Cultivating Life in the Soil

“The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible”.
Albert Howard

Cultivating Life in the Soil

One of the most important things you’ll be doing on your permaculture and gardening journey is creating life in your soil. Healthy soil actually hosts a whole micro ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, flora and fauna. There are more than 100 million genera of bacteria and fungi living in the soil right in our backyards and only a few we’ve given a name to or studied in great depth. There is a host of relationships and functions of these bacteria and fungi that are largely unknown. What is known however is that soil that contains higher amount of organisms is healthier, transfers nutrients and minerals better and is overall critical for a functioning garden and permaculture system. Most permaculture gardens are “no till” which means we rely on natural aeration methods like worms to aerate the soil as well as established foot paths to lessen soil impaction issues. Naturally, creating compost, adjusting ph and avoiding harsh chemicals are also important factors of enriching the soil and keeping it healthy. Mulching, planting cover crops and nitrogen fixers play a role as well.

Older but absolutely unparalleled video summarizing life in the soil, especially when comparing healthy verses unhealthy soils.

Before we get into how we can make healthy soil, let’s briefly talk about why that’s important. It’s not a secret in the organic gardening community that large agricultural endeavors are wreaking havoc on our soil, biodiversity and nutrient value of cultivated crops. By most accounts, we’ve already destroyed 50% of the earth’s good topsoil for growing food. In some locations, that number is as high as 80%. It is said that it takes approximately 300 years for 1 centimeter of soil to form. Certainly, soil is the unsung hero of our earth and one of the most precious resources we have. The impacts of mass agriculture have far reaching implications beyond nutrient loss and biodiversity but also of soil compaction, increased pollution and chemical runoff, worsening floods, as well as increasing desertification and increased risk of drought.

Mass agriculture is yet another unsustainable aspect of the modern industrial life. While it will take time for the full scale of its environmental impacts to be realized to the masses, it will undoubtedly need to be reckoned with over time. The most immediately felt issue is of the lack of nutrient value in mass produced crops and the unseen or unnoticed effects of that in our day to day lives, our health and that of our children. We can do our part by not only producing as much of our own food as possible but by creating healthy soil. Again, in permaculture, our goal is to create and give abundance (in this case, soil structure) at least as much as we’re rewarded (with nutritious food).

Create Compost

Creating good compost is going to be the #1 thing you can do to increase the health, microbiome and nutritious value of your soil. In much the same way that our gut microbiome is important for our own bodies, it’s important for the soil. Compost directly adds nutrients back into the soil that feed the microbiome. You’re going to want to first and foremost have a place to store your compost. Many people build their own using wood pallets and then staple chicken wire or fencing material around the outside.

You could also just simply make piles in your yard or purchase a tumbler or other man made container. You’ll also need some sort of pitchfork to turn your pile as well as a tarp to cover it (if it’s an open air pile) to keep it warm and moist. You don’t want your pile to get too high as this will squeeze too much air out of your pile. A typical height would be 3 feet but definitely not above 4 feet. You don’t want your pile to get too hot or be too cold. A typical temperature would be 130 – 140 degrees. You also don’t want your pile to be too wet or too dry.

A quick starter guide: For your composition, you want 1/3 manure/activator (animal poo, blood or alfalfa meal), 1/3 high carbon material (leaves, shredded newspaper), 1/3 fresh greens (fresh veggie or fruit peels). Mix these materials well. Water it. Cover your pile or uncover it as needed based on the pile’s needs in regards to temperature and moisture. You will need to visit, inspect and turn your compost pile at least once a week. You can increase your compost yield by turning it every two days.

Avoid composting bones, meat, grease, dairy or anything that came in contact with industrial chemicals as they’ll make your pile go rancid or attract unwanted animals.

Make Compost Tea

A great and easy way to spread the wealth of your compost pile is to create and use compost tea. This is incredibly simple to do and all you’ll need is a bucket, water and a shovel of compost. Fill up a bucket with water, add a shovel of compost and let it sit for a few days. Stir occasionally. Then, add to a watering can and water your plants. This is especially helpful for seedlings. If you want to put the water in a sprayer for a more uniform distribution, you’ll need to filter your water through a cheesecloth to get out all of the pieces of compost as to not clog your sprayer.

