and Carbon. Nematodes have a C:N ratio of 100:1. The split between the Nitrogen [...]
Microscope to Purchase for Soil Analysis
You can purchase a common binocular microscope with a under light illumination (or back lit) for analyzing your own soil samples. The microscope magnification range needs to be 40X to 400X. These objectives come standard with most microscopes. A halogen lamp and condenser lens needs to be equipped on the microscope. A foreground lit microscope [...]
Introduction – MicroOrganisms in Soils and Composts
Identifying micro-biology in soil is the first step in understanding how we, as humans, are interconnected with the Earth. Below is a brief list and descriptions of the micro-biology contained in the soil system. Different plant communities require different amounts of these micro-orgasms in the soil. By growing compost we amend soil deficient in required micro-biology. It [...]