HOWDY.
The heat is on Reader—and not just in the compost!
☀️ In this summer edition:
- Spotlight: A compost liquids case study from the field
- Updates: Improved guides for smarter sampling + bundle options
CASE STUDY.
Are Your Microbes Making It to the Field?
One of our turf management clients had invested significant time learning how to make and apply compost extracts and teas to a football field they managed. When we started working together in 2021, he asked if we could assess the biology of his liquids unsure whether the microbes would survive the shipping process.
I told him yes, we assess liquids and shared a few tips for sampling and shipping to maximize accuracy.
His plan was to send a sample directly from the extraction tank. I asked if he’d be willing to also collect a sample from the sprayer tote and one from the liquid actually exiting the spray nozzles. This would help us determine whether the biology was surviving the full journey and truly reaching the field.
He was just as curious to find out and sent three samples:
- from the extract tank
- from the sprayer tote
- and from the sprayer-end liquid
Here’s what we found:
✅ The extract sample showed strong microbial biomass and diversity
✅ The sprayer tote sample looked equally good
❌ The sprayer-end sample lacked nearly all biodiversity seen in the first two
Instead, it showed a bloom of lactobacillus—a facultative anaerobe not present in the original extract. 🧐
What this told us:
The lactobacillus likely came from biofilms that had built up inside the sprayer in those hard-to-clean places. Additionally, the absence of nutrient cyclers like flagellates, amoebae, and nematodes suggested the sprayer pump or filters were killing the key biology intended for the field.
How this changed things:
While this was frustrating news (he'd been using this method for years), it gave the turf manager a clear path forward:
He paused microbial applications via the sprayer and shifted to topdressing compost, using the spray rig only for liquid organic inputs like humic and fulvic acids.
As a result, we saw a meaningful shift in the soil food web—more fungi, more protozoa, more nematodes. And while the field still looked worn from heavy use, torque readings improved significantly, indicating stronger stolons and root systems.
The turf became more resilient, and the playing surface safer for athletes—not to mention a healthier work environment, without the synthetic inputs typical of conventional turf management!
The Takeaway
Inputs don’t always translate to soil impact—biology can be lost in transit. Strategic sampling helps verify what’s truly reaching (and surviving in) the soil, guiding us toward more effective restoration and cultivation practices.
UPDATES.
Sampling Guides
We’ve refreshed our sampling guides for easier instructions for best sampling practices! These updated resources are now available in the client portal for all onboarded clients—and starting now, we’ll also attach them to your order confirmation emails for easy access.
You can check them out directly here:
📄 Rhizos Biological Sampling Guide
Want to get started on a sampling plan? Book a complimentary Intro Call here.
Sampling Bundles
Planning to sample across time, batches, or sites? Our bulk assessment bundles help you stay consistent, save money, and lock in your pricing for the next two years. Perfect for ongoing projects or teams managing multiple inputs.
Bulk Assessment Bundles
Prepaid and valid for 24 months:
· 30 Samples – $115/sample → $3,450 ($150 savings)
· 50 Samples – $108/sample → $5,400 ($600 savings)
· 70+ Samples – $100/sample → $7,000 ($1,400+ savings)
Bundle purchases are accompanied by a short contract agreement to clarify scope and terms. Email hello@rhizos.science to inquire.
BONUS.
💩 So... how much manure is too much manure?
Manure is best used in active composting (aka hot composting).
- Fresh manure should be treated like a high-nitrogen feedstock—keep it to 10% or less of the total pile volume.
- Aged manure falls into what I’d call a mid-nitrogen category (aka green material), and should make up around 30% of the pile.
Which means: over half your pile should be high-carbon materials—wood chips, brown leaves, shredded paper. The dry, fibrous stuff. That’s what helps grow beneficial fungi—something most soils are sorely lacking.
Want to talk compost ratios, feedstocks, planning or troubleshooting?Book a compost call with me here.
