FOOD · HEALTH · ENVIRONMENT
Everything good grows from the ground up.
Forage & Root →Garden design, community food, membership
BELOW THE SURFACE
What is alive down there?
Deep Earth Labs ↓Soil biology testing, plant tissue, compost
Ground level
A handful of healthy soil holds more living things than there are people on Earth.
We work both sides of the soil line. Above it, we design and care for food gardens and help communities grow local food. Below it, we count and identify what is living in your soil, then tell you what it needs.
1 ft · Above ground
Forage & Root
BY WOODLAND EDIBLES
Edible landscapes that fix more than your yard.
Victor and his team design, plant and care for organic food gardens. We build food into the places people already are: backyards, school grounds, parks and community gardens. No pesticides. No salt fertilizers. We never need them.
Garden design
A certified specialist plans your site, maps it, and designs an organic food garden that works with nature.
See the six steps →
Garden care
Keep a food landscape healthy without chemicals. Natural pest and disease management, mulching, pruning, seasonal care.
How care works →
Community restoration
Parks, schools and community gardens become hubs for local food and learning, funded by members like you.
See the projects →
3 ft · Below ground
Deep Earth Labs
BY WOODLAND EDIBLES
Count what is living in your soil, then fix what is missing.
A certified Soil Food Web lab technician reads your sample under a microscope: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and the organisms that cause plant disease. You get a plain-English report and a plan.
Qualitative check
$30. Color, smell and a first look under the microscope. The easy way to find out if there is life in there.
Order →
Start here
Complete Soil Food Web
$95 per sample, $85 each for 4 to 6. Counts bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, protozoa and nematodes.
Order →
Most popular
Plant tissue and mycology
Check real plant health and nutrient gaps. Mushroom identification by a state-approved expert.
Learn more →
Compost, teas and extracts
Certified bio-complete compost and biology-rich teas. Profits fund local community gardens.
Learn more →
How a soil test works
From a scoop of dirt to a plan.
Scroll through the four steps.
1
2
3
4
STEP 1 OF 4
Order
Pick your test in the shop
Choose the Qualitative Assessment ($30) or the Complete Soil Food Web Assessment ($95 per sample, $85 each for 4 to 6 samples), then check out. Read the sampling guide on this site while your order is on its way.
1
2
3
4
STEP 2 OF 4
Sample
Pull a few small cores
Take cores about 1 inch wide and 3 inches deep. Bag them together with the air left in, because your soil biology needs to breathe, and label the outside with the sample name and date.
1
2
3
4
STEP 3 OF 4
Microscope
We count what is living in it
Our certified lab technician looks at your sample under the microscope, then counts and identifies the bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and disease organisms in it.
1
2
3
4
STEP 4 OF 4
Report
A plain-English plan
You get a report on what we found and what it means for your plants, with clear next steps for building the soil life your garden needs.
The person behind it
Victor Grimaldi, founder
It started in the jungles of Belize, where poisonous plants grew right beside their own antidotes. Victor builds gardens and labs on that idea: nature keeps itself in balance, and the answer to a problem is often growing next to it.
Soil Food Web Certified Lab Technician
Two Permaculture Design certifications
University of Georgia Master Gardener
Mushroom identification, state approved
Membership
Grow with us. Start as a seed.
Four ways to belong, from free to founding sponsor. Every contribution stays local.
STAGE 1
Volunteer
Free
Lend a hand at a local garden or start your own project. Monthly updates, local event invitations, and invites to farm-to-table dinners and advanced workshops.
STAGE 2
Advocate
Free
Just getting started? Monthly updates with local workshops, community events and easy tips to grow your skills and your garden.
STAGE 3
Contributor
From $10 a month
Your contribution joins others in your area to fund community gardens and nonprofit parks. Free resources, invitations to farm-to-table dinners and learning events.
STAGE 4
Sponsor
$2,000 a year
Jumpstart real change. Funds regenerative projects and hands-on learning in your community, with every member benefit plus complimentary or discounted farm-to-table invites.
Latest projects
Gardens and soil we have worked on.
North Georgia Mountains
Edible landscape in the Georgia mountains.
Full story coming soon
Shelburne Farms School
Shelburne, Vermont. A learning garden for students.
Full story coming soon
Private elderberry farm
Asheville, North Carolina. Design and installation.
Full story coming soon
Soil Food Web case study
What a soil biology assessment found and what we did about it.
Full story coming soon
Questions
Good questions, straight answers.
What makes Woodland Edibles different from other landscape or design companies?
We use the latest understanding of soil and plant biology to keep your plants healthy. We never use pesticides, salt-heavy fertilizers or insecticides. When the biology is healthy, you do not need them.
Where do you work?
Garden maintenance is currently offered in the North Metro Atlanta area only. Soil lab testing and permaculture design are available wherever you are, either directly through us or through a partner near you. Book a free consultation and we will tell you what fits.
Where do membership contributions go?
Straight into local nonprofit parks and community garden projects: building local food networks, supporting education, and organizing events for members.
Are your services affordable?
Yes. We can work within nearly any budget. Our goal is to move you toward food self-sufficiency and a healthier local food system, so we build a plan around what you can actually do.
I already have a landscaper, or I want to do the work myself. Can you still help?
Absolutely. We can give you design input, specialized advice and learning resources whether you hire a landscaper or do the digging yourself.
Ready to dig in?
Tell us about your yard, your farm or your soil. The first consultation is free.