“Feed the soil, not the plants!” is an old gardening adage and still words to live by today. By feeding the soil we invigorate it with energy and vitality.

Consider healthy soil as a complex living organism providing essential functions for plants that they cannot provide for themselves. This complex organism we call soil has its own nutritional requirements that support the various activities that occur inside of it; the activity of insects, of earthworms, of organic decomposition, of air flow, of water flow and ultimately of plant growth. These elements all play a role in decomposing and storing nutrients in the soil to be used by growing plants. Healthy soil is vital to healthy plants.

Soil microbes are the primary component of a healthy living soil. They act as the digestive system for plants and are not only desired but are actually required for plant growth. These micro-organisms work the same way the micro-organisms from yogurt we call pro-biotics, work in our digestive tracts. These organisms that are in the soil also sustain an environment favorable to the other soil inhabitants that can also add to healthy plant growth. Soils lacking in microbial activity, such as deserts, also lack other soil inhabitants and plants, while soils thriving in microbes, such as rain forests, are teaming with a wide variety of soil life and ultimately plant growth. These living soils are able to rapidly process old forest growth and convert their nutrients into simpler chemical compounds that can be absorbed by new forest growth.