The Understory

Discover how Trichoderma and Bacillus microbes strengthen roots, enhance nutrient cycling, and improve plant resilience.

Calcium is the unsung hero of plant structure and stability. It cross-links cell walls, strengthens roots, and improves soil texture. Learn how to deliver calcium consistently, choose the right source, and create an environment where your plants can thrive from root to flower.

Autumn isn’t the end of the growing season—it’s the beginning of next year’s soil. Learn how leaf mulch, worms, compost, and compost tea create a living system that builds fertility and resilience through winter.

Fish hydrolysate is more than fertilizer: it’s microbe food. Rich in amino acids, oils, and minerals, it boosts microbial metabolism, nutrient cycling, and soil structure, strengthening the soil food web from the ground up.

Kelp has been used for centuries as food, medicine, and fertilizer. On our farm, it’s one of the most reliable ways to feed the soil web and stimulate plant vitality. Learn how this ocean-born biostimulant supports plant growth, improves stress resistance, and enriches soil ecosystems.

Over the last ten years, we have grown exclusively in soil here on our farm in the Willamette Valley. Mother Magnolia is all about soil. We love it. We have done it from the beginning. I never was interested in...