Unsubsidised

Aimed at farmers and advisors, this 5 hour online course will familiarise you with the soil environment on-farm. Learners will explore soil functions, soil health and simple ecological considerations, alongside practical approaches to sampling and assessment. By the end of the course, you will be better able to understand soils and identify realistic actions to improve management and productivity.

Course Description

Content:

• Soil types and texture
  • A quick baseline (what are you growing and what do you need from the soil?)
  • What’s your biggest soil challenge right now?
• Soils for agriculture and horticulture
  • Soil structure and tilth: why roots care
  • Water in soils: infiltration, drainage and water holding capacity
  • Nutrients and fertility: how soils supply (and lose) nutrients
  • Constraints and risks: compaction, erosion, salinity, acidity/alkalinity
  • Match soil constraints to crop/plant symptoms
  • One practical improvement you could test
• Fundamental soil functions and roles
  • Soil as a habitat
  • Core soil functions: production, water regulation, nutrient cycling, carbon storage
  • Soil organic matter: what it does and how it changes
  • Soil health: what we mean, and what we can measure
  • Build your “soil function checklist” (what good looks like for your land use)
• Soil sampling 
  • Why sample?
  • Designing a sampling plan
  • How to take a good sample
  • Handling and sending samples: lab vs field tests
  • Draft a sampling plan for your farm, garden or site (template)
  • Common sampling mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• Soil assessment and ecological considerations 
  • What to measure: pH, P/K/Mg, organic matter, texture, structure
  • Simple field assessments: spade test, aggregate stability, earthworms
  • Reading results: thresholds, trends and “what next?”
  • Ecological soils: biodiversity, mycorrhizae, and soil as an ecosystem
  • Soil in the wider landscape: water quality, habitats, climate resilience
  • Create a mini soil action plan