By / April 26, 2024

Beneath Our Feet: Nurturing Soil for Future Generations

Introduction

Dive deep beneath the surface into the world of soil, the silent supporter of all life on land. In this module, we unveil the soil's secrets, revealing its critical role not just in permaculture but in the very fabric of ecological sustainability. Soil is alive, teeming with organisms that form the backbone of terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding and nurturing this living system is central to the success of any permaculture project and the health of our planet.

Core Insights: Unearthing Soil's Vital Role in Ecosystem Health

Soil is much more than dirt under our feet; it's a complex mixture of minerals, organic matter, microorganisms, and countless organisms that work together to support plant life. This section explores the structure, composition, and vital functions of healthy soil, illustrating how its health is directly linked to the overall vitality of ecosystems. You'll learn how good soil management practices can boost garden productivity, enhance plant health, and even mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon.

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Beneath Our Feet Nurturing Soil for Future Generations (1)

The Life in Soil

The biodiversity within soil is astonishing. Microorganisms, fungi, insects, and more, all play pivotal roles in maintaining and enhancing soil fertility. This biodiversity is crucial for nutrient cycling, soil structure, and plant health. We'll guide you through simple techniques to assess the life in your soil, helping you understand its health and vitality. Observing the presence of earthworms, the texture of the soil, and the activity of microorganisms will provide insights into the ways you can support and increase this underground biodiversity.

  • Soil Texture Feel Test:
    • Determine whether your soil is sandy, loamy, or clay by moistening a small amount and rolling it between your fingers. Sandy soil feels gritty, loam is smooth and dough-like, and clay is sticky and can be rolled into a thin thread.
  • Earthworm Count:
    • Dig a hole about one foot deep and wide, then count the number of earthworms you find. A healthy soil should have at least ten earthworms in this volume, indicating good soil fertility and aeration.
  • Soil Moisture Observation:
    • Assess soil moisture by squeezing a handful of soil; it should hold together but not drip water. This simple test helps gauge if your soil retains enough moisture for healthy plant growth without being waterlogged.
  • Decomposition Rate Test:
    • Bury a piece of biodegradable material like a cotton strip or a piece of wood, and check its decomposition over a month. Faster decomposition rates indicate a more active and healthy soil microbial community.
  • pH Test with a Kit:
    • Use a store-bought soil pH test kit or strips to measure the acidity or alkalinity of your soil. Most plants prefer a pH between 6 and 7.5, and knowing your soil's pH can guide your soil amendment strategies.

These simple yet effective techniques give a snapshot of your soil's health and biological activity, guiding your efforts to nurture and improve the soil ecosystem in your garden or farm.

Soil Regeneration Techniques

Regenerative agricultural practices are at the heart of permaculture's approach to soil health. This section delves into methods like cover cropping, crop rotation, green manures, and no-till farming, which all contribute to a vibrant, living soil. We'll also introduce you to Hügelkultur, a practice that uses decomposing wood as a resource for moisture retention and fertility, showcasing practical examples for implement these techniques in your garden or farm to revitalize the soil.

Cover Cropping

  • Definition: Planting specific crops not for harvest, but to cover the soil, suppress weeds, improve soil health, and enhance water permeability.
  • Example: Planting legumes like clover or vetch can fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, enriching it for the next crop cycle. These cover crops can be cut and left on the surface as a mulch to decompose, further adding organic matter to the soil.

Crop Rotation

  • Definition: The practice of growing different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons to improve soil health and reduce pests and diseases.
  • Example: Following a nitrogen-fixing bean crop with a nitrogen-demanding corn crop. This rotation supports soil fertility and disrupts the life cycles of common pests, reducing the need for chemical interventions.

Green Manures

  • Definition: Green manures involve growing a crop and then cutting it down before it flowers, incorporating it back into the soil to act as a nutrient-rich organic matter.
  • Example: Growing oats or barley in the off-season and then tilling them back into the soil before planting the main crop. This practice adds organic matter, improves soil structure, and increases nutrient availability.

No-Till Farming

  • Definition: A method of growing crops without disturbing the soil through tillage, thereby preserving soil structure, conserving moisture, and increasing carbon retention.
  • Example: Using a no-till drill to plant seeds directly into undisturbed soil, covered with a layer of organic mulch. This approach minimizes soil erosion and fosters a healthy, active microbial community in the soil.

Hügelkultur

  • Definition: A permaculture technique that involves creating raised garden beds over large piles of decomposing wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials.
  • Example: Constructing a Hügelkultur bed by piling logs, branches, leaves, grass clippings, straw, cardboard, and manure into a mound. Over time, the wood decomposes, absorbing water like a sponge and releasing nutrients slowly, creating a nutrient-rich, self-irrigating garden bed.

By incorporating these regenerative practices into your permaculture design, you're not only improving soil health but also building a more resilient and productive ecosystem. Each method contributes uniquely to soil vitality, offering practical steps for gardeners and farmers to support the Earth's natural processes and cycles.

