Tips To Improve Soil Health All Year Round

By Published On: November 29, 2019Categories: Autumn, Farming, Smallholding, Spring, Summer, Winter

We all know how important soil health is for crops and farms, here we are looking at ways you can improve yours season by season!

Spring:

  • Aeration of grass land soil can help improve soil drainage.
  • Having multiple gateways for cow tracks will help reduce soil compaction.
  • Spreading slurry and farmyard manure lessens the requirement for artificial fertilisers, it also encourages earthworms.

Summer:

  • Hedging helps act as a barrier to help reduce wind erosion.
  • Reduction in tyre pressures reduces soil compaction.
  • Harvesting at the correct time helps to increase soils organic matter for the next crop.

Autumn:

  • Direct drilling of winter crops following harvest using a minimum tillage method will create fewer soil disturbances and increases organic matter in the top of the soil.
  • Cover your crops to help improve soil structure and filtration.

Winter:

  • Buffer strips on field margins act as a wind barrier to help reduce wind erosion.
  • Keeping livestock inside over winter helps reduce soil erosion and poaching in wetter months.