Microorganisms

The very first life on this Earth was the microorganisms. From raw elements, they created the soil that supports the plants and higher forms of life. Even to this day, there could be no life without the presence of microorganisms. In addition, they play a major role in keeping the many life species in balance. Whenever any one form of life starts to become overabundant, often a disease caused by microorganisms culls that life form back. Also since no living thing exists forever, all plants and animals eventually die, it is the job of microorganisms to clean up the mess. Without some means of decay or reducing these dead things back to the earth, the whole globe would be thousands of feet deep in dead bodies. The microorganisms not only return dead things back to the earth, but they return it in a state, which serves as food for the next generation of life.

Eliot C. Roberts of The Lawn Institute estimates that there are 930 billion microorganisms in each one-pound of soil under turf. There are about 70 pounds of them living and working in each 1,000 square feet of root zone. Many of these organisms are very short-lived, so the turnover is rapid. Roberts says that 100 pounds of dead microorganisms will contain close to ten pounds of nitrogen, five pounds of phosphate, two pounds of potassium, one-half pound of calcium oxide, one-half pound of magnesium oxide, and one-third pound of sulfate. With 70 pounds of these little creatures in each 1,000 square feet of root zone soil, the poundage adds up to enough per acre for excellent crop production. The farmer or gardener really needs to promote their well-being through organic gardening and farming practices.

Bacteria and Fungi are some of the names we give microorganisms, and the sound of these names makes most people think of dreaded diseases. True, there are some we perceive as bad guys, and they are the ones who make the news. But of the millions of species of microorganisms in existence, these villains number only an extreme few, and they too are part of Nature's scheme. When any form of life falls from perfection and becomes unfit, they attack to destroy. This helps keep each species of life on earth at its best.

There are volumes written and known about microorganisms, and there are probably many, many volumes unknown. But we don't need to know it all as long as we realize their importance to our existence and that when they cause problems; it is because at sometime, somewhere, a law of Nature was ignored.

 

The Garden-Ville Method - Lessons in Nature