Hügelkultur (1)
Hügelkultur (2)

Composting for Soil Health

Composting transforms kitchen scraps and yard waste into black gold for your garden, enriching the soil and supporting its web of life. We'll walk you through creating and maintaining different compost systems—traditional piles, worm composting (vermiculture), and innovative Black Soldier Fly composting. Each method contributes to enhancing soil structure, increasing fertility, and boosting the soil's microbial community, demonstrating compost's central role in soil health and sustainability.

Traditional Compost Piles

Walkthrough:

  1. Location and Setup: Choose a dry, shaded spot near a water source for your compost pile or bin. Start with a layer of coarse, brown materials like straw or twigs to ensure good airflow at the bottom.
  2. Layering: Alternate layers of green materials (kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, fresh plant clippings) with brown materials (dry leaves, cardboard, sawdust). This balances nitrogen-rich greens, which provide moisture and nutrients, with carbon-rich browns, which add bulk and allow air to filter through.
  3. Maintenance: Keep the pile moist as a wrung-out sponge and turn it every few weeks to aerate and speed up decomposition. This also helps to prevent odor and pests.
  4. Harvesting Compost: In 3-6 months, the bottom of the pile should have turned into dark, crumbly compost. Harvest it by removing the top, unfinished layer and using the mature compost in your garden.

Worm Composting (Vermiculture)

Walkthrough:

  1. Setting Up a Worm Bin: Use a shallow, wide container with a lid, and drill holes on the sides for aeration. Place a tray beneath to catch any leachate. Fill the bin with moist bedding made from shredded newspaper or cardboard.
  2. Adding Worms: Red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) are the most commonly used worms for composting. Add them to the bin, giving them time to burrow into the bedding.
  3. Feeding: Add kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells on top of the bedding. Avoid meats, dairy, and oily foods. Feed the worms a small amount at a time, waiting until they've processed most of the food before adding more.
  4. Harvesting Worm Castings: In 3-4 months, the bedding will be converted into nutrient-rich worm castings. Harvest by moving all the content to one side of the bin, placing fresh bedding and food on the other. Worms will migrate to the new bedding, allowing you to harvest the castings.

Black Soldier Fly Composting

Walkthrough:

  1. Setting Up a BSF Bin: Use a container with steep, smooth sides to prevent larvae from escaping and a lid to keep rain and pests out. Include a ramp or harvest tube for mature larvae to self-harvest. If buying living BSF larva also craft a cube out of 1/2 PVC, or wood, and purchase a fruit tree bag, and enclose your entire bin inside it, to keep your populating separate from the environment.
  2. Attracting BSF: Black soldier flies are naturally attracted to food waste. Place the bin in a shady spot in hotter climates, and a sunnier spot in cooler climates (Too much sun can make your bin too hot and will bake your bugs) and add kitchen scraps to attract females to lay eggs. The larvae will feed on the scraps. You can also purchase Living BSF larva here. stacked strips (2"x4 to 6") of cardboard rubber-banded together hung from the inside lid of your bin will give space to lay eggs and they will fall into the bin once hatched and turn into larva.
  3. Feeding and Managing: BSF larvae are voracious and can consume large amounts of waste. Add scraps regularly, but avoid overfeeding. Maintain a balance of moisture to prevent odor.
  4. Harvesting Larvae and Compost: Mature larvae will crawl up the ramp or into the harvest tube to pupate. Collect these larvae for use as high-protein feed for poultry or fish. Remaining compost can be used as a soil amendment, although it's less nutrient-rich than traditional compost or worm castings.

Each composting method offers unique benefits and suits different needs, from traditional composting for gardeners with more space to vermiculture and BSF composting for those interested in faster processing or producing animal feed. By integrating these compost systems into your permaculture practice, you can significantly reduce waste and enrich your soil.

 

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Water and Soil

The relationship between soil and water is fundamental. Proper water management can significantly influence soil health, affecting everything from nutrient availability to plant resilience. Strategies such as designing swales, employing keyline plowing, and using mulches are explored as methods to conserve moisture, reduce erosion, and improve soil quality. These techniques ensure that water is used efficiently, contributing to a regenerative, water-wise garden or farm.

Reflections on Soil Stewardship

Adopting a view of soil as a precious, living entity requires a shift in perspective. This reflection encourages seeing yourself as a steward of the soil, nurturing and protecting this vital resource for the benefit of future generations. As permaculture practitioners, we have the responsibility and the privilege to work with the soil in ways that support life, promote biodiversity, and sustain productivity.

 

Resources, Citations, Scientific Papers, Etc.

This module equips you with the knowledge and techniques to actively contribute to the health of the soil, fostering ecosystems that are resilient, productive, and life-sustaining. Through understanding and caring for the soil, we lay the foundation for permaculture systems that not only produce abundant food but also heal and nurture the earth.

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