Natural Fertilizer

Teaming with Microbes A Gardeners Guide to the Soil Food Web

Teaming with Microbes A Gardeners Guide to the Soil Food Web

Teaming With Microbes enlightens readers in two important ways. First, in clear, straightforward language, it describes the activities of the organisms that make up the soil food web, from the simplest of single-cell organisms to more familiar multicellular animals such as insects, worms, and mammals. Second, the book explains how to foster and cultivate the life of the soil through the use of compost, mulches, and compost teas. By eschewing jargon, the authors make the text accessible to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Embarrassed by my ignorance
Prior to reading this book, I was one of the millions of Americans who bought into the wonders of “Miracle Grow” & “Turf Builder”. Oh how wrong I was. After reading this wonderful book on the importance of the amazing world of soil, I’ve sworn off my dependence on these synthetic fertilizers in favor of compost & compost teas.

In part one of the book , the author does a fantastic job of educating the readers on the make-up of soil. Then in part two, the author provides the readers with helpful soil improvement techniques that will hopefully wean America of its fascination with synthetic fertilizers. Every gardener should have a copy of this book in their library.

5 Stars Really a “must have” if you’re an organic gardener
I’m gardening since 20yrs, the last decade I attempted an organic approach and failed - I got slugs and snails and all pests you can imagine.

After reading this book I know why and how to “heal” my garden.

I will recommand the book to all my friends.

5 Stars Buy this if you want a beautiful garden, now and the future. Feed the soil!!
I dislike reading books but I found this book easy and fun to read. There are many technical/scientific explainations in this book but it still makes very good sense…common sense to a gardener perhaps. Through many years of gardening (usually ‘organic’) I found that a lot of what I have read I believe to be true; i.e. through experience it works! Some of the new things I’ve learned from this book I’ve tried and they appear to be working as well.

I’m not an organic gardening ‘purist’ but I guess I’ve always taken care of the soil; using leaves, compost, cow/chicken manures, etc. without even realizing how healthy I was keeping my soil. Bottom line…my neighbors can’t seem to compete even though THEY try. Hey, I’m just gardening

5 Stars 5 stars
Never in my right mind did I think I would find interest and excitement in something I could not see or understand: soil microbes!

It was a challenging and delightful read because of the clarity of content, the authors understanding of the Soil Food Web, and interesting fashion in which it was presented. I feel a whole new world has been opened up to explore and understand.

If you are interested in soil science, organic gardening, and how it all comes together, this is an excellent book to read. You may only be “scratching the surface” to an intricate and delicate science but it is enough to understand the basics and lay a foundation for further study.

5 Stars Must read!
This is simply a fantastic read. Too often, the word “organic” can turn people off as an offshoot of hippy-mysticism. Here, the authors counter that by laying out the solid “science & logic” of letting nature do more of the work that traditionally breaks the gardener’s back, wallet, and good cheer.

Balanced, pragmatic, and entertaining; this is a must read for gardeners spanning the full spectrum from Iowan adherents of industrial agriculture, to Oregon vegan granola farmers. A GREAT companion book to this is The Living Garden: The 400-year History of an English Garden by George Ordish.

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Professional Lawn Care for Your Home By You

