Articles: Checklist for Healthy Soils
There are indicators that will tell us the health of the soil. The key to healthy
and productive plants is the soil. Here are some indicators that you can use:
One. The Look, Feel, & Smell of the Soil
Healthy soil will look rich & healthy. Dark with Organic matter & Humus.
Healthy soil will feel good in your hand, crumbly & fiable. Not too loose or
too tight. Healthy soil will smell sweet, kind of like chocolate because of
microorganism activity.
Two. Earthworms
10 Earthworms or more per square foot. Without Earthworms you do not
have healthy soil, at the most you will have is an artificial growing medium
in which the plants can only live through constant chemical inputs. A
paradox, consistent use of chemicals kills Earthworms.
Three. Microbial Count
Healthy soils will have a Microbe count of 500-800 million per gram of soil.
Soils that are near sterile conditions will have a count of 4 million microbes
per gram. When you have healthy Microbe counts you have more productive
plants with less cost. Organics give you that healthy soil.
