Microbe Science for Gardeners

Robert Pavlis is a Master Gardener with over 45 years' experience in the art and science of horticulture, with a particular focus on soil chemistry and health. He is the owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a 6-acre botanical garden featuring 3,000 varieties of plants. A sought-after speaker, and lecturer, Robert has published many articles in magazines such as Mother Earth News and Ontario Gardening. He maintains two widely read blogs – gardenfundamentals.com and gardenmyths.com – and a popular YouTube channel with tens of thousands of subscribers. Robert is the author of Compost Science for Gardeners, Plant Science for Gardeners, Soil Science for Gardeners, and Building Natural Ponds. He lives in Guelph, Canada.

"Robert Pavlis' newest book, Microbe Science for Gardeners beautifully breaks it down in his usual no-nonsense way. If you want to learn anything about the science of soil, and what's in it, this book will help you easily understand the vital role microbes play in bringing soil (and everything growing in it) to life!"–Joe Lamp'l, founder, joegardener.com, The Online Gardening Academy™, creator/ executive producer, Growing a Greener World®"Robert Pavlis' Microbe Science for Gardeners is an accessible and understandable dive into the amazing relationship between microbes and plants. Useful and practical gardening advice."–Jeff Lowenfels, author, the Teaming Series and DIY Autoflowering Cannabis "Microbe Science for Gardeners is deeply in-tune with the current science and Pavlis also introduces us to lesser-known and developing ideas in soil microbiology that we will see grow over the next few years. No matter your understanding of soil biology, I suspect Microbe Science for Gardeners will leave you deeply enriched, as it has me. From backyard to farm-scale, this is a book every grower should possess."–Jesse Frost, author, The Living Soil Handbook: The No-till Grower's Guide to Ecological Market Gardening "This fascinating book by Robert Pavlis presents the latest science on what is known (and not known) about the multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that fill the soil, cover leaves, and interact with roots. This is an outstanding resource and should be in the hands of anyone interested in gardening!"–Linda Gilkeson, author, Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest "A must-have for gardeners who want to understand the unseen worlds above and below the soil, Robert Pavlis' latest book explains the hidden life keeping our plants thriving."–Rebecca Martin, technical editor, Mother Earth News "Robert Pavlis has a unique ability to communicate complex topics with ease and clarity. He has done it again with Microbe Science for Gardeners. This comprehensive exploration of soil ecology examines the dynamic relationships between plants and the microbiome of the soil, providing the reader with a guide to understanding the role of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes in the creation and maintenance of healthy soil."–Darrell Frey, owner, Three Sisters Farm, and author, Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm

• 1. IntroductionWhy Learn About Microbes?Terms Used in This Book2. The World Under a MicroscopeMicrobes by the NumbersMicrobes Are Important to PlantsMicrobes Can Harm PlantsGardeners Affect MicrobesHow Do Microbes Move Around?How Much Do We Really Know?3. BacteriaHow Do Bacteria Eat?Where Do Bacteria Live?Life Cycle of BacteriaNitrogen-Fixing Bacteria4. FungiWhat do Fungi Eat?Where Do Fungi Live?Life Cycle of FungiPathogenic FungiMycorrhizal Fungi5. YeastLife Cycle of YeastYeast-Plant InteractionsYeast in Hellebore NectarYeast Creates AlcoholicsYeast on LeavesYeast in SoilA Bioindicator of Air QualityA Possible Solution to Plastic Pollution6. Nematodes7. ProtozoaLife Cycle of ProtozoaNutrient CyclingProtozoa-Plant InteractionsPlant Diseases8. VirusesViruses in SoilLife Cycle of a VirusThe Spread of VirusesVirus Infection of MicrobesVirus Infection of PlantsRapid MutationBeneficial Interaction with Plants9. More MicrobesArchaeaActinomycetesCyanobacteriaAlgae10. Microbe CommunitiesMicrobe Communities and MicrobiomesSignaling Between MicrobesMicrobes Attack MicrobesMycorrhizal InteractionsLichens11. Plants Love MicrobesNutrient AvailabilityThe PhyllosphereRhizosphereRhizophagy CycleSeed Microbiome12. Manipulating MicrobesFungal-to-Bacterial RatioEffect of AgricultureBiodiversity13. Bioinoculants for the GardenBioinoculants for SeedsBioinoculants as a Foliar SprayBioinoculants for SoilMicrobes Are No Longer LivingShould Gardeners Use Commercial Bioinoculants?Compost Tea14. PathogensYou Suspect a Disease—What Now?List of Plant DiseasesFighting Plant DiseasesCommercial PesticidesHuman DiseasesEndnotesIndexAbout the AuthorAlso by the AuthorAbout New Society Publishers