1. BROWN THUMB GREEN THUMB WHAT IF A BROWN THUMB MEANT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CREATE and MODIFY YOUR SOIL SO THAT YOUR PLANTS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GROW HEALTHY AND GREEN?

2. WHY WE NEED SOIL SUBSTRATE FOR PLANTS anchoring roots- provides water and nutrients for plant growth and photosynthesis. We can only get our nutrients from plants. HABITAT- for millions of species of organisms from every kingdom SITE OF DECOMPOSITION AND RECYCLING OF NUTRIENTS STORES and CLEANSES WATER- aquifers hold water for 100’s of years INTERFACE FOR ALL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES HYDROSPHERE, ATMOSPHERE,AND LITHOSPHERE needed for LIFE TO EXIST BUILDING MATERIALS- mud huts, bricks, adobe, cement AESTHETIC BEAUTY- gems, minerals, dyes, pottery, art PLAY IN IT, improves immunity !!

3. HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO SUSTAINABILITY ?  THE CAPACITY TO ENDURE AND PERSIST OVER TIME  MAINTAINING BIODIVERSITY INDEFINITELY  ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM PERTURBATIONS  IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE WITHOUT REDUCING THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENT  RETURNING WHAT IS EXTRACTED THROUGH RESTORATION, REMEDIATION, RECOVERY, RECYCLING, REPURPOSING  Go to TED.com search “sustainability” for some awesome talks

4. SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY generated by Millennials, H.S. and college students  HAS ANY HUMAN CULTURE EVER BEEN SUSTAINABLE?  DOES THE EARTH REALLY NEED TO BE “SAVED” BY HUMANS?  IS SUSTAINABILITY JUST FOR HUMANS OR FOR ALL LIFE ON EARTH?  WHAT LIFESTYLE WOULD ALLOW 7.4 BILLION PEOPLE ON EARTH TO LIVE SUSTAINABLY? And DO WE KNOW THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF PLANET EARTH?  HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD THE EARTH SUSTAIN LIVING AT U.S. LIFESTYLE?  WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT?  DO OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEMS (GROWTH, CONSUMPTION) RUN COUNTER TO SUSTAINABILITY?  IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE? IS THERE A TECHNOLOGICAL FIX?  IS ALL THE GOOD STUFF GONE AND IS THERE ANY LEFT FOR THE FUTURE?  WHAT DOES SOIL HAVE TO DO WITH SUSTAINABILITY?

5. SOIL- a layer of weathered rock with varying mineral particles (sand,silt,clay), an organic component (humus), water and air space.

6. TEXAS ECOREGIONS & SOIL TYPES SOIL IN DALLAS COUNTY IS VERTISOL/ ECOREGION IS BLACKLAND PRAIRIE INCLUDES LENSES OF SANDY LOAM ALFISOLS DUE TO RIVER SEDIMENTS

7. VERTISOLS you may recognize this is the Blackland Prairie soil, black gumbo clay * Smallest particle size * Dark black to gray clays * Highly expansive when wet * Contracts when dry forming deep cracks and hard clods * May crack slab foundations *Excellent soil for cotton, rice, forage and grazing * Alkaline pH * Slow water infiltration * Excellent water holding * High in trace nutrients

8. COMPARING PARTICLE SIZE OF SOIL TEXTURES  Sand- gritty, large particle size, water passes through  Silt -smooth like flour  Clay -tiniest particles sticky when wet, holds H2O well, expansive  Loam - mixture of 3 types, best all round for gardens

9. HOW SOIL FORMS  Soils take a long time to form, about 500 years for 1 inch of fertile topsoil  Soil forms from chemical and physical weathering and biodegradation from the action of living organisms Mineral Component- natural or man-made processes 1. Weathering-breakdown of rocks into small particles Chemicals ex oxidation (rusting) carbonic acid ( in rain) Physical –heat/cold expansion, ice, glaciers, roots 2. Erosion- relocation of soil by wind, water, gravity, landslides, glaciers, waves, tsunami 3. Human Impacts- farming, overgrazing, deforestation, roads, urban and suburban development contribute to weathering Organic component- action of detritivores (waste eaters) decomposers (bacteria and fungi) to form HUMUS which is rich in nutrients for plants

10. SOILS HORIZONS OF NORTH TEXAS  Since our soils are primarily prairie soils and woodland soils they have (or had) a fertile topsoil layer  Some prairie top soils had several feet of 0 and A horizons  Along creeks and eroded areas you may not see any topsoil (0 and A) at all but the uneroded parent rock  Due to urbanization much of the rich clay topsoils are now under pavement

