Permaculture 08 - Talk Dirty to Me
Second only to the importance of water to a vibrant and diverse ecosystem is the importance of Soil. Productive soil, our stabilization of it and our work to increase it's productivity, is a central part of any permaculture design strategy. Sadly, unsustainable land use policy – such as deforestation, monoculture (one crop), and poisons sprayed to “protect” - actually destroy the soil.
As humans, trained to consider ourselves apart from nature, we often lose sight of the complex living systems active below our feet. Truly, a case of “out of sight, out of mind” has shielded our realization of the wide variety of soil elements – from gases and water, to organisms, pH and structure – that are making this vibrant ecosystem. The evolution of what occurs below our feet has been long and arduous, to be easily destroyed if one is incapable of paying attention. It's vastly important to permaculture that we understand – and even embrace – how this vibrant ecosystem works, and indeed how to help it thrive. Success of our dirt is not just to increase yield, but also to restore health of the planet, the animals, and even us humans who've mistakenly removed ourselves from the mix.
Structure of our soil is vastly important. Three materials within the soil: clay, silt, and sand, make up the base of the foundation we all live with. Testing your soil, by mixing from several points across your site into a glass of water, allows us more understanding. Shake up that glass of water and the particles will settle in the following order: sand, silt, and clay. Clay is made up of the smallest particles, so if you have a greater proportion of those, your soil will hold water. While sandy soils drains more easily.
You'll also find minerals like silica, iron oxides and aluminum. Depending upon the distribution of these minerals you'll find a difference in your salinity and in your pH. Gases, absorbed from our atmosphere, from the earth's core, and as a byproduct of life processes occurring within it. Your “dirt” is home to life forms, from plant roots, fungal spores, to all manner of animals – as well as the remains of those life forms such as decayed plant life and fossils. A vibrant and healthy soil will have three primary nutrients required by plants; nitrogen, phosphates, and potassium.
To put your veggies in their “happy place” you'll seek for a pH level between 6 and 7.5, while an existing pH between 5.4 and 10 would provide ample variation to grow a wide range of plant species – as long as calcium is present in your soil. The good news is that practicing good composting, mulching, and humus development (with a “pinch” of lime if you're prone to alkalinity), will see suitable pH levels naturally for your gardening needs.
The various different kinds of microorganisms present in healthy soil are referred to as “Soil Biota” and the larger the amount, the healthier your soil. Now, this can be everything from bacteria (“billions in one teaspoon”, I'll let someone else do the counting) to fungus, to nematodes, different kinds of worms, snails, and even rabbits. Biodiversity in your soil will foster the conditions ripe for all manner of organisms to flourish!
To foster this vibrant ecosystem, we must protect it from those things that would destroy it. Erosion (by wind or water) can be controlled by use of windbreaks and/or tree crops, as well as cover crops. Sadly, the major cause of erosion is also the easiest: let's try not to clear cut and deforest an area. Also, bad agricultural practices (monoculture, pesticides, and overstocking our animals) can also easily be avoided.
Land management systems for the permaculturist should include proper mulching, hedgerows, minimal cultivation of the soil, and amending with healthy compost. Lose focus on organic sustainability and permanence and we risk creating damaged soil systems all over the world.
Jimmy Barrett is a work-at-home Dad who enjoys the journey of learning about Permaculture, Homesteading, Sustainability, Simplicity, and Disaster Preparedness. Please note that opinions expressed by Jimmy may not be shared by Heart 2 Heart Farms, should you have any questions please feel free to email us directly. You can always email Jimmy directly using the address jd@simplifiedoffice.us.