Experiments

Experiment Update: Field work complete

This update is an exciting one because we have completed the field work trial on fungal-dominant compost (FDC) made in Ontario. The results we have received are very promising. In the coming weeks we will be able to update everyone with a complete report outlining what we did and why we did it.

Friday, October 15, we went out to the farm where we conduct our field work. With an unusually warm fall, there was still no frost and the plants were doing quite well. From a visual assessment, all of the plants on the treated plot were larger than those on the control plot. In particular, the flowers on the plot with the compost bloomed earlier and more fully than those in the control, and This should mean that FDC compost increases the growth rate of most plants. We also took various samples from our plots and have sent a few off to ALS Labs in Ontario for a complete analysis.

Fungal to bacteria ratio more than doubles

Our initial microbiometer readings were extraordinary. The plot with the FDC now boasts a 1.4:1 Fungal to bacteria ratio. In contrast, the control only managed to achieve a 0.6:1 fungi to bacteria ratio. For a comparison, a forest soil aka the most healthy soil on the planet typically boats a 3:1 fungi to bacteria ratio. Grasslands are typically 1:1.

The plot with FDC was also storing about double the amount of carbon as the control, and this was only with 8 weeks of development. In theory, the compost is supposed to increase health in the soil over years, so we look forward to re-testing these plots over the following years.

More data and charts to come. Stay tuned!

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