Soil your Undies for Soil Health
Soil health is the name of the game for any landholder wanting to decrease their inputs and ensure the longevity of their land. There are no quick fixes in soil health, and all your actions on land can impact the health and fertility of your soil. Although your soil may appear a certain way, it can be tricky to fully gauge the health of your soil. So, how do you know if your soil is healthy?
Well, why not try this experiment. All you have to do is soil your undies! Try these steps:
- Purchase a pair of white 100% cotton underwear (no dyes or polyester blends).
- Dig a shallow hole, 5cm deep, but wide enough to fit the underwear.
- Cover with soil and mark the burial site with a flag, or another identifying marker.
- Leave the underwear buried for two months.
- After the two months are over, carefully dig up your underwear.
- Examine the level of decomposition.
This experiment tests the microbiology in your soil. If you find that the underwear is quite decomposed, you’ll find that you have active microorganisms in your soil - meaning that your soil is probably healthy! However, if there is little difference to the underwear, your soil may be lacking nutrients, or have very little microbial activity.
Reasons your soil may not be healthy:
- It’s lacking moisture.
- It has been over cropped or over used.
- It has very little biodiversity.
CottonInfo, who heads the Soil Your Undies experiment, recommends testing on different areas of your property at the same time to compare the differences in soil health on your property. Try testing areas that are grassy, or have been revegetated, with drier, high traffic areas to compare and contrast how pasture management affects soil health.
You can contribute to an understanding of soil health and citizen science by submitting your decomposed underwear to CottonInfo. Find out more here: https://www.cottoninfo.com.au/soil-your-undies
If you give this experiment a go, let us know what your results are. If you’re keen on learning more about enhancing your soil health, get in touch with us today by emailing admin@sqlandscapes.org.au.
Print out instructions: https://www.cottoninfo.com.au/soil-your-undies#:~:text=All%20you%20need%20to%20do,activity%2C%20which%20indicates%20healthy%20soil.
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