The Secret to Great Soil 🥀🌋🌳 What is it and how do you improve it?

Learn how to improve soil health and grow better plants. The secret about microbes and organic matter.
Become a better gardener, Subscribe: kzbin.info...
Share with a friend: • The Secret to Great So...
-----------------------
Free Stuff:
Free Garden eBook: 24 1/2 Garden Design Ideas:
www.gardenfundamentals.com/24-...
-----------------------
My Books:
Garden Myths:
www.gardenmyths.com/garden-myt...
Building Natural Ponds:
www.buildingnaturalponds.com/
Soil Science for Gardeners
www.gardenfundamentals.com/so...
------------------------
Free Resources:
Garden Fundamentals Blog - lots of gardening information:
www.gardenfundamentals.com/
Garden Fundamentals Facebook Group:
/ gardenfundamentals
My Garden Myths Blog:
www.gardenmyths.com/
Building Natural Ponds Facebook Group:
/ buildingnaturalponds
-----------------------
Recommended Playlists
Seed Germination - Everything you need to know:
• Improved paper towel a...
Garden Myths:
• Epsom Salt Myths - lea...
-----------------------
The Secret to Great Soil 🥀🌋🌳 What is it and how do you improve it?
Learn how to grow more microbes to improve aggregation.
List of Credits:
Images:
All slides and videos belong to GardenFundamentals.com or are public domain images, except for the following:
Brownie by Kelly Hunter: www.flickr.com/photos/inspire...
Soil ped by NPS Photo/ M.Reed: www.nps.gov/articles/deskdigs...
Mycorrhizal fungi by Paula Flynn: www.researchgate.net/publicat...
Music:
All music public domain or by Kevin Macleod: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...

[@johnammerman8005]

"Soil Science for Gardeners" will never outsell "Teaming with Microbes," because most people like woo-woo. I like facts. Thank you for putting this together.

[@scottsmith507]

I have both books. Both great, the more info you get, the better. Diversification....

[@scottsmith507]

I have both books. Both great, the more info you get, the better. Diversification....

[@olivia1uk]

I have both books. The teaming with microbes book just left me frustrated with so many unanswered questions. Robert Pavlis's books on the other hand explains everything very well. I cannot wait for the two new ones to be released soon. The only other thing I can find out about the author of teaming with microbes is a load of rubbish about growing cannabis; well that explains a lot. Compare that to all of Robert Pavlis's wonderful videos and his website there is no comparison. Robert pavlis tells the TRUTH.

[@hhwippedcream]

Funny. They both work for me. They are both incorrect and reductionist in different ways.

[@B01]

Just wait til you all read teaming with Bacteria 🤣

[@katipohl2431]

Here in Germany I put vermicompost with worms on my beds and cover it with leaves, sawdust and mulch fabric. We have 46 different species of earthworms here and I try to improve their conditions. Composted lignocellulose improve the water holding capacity. Viruses and Archae are found in soil as well.

[@Bilal_A_K_Niazai]

After watching your videos, my work efficiency improved by 1000-fold. I can't thank God enough for introducing you to me. Being my teacher, you will always be in my prayers. Stay blessed! 💕

[@theressomelovelyfilthdownh4329]

You don't even need to head out to the woods. Just look at the soil under an old hedge. I had to move a hedge for somebody last year, and the soil under it looked like compost from a bag.

[@tubeuser0180]

Very well explained Robert.

[@amazingdany]

The common denominator to almost all "good soil" videos/articles is pretty much adding organic matter and/or compost!

[@wesh388]

Great information and very well presented. I like that you included graphic representations as you explained

[@Weifengast]

Love to watch your videos. Always learn so much from you! Thank you,

[@matsnjp1033]

Excellent! Pedagogically perfect! You make it interesting and "dramatic"! Chapeaux! It is also concentrated, no "blah, blah, blah". THANKS!

[@everydaydad2618]

Very good info, thank you!

[@elsagrace3893]

Woo hoo! Love to know this.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Thank you again for proving solid information.

