1. AND HOW UNDERSTANDING IT CAN MAKE GARDENING EASIER FOR YOU The Hidden Soil Food Web

2. The Soil Food Web

3. Benefits of a healthy Soil Food Web Captures, stores, and makes available essential plant nutrients. Especially nitrogen. Builds healthy soil structure that stores water and holds nutrients Provides natural disease prevention, protection, and suppression

4. It all starts with plants

5. How do plants use carbon for their benefit? Root exudates in the rhizosphere

6. The Soil Food Web

7. Bacteria Bacteria capture, store, and make nutrients available

8. Bacteria Bacteria are “fertilizer packets” for plants

9. Bacteria Bacteria build healthy soil structure

10. Importance of organic matter in soil

11. Other roles of bacteria Bacteria keep pathogens in check

12. Fungi Fungi are the primary decomposers

13. Fungi Mycorrhizal fungi provide nutrients, water, and disease protection for plants

14. Fungi Fungi are fertilizer packets

16. Protozoa

17. Benefits of Protozoa Protozoa are fertilizer spreaders Protozoa keep bacterial and fungal populations balanced

18. Nematodes Nematodes are fertilizer spreaders

19. The rest of the soil food web

20. Benefits of a healthy Soil Food Web Capture, store, and make available essential plant nutrients. Especially nitrogen. Build healthy soil structure that stores water and nutrients Natural disease prevention, protection, and suppression

21. The implications of the soil food web Don’t destroy it!

22. The implications of the soil food web Build and foster your soil food web!

23. How to build your soil food web Compost

24. How to build your soil food web Compost tea

25. How to build your soil food web Mulch

26. How to build your soil food web Cover Cropping

27. Resources Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener The Rodale Institute www.rodaleinstitute.org