Do Microbiometers actually give you an accurate look at soil Microbes?

[Growdo Baggins]

I'm going to attempt to put together a living soil and was told it would help. I have doubts, but no experience.

 

[Sasult]

Interesting but not needed. I get by fine with a 3 way PH/light/moisture meter, a small magnifying glass, and a 80-160X microscope with light. Got them all for under $50.

I highly recommend a worm bin, and making your own compost for living soil. That will give you biology adapted to your environment, and save a lot of money.

 

[chilliwilli]

@Growdo Baggins you mean This device?

I'm suspicious what u can test for. Micro organism or just trub. Sure it can be an estimation whats in the soil but every soil has a different make-up so it's not easy to compare different soiltypes. Should work better if u test the same soil after u add something to see the changes.
Imo the app, solution and cards is all u need to do the test. The rest can be easy diy-ed

 

[Growdo Baggins]

Interesting but not needed. I get by fine with a 3 way PH/light/moisture meter, a small magnifying glass, and a 80-160X microscope with light. Got them all for under $50.

I highly recommend a worm bin, and making your own compost for living soil. That will give you biology adapted to your environment, and save a lot of money.

Nice thanks. I've got that going. The compost pile I started this past summer is done. But I added some grass clippings a few months ago and they're still breaking down a little. I'm kinda nervous about bringing the compost from outside inside. Do you ever get pest or pathogen problems? It's my first compost pile. I know it heated up but I don't know how hot it got. I've got a few worm bins going, but it's only been a couple months. I think they're multiplying. I feed them once a week, kitchen scraps, kelp, alfalfa meal and malted barley. I've got a bunch of egg shells I'm going to grind up and spread around in there tomorrow. Thanks for the reply

 

[Growdo Baggins]

@Growdo Baggins you mean This device?

I'm suspicious what u can test for. Micro organism or just trub. Sure it can be an estimation whats in the soil but every soil has a different make-up so it's not easy to compare different soiltypes. Should work better if u test the same soil after u add something to see the changes.
Imo the app, solution and cards is all u need to do the test. The rest can be easy diy-ed

Yeah that's it. I've not really liked into it yet. I've never heard anybody mention them in any forums. I hoped I'd get some feedback letting me know if it was worth the time to learn about it. My level of understanding of soil microbiology is very novice. I'm just now getting into growing and organics. I've just about got everything together that I need to make a living soil. I'm going to check out the link you shared.

 

[Sasult]

There is part of me that worries about bringing things in, so I run the outside compost through the worms first. As long as you keep the pile aerobic and let it get to 130-160 F for a few days before flipping, pathogens should not be a problem. I don't worry about it bringing bugs in because the only bugs I don't want are sap and root eaters, and there is none of that in my finished pile. It's just a big pile of compost eaters and predators.

I would not add new material to a finished pile. I used to do that and you end up with a pile that is always in limbo.

 

[Growdo Baggins]

That's exactly how I feel about the pile. It's cold now, there's a lot of worms, but me throwing in those grass clipping a few months into the pile breaking down wasn't a great thing.

Do you use a thermometer? I should prob get one. I've got another pile going that's kicking ass. I just stirred it and it was steaming. It's a bunch of chopped up banana trees and leaves. I felt like the ratio was off so I added some fresh hay. The piles doing great. I know they say the more you turn it the faster it'll break down. But sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to just let it sit there and break down. Everything's so hot in there, there's gotta be a bunch of stuff going on that gets broken up when I stir the pile. Just some thought, I'll prob just follow what the experts say.

 

[Sasult]

Dr. Elaine Ingham says you need 131F 3 days, 150F 2 days, or 160 for 1 day to kill off pathogens. Then rotate to heat the other parts of the pile and keep it aerobic. You can let it sit after the first few turns when things calm down a bit.

I added 2 of the bioreactor style piles for leaves this year. They seem to be going good but it is too cold for a real test. I had to start making more compost the food garden used it all.