What is soil – Microbz Soil

Microbz Soil

Soil structure

What is soil

Soil forms over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Soil is incredibly precious and human activity is destroying it at a faster rate than it is being re-formed. We are passionate about protecting soils and working with nature to encourage the restoration of damaged soil.

Why is soil structure important

A healthy soil structure is vital to allow the soil food web to flourish. Both of these impact the quality and quantity of plants above ground and the crops we consume. Root structure is a vital component in this healthy system. A well established network of roots has a multitude of benefits including stability against erosion and increasing the plants’ ability to uptake nutrients and water.

Modern activities have greatly affected soil structure. Traffic from vehicles, humans and animals creates compaction which means it is harder for roots to move through the soil and creates anaerobic conditions where roots cannot grow. 

Applying beneficial microbes to soil encourages the regeneration of this desired structure.

Soil organic matter 

Soil organic matter is all of the organic substance, or anything containing carbon, in the soil, both dead and alive. The living components are the microorganisms and the dead components are the plant and animal residue. The very dead component is made up of humus which is organic matter that has decomposed. A wide variety of soil organic matter provides plants with a balanced and nutritious diet, helping them to grow and be strong. 

Soil structure 

The layers of soil describe its history. If you were to dig a hole in the ground, you would notice various layers of soil types that are beneath our feet.

This cross-section in the soil is called a soil profile. It is made up of layers running parallel to the surface, called soil horizons. Each horizon can be very or slightly different to the layer above or below it but each one has a vital part to play in the soil ecosystem. Most soils have three major horizons; Horizon A, B and C. There is also Horizon O, E and R. These horizons increase in age the deeper you go.

The image below shows an example of the soil horizons.