11. DALLAS COUNTY GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

12. PARENT ROCKS ARE SEDIMENTARY EAGLE FORD SHALE AND AUSTIN CHALK Sedimentary Rock, Upper Cretaceous, 144-65 million years ago Mostly forams (microscopic sea life),shells of molluscs, precipitates from water, abundant with sea life fossils Deposited at bottom of shallow, warm inland sea covering most of TX. Associated with oil and gas deposits

13. AUSTIN CHALK FORMATION Dense horizontal beds of calcium carbonate (CaCO 2 ) deposits light gray to white (White Rock lake, White Settlement) 200-300 ft thick sea life fossils abundant Economically useful in cement industry Alkaline pH contributing Calcium to watershed resulting in “hard” water Younger than E F. shale thus above the shales formation

14. EAGLE FORD SHALE FORMATION  Shales, sandstones, limestones, medium to dark gray  200-300 ft thick  Breaks apart easily in horizontal layers  May contain fossilized shark teeth, skate teeth, oyster shell and ammonites  Weathers out into fine grained densely packed clays (black gumbo) called Blackland Prairie soil  Rich in nutrients, highly expansive creating foundation problems for slab homes  deeper shale deposits such as Barnett shale are presently being “fracked” to release their stored natural gas

15. SOIL ORGANISMS  In one cubic inch of soil there are 1 Billion organisms.  Antibiotics (toxins produced by bacteria and fungi) have been used since the 1930’s and new antibiotics can only be found from the soil  Besides normal decomposition of waste many soil organisms digest and detoxify pollutants  Larger soil invertebrates, worms, nematodes, mites, insects, snails and slugs provide their mucus secretions that allow soil particles to adhere to each other thus improving the structure, workability, water and nutrient holding capacity of the soil.  They also continually till, mix and aerate the soil.

16. FOOD WEB OF THE SOIL key to fertility generally absent in store bought soils and heavily treated soils

17. SYMBIOSIS IN THE SOIL  MUTUALISM is that form of symbiosis in which two different organisms co=exist in close association each providing necessary survival variables for the other.  Bacteria in Root nodules of plants (legumes)  Bacteria fix N and the plant can use in the form of nitrates  The plant provides a protected living space.  Mycorrhizae associated with tree roots  The fungi increase the surface area for uptake of nutrients  The tree roots provide a protected living space.

18. SO ABOUT THAT BROWN THUMB? IT’S COMPOST!! WHICH IMPROVES THESE VARIABLES  STRUCTURE-the ability to clump, looseness or friability of the soil Compost breaks apart the clay clods.  INFILTRATION RATE- how fast water enters and percolates into the soil. Compost allows water to penetrate clay soils.  WATER HOLDING CAPACITY- how much water the soil can hold Compost acts like a sponge to help sandy soils.  NUTRIENT CAPACITY-how well trace minerals and micronutrients stay in the soil bonded to soil particles.  AERATION AND WORKABILITY- the amount of pore spaces and ease of breaking up for planting. Which is the opposite of COMPACTION

19. TO GET STARTED about 10 bags of dry leaves. Don’t throw them out!! Save up from fall to use in spring High CARBON “THE BROWNS”

20. High NITROGEN “THE GREENS” Fresh green grass clippings, seasonal Collected from yard maintenance crews

21. START with bottom leafy layer

22. Water, water, water.

23. ADD LAYER OF GREENS. Not my grass! Note: collected from a yard crew just finishing a yard, they put it in my truck with a curious smile.

24. LASAGNA METHOD Layering leaves and grass, watering continually. Side view, filled it to the very top about 15 bags total.

25. Starting temperature of my compost 83 degrees F.

26. Temperature a few hours later 111F. Rise of 28 degrees. Microbes kicking into action, heat is the indicator.

27. Continue to monitor temperature and pile height. This compost reached 135 degrees F by day 2.

28. The pile height dropped about 8 inches by the second day. In 6-8 wks will compact by 80%

29. The white is the hypha of the fungi just eating away. Fungi secrete digestive enzymes into the leaves and then they absorb the nutrients. They don’t need a digestive system.

30. Wow, look at that fungi go!!

31. After 5-7 days or so, turn the mixture. Start by lifting the cage off and placing it adjacent to the pile where you want the relocated pile to be. Water the dry spots. No more lasagna, it will be a tossed salad.

32. Cage was removed after 4 turns, then let it sit for several weeks. It’s done when no more heat can be felt and worms and other critters have moved in. Ready to sift and spread.

