How to Support Healthy Soil in Your Own Backyard!
Five Principles of Healthy Soil:
- Maximize Living Roots – soil should have plants covering the surface. Add cover crops or ground covers to your garden.
- Minimize Disturbance – tilling breaks up the soil microorganism community, particularly the network of mycorrhizal fungi. Leave soil undisturbed and let the herd of soil organisms do their work.
- Maximize Soil Cover – No bare soil! Ideally soil should be covered with living plants but adding a cover of compost, straw, or wood chips is second best. This prevents wind and water erosion as well as food for the soil organisms.
- Maximize Diversity – Mix things up and allow different types of plants to grow together.
- Eliminate (or greatly reduce) Pesticides and Artificial Fertilizers – Pesticides and artificial fertilizers kill soil organisms. Trust nature and eliminate the use of chemicals.
Soil Your Undies Challenge
An annual hands-on community science event exploring soil health.
What Your Food Ate
David R. Montgomery
Soil scientist and author David R. Montgomery explores how healthier soils improve food systems and why a shift in soil management matters for the future.
The Soil Will Save Us
Kristin Ohlson
Author Kristin Ohlson shares how rebuilding healthy soils can restore land, store carbon, and address challenges like climate change, erosion, and water quality.