Soil is a fundamentally vital natural resource that is required for looking after our climate, preserving biodiversity and growing healthy food. Made up of a complex ecosystem that provides us with many important life systems, giving us the ability to grow much of the world’s food,
For healthy food, healthy soil is crucial!
Soil is made up of many elements including air, water, decayed materials, organic matter and minerals. For soils to stay healthy we need to ensure we maintain their extremely important functions by looking after them. Soil that is well looked after will naturally have excellent porosity for air and water.
Healthy living soil is full of microscopic and large organisms that play a vital role within the dynamic ecosystem of soil, including feeding on decaying matter, essential nutrient distribution and controlling plant disease.
Looking after the health of our soils is essential for many reasons especially in the production of healthy food!
To grow and produce healthy yields of food from our gardens, allotments and farmlands we need the soil to be at its best. This means we need to nurture our soils at all levels by following best practices such as adding organic matter and reducing the use of chemical fertilisers..
Quality soil equals quality food as the soil provides crops with all their essential nutrients, air and water that is required for producing nutritious food. Providing the correct environment within our soils ensures the food we grow can begin the growing cycle with optimum conditions for healthy root support and growth.
Food is only as healthy as the soil it is grown in!
As part of Compost Awareness Week 2023 we are highlighting the international theme of For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food… COMPOST!
Compost plays a vital role in the overall health of soil as it is a source of organic matter that will improve soil health by increasing water holding capacity, providing nutrients and improving crop yields.
Composting is part of a sustainable organics recycling process which is environmentally friendly, producing rich peat free compost that will feed the soil, promoting new growth and healthy crop yields.
Everything Begins With Compost!
Here are some interesting facts around soil health -
Find out more about soil health by reading this article from the SOIL ASSOCIATION
Compost Awareness Week, now an annual international event dedicated to the benefits of compost which improves soil health that will in turn yield healthier food production. This year's theme is For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food… COMPOST!
Compost Awareness Week 7th - 13th May 2023