Vermicomposting

Once you’ve got the ins and outs of regular composting down, it might be worth looking into vermicomposting. This is simply using worms to compost your plant material, then running water through your worm unit and using the water to fertilize your plants. I have an open air bin and keep the spigot open with a watering can underneath to catch any water that seeps through on a weekly basis. If it’s been dry, i’ll water the worm bin myself. I add organic material (chopped veggie or fruit scraps) to feed the worms at least every two weeks. Make sure not to over feed so your bin doesn’t go too moldy. The best species to use for your worm bin are going to be “red wigglers” because they’re surface dwellers (not burrowers), have a hefty appetite and breed readily and rapidly. However, don’t worry about them overproducing because worms have an innate ability to reproduce according to their inhabitable space. They are not cold hardy and will die over winter but not before they laid egg cases that will hatch and replace your worms in the spring. The same rules apply for your vermicompost pile as your regular pile in what to not include such as meat and dairy.

Use Native Worm Species for Aeration

Speaking of worms, in order to prevent compaction of the soil in no till gardens, worms are critical to naturally aerate the soil. To do this, it may be worth purchasing a native worm species to add to your garden if you find your soil is lacking. The research on the impact of non-native worms is ongoing but it really just depends on your location. If you live in a well developed location, I think the chance for harm is a lot less but if you live in more northern climates near old growth forests, the risk of invasive worms causing concern is more palpable. If this is the case, using well established foot paths would be the next best solution to preventing soil impaction.

Use Well Established Foot Paths

No matter what your soil is like but especially if it’s susceptible to compaction (for example being high in clay content), it’s really important to have well established foot paths. Having foot paths allows you to only step on those places in the soils where you need to, lessening impaction issues so that your plants have plenty of space to ‘breath’ in the soil and spread their roots. Plants that can’t adequately spread out, just simply aren’t going to grow to their fullest potential. Stepping on your soil can also harm the delicate ecosystem going on just below the surface and impact overall soil quality and biodiversity.

Use Natural Mulch

Natural mulch serves many functions within permaculture gardens. By natural mulch, I’m referring to wood chips (not commercially dyed mulch) and leaves or straw (not hay). Firstly, it keeps the topsoil dark and moist which encourages soil organisms to come to the surface. It also provides a habitat for larger insects and organisms which creates more diversity within the soil. It prevents weeds which is incredibly convenient because as your permaculture garden spreads out, weeding it would be an enormous weekly task and I don’t think anyone has that kind of spare time to waste. Mulch is also going to retain water, extend your growing season by keeping the soil warmer for longer and keep your plants warmer during the colder months, especially those more susceptible to frost or that prefer warmer climates. My personal favorite is to use natural wood chips made of fallen trees using a wood chipper. I find it largely aesthetically pleasing on top of giving the added benefits.

“There can be no life without soil and no soil without life. They have evolved together.”
Charles Kellogg

No Tilling

As has already been alluded to in multiple sections, permaculture gardens are no till. This means the soil doesn’t get mixed up by human hands after everything is in place. No till soils tend to host greater biodiversity, are less susceptible to disease or fungal issues and have higher nutrient value. With that said, your whole yard doesn’t have to be no till if you don’t want it to be. Many people use raised garden beds or smaller cultivated spaces to plant their annual vegetable and fruit gardens that inevitably has at least somewhat mixed soil from season to season.