33. Where to get the COMPOSTING MATERIALS and why it’s a good thing.  GREENS- VEGETABLE FOOD WASTE FROM YOUR KITCHEN  FRESH GRASS CUTTINGS, ASK YARD MAINTENANCE WORKERS TO LEAVE THE BAGS IN YOUR YARD. COMPOST RIGHT AWAY.  GROCERY STORES : ASK THE PRODUCE MANAGER FOR DISCARDED GREENS, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, RULES AND REGULATIONS NEED TO BE CHANGED FOR GROCERY STORES TO BE ABLE TO DONATE PRODUCE. LOTS OF WASTED ORGANICS PRESENTLY.  MANURES- IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH RABBITS, CHICKENS, GOATS, HORSES COLLECT THE MANURES. IF YOU ARE REALLY DEDICATED  BROWNS- LEAVES, HAY, SHREDDED PAPER, SAWDUST, CAN BE STORED IN A PASSIVE PILE TILL THE GREENS SHOW UP  COLLECT BAGGED LEAVES FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, A TRUCK IS HANDY.  WHY?. COMPOSTING DIVERTS UP TO 50% OF ORGANIC WASTE PROLONGING LIFE OF LANDFILLS. CREATES A USEFUL SOIL AMENDMENT MUCH BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT.  LABOR INTENSIVE BUT CHEAP. YOU WILL GET STRONG FARMER MUSCLES.

34. ESSENTIAL PLANT MACRONUTRIENTS  MACRONUTRIENTS NPK- the primary nutrients found in synthetic, or man-made fertilizers. If you read the bag it will give their ratio such as 5-10-5 or 8-24-8  NITROGEN- found in plant proteins, stimulates above ground growth, promotes greening, stimulates plants ability to utilize other nutrients  PHOSPHORUS- abundant in fruits and seeds, needed for energy transfer, it is a component of ATP molecule. Needed for formation of oils and food translocation in plants.  POTASSIUM- encourages healthy roots, counteracts a delay in ripening which balances N. Helps synthesize starches and move carbohydrates around the plant.  Some common Organic Fertilizers with their ratios of NPK  Composted cow manure 1-1-1 (that’s the best slow release ratio)  Dried blood 12-0-0 Peat 2-5-1 Bone Meal 4-24-0 Fish emulsion 5-1-1  wood ashes 0-1.5-5 rock phosphate 0-5-0 soybean meal 7-1-2

35. ESSENTIAL MICRONUTRIENTS FROM ORGANICS  It is thought that extensive use of synthetic fertilizers with only NPK, the leaching of nutrients out of soil by irrigation and poor farming practices harms soil. Micronutrients are depleted from soils. Compost provides these nutrients in a slow release.  CALCIUM- form cell walls of plants, neutralizes acidic soil  MAGNESIUM- the central atom of the chlorophyll molecule which is necessary for photosynthesis  SULPHUR- a component of plant proteins and hormones  IRON, MANGANESE, COPPER, ZINC, MOYLBDENUM, CHLORINE all contribute to metabolic functions by acting as co-enzymes  Foods often lack these macronutrients if the soil is depleted of them.

36. SUMMARY OF COMPOSTING ---3MATT  MATERIALS- ABOUT 50% BROWNS (CARBON) MIXED WITH 50% GREENS (NITROGEN) small particle size increases surface area  MASS- ABOUT 1 CU. METER, ENOUGH TO GENERATE HEAT  MOISTURE- WET THROUGHOUT FOR OPTIMUM BACTERIAL ACTION  AIR- COMPOST DECOMPOSERS ARE AEROBIC AND NEED OXYGEN  TURNING- AERATES THE PILE, EVENLY MIXES CONTENTS  TIME- ABOUT 6-8 WEEKS FOR “HOT” COMPOSTING, UP TO 6 MONTHS FOR PASSIVE COMPOSTING

37. FINAL THOUGHTS  Does having a 2001 Ford F150 pickup truck mean that I am having a bigger footprint?  But I use it to pick of the leaves at the curb in my neighborhood. Over 1,000 bags in the last 2 yrs. I passively compost most of them and give them away to compost class students.  But the leaves should not need to be picked up at all if the homeowners would just mow over them and mulch them back in the soil.  But they still rake and bag leaves to put at the curb and then in the spring go to Home Depot to buy mulch while their leaves are deep in the landfill soaking up leachate and making methane.  What if every neighborhood had community gardens, using the elementary schools as the garden site, how appropriate for the kids.  What if people knew their neighbors through their community gardens, if families got outside to work in the garden while the kids played.  What if grocery stores put their slightly damaged produce out back for people to pick up for compost, for chickens, rabbits or goats that they have in their back yards.  What if HOA’s let people grow herbs and produce in their front yards.