Teaming With Microbes

This week, Jeff and Jonathan dive into essential tips for early season lawn care. Fresh off a weekend of 26 hours of yard work, Jonathan shares his experience aerating his entire lawn and testing the soil. Jeff emphasizes the importance of giving your lawn a trim, even if you're planning to let it grow into a meadow. Did you know lawn mowers are significant polluters? Jeff suggests mowing one time...

This week, the team eagerly digs into early season gardening. To start, Jeff discusses hardening off your plants in his Anchorage Daily News column . Jeff also offers a wealth of gardening advice, sharing his favorite hacks. These include ways to keep your fingernails clean when gardening, ensuring your hose can reach every garden corner, and labeling everything. Following a short break, the team...

Jonathan needs assistance in regenerating a part of his lawn that was damaged last year. To aid him, the team brings in Anthony Nied, owner and operator of Flawn Seed Kits. This company focuses on creating lawns and meadows that require less maintenance. They discuss transitioning to a different type of lawn (not quite a meadow) that is low-growing, suitable for play, and has some color. For more...

This week, the team celebrates the upcoming gardening season in Alaska. However, this also means an increase in misinformation online, particularly about tomatoes! Jeff and Jonathan sift through the most misleading myths to set the record straight. After the break, the team continues the discussion from last week about hardening off plants, providing examples of the correct way to do it. By the wa...

This week, the guys start the episode with a listener's question: When should you start working in the garden? In Southcentral Alaska, Jeff notes that gardening begins when birch leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear. That said, It's crucial to exercise patience because your lawn and garden need sufficient time to dry out after winter's heavy snowfall. Later, they discuss the advantages of ramia...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan received numerous questions about voles and the damage they cause. Did you know that voles take refuge between the snow and ground during winter? They even create intricate tunnels equipped with kitchens, sleeping areas, and more. However, they can cause significant damage to your lawn, although they usually leave the roots intact. Jeff highlights two harmful types of...

This week, Jonathan is collecting birch water from his property, an early form of spring gardening as Jeff mentions. Later, they discuss how to prepare greenhouse soil to ensure it can support healthy plants. Jeff suggests adding things like fertilizer, compost, and warm water to the soil. Finally, they address listener questions about Korean Natural Farming (KNF) and the use of coffee in gardenin...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan continue their discussion about the flood of false information and click bait related to gardening and plant care. In contrast, they also explore some home remedies that can enhance your plants' health. After the break, they dig into a listener's question that combines their knowledge of coffee and the soil food web! To conclude, they have a conversation about methods...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan discuss the inundation of gardening misinformation on the internet, particularly the widespread myth that soil should be sterilized. On the other hand, the best way to improve soil is by adding compost. Seeds naturally have everything they need to grow and protect themselves, which we can see in nature. Following the break, they explore some wood frog science, examinin...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan are enjoying the Alaskan spring sunshine. This means it's time to place those seedlings and plants on window sills - remember to rotate the pots! In the spirit of spring, it's an ideal time to purchase and plant seeds. They share tips on maximizing your seeds' potential, which begins with reading the instructions on the packet. Additionally, if you're buying from a rac...

This week, the guys continue their discussion on preparing for the summer gardening season. In places like Alaska, bear activity can be quite prevalent, even in cities such as Anchorage! Jeff and Jonathan share some of their personal encounters with bears. The takeaway from these stories is the importance of cleaning out last season's bird feeders, as they can attract bears. After the break, they...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan continue their discussion on springtime preparation for the gardening season. One excellent way to prepare is by starting your own hanging basket. Now is the perfect time to buy 4-inch starter plants suitable for hanging baskets, such as Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Tuberous Begonias, and Lobelias. After the break, they explore methods to force-bloom certain plants, shrubs,...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan are celebrating the longer spring days in Alaska. However, the warming sun has them thinking about the impacts of global warming. They kick off this week's episode by discussing recent scientific studies, which warn that global warming could threaten the survival of dung beetles. Next, they explore various natural indicators that signal when it's safe to plant outdoors...