Professional Lawn Care for Your Home By You

Men have had fights over it. It’s a battle of suburbia that has yet to be won. They all compete for the coveted prize with the best machines made by man. Lawn care has actually become a competition these days. Do you want a lawn to make your neighbors jealous for?
Lawns, yard, and grass: everyone has a name for that green space, but what it really is, is your own little piece of the earth. You own it, you take care of it, and you’re responsible for it. It needs you! And, you need it.
Our lawns have become a major player in our eco-system, after all it covers about 50 million acres in just America (2003 estimate). That means what you do is multiplied thousands of times over, every day in our country. So it’s important that you do things right and stop flying by the seat of your pants just because that’s the way you’ve always done it.
Besides keeping your house from sinking into some dark abyss, your lawn is an important part of our environment. Environmentally, turf grass reduces carbon dioxide emissions, mitigating the heat island effect commonly found in our urban environments.
Lawns also reduce energy consumption through its cooling effects and contribute to efforts to reduce global warming trends. Grass reduces soil erosion by holding the soil in place during heavy flooding. Just 2,500 square feet of lawn not only absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, but it also releases enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe.
It can say volumes about your pride as a homeowner. It can say volumes about your lack of pride as a homeowner.
The truth is that if you live in a community that thrives on the way houses look – ala Stepford – then lawn care is important to you!
But what the experts say is true: grass and lawns are an important part of the environment. Let’s face it: your turf grass, lawn, yard, or whatever you want to call it, is pretty cool. Not only does grass smell good when you mow it, but grass feels good to walk across. My kids like playing on it, and my dogs definitely like it for
entirely different reasons. Grass looks pretty in the early morning with the dew sparkling across it, or in the fall when the first frost settles in.
The only thing all that lovely lawn of green grass asks is a little care, a little patience, and to be fed and groomed occasionally. Pretty much what your kids expect, except you’ll never have to set up a college fund for your grass.
Believe it or not, some people feel that a beautifully manicured lawn is a hazard to the environment. They feel they are unhealthy habitats that consume not only time, but also precious resources
In actuality, a well manicured and well taken care of lawn can actually be a thriving eco-system that can help all sorts of living things thrive and grow. But this book isn’t really about that part of keeping a great lawn.
What we hope to do in this book is to help you realize your dream of having a beautifully manicured lawn by using the techniques and tricks that are used by professional landscapers.
Many times, there are people who believe that having a beautiful lawn requires the use of harmful fertilizers and other components that can damage the environment. The reality is that you can have a beautiful lawn without harming the environment.
Once you learn all of the particulars, we’re pretty sure that you’ll be amazed how you can achieve a beautiful front yard, back yard, and side yard – a beautiful lawn that your neighbors will be envious of.
What do you really need? Well, we’re going to show you. How do you take care of it? We’ll show you that too.
You can have a beautiful lawn and get rid of all the critiques from those natural people. There are many, many ways to cultivate and take care of your lawn without compromising on environmental concerns or taking up a bunch of your time.
Experts agree that a great lawn can be a reality. How do you achieve that? Read on, dear friend, read on!

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Lawn Dogs

Lawn Dogs

In the affluent gated community of camelot gardens bored wives indiscriminately sleep around while their unwitting husbands try desperately to clim the social ladder. Twenty-one-year-old trent an outsider who mows the lawns quietly observes the infidelities and hypocrisies of this overly privileged society. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 05/22/2007 Starring: Sam Rockwell Kathleen Quinlan Run time: 100 minutes Rating: R Director: John Duigan

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A timeless classic.
There aren’t many movies that I can watch more than once, this is one exception. The story, music and performance from the main characters are top notch. When are we going to get a Blu-Ray release or at least an anamorphic wide screen release of this movie? Patiently waiting…

5 Stars Mischa’s Debut
Having seen Mischa Barton in some of her other films and seeing that she is a good actress, I was delighted to find this one as her debut film.

Very intertaining and one that I’ll enjoy watching over and over.

5 Stars Sam Rockwell, an amazing yet under-rated actor!
Most everyone has seen the movie, “The Green Mile” and although they may not remember the actor who played the deranged, yet comical “Wild Bill”, they certainly remember the character. Rockwell is one of the rare actors that can display range. In this movie, he plays a humble, blue-collar ‘country-bumpkin’ who may not be educated or have been graced with the opportunities and status of those he mows lawns for, but nonetheless, has a keen sense of reality and truth about him. He truly brings heart to the movie and Misca Barton doesn’t do too bad of job herself. It’s a movie about friendship, societal differences/conflict, as well as the misunderstanding and prejudice that occurs when the two join. Be prepared to be have your heart-wrenched, yet lifted. A great addition to any collection.

2 Stars snooze
This movie was recommended to me by a friend who said it was “better than American Beauty” but I completely disagree. It was boring and really went nowhere. The characters were uninteresting, beyond the first 30 minutes. I lost all interest in the story and I am a movie buff and particularly a fan of quirky flicks like this *seemed* to be.

5 Stars Lawn Dogs
Prejudice, hypocrisy and rationalising of immoral and violent behaviour are not merely American vices, but common symptoms of all of us living in so-called western civilization.

This film bitingly satirises such behaviour and reminds me that all of us come sadly short of our obligations to our fellow creatures.

Sam Rockwell and Mischa Barton, supported by a strong cast, bring this sad tale to life with great charm

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