Cover Crops to Reduce Weeds and Build the Soil

In some instances, it may be appropriate to plant cover crops (USDA list) in a particular area to serve a similar function as mulch in preventing weeds but with the added bonus of adding nutrients to the soil or acting as a nitrogen fixer. What cover crop you plant will depend specifically on your needs and preferences. For example, red clover can make a great perennial ground cover and also provide herb for infusions and medicinal purposes. In working with cover crops, you just have to decide if you want to use perennials or annuals and if you need them to fix nitrogen or not. Nitrogen-fixing crops take nitrogen out of the air and transform it into nitrate, nitrite or ammonia which plants can then readily use as fertilizer. Non-nitrogen fixing cover crops build biomass, add carbon to the soil and help the soil retain moisture and integrity. Most cover crop “mixes” contain both. As an example, many people plant perennial ground covers near the edges of their walkways or to serve as a walkway itself if it’s a short growing plant like clover. Others plant annual varieties in their garden beds to replenish the soil and give added nutrient value when the plants naturally die down.

Maintain Soil pH

Most garden soils have a pH between 5.5 and 8.0. This number helps you determine when and how to adjust your garden soil’s pH level and the soil pH can be figured out purchasing a soil pH tester at any local garden or hardware store. If the pH level is below 6, the soil is too acidic, and you need to add ground limestone. If the measurement is above 7.5, the soil is too alkaline for most vegetables, and you need to add soil sulfur. The best way to apply sulfur and limestone to your soil is to use a drop spreader or relatively uniform with your hands but make sure to wear gloves. However, remember that some plants thrive in particularly alkaline or acidic soils so before adding amendments, it might be worth researching what can be planted there first as it is.

Use Natural Pesticide (IPM), Fungicide or Herbicide Methods

With every problem there is usually a natural solution and that includes pests and unwanted fungus or weeds. By avoiding the use of harsh chemicals and poisons, your soil will maintain its health and integrity and those benefits will be passed onto yourself, your family, your pets and other organisms that share your yard space. As mentioned already, using crop covers or mulch can really cut down on unwanted weeds. As far as fungus, there are many anti-fungal herbs that can be applied topically, incorporated into the soil itself or planted next to plants prone to fungus using companion planting methods. Just a few of these are calendula, bee balm, birch tree (wood chips), cedar tree (wood chips), cinnamon, garlic, elecampane, milk thistle, violet, horsetail or mugwort. Potentially making large batches of herbal decoctions, straining it and applying topically could really provide some anti-fungal benefits. Making sure not to over water our plants also goes a long way in regards to fungal prevention. For insect pests, the options are three fold and this is known as “IPM” or Integrated Pest Management. First, you could try using various covering methods from crop blankets to insect netting around larger bushes. Next, it’s important to consider local predator and prey relationships. Think about what preys on that pest and any possible ways to attract it? For example, ladybugs eating aphids is a well known example. Spotted bee balm and boneset perennial wildflowers also attract many predatory wasps that could potentially feed on any caterpillars. Invite predatory birds to your yard with certain trees, bird feeders or bird houses. For example, I often put out mealworms in the spring to attract fly catchers, robins and blue birds that are massive insectivores and often stay the entire season thereafter picking my garden spaces all but clean. I also have installed various bat houses in the surrounding wood spaces as well as planted night blooming flowers such as Moonflower that attract moths which attract the bats. If you’re interested in attracting frogs to your garden space to also help keep unwanted pest numbers down, you might consider installing and cultivating a miniature pond or hardscape rock areas that naturally attract frogs due to being able to hide in and under the crevices.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Anonymous

For larger garden visitors like gophers, moles or voles you can deter them using poles in the ground that create vibrations they don’t particularly enjoy. Finally, there are a few things that can be used topically that are also natural and would potentially add sustenance to the soil. This would again include creating large batch decoctions of various plants that bugs detest. Just a few of these are yarrow, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, lemon grass, sage, citronella, basil, cayenne pepper, oregano, mint, clove and lavender. Whenever you use plants to make a decoction you’re going to fill a large pot half way up with chopped plant material (chopped to release as much plant oil as possible). Fill your pot up with water covering twice as much space as your herbs if you can. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for a few hours. Strain and add to a spray bottle to apply directly to plants. The only caveat with a plant decoction method of fungal or pest deterrence is that you’ll need to reapply every few days or after a heavy rain. Experiment with what works and what doesn’t. Monitor your plants often to check for any signs of distress or pest infestations. Almost every problem in the garden can be addressed and managed easily if caught quick enough.