Keep Your Soil Healthy

Once you’ve got healthy soil, keeping it that way is mostly about maintaining a desirable environment for the many creatures that live there. Here are some of the ways to keep your soil healthy.   

Allow leaves to decompose in the garden. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Add organic material 

Why 
• Provides a slow and steady supply of plant nutrients 
• Improves soil structure - Promotes movement of air and water, and a better home for plant roots and soil organisms  

How
• Allow leaves and other plant materials to decompose in the garden.
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn.
• Use compost as a mulch.
• Keep plants growing throughout the year - plant roots contribute carbon to soil. 

Protect soil by keeping it covered with plants and mulch. Photo, Arnaldo Aldana, Unsplash

Maximize soil cover  

Why
• Moderates soil temperature and conserves moisture. 
• Provides food and habitat for fungi, bacteria, and arthropods, and prevents the destruction of microbial habitat by erosion.

How
• Keep soil covered by plants, their residue or mulch  
• Plant cover crops
• Use organic mulch
• Leave plant residue in place

Minimize disturbance  

Why
• Soil disturbance from physical, chemical, or biological activities can create a hostile environment for organisms to live. 
• Protect against water ponding or erosion

How
• Avoid tilling or turning soil
• Add organic materials the way nature does - by laying them on the surface • Tilling may be necessary if you’ve got sticky clay or compacted soil. A one-time mixing in of organic matter can aid in creating more workable soil  

Maximize biodiversity 

Why
• A wide mixture of plants supports the diversity of soil microorganisms in the soil. 

How
• Include different plant types (perennial, annual, woody, grassy, broadleaf, legume, etc.) and plants with different root structures (tap, fibrous, etc.).   
• Rotate crops to reduce potential for disease-causing organisms.

Minimize the use of chemicals 

Why
• Fertilizers and pesticides may be toxic to microorganisms in the soil. Some pesticides break down quickly while others may persist for long periods.  

How
• Add organic compost rather than synthetic fertilizer.
• Choose disease-resistant plant varieties and plants that will grow well in your site.
• Manage pests by providing habitat for natural enemies. 
• Use an integrated pest management approach to help reduce the use of pesticides.