[@niwatjam6927]

Very good teacher

[@jennypotts2008]

Thanks for the commentary I’m having a problem with clay soil in the corner of my garden

[@judymckerrow6720]

Oh my gosh those were brownies💚🙃tightly whites? Do they even make them anymore. Well you got me thinking, Thanks for waking up this old brain!💚🙃

[@Greek5425]

Pseudoscience is alive and well in the world of gardening.It is nice to see science based information as it relates to gardening.

[@anthonyromano8565]

Aggregation was evident when I mixed my own potting soil using worm castings, "the expensive compost" I made. After letting it sit for a few days.

[@000pps]

Some gardeners fill raised beds with literally no minerals, just organic matter (and water and air). Also some market gardeners work with four or five inches of pure compost on top of the soil. So their shallow rooting plants like onions just sit in compost, no minerals. Of course, such substrate will be too fertile for many flower garden plants. But it seems good for most vegetables which would thrive in it. I hear them saying that carbon (brown waste) and not just green waste or manure is essential to bind the nutrients. Without carbon (straw, leaves from trees, wood clipping, ...) in the compost, the nutrients would quickly be washed out. Instead, with carful compost production, right amount of brown stuff and green stuff (and manure) all in small pieces (some specify a C to N ratio around 30), and the right amount of water and air (aerobic composting), finally adding warms when the initial composting heat falls below 160°F / 70°C, much more compost, i.e. mature organic matter, would be produced than through unbalanced input and non-aerobic, cold composting. Is this true and is this a method to increase "the number of seats in the stadium"?

[@Rocketman0407]

As for potting mixes. I have heard that too much organic matter, especially Compost can case rot root due to the c02 it realese during the decomposition. I made my own mix of 1 peat 1 compost 1/2 perlite and it drains well, but I got a bit worried it might cause root rot in the future. I grow citrus and palms in the containers and I live in desert climate. Should I worry?

[@nickthegardener.1120]

Add bio char to increase the stadium size.👍👌

[@cu0ngpitt]

this is great info! i just found your channel and i really like how you go over these controversial subjects. do you have any video about how to keep grubs out of your lawn and garden so they dont eat up the roots?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

not yet. To be honest, in the lawn I just let the skunks and raccoons dig them up.

[@johac7637]

Beneficial Nematodes, and put a 4-5 times the recommended rate on, and then in the next rotation, either spring or fall go with a double rate, it will wipe out the most of the pests

[@karolpiotrowski1969]

Hello. I have a request for advice. What do you think about quilting of tomatoes, soil from molehills collected in the meadow? Karol from Poland 🇵🇱 Regards

[@dmitrimikrioukov5935]

Cacti don't like too much organic matter and organic fertilisers. Same is true for conifers, but to a smaller degree. So you provide a very good general pucture, but it isn't always very accurate.

[@ceaseanddesist8036]

I only grow different species of palm and a few citrus trees. Is my regimen fine? First I have clay on the sandy side in most the garden. I mulch with bark chips and do chop and drop with the weeds. For fertilizer I been using a combo of liquid kelp and fish emulsion. Does these liquid fertilizers improve my soil long term by the way and is my regime good enough?

[@carolynsteele5116]

You’re such a great teacher! I’ve added lots of organic matter to my soil, but it is only the top 4” of soil that looks good. I wish I could figure out how to penetrate the underlying clay layer

[@tubeuser0180]

Plant something..the roots will do the job for you. Radishes are great.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

With time it goes deeper.

[@siyaindagulag.]

Gypsum ,tilled in will cause an increase in friability of underlying clay .

[@MatheoJamesAKAGoldenDragon]

double-dug gardening can speed things up - this involves the intensive removal of topsoil, then digging up the layer underneath, aerating and amending as necessary, then replacing the topsoil. It takes longer, but is vastly less time and labor intensive, to plant deep-rooted clay-loving plants, then prune them back or level them "no-till" style to breakup the soil and introduce carbon, microbes, and mycelium to the deeper layers, which will improve the structure over time. Key line plowing is another option, another is deep-rooted perennial grasses periodically grazed by livestock, in the style of "wholistic land management".

