Permaculture Soil: Boost Health with the Food Web

This article explains the importance of the soil food web in permaculture, describing how a diverse community of microorganisms and soil fauna contribute to soil fertility and plant health. It advocates building a closed-loop soil fertility system using compost, cover crops, and organic amendments to feed and sustain soil life. The article details the balance of materials needed for effective composting—one-third manure, one-third high-carbon 'browns,' and one-third fresh greens—and suggests adding food scraps and nitrogen-rich activators like alfalfa meal or blood meal to enhance microbial activity. It also discusses how mixing compost with sharp river sand can create a nutrient-rich potting mix suitable for various seed sizes. The piece highlights that increasing soil biodiversity through these methods improves soil structure, nutrient cycling, and resilience against pests and diseases.