Nurture Your
Soil
If you have ever had the pleasure, and let’s face it, the privilege of working with soil, you will no doubt know just how good it can feel. But, whilst words can rarely describe the feeling of increased well-being when taking care and making a connection to this vital life source, it is time to put words and actions to the link between healthy soils and our fight against climate change. Soil is the next frontier; healthy soil holds and captures carbon, stores and delivers water when and where required and is home to billions of bacteria and microbes central to our existence. It’s mind-blowing, to be honest. Yet now, the very substance that sustains us needs us. Taking a regenerative approach to rebuilding our soils and associated ecosystems is gaining ground, but urgent action, at ALL levels is required. It’s our turn in our gardens, allotments and shared greenspaces to restore, work with and worship the ground beneath our feet. So, if you have a little patch of soil to work and nurture, you can make a difference.
Soil & Soul
Start your Soil journey here and keep coming back to it! If you were ever in doubt as to the importance of the gardeners role in working with the soil listen to this thought provoking, informative and life affirming series from Propagate Scotland, the Open Jar Collective and the British Society of Soil Science.
Sow green manures
Avoid bare soil in the winter months; without plants to store the sun’s energy and when exposed to rain, the soil quickly loses nutrients. Sowing green manures to add bulk, and in some instances nutrients, can help. Alternatively, leave the soil covered over winter with annual weeds (young, fleshy plants without seed heads) or cardboard.
Resources
If you need to import large amounts of soil to get growing consider contacting your local authority green waste recycling scheme. N.B Not all local authorities have one.