A Guide to Cultivating Soil Health by Alma Rominger
Are rocks healthy? Sand? Clay? Of course
living in beautiful symphonic symbiosis. Each
not! In order to be healthy, something must
plays a part in improving soil structure and
first be alive. That’s why when we talk
soil fertility, so keeping these beneficial
about healthy soil, we’re talking about the
microbes happy is key to improving soil
health of the soil microbiome, the
health and optimizing plant growth.
community of microorganisms living beneath the soil. A robust soil microbiome is
Like all living things, healthy soil needs air,
the foundation of healthy soil and plants,
water, food, and shelter. So let’s break it
and there are several ways to cultivate its
down, need by need, to understand how we
health.
can best improve and maintain our soil’s health.
The soil microbiome improves soil structure and optimizes plant health. One way the soil
Air: You want to aerate your soil without
microbiome does this is by aerating the soil
disturbing the microbiome or exposing it to
and increasing water retention. More than
the sun or wind, where it can dry up and die.
this, beneficial bacteria and fungi help break
An excellent way to aerate your soil is
down vital nutrients to make them more
by using a broadfork or pitchfork. At the
accessible to plants. Mycorrhizal fungi will
beginning and end of the planting season,
adhere to plant roots and can expand their
stick your tool into the first six or so inches
surface area up to 1,000 times, giving your
of soil and move it back and forth to create
plants access to nutrients they otherwise
holes in the soil, without digging the soil up
wouldn’t have.
or turning it over. The holes will help to expose the microbiome to much needed
Keeping a healthy soil microbiome will also
oxygen. Adding organic matter in the form
give your plants an added shield of immunity against disease and pests. Beneficial microorganisms have developed defense mechanisms, such as secreting chemical compounds, that will protect your plants from plant diseases and invading pests alike.
Soil is full of life—beyond plant roots, there lives a rich microbiome, an ecosystem of fungi, bacteria, and mesofauna like earthworms, nematodes, and insects, all
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