Measure before you manage this World Soil Day!
This World Soil Day, we’re inviting you to consider the world beneath your feet - responsible for over 95% of our food production! Healthy soil underpins healthy ecosystems and boosts productivity, and our message is simple – measure before you manage.
Soil Extension Officer, Bonnie Armour, explains why early testing is pivotal to good soil management.
“When it comes to improving the health of your soils, testing is an essential first step.”
“Knowing what toxicities or deficiencies exist in the soil helps you make informed decisions. Measuring before you manage is vital in saving time and money.”
Soil testing can be as simple as a do-it-yourself test kit, available from garden and agricultural supply stores, or as extensive as laboratory testing. Other indicators like ground cover, weed species and hydration can hint at certain soil profiles. There are also various ribbon and texture tests to try, you may even want to ‘soil your undies’ - that’s right - bury an old pair of cotton undies and dig them up eight weeks later to check for microbial activity against an industry approved scorecard!
‘We’re also offering free soil tests to eligible properties at the moment - so it’s worth checking that out - but getting your hands dirty and doing it yourself is fun and simple to do as well.
“The Knowing Your Soils Ute Guide is a brilliant resource for simple yet effective soil testing methods, and it can be found on our new ‘soil testing’ webpage alongside how-to videos and further information on understanding your particular soil profile.”
“World Soil Day is an ideal time to spread the message that learning more about your patch of earth is a worthwhile pursuit for any landholder,” said Ms Armour.
Useful guides
Video series
