November 2, 2024

VIDEO: Assessing Soil Health Using a Microscope with Meredith Leigh Part 4


The most essential question for farmers and gardeners to ask about their soil is, “Is it alive?” We will explore the diverse microorganism communities present in soil and why it is so important to keep them thriving and in balance. Meredith Leigh will explain the importance of a dynamic soil food web. View multiple different local participant samples and apply that information on your own farm or garden to build your own soil enriching strategies. In part 4, participants put their own soil samples under the scope and share what they see.

12 thoughts on “VIDEO: Assessing Soil Health Using a Microscope with Meredith Leigh Part 4

  1. ok so all your students who brought soil with them had poor fungi activity going. what would you recommend they do to remedy this? buy some mycorrhiza to inoculate their soils with or something else? cheers

  2. I’ll have to check out more of your series, the soil biology came at a fantastic time for me as I’m trying to save my crop! I have a 40 X dissecting microscope which is not quite powerful enough to identify soil microbes. But I do feel more comfortable knowing that I could have a variety of nematodes flagellates slits protozoa, fungi, etc. I probably just need more predatory mites! And I must be doing something right, lots of color for colorful clumps and crystals and lots of movement. Half of my substrate os soil-less, The other half is sterilized compost. I’ve added fungal spores, beneficial bacteria, molasses, kelp et Cetera. So it’s kind of a hybrid of organic-hydroponic with a Living soil. Still don’t know what’s killing my plants, probably a combination of things hey but I’m a first timer. Thanks, Kate

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