Everyday Blog

Soil is just one of those things that for some is extremely dull and for others, like gardeners, is quite exciting. For those that get excited by soil, here are five things you may not already know.

One: It is a known fact that an estimated 25 per cent of all the world’s soil is being degraded through intensive agricultural practices such as tilling and poor crop rotation.

Secondly, about 10 tonnes of living organisms can be found in 1 acre of soil.

Three: Roughly ten per cent of all the land in the world is used for plant growth to generate food for people and their cattle.

Fourthly, It’s incredible to think that plants’ roots search through the soil to find new areas of moisture at a rate of one half an inch per day.

5. During the period of a year, earthworms can eat, digest and recycle an astonishing thirty-six tons of soil which helps make it more rich.

6. At least 1 million earthworms could possibly be found in just one acre of rich grass land – although counting them might be a problem.

7. Just 1 spadeful of soil could contain more species of living things than the Amazon rain forest contains in total above ground.

Eight: Animals that hide seeds and nuts in soil such as squirrels, are contributing to the soils richness because they decompose over time releasing nutrients and fibrous material..

9. If one was to count all of the people in the entire world, there would still be more clay particles in one handful of clay.

10. Soil usually contains minerals at forty-five per cent , air at twenty-five per cent, water at twenty-five per cent and organic matter at twenty-five per cent.

Of course, there are many other fascinating facts about soil that you can learn. However, most people don’t have that much spare time to learn about soil, and so this list points out the most interesting.