The soil is the foundation of every aspect of garden life. Without healthy soil, plants cannot root, grow or flower properly. Yet we tend to focus our attention on what happens above ground, while often knowing little about the condition of our own garden soil. This observation gave rise to the Limburg citizen science project. “Soil life”.
As part of this project, Hasselt University examined a thousand gardens across the province. This provided a clear picture of soil quality in Limburg. Each participant also received a personal garden report, which assessed aspects such as soil life, water storage capacity and nutrient availability.
The research results were presented on Sunday, 24 March 2024. They showed that the average garden soil still has considerable room for improvement. Nevertheless, the message is positive: gardeners can make a big difference themselves by being mindful of their soil and opting for sustainable soil management practices.
More information about the project and practical gardening advice based on the findings can be found at www.bodemleven.be
Publication
The Soil life study was a large-scale citizen science project that investigated soil quality in a thousand gardens across Limburg. Volunteers carried out various measurements, including the Tea Bag Index (TBI). In this method, tea bags are buried to determine the activity of soil organisms. In addition, participants placed sensors that continuously recorded the temperature and moisture content of the soil.
Each sampled area, measuring at least one square metre, had to consist of open soil in, for example, vegetable gardens, ornamental gardens or lawns. The collected soil samples were then analysed extensively. This included examining the acidity, the nutrients present and the microbial composition, using methods such as PLFA analysis (phospholipid fatty acids).