Online how-to guides on improving soil health are among a toolkit of resources now available to growers as the Soil Association’s three-year involvement in the GREATsoils project comes to an end.
More than 750 growers have attended events as part of the soil health project, which began in 2015, in partnership with the Organic Research Centre and Earthcare Technical.
Designed to support growers to assess and manage the health of their soils, the programme was funded by the AHDB, and the organisation is now looking to develop new partnership projects to plug further knowledge gaps.
The online resources now available include videos, downloadable fact sheets, case studies and online webinars, all of which were gathered at field trials, field labs and workshops to test soil health.
The toolkit also includes demonstrations on methods of taking and testing soil samples, collecting data, and the various methods of improving soil systems.
Ben Raskin, head of horticulture at the Soil Association, said: “The Soil Association has had three fantastic years working with growers to investigate the effectiveness of various ways of testing and improving soil with the GREATsoils project.
“It has provided a platform for growers to come together in a unique way to network and share their knowledge on soil health, no matter what their system or size.
“We are celebrating the end of our involvement in this programme, which is continuing with AHDB, by sharing some brilliant online how-to guides, available for free on our website and based on growers’ experience.”
Audrey Litterick, of Earthcare Technical, added: “These online guides draw on the expert knowledge that has been shared between the many growers, farmers and advisors who have been involved in the 56 events of this project and are an excellent resource for all types of growers.”
The online resources are available through the Soil Association’s website and the AHBD website.
