Feed the soil, not the plants - THEORY

[Susan BBPM]

I know some of you guys are real experts in soil science. I have partial understanding but want to fill in the gaps. Rather than have a vague, open ended question I thought I'd start by outlining what I do (I think) and maybe others can add whatever they see fit to the thread?

1. Plants release sugars and proteins from their roots (I think it's sugars and proteins?)
2. Bacteria and fungi feed off these sugars and proteins).
3. Nematodes and other organisms feed of the bacteria and fungi.
4. Nematodes and other organisms produce byproducts that feed the plant.
5. The plant controls the availability of food by increasing or reducing the sugars and proteins it releases.
6. If you give a plant chemical fertilizer (so feed the plant directly) it reduces release of sugars and proteins which ultimately means the soil life stops providing the plant with food.
7. To maximize soil's ability to feed plants you need diversity (plenty of plants to feed soil organisms with their roots), plenty of compost or rotting down matter to feed the bacteria and fungi. When clearing beds at end of season leave roots in soil. CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS INTERRUPT THE NATURAL CYCLE (??)

 

[DirtMechanic]

1. Plants release sugars and proteins from their roots (I think it's sugars and proteins?)
-Carbon basically, is the unique thing. O and H are in the environ but sugars are made of COH, the First and most important nutrients before NPK.

2. Bacteria and fungi feed off these sugars and proteins).
-Mainly bacteria, fungi in turn eat them. Their enzymes dissolve and prepare the nutrients even in the very rock that surrounds a plant. This begins the various processes of nutrition and even disease control.

3. Nematodes and other organisms feed of the bacteria and fungi.
-...and most important move into visibly recognizable activity and out from under the microscopic view.

4. Nematodes and other organisms produce byproducts that feed the plant.
-they do add too it all. Even a fly uses enzymes to dissolve its food. When it dies
those digested nutrients are now available as is the organic materials of the body. Milorganite is a fertilizer using tiny bacterial bodies for example.Fundamentally it starts with bacteria. Compost pile activity is an example of several types of bacteria following each other in waves resulting in digested and therefore more easily available nutrients.

5. The plant controls the availability of food by increasing or reducing the sugars and proteins it releases.
-This is a very interesting area of discussion. This is the idea of a plant calling in certain types of bacteria because it has certain needs. It speaks to the vastly complex chemical reactions that have developed across millenia between plants and their environment. Dr Elaine Ingham is a proponent of this idea and is who I read first on this subject. She additionally mentions pH differences and related interactions around roots as well.

6. If you give a plant chemical fertilizer (so feed the plant directly) it reduces release of sugars and proteins which ultimately means the soil life stops providing the plant with food.
-No Carbon. Pretty harsh on carbon based life forms.

7. To maximize soil's ability to feed plants you need diversity (plenty of plants to feed soil organisms with their roots), plenty of compost or rotting down matter to feed the bacteria and fungi. When clearing beds at end of season leave roots in soil. CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS INTERRUPT THE NATURAL CYCLE (??)
-Consider the use of the word 'balance". The humates that developed under the great plains of America are a good example of your description. So are the Terra Preta soils of the Amazon. Meters and meters deep.

Chemicals are designed imbalances. Its not that N is missing, its that N from proteins also comes with amino acids of which those proteins are made. This is one difference from the chemicals. Maybe it is akin to eating twinkies exclusively? I will use calcium nitrate for immediately available Calcium and Nitrogen. Its used as a booster or supplement, not as a main meal.

FURTHERMORE:
Types of materials play a part in developing humates. This is just more context really, but gives broader picture framing to the settings in which some of your questions rest.

Organic Research

www.dirtdoctor.com

 

[DirtMechanic]

Sorry I should have pointed out lignins in the dirtdoctor paper. Pine trees are for example lacking, but it is explained therein. I ascribe the author Micheal Pollan the idea that hardwood forests have raised humans to a state where we look after hardwood forests. I am sorry if you thought of yourself as being in control. I am also not sure if lignin acts as a drug. Or, to the point were I a bacteria, does it act upon me as a sugar from a root?

TLDR: Lignins are the precursor for bomb ass compost

 

[Susan BBPM]

Sorry I should have pointed out lignins in the dirtdoctor paper. Pine trees are for example lacking, but it is explained therein. I ascribe the author Micheal Pollan the idea that hardwood forests have raised humans to a state where we look after hardwood forests. I am sorry if you thought of yourself as being in control. I am also not sure if lignin acts as a drug. Or, to the point were I a bacteria, does it act upon me as a sugar from a root?

TLDR: Lignins are the precursor for bomb ass compost

As always DirtMechanic - WAY over my head!!! LOL

But this is exactly what I need - more things to research and think about.

Thank you!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Humans like theories; theory provides clues to order and method. My theory is that life is chaotic, so I try to order myself in a chaotic fashion
Seriously, I mix everything up, building a compost heap, I'll tear an old one down to mix in as I go, like making sourdough. Shall I put these cuttings in the greenhouse or leave them out, I'll make a few extra and do both, and I will probably try a couple of different compost mixes, acic and gritty, alkaline and humus for example. I'll mulch two out of four rows and get bored and do something else, I indulge my whims and fancies.
The one that gets me is planting in rows, it actually works, dammit. I have tried scattering seed, for root veg. mostly, and get patchy results that don't use the space and are impossible to weed. I end up lifting them as young plants and putting them in rows, like Prussian soldiers!