By Kirstee Schutte, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
Soil is alive! Healthy soil supports healthy plants, but healthy plants also help support microorganisms. The energy that results from photosynthesis is used by plants to produce chemicals they excrete through their roots, called exudates. They are in the form of carbohydrates and proteins. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are attracted to the root zone by the exudates which they consume. The bacteria and fungi attract bigger microbes which consume them. The excreted waste is readily absorbed as nutrients by the plant. These nutrients are more readily available than synthetic fertilizers which negatively impact the soil food web.