SAVE THE SOIL! In honor of Earth Day we are doing top 9 ways you can help regenerate soil no matter where you are. Whether you have a big or small garden, or no garden at all, there are many tools and techniques we can incorporate to help protect and rewild precious ecosystems in our planet.
9 Ways You Can Help Regenerate The Soil
1. Rewilding
Rewilding is the process of restoring land (ecosystem) to its natural uncultivated state. No matter how big or small, there is always a place for rewilding – if you just get out of nature’s way. One of the easiest ways to regenerate the soil and environment is to let nature take its course. You can leave an element of your garden to become a mini forest of sorts, and/or you can introduce local plants endemic to the area that you are to re-enliven the indigenous species back.
2. Plant diversity is key
If for some reason you can’t grow out a lawn at your home or community into a mini forest, the next best thing is to keep a garden and fill it in with as many species of plants as possible, preferably perennial natives and edibles.
3. No Need to Till
Even though tilling is one of the more popular ways of planting, especially for large agricultural companies, it is not necessarily great for the soil. Tilling disrupts the composition of the soil. This means that organic matter in the soil often gets destroyed. There’s great techniques as to how to do “no-till gardens” that you can do by mulching, and using compost rich soil. This leaves the soil relatively undisturbed, and you are enriching areas by using highly fertile mediums. It also affords the microbes a lot more chance to do their job, increases water and nutrient retention and creates more organic presence in the soil; all of which will keep building over time undisturbed.
4. Organic Fertilizers + Organic Farming
Stay away from chemical fertilizers and pesticides because even if it looks like it helps your plants grow, trust me their ‘assistance’ destroys the soil, the environment and our body. Chemical fertilizers may increase the risk of developing cancer and other diseases in adults, children and can adversely affect fetal brain development. There’s many great organic products and highly affordable techniques (like ‘bokashi’ composting!) that will undoubetly yield great results. Give it a try!
5. Composting!
Composting is probably the easiest and most popular action item on this list as it is simply the process of organic material decomposition. The resulting substance is called compost. Every garden benefits from the addition of compost because it supplies many of the nutrients plants need and also improves the soil’s physical characteristics.
6. Cover cropping
Cover crops protect the soil from erosion and other forms of nutrient loss and helps keep the soil aerated and prepares it for other plants. But most of all, cover crops are great at converting carbon from the atmosphere into organic matter in the soil. Cover crops in the legume family such cowpeas, alfalfa and clover are also great for converting nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil nitrogen which means reducing the need for fertilisers next crop season.
7. Plant trees
From creating the very oxygen we breathe, to providing food and shade, to nourishing the soil, trees are the MVPs of the environment. If you don’t have the space for a tree, plant perennials. Those that provide shelter, such as raspberry and blackberry canes for birds. If you live in an urban environment and tree planting is inaccessible to you, then the next best is to donate to tree planting and other like-minded organisations in your region that will plant trees on your behalf.
8. Animals
Even if you don’t own a farm or ranch and just have a simple yard, adding bird houses, building ponds and simple bee hotels or just leaving hollow logs out will encourage animals to enter or live in your outdoor space.The animals will quicken the preparation of the soil for the next farming season through their droppings as fertiliser as well as aeration of the soil, and you can observe from a distance or up close and appreciate the work of other living beings.
9. Join an environmental organization
A great way to contribute to regeneration is to join an organization that is focused on it. While it might be difficult for you to discover and sustain regenerative practices in your neighborhood, organizations often have such systems already in place. To find local organizations just do a quick online search to bring up a list of them and check out their websites.
We also created a marvelous vegan charcuterie board to celebrate Earth Day! Check out the gorgeous recipe here!
