Great Soil is Teaming With Microbes, Pre-Season Sales

Seed starting requires sterile surroundings to prevent the range of problems collected together under the name "damping off" disease.

But, soil itself has to be loaded with beneficial microbes in order to support plant life.

A book I would like to get ahold of, "Teaming With Microbes; A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web", published by Timber Press tells the whole story.

Joe Lamp'l reviewed the book in the Dallas Morning News.

Here's one quote. "Only since the invention of the electron microscope have soil scientists been able to fully study and understand the symbiotic relationships within the soil. Since then, we've learned that a single teaspoon of garden soil can contain more than a billion bacteria. We discovered that plants attract bacteria and fungi to their roots so that protozoa and nematodes will eat these single-celled organisms and then excrete the excess nitrogen in a form that feeds plants."
Click on the link to read his entire column.

Among many plant purveyors, American Meadows is having an online sale. Their email today said, " $10 off your Spring Garden" - It looks like bulbs on sale 40% and spring perennials on sale at 50%.
Then there is Merry Christmas Coupon and it will take another $10 off your order, when you order $40 or more. Good for everything on the site.
Expires Jan. 5th Input the word GIFT as you check out. Christmas Gift $10 Discount expires Friday, January 5th.