Anja Murray: Don't treat living soil like dirt

The degradation of soils in Ireland and across the world is a key threat to food security. Here, the key threats to soil quality are loss of soil organic matter, erosion, compaction and contamination

Worms and other soil insects and microbes are the unsung heroes of the garden, turning garden waste and plant debris into valuable, nutrient-rich soil for our plants

Healthy soil is bustling with life. At this time of year, when many plants are dying back and leaves are falling to the ground, nature’s focus shifts to all that is going on underground. 

There, a community of micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae along with soil animals such as protozoa, nematodes, mites, springtails, spiders, insects, and earthworms are busily breaking down dead plant matter and recycling nutrients to maintain soil fertility. This hidden world of living organisms is what buffers soil against the winter weather and creates the conditions for a new cycle of growth next spring.