Making "poor" soil with KNF
Top answer
From the KNF library
Drake recommends building the biology and skipping the pH chase. The library says to stop chasing pH directly, build soil biology with IMO and matched mulch, and let the microbes manage pH in the root zone. (Office Hours Apr 2026, 22:59)
That speaks to your last question. Plants and microbes work as a pair. Microbes convert nutrients into forms plants can absorb, and plants pay them in sugars. (Unravelling the Mysteries of KNF, p. 73)
On the IMO question, the library says the collection site affects plant yield in one trial. (Unravelling the Mysteries of KNF, p. 118) It also says IMO are adapted to their local micro climate. (Cho's Solutions, p. 11) That supports collecting near your crop. It does not say a wild-bush collection acidifies soil.
For poor soil in general, the library says a boost with nutrients helps. (KNF Demystified, p. 14)
The library does not cover blueberries, target pH of 4 to 5, or shifting cleanser and food ratios to lower soil pH. That part needs Drake's look at your setup.
Sources
- 22:59 Office Hours (Apr 2026) — LAB Preservation, Acidic Soil pH, and BMW Crystal Brewers · “Stop chasing pH directly. Build soil biology with indigenous microorganisms, IMO, and matched mulch, and the microbes will manage pH in the root zone.”
- p. 11 Cho's Solutions · “diverse micro organisms that are uniquely adapted to an indigenous micro climate”
- p. 73 Unravelling the Mysteries of KNF · “Microorganisms convert nutrients into a form that plants are able to absorb. In turn, plants provide food, in the form of sugars, to these microorganisms”
- p. 14 KNF Demystified · “When growing in poor soil it is helpful to give your plants a boost with nutrients.”
- p. 118 Unravelling the Mysteries of KNF · “the collection site of IMO affects plant yield”