I have no problem with the idea that microbe types in soil are important, and that their ratios might change over time, and that such changes influence plant growth. Here is a quote from the advertisement for one of her courses where a full day is dedicated to identifying microbes: “Get the necessary training to identify the bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes that drive the health and well being of our plants” (ref 1, Soil Foodweb with Dr.

She goes on to suggest that different plants need different populations of bacteria and gardeners can learn to customize their soil.

Once you know which bacteria you have in your soil you can take steps to manage the herd, and increase the right ones which would make the growing conditions more favorable for your plants. She recommends gardeners should look at the microbes with a microscope, and with this device, they will be able to identify the various bacteria in soil. Ingham then takes these ideas to a ridiculous extreme. She promotes the idea that microbes in the soil are very important for developing good soil structure. She is a proponent of compost, and adding organic material to soil. Her teachings include many good ideas about keeping soil healthy.

Elaine Ingham has become synonymous with the Soil Food Web. Soil bacteria staring back at you through a microscopeĭr.

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