Learning soil biology?

So I am a soil grower I typically use FF soils but id like to learn and understand the biology of soil how all the microbiology works ect… can anyone point me in the direction of some good reads even books possibly

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Tagging along for the easy answer :slight_smile:

Me too, I’m always looking for good ways to make better soil

Whew… this is an ABSOLUTE RABBIT HOLE!!!

I dont have any books but I can point you at some AMAZING soil growers who’ve pushd organics and healthy soil to my brain aching. Just scour their journals.

@Mrcrabs (organic guru)
@zparkie2 (living soil GENIUS)
@imSICKkid (information overload on his, not sure he’s soil tho but keeps healthy setups)
@garrigan420 (not really around much but has write up after write up on soil)
@Hellraiser (not sure if he’s a soil guy but super knowledgeable and can point u at info)
@KeystoneCops (literally a walking Weedclopedia)
@Countryboyjvd1971 (havent seen him in ages but killer soil grower too)

If I think of more, ill be back. Good luck with ur education

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I’d start with How Plants Work by Linda Chalker-Scott. Then I’d buy all three books in Jeff Lowenfels’s Teaming With series. (Microbes, Fungi, Nutrients).

I’d need to know more about your resources (climate, land, local products) and your ethos to advise you more. Are you looking to form a closed loop? Are you looking to maximize on a 1/4 acre, or do you have fields? Would you be open to keeping livestock? Or are you focused on filling planters/beds with blended bagged-products? No wrong answers.

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Weedkeypedia was right there for you if you wanted it.

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Haha good one man. Im not properly medicated this morning… o the joys of Monday. At least thats my story and im sticking with it!

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True living organically is a great book… google… soil food web… Terra preta… and composting will give you tons of info… sup @PurpNGold74 how have you’ve been bro?

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This is of course an oversimplified explanation of organic growing, but most organic fertilizer is made of complicated chains that need to be broken down to its base components by bacteria to be absorbed by the roots. That’s all I really need to know for my method though if I go pro I should dive deeper too. Theres always weird new stuff to learn like broken down plant matter has trace amounts of humic acid that acts to boost growth of the next generation of plants

I’ll definitely look into the books you mentioned and I do like using Fox Farms soil mainly happy frog and ocean forest id also like to grab a bag of there strawberry fields to mess with I personally run Jacks 321 program for nutrients but nothing else I feel like i feed the plants and not the soil

These three books are a must.

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Knew i forgot a few. My tags are rusty man lol. Good recs

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