[@Li.Siyuan]

almost no need to do anything. The worms will come up and drag it down for you. All you need to do is top up the organic matter regularly. Early spring and late autumn are good times.

[@cqammaz53]

I like your No None Sense to soil health.

[@kennyw871]

This presentation reminded of a significant problem that developed in the Alaska Pipeline as a rusult of erosin of the inner wall surfaces. This eventually led to leakage of crude oil into the environment. Needless to say, this cost oil companies big bucks in loss crude, pipeline shut-downs and repairs to the pipeline, not to mention the damage to the environment. They developed a device referred to as a "pig" to collect samples to figure out what was causing all the damage. As it turns out, they discovered it was sulfite reducing bacteria causing all the fuss. Yes, anaerobic bacteria thriving on crude oil! As a result, formaldehyde was added to the crude to control the bacteria, which has to be extracted from the crude oil.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Thanks for sharing.

[@annestudley8235]

Thank you for that helpful information. How can a person have a root from a living, photosynthesizing plant all year around where the soil freezes and everything above ground dies over winter? And what would an alternative be?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Soil may freeze, but it is never as cold as the air. Plants change in fall to get ready for freezing temperatures or they are not hardy.

[@annestudley8235]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 So when do you plant your cover crops so they have enough time to get started and keep them from competing for nutrients with your food crops?

[@GARDENER42]

@@annestudley8235 I sow broad (fava) beans on any empty beds in October (I'm in the UK - Zone 8 equivalent) & also undersow/intersow where my leeks, brussels sprouts & overwintering brassicas are. I cut them down, leaving the roots in the soil, when I need the bed for new crops. All the tops then go into my compost bays (all my growing beds receive 1-1½" of compost every year, as I'm 100% no dig).

[@joanncrespo683]

do you have any information on compost tea and how do you make it

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aneYpoKOnamieJo

[@manonthemoon34]

Great video, well put together, really invaluable information that has help so much. thank you Just a thought or, well, my concern about synthetics is that they could disrupt natural processes and soil ecosystems. For example, the type of microorganisms and their population sizes could be affected. The symbiotic relations with plants and root systems, the change to environmental processes such as water cycles, nutrient cycles... So the use of synthetics on a mass scale could lead to consequences that we can not comprehend. By using organics we facilitate/promote the established natural processes and assist their upkeep/improvement. I'd love to know more on this - if you have time. As you can guess, i generally am against synthetics but more info is key to making better decisions in the garden Again, your videos are amazing - insightful and clearly explained. Thank you for your work in promoting soil health

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

synthetics can change the microbe populations, in part because they tend to change pH levels, but also for other reasons. Some microbes do better with synthetics and others not so well.

[@B01]

Using synthetic fertilizers is absolutely bad, it does not utilize the soil food web system effectively and being salt based, it removes available water from microbes which need it most. Every now and then, obviously not much issue. But how many conventional farmers/gardener's are switching up their feeding regimens? Lol by avoiding the SFW we reduce microbial diversity and therefore invite pests/diseases.

[@B01]

As a soil nerd, very much loved the video btw. Thanks for taking the time to put it together

[@kylenolan3138]

Can there be too much organic matter? I've seen recommendations to add 50mm / 2" of compost every year, with mulch on top. That would certainly exceed 5% in short order.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Yes. With too much the nutrient levels can become toxic. www.gardenmyths.com/compost-is-it-poisoning-your-garden/

[@neilbennett9281]

One of my favorite from the many fine videos you’ve produced.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

thank you.

[@johnjude2685]

Hay I'm buried some shorts in several locations Thanks

[@sherylgordon9266]

I was told by the local extension service not to add sand to our clay soil because it will make it like bricks. He said to use some kind of rock that has air pockets in it, but I don’t remember what it is called..

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

The sand + clay = hard soil is a common idea. I don't buy it - too many people add sand to their clay. But it may depend on the type of clay or sand.

