Happy World Soil Day! Back in 2013, the United Nations General Assembly chose Dec. 5 as the date for annual World Soil Day, which was held for the first time in 2014. According to the United Nations website, World Soil Day is “a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.”
Here at Hobby Farms, we care a lot about soil. Without healthy soil, we can’t grow productive gardens, orchards and crops. That’s why we’ve spent years exploring topics pertaining to the maintenance and improvement of soil health.
Are you looking for ways to improve your farm or garden soil? Here’s a roundup of helpful articles to get you started:
What To Know About Healthy Soil (Part 1) and What To Know About Healthy Soil (Part 2)
What constitutes healthy soil? This two-part article dives into the details.
8 Ways To (Almost) Instantly Improve Your Soil
For a basic overview of soil-improving strategies, this article is a good place to start.
These 10 Crops Will Help You Improve Your Soil
Cover crops and green manures can protect and improve soil. We’re sharing the details on 10 crops that do the job well.
Cover Crops Can Protect & Build Healthy Soil
Cover crops are so important that we’ve had multiple authors address the topic.
Cover Crops Help Improve Soil, Garden Produce & Climate Conditions
For another exploration of cover crops, check out this story.
3 Ways To Feed Your Soil With Fallen Leaves
Tree leaves are a great carbon addition to garden soil, providing calcium, magnesium and more. Here are three ways to incorporate leaves into your soil.
8 Great Soil Amendments For Your Garden
Ready to think outside the box? These eight soil amendments, including coffee grounds and seafood shells, can improve your soil.
Video: Use Manure Compost To Improve Garden Soil
This video article explains, through both text and video, a way to add manure compost to your garden soil.
Regenerative Agriculture Is Farming For Better Soil
Rotational grazing of livestock can help improve soil health, as this article explains.
Use Worm Counts To Assess Soil Health & Improvement
Worms do a lot to improve soil quality, and counting how many reside in a small area of ground can give you clues to the health of your soil.
Protect Soil & Growing Beds In Winter With These 4 Tips
Taking steps to prevent erosion and minimize temperature swings during winter is good for your soil. This article explains how to do it.
Use Pigs To Improve Your Soil & Landscape
A herd of pigs can clear weeds, reclaim overgrown land, dig up roots and more. Under the right circumstances, pigs work wonders improving soil.
Fertility Management Stage One Gets Soil In Shape
What is the pH level of your soil, and does it need amending? The kickoff article in this two-part series explores stage one of soil fertility management.
Garden Soil Fertility Management Stages 2 & 3
The second installment of this two-part series on soil fertility management dives into forming Permabeds, adding compost and side-dressing, and managing your annual crop cycles.
Air & Water Are Critical To Garden Soil Fertility Management
Soil isn’t comprised solely of “dirt.” Ideally it will be 25 percent air and 25 percent water, allowing microorganisms to thrive and water to carry nutrients around. This article explains it all.
Weed Suppression Methods To Build Better Soil
It’s possible to suppress weeds without using weed barrier fabric. Cardboard and cover crops are alternative (and more beneficial) options, as this article describes.
Calculating How Much Soil You Need For A Raised Garden Bed
You know you need quality soil, but exactly how much do you need? If you’ll be planting in raised garden beds, this simple math formula provides the answer
Check Your Soil Drainage Before Planting Fruit Trees
Adequate soil drainage is important to avoid drowning plants in waterlogged soil. This article explores digging test holes and ponders potential remedies for poorly draining soils.
Video: How To Collect A Sample For A Soil Test
Want to learn more about the composition of your soil? Have it professionally tested. This video shows how to collect a soil sample.
Choose The Right Soil Test For Your Farm
For information on different types of soil tests, including pros and cons, give this article a read.
Build Healthy Soil Naturally With Probiotic Farming
This article provides an in-depth look at probiotic farming, which encompasses many of the soil-improving strategies (including cover crops and composting) we’ve already explored.
