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By The Land Gardeners
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld established The Land Gardeners to research soil and plant health through growing, cutting and designing. They are globally renowned for their Constance Spry inspired arrangements of loose, blousy homegrown flowers and stunning organic gardens all founded on healthy soil. In Soil to Table, Elworthy and Courtauld explore the many ways that gentle, honest food can bring people together. As climate warriors, they have extended their research on soils and compost to farmers and growers offering a regenerative solutions for soil health.
By The Land Gardeners
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld established The Land Gardeners to research soil and plant health through growing, cutting and designing. They are globally renowned for their Constance Spry inspired arrangements of loose, blousy homegrown flowers and stunning organic gardens all founded on healthy soil. In Soil to Table, Elworthy and Courtauld explore the many ways that gentle, honest food can bring people together. As climate warriors, they have extended their research on soils and compost to farmers and growers offering a regenerative solutions for soil health.
By The Land Gardeners
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld established The Land Gardeners to research soil and plant health through growing, cutting and designing. They are globally renowned for their Constance Spry inspired arrangements of loose, blousy homegrown flowers and stunning organic gardens all founded on healthy soil. In Soil to Table, Elworthy and Courtauld explore the many ways that gentle, honest food can bring people together. As climate warriors, they have extended their research on soils and compost to farmers and growers offering a regenerative solutions for soil health.
By The Land Gardeners
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Somerset House presents SOIL: The World at Our Feet, a landmark exhibition unearthing the wonder of soil, its unbreakable bond to all life, and the vital role it plays in our planet’s future.
SOIL is co-curated by The Land Gardeners, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy; curator and writer May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House:
“We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. With this exhibition, Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life.
Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Focussing on the inter-connection of soil and all life – SOIL brings together a range of stories and responses from a group of global artists, writers and scientists. Combining sensory artworks, historical objects, scientific artefacts and documentary evidence, it sets out to inspire and educate visitors about the power and the fragility of soil, its fundamental role in human civilisation, and its remarkable potential to heal our planet. As the home of cultural innovators, this exhibition exemplifies Somerset House's role in promoting creative solutions to the biggest issues of our time, connecting creativity and the arts with wider society.
Featuring over 50 works in a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams, Something & Son, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés and Vivien Sansour, this multifaceted exhibition will transport audiences on an uplifting journey across many landscapes, digging beneath the surface. Across three thematic sections, Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope - the story of SOIL will be one of humanity, providing a record of the transformational marks that geopolitical, economic and social histories leave on the skin of our planet. Each theme presents a powerful and thought-provoking interpretation, conveying feelings of movement, growth, emergence and life. Social and environmental cues are also poignantly recounted in the exhibition, through works by artists such as Jackie Summell, Annalee Davis, Eve Tagny and Fernando Laposse.
How to Test Your Soils
There are various simple tests you can do in your garden or on your farm to test the health of your soil. Nicole Masters and Abby Rose from Soilmentor have collaborated to make easy-to-use benchmarks for testing soils in their Soilmentor Regen Platform, describing easy tests you can do yourself and helping you record them over time to monitor how your soil is progressing. These are a few that we practise regularly:
EARTHWORM COUNT TEST
Count earthworms in early autumn or late spring. Dig a hole of 20 x 20 x 20cm. Place dug up soil on a tray. Count the number of earthworms you have and try to identify if they are leaf-litter, top-soil of deep earthworms (Soilmentor has identification photos).
Put all your earthworms back into the hole. Regularly redo these tests over time to see if the number of earthworms increase.
SLAKE TEST
Spade
Small bags to carry soil samples and a marker pen for labelling bags
Sieve, cold water and a stopwatch
Put your spade in the ground to a depth of 20cm and dig up soil. Gently break it apart to find a fist-size sample of soil and place inside a bag. Then select 1-3mm sized lumps of soil from the bag and leave them to dry overnight (or for longer if they are very wet as they must be completely dry before testing). When dry, place the pieces of soil on the sieve and fully immerse into the water until it reaches the lip of the sieve. Start timer for 5 minutes and observe. Take photos for your records. The behaviour of the soil will give you an indication of how healthy your soil is:
Poor: If the soil dissolves into single grains, the lump collapses completely or if the water is cloudy.
Better: If the soil breaks into angular pieces or stays mainly intact with slight crumbly edges.
Best: If the lump stays intact and the water is clear this indicates that your soil is humifying and is resistant to erosion.
RHIZOSHEATH TEST
Dig out a spade of soil beneath plants (20cm x 20cm). Break soil away from roots lightly and shake gently so any loose soil falls away. Observe if the soil stays attached to the roots. If your soil is in good condition the coatings of soil particles will cling to the plant roots, making them brown instead of white. This shows there is biological/microbial activity in the root zone (rhizosphere) where the soil particles (rhizosheaths) are bound to the roots by biotic glues, secreted by micro-organisms. The soil is aggregating and indicates good soil structure. Note that brassicas, alliums, and asparagus do not form rhizosheaths.
