The soil beneath our feet is something we all take for granted. But did you know that there are more living organisms in one handful of healthy soil than there are people on Earth?
Soil sustains plant and animal life – all living things depend on it. Without the nutrients that soil provides, we couldn’t grow vegetables. There would be no grass for animals to eat, and no trees producing nuts, fruit and berries.
But there’s more to soil than food. Soil regulates water flow across the land, and has the ability to soak up excess rainwater to prevent flooding. It acts as a filter too, degrading and detoxifying pollutants.
Healthy soil helps mitigate climate breakdown, as it stores carbon, locking it away deep underground. In fact, soil stores three times more carbon than all the plants on Earth, including trees.
The countless different species of microorganisms in soil produce antibiotic compounds, which form the basis of the antibiotic medicines that humans use to fight infections.
Soil supports all sorts of living creatures – and one of the most important of these is the earthworm. In turn, earthworms play a vital role in keeping soil healthy, by creating tunnels that allow the introduction of oxygen. These tunnels also keep the soil structure loose – allowing plant roots to penetrate deep into the earth and collect nutrients – and improve drainage, so that plants don’t get waterlogged.
Earthworms pull dead leaves and other vegetation down from the surface, mixing it up with animal waste and minerals. All this matter passes through the worms, and what comes out the other end is a nutrient-rich compost that will boost plant growth.
Soil also provides a habitat for millipedes, centipedes and many insects – especially beetles. And it supports fungi – there are more than 15,000 species of fungi in the UK, and they play a vital role in healthy ecosystems.
Through their mycelium – a web of thin strands that weave through the soil – fungi can create partnerships with the roots of trees and other plants, forming a network which helps plants absorb nutrients and water from the soil.
Save our soil
As healthy soil is essential for the survival of all life on earth, it makes sense to take care of it. Soil is formed by the weathering of rocks and the decay of organic matter, such as dead plants and animals. But it can take hundreds of years for just one centimetre of soil to form – so it’s vital that we look after this valuable resource.
Soil can be damaged in several ways, including by intensive agriculture. Heavy ploughing destroys the top layer of the soil and releases the carbon stored there. Excessive use of fertilisers, pesticides and other chemicals degrades the soil’s biodiversity. As soil health is damaged, high-nitrogen, synthetic fertilisers are added to increase crop yield. But these in turn further damage the soil – as well as causing other problems, including loss of biodiversity such as native wildflowers, and river pollution caused by runoff of excess chemicals into waterways.
Monocultures – where the same type of plant, including forestry schemes, are grown in one large area – can also be damaging to the soil, as the same nutrients are being continuously absorbed and eventually depleted. Without a balance of nutrients in the soil, monocultures can lead to outbreaks of pests and diseases which can devastate future generations of crops. So farmers often end up using chemical products to fight pests and diseases, and fertilisers to try and encourage crops to continue growing – leading to an ongoing cycle of damage.
But there is hope for our soil – and everyone can take simple actions to help save it. Here are some ideas.
Choose organic produce
Organic food (eggs, milk, cheese and meat, as well as fruits and vegetables) is produced using environmentally friendly farming methods that are better for animals, the soil and the environment.
Instead of using chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, organic farmers use more ecological methods – for example crop rotation, compost, animal manure and green manures such as white clover.
Organic farming is better for the planet, as it produces fewer harmful emissions – and ensures higher animal welfare. Eating organic food can improve human health too, as it reduces exposure to harmful chemicals like pesticides.
Avoid pesticides and weedkillers
Studies have demonstrated the direct and indirect impact of pesticides as a key cause of global insect declines and the biodiversity crisis. Butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings are all harmed by pesticides.
Avoiding pesticides and weedkillers in gardens and community green spaces helps improve the quality of the soil and maintain a healthy ecosystem. So to keep green spaces healthy and full of wildlife, use non-harmful gardening techniques instead, such as companion planting, hoeing or hand-pulling of weeds, and boosting beneficial insect populations by growing nectar-rich plants.
Add compost or mulch
Instead of applying artificial fertilisers to boost plant performance, prepare soil in advance to create a healthy growing environment where plants can thrive.
Good groundwork includes adding layers of organic matter – compost or manure – to the surface of the soil. Organic matter is pulled down into the soil by earthworms and other creatures, adding nutrients to the soil and improving its texture. You can also add a mulch of compost, straw, leaf mould, seaweed or wood chippings around plants – this too will improve soil quality, and can reduce the amount of time needed for watering and weeding.
Crop rotation
If you grow your own vegetables, using crop rotation can keep soil in tip-top condition and prevent pests and diseases.
You can do this by dividing the vegetable plot into three or four separate areas. In each area, grow crops of the same family – so all onions are planted together, root vegetables are planted together, and so on. The following year, move each family of plants into the next area. It’s a good idea to follow nitrogen-fixing crops such as peas and beans with nitrogen-hungry brassicas, such as cabbages and kale.
Changing the types of plants you grow in each area from year to year prevents nutrients from being depleted, and avoids the build-up of pests and diseases – keeping soil healthy, and avoiding the need for pesticides.
Penny Bunting
Twitter @LGSpace
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