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| This nematode has been captured by fungus strands. |
Our teaspoon of good soil teeming with microbial life averages about 20 bacteria-eating nematodes, 20 fungal feeders, and a few predatory and plant-eating nematodes, making the total number between 40 to 50 nematodes. The number of fungi- versus bacteria -eating nematodes is directly related to the availability of the food sources they require.
Arguably, mineralization is the most important thing nematodes ( at least the bacterivores and fungivores) do for gardeners. Nematodes need less nitrogen than protozoa do; those that eat fungi and bacteria, therefore, release even more of the previously immobilized nitrogen into the rhizosphere, in ammonium form.
Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis (2010-09-10). Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Location 5). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. (2010-09-10). Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Locations 1226-1228). Timber Press. Kindle Edition.
If one teaspoon has 50 nematodes, there are zillions of them in one plot of land. Several characteristics of this hair-like worms are important:
- They are much larger than bacteria and protozoa, so their production of useful nitrogen is significant.
- They are mostly beneficial, although some bad species can be harmful to roots. Fungi help stop them from doing their damage since fungi live in close fellowship with root hairs.
- They provide some of the soil moving that earthworms carry out on a large scale.
I have learned from this book that microbes provide a major contribution to the growth chemical - nitrogen - right at the root zone. They generate useful nitrogen and keep it in the root area by constant growing, feeding, excreting, and dying.
These microbes like
- tight proximity to roots,
- loose soil,
- and a warm summer rain.
We went from sunshine to black clouds on Wednesday, when a downpour let loose on the entire area. A light rain continued into Thursday, and everything began to green up and ripen. Our helper anticipated the storm by 30 minutes, so I called him The Rainmaker.
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| Lyle Lovett originated the Jeske ambiguous half-smile. |
LI laughed when he saw our crepe myrtle bush with the Lyle Lovett cut, all spindly on the bottom and frizzy on the top. As I promised, the bush is in full bloom, with mulch feeding the microbes below and pruning activating the pink flowers on top. Every few days I trim the bush a little more and add those twigs below for mulch. Before rain, I sprinkle a little Epson salt on.
The roses are ready for another epic bloom. On Sunday I cut a dozen Knockout roses for the altar. On Tuesday I cut an additional dozen Knockouts for the chiro. On Friday, today, the Knockouts are reblooming. Hybrid tea roses are budded and ready to open for Sunday.
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| Malabar spinach looks like and tastes like spinach. |
The Malabar spinach finally appeared, with beautiful red stems and delicious leaves. It has a decided spinach taste, a love for heat, and some way to ward off insects. Asians use it for soup, but the tiny leaves are almost exactly like spinach in flavor and texture. This will be our substitute for spinach when the heat makes spinach bolt in the summer.
We are not getting any pumpkin production, since I planted late, but one vine is running across the top of the chain-link fence. There is nothing quite like the Creator's architecture of vines. They gracefully reach up for support, adjust for the best exposure to sun, and run on the fence or ground without regard to anything except frost.
Spinach seeds will arrive soon for fall planting. I will create wide rows for them in the mulch that created the vegetable garden area of the lawn. When the cold weather sets in, the seedlings will be covered with leaves to wait out the winter, then uncovered in the very early spring.
I bought my last haul of mulch for the year. Do not shake your heads. If I bought a used rototiller for far more money, some would murmur, "Good move." Yes, good move to buy a bargain rototiller - if I wanted to destroy the structure of the soil, osterize the earthworms, destroy the fungi. and traumatize the bacteria, protozoa, and nematodes.
Church programs are like that. If they cost a lot of money and do a lot of damage, every is thankful to God that they have spent so much to accomplish so little. Like the rototiller, the highly praised program will rest in storage after being used a bit.
But if people rely on the Word of God, which is free and at work constantly, they are baited with dogs and chased out of town, the reverse of Luther's advice in the Large Catechism. No wonder the synods continue to harrow their congregations, scattering and slaughtering the flocks.