[@ghotiemama]

I think vermiculite Is what you are mentioning. I add it to my tulip bulbs because they need good drainage

[@sherylgordon9266]

@@ghotiemama I googled the rock they mentioned and they were actually little pebbles that had air pockets in them. But I closed the tab accidentally and now I don’t remember what they were called.

[@ganbinocanfly]

@@sherylgordon9266 Google perlite. It is a volcanic rock that is very porous that is used to add aeration, and help with compaction.

[@KevinSmith-dq9tz]

@@sherylgordon9266 pumice.

[@metasamsara]

introducing microbes is essential for indoor organic gardening in inorganic medium isn't it? or do worm castings contain all you need? I ordered a bag of rhizobacteria to tie all my supersoil mix together I was afraid of lacking it. I have old soil in bag that probably died by now, will mix coco coir with it, dolomite, mycorrhizae fertilizer, biochar, perlite, vermiculite, alfalfa powder, worm castings, and finally some fertilizer. I was afraid of missing organic and microbial life to tie it all together which is why I ordered rhizobacteria. I will also add some liquid algae through watering. Last grow I didn't take care about micronutrients and got fungal disease ruining my crops. I'm still uncertain on the ratios to use esp. dirt vs cococoir, but this video will help as a baseline, thanks!

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"introducing microbes is essential for indoor organic gardening in inorganic medium isn't it?" - no. Everything involved, your hands, the potting mix, the pot, the plant is covered with microbes - you can't keep them out.

[@pdfbrander]

If microbes are "always at capacity" how can we hurt them? They are always at capacity. If we till the soil or walk on it, would it be advisable to add some microbes back (maybe you had the family round and they were in the garden) or do they just come back on their own? Bit confused. You said "microbes are always at capacity" then "don't hurt your microbes". So can you have microbes not at capacity or not?

[@marktapley7571]

I disagree about tilling. If you have an area of poor soil and till through it in order to lay an irrigation Line or electric cable, that area will be easily visible for years because it was tilled. You can even drive though the countryside where pipelines have been laid and see how the grass is taller, thicker and darker where the pipeline lays.

[@brandonstahl3562]

Compost and Jadam build thos microbes

[@robertreznik9330]

You said organic matter of 5% is good. Is this SOM or plant and animal parts that many describe as raw compost?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

SOM - excludes the living material.

[@rezganger]

do people still keep green squares in front of their house?

[@hhwippedcream]

We don't need one set of "perfect soil stats" we need field indicators per crop or guild group.

[@olivia1uk]

So are you implying in your video that over time with organic matter and microbes even a heavy clay soil or very light sandy soil can become "good soil" with aggregates?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Yes.

[@angelafestervan7596]

YES! I started a garden at a brand new built home. The ground was hard terracotta red clay packed like pavement. I have horses so I simply dumped the manure, soiled wood flake bedding, and old hay on it. About 2 feet deep. It’s like the clay was STARVING and that ground devoured the fresh stable waste. About 8 months later the composted layer was a mere few inches and the old hard clay was rich dark chocolate brown and pliable. I broadcast zinnia seeds over it which gave it a forested environment for that summer of transformation. I’m in Louisiana with lots of rain, long summer heat, and short freezing winter. ❤ I’m a believer in what this guy is selling 😀♥️

[@apurvakmr]

Is that a pic of brownies in the thumbnail

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

yes

[@williamwaters4506]

I do not use fish emulsion/fertilizer because of issues with mercury. The companies who make this product do not list on the label the amount of mercury, nor what fish was used to make the fertilizer. Different fish have different levels of mercury. I have searched on line and some people say it is not a concern because the mercury levels are minimal. Yet, the FDA, on its website, recommends minimal amounts of fish should be consumed if pregnant and not to breast feed. I am not sure how safe homemade fish fertilizer is. Letting ground up fish rot means you have tons of bacteria. I never heard of anyone recommending using ground up meat. Fresh manure is not recommended yet people use fish heads. Since I cannot find any scientific information on fish fertilizer and mercury, I do not use it.