Healthy gardens always start below the surface. Soil Foundations is where we explain how soil actually works — in plain language, without unnecessary jargon.
In this section, you’ll learn about the main soil types found in UK gardens, how soil structure affects roots, why soil pH matters, and how water, air, and organic matter interact underground. We also explore the living side of soil — worms, microbes, and fungi — and why they are essential for long-term plant health.
Whether your garden soil is heavy clay, free-draining sand, or something in between, understanding these basics helps you make better decisions and avoid common mistakes. Everything else on SoilCare builds on the knowledge shared here.
Excessive digging is one of the most common mistakes gardeners make, often with good intentions. While turning the soil seems productive, it can severely disrupt the delicate ecosystem living beneath the surface. Soil is not just dirt — it’s a living system of organisms, fungi, bacteria, and organic matter that work together to support plant…
Earthworms are often noticed only when digging a bed or turning compost. Yet their presence — or absence — reveals more about soil health than almost any test kit. Long before gardeners understood soil science, earthworms were quietly shaping fertile ground beneath crops, orchards, and meadows. Healthy soil almost always contains earthworms. Poor soil rarely…
Healthy gardens are not built by feeding plants alone. They are built by feeding the soil. At the heart of every productive garden lies living soil — soil that contains a rich community of organisms working together below ground. Living soil supports stronger roots, steadier growth, better water use, and natural resistance to stress. Plants…
Understand how soils lacking biological life struggle to nourish strong roots and healthy plants, and how gardeners can restore life beneath the surface. Soil isn’t just a physical medium that holds plants upright — it’s a living ecosystem full of microbes, fungi, micro‑arthropods and other organisms that keep nutrients cycling, structure stable and plant growth…
Soil pH is often treated as a fixed number, something measured once and then forgotten. In reality, soil pH shifts subtly through the year, influenced by rainfall, temperature, biological activity, and plant growth. In the UK, where seasons are distinct and rainfall patterns change significantly, these small movements in acidity and alkalinity can affect nutrient…
Soil pH is often treated as something fixed, a number that stays put unless a gardener deliberately changes it. In reality, soil pH is dynamic. Even in undisturbed ground, natural processes are constantly nudging soil chemistry in one direction or another. Understanding these slow shifts helps gardeners avoid unnecessary corrections and work with soil rather…
Soil testing is one of the most useful steps a gardener can take, yet it is often misunderstood. Many people test their soil, glance at the numbers, apply a few amendments, and hope for the best. When results do not improve, soil testing gets blamed rather than the interpretation. A soil test is not a…
Soil pH is one of the silent influencers in your garden. It governs nutrient availability, microbial activity, and how well plants can grow. Most gardeners only notice pH issues when plants show visible stress, but by then growth, flowering, or yields may already be affected. Early recognition of soil pH imbalance allows for corrective action…
Soil conditions vary, and plants respond differently depending on whether the ground is acidic or alkaline. Understanding how your soil behaves is the first step to helping plants reach their full potential. Soil is alive, full of microbes, organic matter, and chemical processes that quietly shape growth. One of the most influential factors is pH—a…
For most gardeners, soil is just “dirt” underfoot—a medium for plants to anchor, water to soak in, and fertilisers to feed. Yet beneath the surface lies a complex, living system, and one of the key factors that determines its productivity is soil pH. This measure of acidity or alkalinity influences nutrient availability, microbial life, and…