In this week's episode of Teaming with Microbes, Jeff and Jonathan examine the influx of gardening clickbait articles in our online and print media. They dissect the reasons behind this trend and share their insights on navigating through the clutter. Moving away from the digital sphere, they dive into the scientific realm of bioluminescence, investigating why and how some plants can emit a mesmer...

We're talking more about microbes this week! Have you ever wondered why certain foods and drinks taste the way they do? The answer is microbes! This week, Jeff and Jonathan examine new studies that explore how microbes influence the taste of tea. Later, they discuss the vital role of microbial diversity in cheese production. Lastly, they delve into a recent study in Alaska where scientists have ob...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan explore the relationship between sounds and plants. Did you know that plants grow towards the sound of water? Next, Jeff disagrees with a recent article he read ( article ), where scientists are studying rhizobia bacteria that form nitrogen-fixing nodules to enhance plant fertilization. However, Jeff believes that they should focus on rhizophagy, which provides nitroge...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan interview Ted Hammers, co-owner of Alaska Wild Harvest. They tap into the biology of Birch trees, discussing the process of making Alaska birch syrup, its different phases, and its various use cases. Later in the episode, they also discuss the benefits of birch water and chaga. Tune in to this episode of Teaming With Microbes for all that and more! ********************...

As Anchorage, Alaska is experiencing a record snowfall, there is some good news: The snow is storing a significant amount of nitrogen, which is sometimes referred to as "poor man's fertilizer" (12 lbs of nitrogen per acre). That said, be sure to remove the snow from the greenhouse and shed to prevent them from collapsing. Jeff and Jonathan are also celebrating the almost 2 hour increase in dayligh...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan rekindle last week’s discussion about microplastics in the environment.  But this time, they dive into a new scientific article that states there is more microplastics in the air than in the soil. Next, the team explores microbial fuel cells.  That is, batteries that run off bacteria! Finally, the guys talk about the best kinds of manure for organic gardening (includin...

The days are finally getting longer in Alaska, and Jeff and Jonathan are getting excited for gardening in 2024! This week, the guys start off by discussing the differences between ectomycorrhizal fungi (which are found more near the equator) and endomycorrhizal fungi (which thrive near the north and south pole areas). After the break, the guys delve into the problem of plastic pollution in food an...

This week Jeff and Jonathan wrap up 2023 by encouraging folks to make sure and recycle their Christmas trees.   Next, the team brings in 2024 by discussing some New Year’s gardening resolutions.  These include: Stop using artificial nutrients Use (and make) more compost Grow something from seed Roll seeds in mycorrhizal fungi Test your soil Stop rototilling  No bare soil  Feed the microbes Share t...

Biochar is a black carbon compound produced through pyrolysis, enhancing soil fertility and plant growth in gardening.  This week Jeff and Jonathan discuss some scientific studies about biochar, how some Alaska Native tribes have historically incorporated it into their gardens, as well as some pros and cons to using it.   Next, the team has some fun chatting about amanita muscaria folklore (that d...

This week Jeff and Jonathan discuss more scientific studies. First, they consider how fungi and bacteria impact water freezing.  These “ice nucleators” are what cause ice crystals to form into snow and hail. Next, the team discusses plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).  These superheroes of the soil are nitrogen fixing bacteria that include phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), and zinc s...

This week Jeff and Jonathan discuss a new scientific study that looks into how adding mycorrhizal fungai to certain types of farmland can increase the yield by more than 40 percent! Later, the team discusses how redwood trees reproduce, highlighting the fact that scientists have found buds that extend back 1,000 years. Finally, Jeff shares how a certain photo inspired his interest in the soil food...

This week Jeff and Jonathan discuss the use of coffee grounds in the garden, as well as gardening in general. Apart from being one of the best drinks on the planet, coffee (or coffee grounds) can work wonders in your compost or mulch. Later on, the team debunks some common myths about coffee in the garden, such as its acidity or its alleged ability to kill slugs. All that and more in this week’s e...