Many gardeners want to boost the biodiversity found in their garden, as a way of helping out the environment. It’s a powerful idea to think of your little patch of earth acting as a sanctuary for other life on this planet. Subscribe http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
But Jerry says when you’re thinking about biodiversity, you shouldn’t limit yourself to thinking about “things with feathers and fur”. Installing a nest box and setting up a bird bath is one thing, but what about what’s under your feet?
Scientists estimate that around half of all life on earth exists in the soil. Trillions upon trillions of bacteria, invertebrates, fungi and a myriad of other lifeforms. A single teaspoon (1 gram) of rich garden soil can hold up to one billion bacteria, kilometres of fungal filaments, several thousand protozoa, and untold scores of nematodes. It’s an entire galaxy of life, hidden just below the surface.
The base of the ecosystems happening in your soil is organic matter, material derived from living stuff; things like mulch, plant leaves, manures and compost. By adding these to your soil, you’re not only increasing the soil’s physical properties for growing plants, but you’re also providing food and habitat for this huge swathe of life to survive, thrive and flourish. No wonder we’re so mad about compost here at GA.
So why not boost the biodiversity levels of your garden by a few billion or so life forms?
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