RootShoot Soils

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RootShoot Soils

Empowering land stewards to restore the soil microbiome for a regenerative future. We help land stewards restore the soil's microbiome.

02/19/2026

Dear Dr. Elaine Ingham,
It feels sudden to have lost you.
I hope you understood the impact you had on our lives.
I hope you felt the love and appreciation we shared for you.

Thank you for seeing my potential.
Thank you for allowing me to build a business with your teachings as one of its pillars.
Thank you for your generosity.
For your time and knowledge.
And most of all, thank you for standing true to what's right.

May your soul rest in peace.
And may the soil carry the seeds of your guidance into the hands of those who will tend it next.

💕

02/05/2026

Thinking of turning compost into a liquid bioinoculant?
Last year, I replicated a client’s compost extract and tea procedure using municipal compost so I could help dial in his recipe. He sent me a batch of the compost (plus other inputs he uses), and I brewed it exactly as they do on-farm.
As soon as I received the compost, I had a pretty good sense of what to expect under the microscope. The quality wasn't strong enough to justify time, effort and energy required to brew it as a primary inoculant. And now, it's even more work because the compost will need to be 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 before it's even usable.
This is exactly why biological testing matters. When you understand the foundation you're working with to restore your soil, you can make better decisions and avoid wasting time and effort on inputs that don't deliver. There are a lot of products out there that claim they work, but unless you actually look, it's hard to know what you're really working with.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 focused on 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝: we'll look at real samples together and what those observations can suggest (or can't). We'll do qualitative sample viewing, then share practical ideas for improving soil and compost quality.
→ www.rootshootsoils.com/education ←
→ www.rootshootsoils.com/lab-services ←

01/31/2026

𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 like H. bacteriophora can't hunt in compacted lawns. They need more spaces to move around.
Fix the habitat first: 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 + 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 + 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬.
Then, if you're going to use nematodes, apply them when soil conditions actually support them.

01/28/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐨’𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦?
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚?
Last year, I had the opportunity to restore a struggling lawn, so I decided to put together a quick video about 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 talked-about biological controls for European chafer grubs: 𝑯𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒂.
I didn't work with these nematodes in that project and I'm hoping I don't need to (crossing my fingers).
So far, the lawn is holding up, even with wildlife feeding hard on neighbouring lawns.
Full video on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/wcQjiT14JXc

01/16/2026

Not sure what your soil needs?
Start with biology.
Registration is now open for one-day microscopy workshops this spring at Burnaby Community & Continuing Education.
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 (choose one or more!): 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟏, 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟓, 𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟗
🕘 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐀𝐌 – 𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌
𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 → https://www.burnabycce.ca/courses/restoring-soil-health/ ←

01/14/2026

My conference paper for the BC Mine Reclamation Symposium is now available on UBC Open Collections as a free download.
Here's a quick summary:
Restoring mine sites means rebuilding the plant–microbe partnerships in the rhizosphere. This paper explores how high-quality liquid bio-blends (compost extracts and teas) can address microbial gaps, improve plant survival, and support faster ecosystem recovery in degraded soils.
If you work in reclamation, restoration or land stewardship, this might provide a good introduction on liquid bio blends as a tool.
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐔𝐑𝐋 (𝐃𝐎𝐈)
https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0450908

01/09/2026

🌿New Year, new lens on soil. 🌿
→ 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐃: 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐭 ←
A practical way to understand what your soil is telling you.
What you get:
• 1–3 scoring rubric (biological/physical/chemical)
• Field Evaluation sheet to record scores + evidence
• Repeatable framework to track change over time
How to use it:
• pick one field/area
• score + record evidence
• repeat each season (same timing each year is best)

→ 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐮𝐩 + 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 ←
https://www.rootshootsoils.com/soil-quality-toolkit
𝐀𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
You'll receive the download link directly in your inbox.
Keep an eye out for it and check your spam/junk folder just in case.

11/25/2025

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠; 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Use the quiet season to build a biology-first plan for spring.
Soil is the engine of resilient, productive landscapes.
In 𝟏𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬, learn how to:
• See soil as a living ecosystem and plan with biology
• Make high-quality thermophilic compost (step-by-step)
• Time and apply extracts vs. teas for real results
• Turn lessons into action with peer examples from the live course
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭: 1-year access to all recordings + resources
𝐓𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: $𝟐𝟒𝟗 𝐔𝐒𝐃 · Learn today, apply in spring.
𝐄𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 → https://www.regenerativeliving.online/course/the-art-science-of-cultivating-living-soils-self-paced

11/05/2025

The 2025 Indigenous Agriculture Conference is coming to Kamloops this November 18–20! Join producers, innovators, and community leaders from across B.C. to explore Everything Agriculture: The Support to Help You Succeed.

This year’s featured learning opportunity includes the Ranching for Profit Workshop, along with a keynote, cultural programming, and meaningful networking opportunities that support growth in B.C.’s agriculture sector.

📍 Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre
📅 November 18–20, 2025

🔗 Register now: www.agriconference.ca/ranching-for-profit

11/03/2025

🌱 Generations of Soil Food Web Practice Across Landscapes

📅 Thursday, November 6 | 🕘 9:00 a.m. Pacific / 5:00 p.m. London

This week’s Living Legacy webinar honors Dr. Elaine Ingham’s enduring impact through three generations of Soil Food Web practitioners — each carrying her science forward in unique and powerful ways.

Join Todd Harrington of 's Organic Land Care , Vivian Kaloxilos of DocTerre, and Jo Tobias of RootShoot Soils as they share stories and case studies spanning more than three decades of practice — from regenerative farms and floriculture to urban design and mine reclamation. 🌍

Like a mycelial network, one idea branches into many generations — weaving a shared legacy of connection, practice, and regeneration.

🎥 Register now or watch live to celebrate this living lineage of soil biology in action -- https://community.soilfoodweb.com/

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