Soil life

When the micro-organisms in the soil are both numerous and diverse, we speak of a healthy soil life. Healthy soil life provides all kinds of important ecosystem services. For example, it ensures a good soil structure and water storage, provides essential plant-absorbable nutrients and increases the resistance of plants to diseases and pests. It also builds up organic matter, stores carbon and generates a high-quality yield. In practice, this means less work and lower costs for the farmer, horticulturist, greenkeeper and manager.

A healthy soil life ensures:

• A better soil structure and water storage
• Healthy and resilient plants
• A high-quality yield
• Better soil fertility

The vast majority of soil organisms are beneficial to plants. Indeed, without them plants would not survive. Only a very small percentage of soil organisms are unfavourable. These are the pathogens and parasitic organisms. In a healthy soil, the soil organisms form a complex ecosystem. The many beneficial organisms together keep the unfavourable organisms in check through competition and predation. This reduces our dependence on crop protection agents. A healthy soil life therefore facilitates the transition to sustainable farming.