Soil is probably the most challenging of all natural environments for microbiologists, and the hotspot for discovering of novel biomolecules and genetic resources. Cultivation of environmental microorganisms was ignored and marginalized in the tremendous progress of “meta-omics” technologies. Nevertheless, by cultivation-based approaches, researchers can acquire novel microorganisms that are undetected by molecular methods, be allowed for the verification and testing of hypotheses of metabolic potential and function of novel genes determined by the meta-omic data and also do the microbial foundational research or industrial production. In the era of meta-omics, cultivation method is still useful in understanding the detailed metabolism and functions of those environmental organisms, and this makes the genetic manipulation, confirming certain functions, and the research of environmental function of microorganisms possible. The challenge is to bring these recalcitrant microorganisms into the laboratory for future exploration. This review summarizes the reasons why microbes are not growing in the lab such as. Then we focus on the advanced cultivation techniques. The methods of modifications to growth media include using low substrate concentrations, adding growth-limiting factors into media and changing gelling reagents. Modifications to growth conditions include extending incubation time, incubating in a optimum oxygen level, and using low-temperature strategies. The strategies of cultures in situ or cultures in simulated natural conditions include “growth chamber” and “trap for in situ cultivation”. The methods of community culture and co-culture also elevated the possibility of novel bacteria from environmental samples. Cultivation of soil microorganisms by assistance of culture-independent methods such as metagenomics and metaproteomics have been developed to improve the cultivating process. Finally, we propose the directions of isolation of soil microbes in the future.