​​​​​​​​Find answers to your question in our Knowledge Center. 600+ articles, written by our specialists.​​​​

• What is soil life?
• The importance of soil life
• How can soil life's health be determined
• Improving soil life

When the term ‘soil life’ is used, a reference towards all living organisms in the soil, is made. Micro-organisms such as bacteria, funghi and nematodes, but also macro-organisms like worms and larvae. Similar to plants, micro-organisms are depended on the nutrition in the soil, to be able to function properly. Crop remains, fertilizers and compost are used by the soil life, to feed itself.

Not only a positive effect on the crop is ensured when the soil life is healthy. Also the soil structure and fertility of the soil is improved. This because an organic balance is created by the soil life, leading to a natural balance within the soil. The following advantages can be the result: 

• Better soil structure. Passages are made by funghi and worms, ensuring the plant to ‘root in’ deeper. Thanks to this, nutrition is better available and the water is preserved in the soil;
• Destruction of dead plant material; 
• Clearance of important nutritional elements, which are essential to the crop. Examples are nitrogen and phosphorus;
• Building up and destruction of organic matter;
• Strengthening of the plant resistance.

Insight into the health of the soil life is important, since a healthy soil life comes along with several advantages for the crop. This can be determined by means of an analysis. Yearly analyses are recommended. Thanks to an analysis as such, insight is gained into the nutritional elements that are available, but also possible deficiencies and surpluses.

In addition to the soil analysis, the possibility to analyze the ‘soil’s food-web’ is also there. In such an analysis, the concentration of organic material is shown. The presence of this organic material can be stimulated by adding micro-organisms, or by making use of organic fertilizers. Like this, the effect of these products can be measured easily.

First of all, it is important to know that the exact quality of the soil life cannot be determined easily. However, signs that indicate the need for improvement can be remarked. Signs like a solid soil structure with few passages and a lack of worms in the soil.  Several things can be done in order to optimize the soil life: 

• Make sure to use organic fertilizers.
• Add some extra chalk for a fastened break down of organic matter and an augmentation in the amount of bacteria and funghi.
• Provide an optimal climate within the greenhouse. Generally, the soil life functions the best in a humid (not too humid) environment and in temperatures in between 15 and 30⁰C.
• Nevertheless, this does not apply to all organisms. Worms are most active in a temperature of 25⁰C. Try to maintain a temperature under 40⁰C, because some organisms face problems in these high temperatures.
• Add worms to the soil.
• Add funghi and bacteria to the soil.
• An optimal pH level of 6 to 7 has a positive effect on the micro organisms’ activity. 

Of course, there are also things that should be kept into consideration, since a threat to the soil life could be formed. The following factors could negatively affect the soil life and population of amongst others, worms: 

• Steaming the soil. Due to high temperatures, the majority of organisms within the soil is killed.
• Soil preparation, such as grinding kills the soil life.
• A high concentration of sodium results in a decrease of the soil life, leading to natural break down of nutritional elements. This has a negative effect on the growth of the crop.
• Avoid making use of Uv-light, hydrogen peroxide or chlorine for disinfection. Due to this, organic material and micro-organisms are broken down. 

In substrate, the diversity of the soil life is lower than in soil. Several causes for this can be named, under which a high concentration of sodium caused by the addition of fertilizers. At the start of cultivation, no organic material can be found in rock wool substrates. No organic material, means no nutrition for the soil life. However, there is a possibility for soil life in substrate. A possibility is grafting the substrate at the start of cultivation. Like this, a healthy soil life can be established from the start, with all positive effects that come along. 

Can't find your answer? Fill out the contact form and our specialist Maarten Casteleijn will get back to you. On weekdays, even within 24 hours.

How can worms improve the soil structure?
A good soil structure is very important in open field crops. To improve the soil structure, you can use worms.

What are bio stimulants?
Bio stimulants are increasingly being used to strengthen crops. These are products that have an effect on, in particular, the growth and resistance of plants.

Seaweed as fertilizer for an improved plant resistance
Seaweed or algae: they are familiar from our visits to the beach. Did you know seaweed contains loads of minerals and hormones?