‘Teaming With Microbes’ podcast: Building healthy soil structure

This week, Jeff and Jonathan are discussing healthy soil structure — particularly the role of worms.

Welcome to our weekly podcast with longtime Anchorage Daily News garden writer and author Jeff Lowenfels and co-host Jonathan White. It’s a companion to Jeff’s weekly ADN gardening columns and his popular series of books.

This week, Jeff and Jonathan are discussing healthy soil structure — particularly the role of worms. As the true engineers of the soil food web, worms bring organic matter from the surface down into the soil. This action creates burrows that hold air, water, and organic matter, forming the building blocks for a thriving organic soil structure.

After the break, the duo addresses a listener question about the differences between applying chemical treatments versus concentrated organic substances to soil.

Finally, they highlight the importance of maintaining a gardening diary or journal.

Have a question? Ask Jeff and Jonathan at teamingwithmicrobes@me.com

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Sponsored by Number 2 Organics, Big Foot Microbes and Down to Earth Fertilizers

Hosts: Jeff Lowenfels and Jonathan White. Produced by Evan Phillips.

This podcast is a collaboration between the hosts and Anchorage Daily News.

Feedback: teamingwithmicrobes@me.com

Read Lowenfels’ weekly columns on gardening and growing at ADN.com.

Read Jeff’s books: “Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web,” “Teaming with Nutrients: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to Optimizing Plant Nutrition,” “Teaming with Fungi: The Organic Grower’s Guide to Mycorrhizae,” among others.


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Listen to previous episodes:


Jeff Lowenfels

Jeff Lowenfels has written a weekly gardening column for the ADN for more than 45 years. His columns won the 2022 gold medal at the Garden Communicators International conference. He is the author of a series of books on organic gardening available at Amazon and elsewhere. He co-hosts the "Teaming With Microbes" podcast.

Jonathan White

Jonathan White is the co-host, with Jeff Lowenfels, of the "Teaming with Microbes" podcast. He's an Anchorage small business owner, gardener and former journalist.