If We Don't Look, We Don't See = WHY SOIL MICROSCOPY with Matt Powers

If we don't LOOK, we don't SEE!!
Let's Explore #Soil #Microscopy Together This Week!!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE #FREE WEBINAR SERIES:
matt-powers.my...
Grow Abundantly, Learn Daily, & Live Regeneratively,
- Matt Powers

[@mikewright3029]

i hope to learn. hope to do. thank you.

[@streetfighter0177]

Thank you!! I am looking forward to the knowledge I can't get enough of in the upcoming weeks!! Sharing is caring... lol 🙏

[@growingwithfungi]

Thank you soo much Matt! 😃💚🙏🌱🪱🍄🔥

[@glassbackdiy3949]

Looking forward to it Matt, really appreciate you sharing this for free

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Curiosity & a microscope. Yes! Make some great discoveries!

[@chuckcummins9065]

So excited to get a microscope and learn more! I got my first glimpse of a nematode and am hooked now lol!

[@zanepaxton7452]

I totally agree with what you’re saying. However; a question arises when we add Biochar to a compost or compost teas.
A local soils science major in our permaculture guild has been championing a good microscope as a critically important tool to understand if we actually have a bio-complete compost, or not.
Our guild recently invested in Kelpie Wilson’s 8’ diameter Biochar kiln and how we inoculate the Biochar is now the front and center new issue. We figured out (contrary to many videos on YT that have promoted inoculating Biochar in animal manure) could have pathogenic bacteria, thus it still needs to be run through a hot compost process over 130F to kill off both pathogenic bacteria and seeds.
Now the question, our soils science major says he can’t see anything on the dark black Biochar at 400x to 1,200x magnification because it is just too dark to see anything. So how to understand what’s going on if you can’t see it with a $500-$600 microscope??
Further, there’s a new frontier on how much biochar to have in the compost as more that 3%-5% reportedly could inhibit the hot composting process. Then if the goal is to end up with 5%-10% biochar concentrations in the soil, that starts to point to multiple applications of Biochar compost right? Also, I’m leaning towards tilling the Biochar compost into the top 6” to get the newer garden’s soil charged with enough biology, organic matter and Biochar without waiting years and years. That would be hard on the mycorrhiza but garden annuals don’t need the fungal components as much as perennials do right? Top dressing super Biochar compost real thick (6”-10”) over cardboard sheeting to form a planting bed would require a rather huge amount of compost that I don’t have, like 30-50 CY of the super compost!

[@johnnyb4869]

I’ve never met a person who uses a microscope 🔬 for soil

[@ThePermacultureStudent]

It's amazingly useful - join us for the webinars and I'll share a ton of insights.

[@johnnyb4869]

@@ThePermacultureStudent ok I subscribed 🔬

[@yd8104]

I'm waiting for the delivery of my first microscope by the end of the week.

[@littlenugs9942]

I have a question please. I've been messing around trying to make my first compost pile using wood shavings from my pets, leaves, cut plants and grass. Should I add in items such as rock dust or 2 row barley? How often should I turn it? Please help I can't fail!

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

No such thing as failure unless you give up. What you call "failure" is actually a learning opportunity; to learn what works you sometimes need to learn what doesn't work.

[@Dcc333]

Would you say adding mushroom compost from landscapers pride would do well for my sandy soil? I've also been using a soil activator bi weekly to increase microbes.

[@angelacadieux1972]

Gregg Allison says worm 💩 😊