If the soil we grow our food in is healthy and living, it contains all the beneficial nutrients we need, along with many other beneficial organisms.

One gram of soil contains up to 3 billion bacteria and 1 million fungi – some of which have been isolated from soils over the years to create antibiotics, antidepressants, anticancers, and antifungals. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and scientists believe soils hold the key to curing other conditions in humans, plants and animals.

That is a good reason to keep our soils alive. The use of pesticides and herbicides, along with overuse of synthetic fertilisers, is contributing to a loss of microbial and fungal life in our soils.

Keeping your soil alive to grow the most nutrient-dense food and stunning florals

Healthy soil is the secret to a thriving garden, and taking care of it doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a few easy practices, you can keep your soil alive and thriving for your plants. Here’s how:

Add Organic Matter
Compost, manure, and cover crops like clover or rye enrich the soil, improve its structure, and feed beneficial microbes. A healthy soil ecosystem is key to a thriving garden.

Pro tip: Start a compost bin—it’s an easy way to recycle kitchen scraps and feed your soil.

Mulch the Soil
Mulch helps retain moisture, suppresses weeds, and provides food for soil organisms. As it breaks down, it adds organic matter back into the soil, keeping things fresh.

Bonus: Grass clippings, leaves, and straw can also work as mulch if you’re in a pinch.

It may be tempting to rake all your autumn leaves up and throw them in the green bin, but they are organic matter that will feed your garden. Use them as a beautiful mulch on your garden beds.

Avoid Compaction
Compacted soil limits air and water flow, making it harder for plants to grow. Minimise foot traffic on your garden beds and avoid working the soil when it’s wet to keep it loose and healthy.

Use Cover Crops
Plant cover crops like rye or clover between seasons to prevent erosion and add nutrients like nitrogen to the soil. These crops protect and enrich the soil when you turn them under.

Avoid Chemicals
Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides can harm beneficial soil organisms. Stick to organic options like compost and natural pest control to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Test Your Soil
Soil tests give you a clear idea of what your soil needs in terms of nutrients and pH. It helps you make informed decisions about amendments and avoid over fertilising.

Practice Crop Rotation
Rotating crops each season helps prevent nutrient depletion and reduces the risk of pests and diseases. Try planting different types of crops in each bed for healthier soil and plants. In your vegetable garden rotate the crops you plant in each bed every season. I will dig deeper into crop rotation in my next newsletter.

Image care of Organic Gardener Magazine

Minimize Tilling
Frequent tilling disrupts soil structure and harms beneficial organisms. Try a no-till approach, adding compost or organic matter on top to maintain healthy soil.

Water Deeply
Watering deeply encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, where they can access more nutrients. Shallow watering can lead to weak, shallow roots and stressed plants.

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. By adding organic matter, avoiding chemicals, and practicing simple techniques like mulching and crop rotation, you’ll create a rich, thriving ecosystem that supports your plants all season long.

Some things I thought you might be interested in...

A weekend in Merimbula and Burragate.

My friend and I spent a delightful weekend on the stunning South Coast over the ANZAC weekend and I thought I would share the highlights with you. We ate very well.

We began in the Highlands and our first stop on the way South was at an oldie but a goodie - SOME CAFE at Collector. In the spirit of ANZAC Day we enjoyed an ANZAC slice and a pot of tea.

My favoured friend won 2 tickets to the final long lunch hosted by Sahra at The Woolshed in Burragate. This is not our first win, she truly is a good luck charm, I am the lucky one who gets to tag along with her on these fabulous adventures.

The atmosphere, the food, the excitement of escaping…it was all delightful! I look forward to following Sahra as she embarks on her next adventure.

We stayed at Hillcrest in Merimbula. A very cool, recently revived, retro motel.

For breakfast we ate at Sunny’s Kiosk where we shared the most scrumptious breakfast - the grilled zucchini & butter bean salad with spinach, garlic tahini, preserved lemon, pickled onion, currants, pine nuts, buckwheat & sumac was a standout.

There are hidden gems dotted all over this quaint seaside town renowned for its oysters. To be honest we didn’t step a foot wrong on our little culinary adventure. The coast is dotted with coffee vans and cafes overlooking the stunning coast line.

We were fortunate to snag a table for dinner at Valentina before they closed their doors forever. It was brilliant. A loss for this fabulous little town.

After dinner we snuggled into a cosy corner of Bar Superette for an aperitif. The food menu looked so promising we wished we had another night to return for dinner.

On our return drive up the coast road, we stopped at Lynch's in Narooma for lunch - I can recommend the fish pie in the surrounds of this beautiful historic pub.

Our final pit stop was Bodalla Dairy for an ice cream - you can’t go wrong choosing a flavour here.

If you are planning a South Coast holiday make sure you stop in for a night or two. It’s a little piece of coastal Australian heaven, both nostalgic and modern.