Concepts in mitigating site impacts when using heavy equipment Part 1 – Soil and Equipment by Walker Korby From the cab of even a small 6-ton diesel excavator, every site…
Soil Health
Respecting the Soil Food Web
by Linda Miyoshi In nature, a symbiotic relationship exists between soil microbes and plants. All plants depend on microorganisms to provide all nutrients needed for their growth, access water, ward…
Working Magic on Plants
by Kevin Richardson Do you know that the same microbes in a compost pile that break down food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, paper, and wood back into soil are also…
Think the Soil Food Web Is Amazing? Take a Look at Plant Cellular Biology
by Jeff Lowenfels Most books on growing plants contain an explanation of the soil Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). This is one measurement of the ability of soil to hold nutrients….
Soil Biology Basics: Part II
by Joe Magazzi, MS Soil Biology Basics: Part I introduced readers to some basic information on soil biology regarding all of the benefits plants, trees, and turf receive from building…
Nutrient Dense Hugelkulture: An Experiment in Land Management at Woody End
by M.L. Altobelli What do you do with an old, central Massachusetts farm – much of it poor-quality pasture with depleted soil – that has stayed within one extended family’s…
Recent Research on Biochar’s Potential in Soils
by Thayer Tomlinson There are many types of soil additives and fertilizers used to improve the structure and functions of soil. One that has re-emerged in the last five years…
Soil Biology Basics, Part I
by Joe Magazzi It is always difficult to understand concepts that we can’t see. Most landscapers understand the importance of healthy visible landscape ecology in terms of plants, trees and…
Using a Biological and Ecological Compass to Solve Soil Problems
by Jerry Brunetti Over the years, my work has encompassed a wide range of both agronomic and horticultural arenas and they all provide living laboratories and great learning opportunities. Consulting…
Soil Amendments and Soil Management
by M.L. Altobelli, owner of M.L.’s Greenery in Motion in Westminster, MA The goal in healthy landscapes is to develop healthy soils that persist beyond the current owner and landscaper…
