Page 70 - Fall2020

All Thumbs Book Reviews

The Regenerative Growers Guide solar energy and turn it into stored and trans-
to Garden Amendments: portable energy (sugar). Almost nothing else
Using Locally Sourced Materials on earth has this ability! The plants then give
to Make Mineral and Biological Extracts large amounts of this energy (sugar) to the soil
and Ferments microbiome in exchange for all sorts of things
By Nigel Palmer that soil life is able to make available in trade
Chelsea Green Publishing that are otherwise difficult or impossible for
the plants to access—minerals, nutrients and
Soil life is the foundation of our life, and other compounds. As the plants produce more
soil life depends in no small part on the miner- sugars, and the soil microbiome trades more and
als, nutrients and microorganisms that the soil more things in exchange for this energy, both
contains. Thus it is troubling that much of the in- become stronger—including more resistant to
credible amount of money that Americans spend pests, diseases and other problems. The more we
each year applying amendments and fertilizers strengthen this symbiotic soil-plant relationship,
to their lawns and gardens (lawn care alone is the healthier our plants and foods will be—and
a thirty-billion-dollar business) is unnecessary the healthier we will be.
or worse—counterproductive to supporting and Palmer’s book balances techniques and
improving our soils. tactics that promote all aspects of soil integrity,
Nigel Palmer hopes to offer an alternative sometimes alone but more often together. Palmer
to the bagged soil amendments so commonly recognizes that chemistry without biology can
When we used and depended on by gardeners and grow- lead to catastrophe, while biology without chem-
begin to ers. The goal isn’t just to find a more sustainable istry leads to barrenness. When done properly,
understand way to steward our soil but to help us adopt an though, both can increase soil energy. Thus
approach that answers Palmer’s fundamental whereas soil tests are necessary to know how to
all three question: “Are these the most nutrient-dense care for your soil, it is very important to realize

facets of tomatoes possible to grow?” Palmer wants food that only a strong soil biology can make proper
living soil— that is not just clean and sustainable but also use of the fertilizers and amendments that soil
health-promoting for the eater as well as the testing may indicate.
not just earth. And health-promoting food should not I was glad to see Palmer address how to
chemistry just be free of harmful chemicals but must also deal with excess minerals in soils. Over the
past five years, doing consulting work for gar-
be nutrient-dense.
and biology For decades, soil was treated as little more deners and larger-scale growers, I have found
but also than a matter of chemistry. More recently soil bi- that excess minerals are a problem far more
energy—we ology has gained greater attention. Yet, it is only often than insufficient minerals! This is usually
when we begin to understand all three facets of because people skipped the very important and
can begin living soil—not just chemistry and biology but low-cost step of consistently testing their soils,

to truly also energy—that we can begin to truly unlock which would have saved them from applying
unlock the the potential of our growing spaces and care unneeded amendments and imbalancing their
for them properly. This book seeks to equip the soil’s chemistry. Just a reminder: Don’t neglect
potential of reader to bring all three facets into fruitful bal- your annual soil test(s)!
our growing ance. To this end—and this starting place may Fermentation is a topic that appears repeat-
surprise some readers—the book’s first chapter edly in Palmer’s work. Just as fermentation of
spaces and begins with a long sidebar exploring soil energy. food improves human health, fermentation is
care for them Palmer points out that plants and soil ex- also a powerful (and underutilized) tool to pro-
properly. ist in a symbiotic relationship. Plants are able mote soil and plant health. Palmer also mentions
to do the unimaginable—process incoming and extensively recommends mulches and cover
68 Wise Traditions FALL 2020