BRIX
Refractometer, Garlic crusher, Dry cloth or kitchen roll
Brix measures the light refracting through dissolved sugars which gives an indication of the nutrient density levels of a plant based on the presence of a diversity of simple and complex sugars in the sap.
Pick a few leaves from a plant and squash them into a garlic crusher. Hold the refractometer in one hand, flip back the plastic flap to expose the glass face. Squeeze one drop of juice from the garlic crusher onto the glass. Then drop the plastic flap on top of the drop of juice so it spreads across the screen. Hold the refractometer up to the sky and look into the lens. Record the number on the scale where the line changes from light blue below to dark blue above and observe how fuzzy the line is. Clean and dry the glass screen and the garlic crusher. You are aiming for a brix score of over 12 and a fuzzy (not clean, sharp) line. This means you have a nutrient and mineral dense plant with a longer shelf life. Brix scores are particularly useful as a comparison of the nutrients in your plants over time. If you are taking comparison brix tests always take them at the same time of day.
ALBRECHT TEST
For those who want a more in-depth knowledge of your soil we recommend an Albrecht test which needs to be carried out in a laboratory. Developed by William Albrecht at Missouri University in the 1930s, this test places great emphasis on the development of soil biological activity and improving the availability of nutrients. It is underpinned by the idea that the ratio or balance of nutrients is essential to proper plant nutrition.
T
TEAS TO HEAL YOUR SOIL AND PLANTS
With all these teas it is best to use unchlorinated water as chlorine harms the microbes. Either collect rainwater or leave a bucket of tap water outside overnight for the chlorine to evaporate or attach a water filter to your hose. Use teas straight away on a dull day or in the early morning or the evening to avoid bright sunshine as the UV light can kill the microbes. Spray on to the leaves and around the base of the plant using a watering can.
COMPOST TEAS
Without a Compost Tea Maker
A handful of Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost
5 to 7 litres water
Watering can
Place compost into a watering can of water and ‘dynamise’ or stir so you create a vortex in the middle until the compost is mostly dissolved. The microbes are aerobic so by stirring this way you incorporate air into the process.
With a Compost Tea Maker
1.5 litres Climate Compost inoculum or similar microbial compost and muslin bag
Compost tea maker (we use a 40L Growing Solutions compost tea maker- see Resources)
40 litres water
Catalyst (food for microbes) (we use Growing Solutions catalyst or a cup of seaweed)
Fill the tea maker with water and catalyst. Place the muslin bag of compost into the basket. Brew for 24 hours.
Dilute 1:1 with water in a watering can.
NUTRIENT BOOSTING TEAS
We regularly use comfrey, nettle, and weeds for nutrient boosting teas. Follow the same recipe for each tea see below.
Comfrey Tea
Comfrey leaves (Bocking 14 variety). This is wonderful for all garden plants, especially for fruiting crops like cucumbers and tomatoes as it is rich in potash and trace elements, such as boron, which these plants need to flower and set fruit. Use in conjunction with nettle tea as well!
Nettle Tea
This nutrient dense plant is good for plants and people–full of iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Use for a nutrient boost or when plants are stressed from hot or cold weather or to stop leaves yellowing with chlorosis.
Weed Tea
Diverse selection of weeds including roots, stems, and leaves. Gather weeds after clearing beds, the more varieties the better, to add diverse nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
An old pillowcase or muslin bag
A large container of water
Leaves and stems of each plant–ideally when just about to flower as this is when they are most nutrient dense.
Place muslin bag of leaves into a bucket of water and leave for 3 weeks. Dilute approximately 1 part tea to 7 parts water in a watering can (it should be the colour of a weak cup of tea) and water onto your plants.
TEAS FOR HEALING FUNGAL ATTACK AND POWDERY MILDEW
Garlic Tea
3 to 4 garlic cloves
1 to 2 litres water
Sieve or muslin
Soak chopped garlic in cold water for 2 days. Strain in a sieve or muslin and spray onto grey mould on plants (Botrytis) without diluting.
Yarrow Tea to Discourage Mildew
50g yarrow flowers
5 litres water
Sieve or muslin
These sulphur-rich flowers discourage fungal infections and powdery mildew in ornamentals like roses and peonies. Add flowers to water and bring to the boil. Strain and dilute 1 cup in a watering can of water and apply. You can also add nettle tea to this if you
want to control insects.
Mint Tea to discourage Pests
100g Mint leaves
1 litre water
Mint tea is useful for repelling pests and will deter flying insects such as aphids, whitefly and grape worm.
Soak leaves in tepid water outside for 3 to 4 days. Dilute 1 part tea to 4 parts water and apply with a watering can.
Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld established The Land Gardeners to research soil and plant health through growing, cutting and designing. They are globally renowned for their Constance Spry inspired arrangements of loose, blousy homegrown flowers and stunning organic gardens all founded on healthy soil. In Soil to Table, Elworthy and Courtauld explore the many ways that gentle, honest food can bring people together. As climate warriors, they have extended their research on soils and compost to farmers and growers offering a regenerative solutions for soil health.