Episode 226: Soil Bacteria & Rhizophagy

This week, I am delighted to welcome back champion of the soil food web, Jeff Lowenfels. Jeff is the author of the Teaming With series of books which look at what goes on at a micro level in the soil beneath our feet. His new title ‘Teaming with Bacteria’ lifts the lid on new findings about how plants use and interact with bacteria and he’s here to give us the lowdown on this amazing relationship.

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Solitary Bees

What We Talk About

Rhizophagy

Bacteria and endophytic bacteria

How bacteria helps make healthy soil

What bacteria does for plants and vice versa

How plants attract bacteria

How plants know when to stop letting in bacteria

Can bacteria still exist happily in the soil without a plant?

Bacteria and monocrops 

Bacteria carried in seeds 

Bacteria and hydroponics

Simple and practical things we can do to help the plant/bacteria relationship

Bacteria research and the future of gardening and plant growing

About Jeff Lowefels

Jeff Lowenfels is the author several of award-winning books on plants and soil, and he is the longest running garden columnist in North America. Lowenfels is a national lecturer as well as a fellow, hall of fame member, and former president of the Garden Writers of America.

Links

The Teaming with series, written by Jeff Lowenfels

Teaming with Bacteria

Teaming with Nutrients

Teaming with Fungi 

Teaming with Microbes

Other episodes if you liked this one:

Mycorrhizal Fungi with Jeff Lowenfels

Mycorrhizal Fungi with Dr Petra Guy

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