Did you get some on your boots this week? But wait, soil or dirt? Are they the same?
We often refer to dirt with disdain, and maybe for good reason, as dirt contains only the mineral components of soil: sand, silt and clay. Dirt is missing the magic of soil, billions of live organisms as well as organic materials. Soil is often referred to as the ‘earth’s skin.’ A study published last year states that “Soil is estimated to be home to 90% of the world’s fungi, 85% of plants and more than 50% of bacteria, making it the world’s most species-rich habitat”. World Soil Day aims to raise awareness about soil as one of the most valuable ecosystems on earth.
Healthy Soil
But there’s a hitch. This year’s theme “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage” alludes to many people’s “meh” attitude about soil. In fact, healthy soil is essential for healthy plant growth, water filtration and many living beings’ nutrition. Scientists are not joking when they say that a tablespoon of healthy soil can contain a billion -with a ‘b’, bacteria and fungi. These are just two of the magical microorganisms that break down organic matter, cycling nutrients, with water, to our landscape plants and crops. Even our thin New England soil has microorganisms. They enhance its growing capacity for not only growing vegetables, but also for the health and longevity of our forested landscapes, for storing carbon in plant roots and also for holding and filtering rainwater which reduces erosion enhancing groundwater recharge.
Healthy Soil is Precious
It’s true, our New England soils grow forests very well but they are thin for growing gardens and vegetables. Ask the millions of pioneers who abandoned our rocky terrain in waves for the Midwest’s carbon and organic matter-rich prairie soils. So what to do? Well, recent estimates set the time range needed to create one inch of new soil from one to 1,000 years. And please don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can safely buy ‘top soil’ from your garden center. Think possible contaminants, pesticides, chemicals and salts. And then consider the wide variety of basically invisible, aggressive and invasive, exotic plant species’ seeds. Bad experiences have strongly encouraged me to improve my own. And indeed I have, over time, significantly enhancing the health and productivity of my native soil with, you know what’s coming, an annual top-dressing of all my growing areas with a 2-3” layer of fall leaves, as well as home-made compost from our food scraps + fall leaves + local manure. This is a terrific, frugal and effective way to super-charge the soil you have already at home.
Most Important Points
Pesticides Kill Soil – Even in the colorful plastic packaging, pesticides kill not only the bugs you think you don’t like but also microorganisms. So don’t buy or use them.
Lay Them On Top – Don’t forget, we know now to always lay these yearly amendments on top of your existing soil. This way you won’t disturb the soil’s important structure or expose its ever present weed seeds. You’ll also reduce weeds and conserve moisture. 6
Handling Healthy Soil Makes Us Happy – We’ve known for some time now that a bacteria commonly found in soil, Mycobacterium vaccae, even New England’s, activates brain cells to produce the ‘feel good’ brain chemical Serotonin. We’re immediately rewarded for all the hand and air contact involved in soil enhancing and gardening tasks. Yay.
So, Happy World Soil Day. Now you know that the simple additions of what you already are growing (leaves) and creating (food scraps) can improve your soil biodiversity, your plant health and your plants’ disease resistance. Over time, again, these steps will also reduce erosion on your property as well as water pollution, enhancing infiltration for every drop of rain that falls. I hope that these tips will inspire and enhance your appreciation of the valuable resources already present in your home, forest and garden.
RESOURCES:
Enumerating Soil Biodiversity: https://tinyurl.com/3p6z92z3
More Than Half of Earth’s Species Live in the Soil: https://tinyurl.com/ymv4eeb4
To be published in the December 11, 2024 Monadnock Shopper News: https://shoppernews.com/category/shopper-news/