Soil

Soil

Garden Clippings for June 20, 2026

Ask a 10-year-old student what is it that plants need to grow, and they will reply with sunshine and water. Correct.

Tell the same student that plants also need soil, and they won’t disagree. Ask them why plants need soil and you will get a startled, puzzling look. Tell the student that soil’s main job is to hold the plant up and they will begin to understand. After all, if plants were growing in a bathtub, they would surely fall over.

Soil is one of nature’s most neglected mysteries. Back in the late 70’s when attending Michigan State University, my least enjoyable classes were Soil Sciences 1 and 2, taught by Professor Ronald Spangler. Soil Science was mundane, almost meaningless, and the class was a necessary evil.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have paid more attention. And if Ron Spangler was still alive today, he would no doubt agree.

In the past few decades researchers have made great strides in understanding the health and value of soil. Yet there is general agreement that there is more information about soil that we don’t know than what we do know.

Our respect for soil begins with the understanding that soil is a vital living system that sustains plant and animals. As occupiers of this earth, we need to recognize the importance of healthy soil to clean up our air and water, and improve our environment. Healthy soil plays a huge role in sequestering carbon and mitigating climate change.

A shovelful of soil contains more living organisms than most of us can imagine. These organisms will include expected animals such as earthworms and beetles, but also algae, nematodes, bacteria, fungus and plant roots. And like the circle of life above the earth’s crust, the organisms in soil die and decay to create more organic matter that contains nutrients to feed biological activity above and below.

Farmers know that without good management, soil health can deteriorate. Bare soils, continuous tilling, overgrazing and improper pesticide application contribute to soil’s demise. Crop rotation and the use of cover crops to return organic matter to the soil contributes to improved biological activity in soil.

Bulldozers do soils no favour. When soil is pushed away to make room for new homes, roads and parking lots, most of the microbial activity is destroyed. The issue is

compounded when soil is loaded on a truck and stockpiled to be used on another site at a later date.

In December 2019, the Government of Ontario introduced a regulation titled “On-site Excess Soil Management” to ensure excavated soil from development sites is handled responsibly. A few months after the regulation was introduced, the pandemic hit, derailing the regulation’s implementation and enforcement. It is also believed that because our current government is softening its stand on the environment while encouraging development, the regulation may quietly take a back seat.