Soil improvement refers to a variety of techniques and practices used to improve the quality and fertility of soils in agriculture, horticulture and landscaping. Healthy and fertile soil forms the basis for successful crop production and contributes to sustainable land use.

Aims of soil improvement:

1. Increasing fertility: one of the main objectives of soil improvement is to increase soil fertility. This is often achieved by enriching the soil with important nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
2. Improving the soil structure: Optimizing the soil structure is crucial to increase the permeability of the soil for water and air. This promotes root growth and gives plants better access to nutrients.
3. Increasing water retention capacity: Soil improvement measures often aim to improve the soil’s ability to retain water. This can be crucial during dry periods
and helps to reduce irrigation requirements.

Soil improvement techniques:

1. Composting: adding compost is a proven method of improving soil structure and enriching it with organic matter that plants need.
2. Fertilization: The targeted application of fertilizers provides the soil with the necessary nutrients to promote plant growth.
3. Mulching: Covering the soil with organic materials such as straw or bark mulch reduces evaporation, suppresses weed growth and improves soil structure.
4. Crop rotation: By growing different types of plants in successive seasons, the soil can benefit from the different nutrient requirements of the plants and the leaching of certain nutrients can be prevented.
5. Green manuring: Planting special plants, such as clover or alfalfa, which are later worked into the soil, improves the soil structure and increases the organic matter content.
6. pH value adjustment: If necessary, the pH value of the soil can be regulated by adding lime or sulphur to create optimum conditions for plant growth.
Soil improvement is a key element of sustainable agriculture and organic horticulture. It helps to increase yields, minimize environmental impact and maintain the long-term health of the soil. Overall, soil improvement is of great importance to meet the food and resource needs of a growing world population while protecting the environment.