2. Building and Maintaining Soil Health | 15 mins

A healthy soil is the basis for growing healthy plants and food. The organic way of feeding the soil, rather than the plant, ensures the best results for flowers, fruit and vegetables.

We can build soil health effectively by following these key organic practices:

1. Adding organic matter
Use bulky organic materials like garden compost to add nutrients and create a good structure for plant roots to penetrate. These will release nutrients slowly, improve soil conditions, and stimulate microorganisms.

2. Minimise digging
Digging disrupts the complex systems of life within the soil. No-dig gardening is a popular and effective way of growing that minimises the damage to soil structure and the life-forms within it, providing a rich soil to grow in.

3. Plan your planting
Grow plants that are suited to your soil type and grow a succession of different vegetables in the same area year after year in a crop rotation. This helps prevent the build-up of diseases in the soil and uses nutrients most effectively.

4. Grow beneficial plants
Growing beneficial plants like green manures will help to hold nutrients in the soil before planting hungrier crops.They also help protect the soil, so that it's not left bare for weeds to flourish or nutrients to be washed away.

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