The Life Beneath Our Feet

Tiny sprouts peek through the soil surface. | Mary Sirgo

By Mary Sirgo

In Umeå, Sweden, a team of researchers examined how organic matter breaks down during cold seasons, particularly when snow cover is reduced. The researchers removed snow from plots of land to simulate the predictions of their region’s trending weather forecasts. While the results of their study were not surprising, the scale was. The removal of the snow cover made the soil much colder and drastically reduced the number of decomposer organisms living there (by about 99%) and the soil’s overall respiration activity (by nearly half). Interestingly, leaf litter decomposition was virtually unaffected, and the organic material continued to break down.

Although the climate of the Permian Basin region varies widely from the cold environment of Umeå, Sweden, there are universal principles regarding soil health and decomposer activity. Particularly, in cooler weather, decomposers and soil microbes slow down, and may even go dormant, but they shouldn’t disappear entirely. Decomposers like bacteria, fungi, and worms play a crucial role in cycling nutrients, even in the fall and winter. Their presence often indicates nutrient-rich, well-aerated soil, and their absence should be given our attention.

What can we, as gardeners, do to ensure our soil and the life it hosts thrives?

As evidenced by the team of researchers in Sweden, a little bit of leaf litter goes a long way. While many of us choose to rake up our leaves, as dictated by modern landscaping standards, leaving them where they are can be very beneficial to your plants and urban wildlife. If this doesn’t appeal to you, consider a middle-of-the-road approach—rake the leaf litter up from your lawn area, then distribute it into your garden beds. Your plants will thank you as the organic material breaks down and improves the soil, and the beautiful insects and pollinators of our region will thank you as well.

The holidays are a time to gather in gratitude, and as we feed our friends and family, we can also feed our soil. Save your vegetable scraps and cardboard packaging to toss into your compost pile. The work you do now will ensure you have rich, nutrient-dense compost for your garden beds come spring. My favorite tip for composting is to collect your scraps in a container in your freezer during the week to add to your compost pile—this helps cut down on trips back and forth and keeps your scraps from going bad on the counter.

When was the last time you had your soil tested? 5 years? 10 years? Never? Across the nation, Extension Offices recommend testing mature landscapes every 3-5 years. Fall and winter are great times to pick up a kit from your local extension office and send off a sample. This way, you can be prepared to make any necessary amendments before the active growth seasons in spring and summer. Take advantage of the lapse in routine maintenance and use the downtime to focus on what’s going on below the surface.

So much of what sustains life happens quietly, beneath our feet. By protecting and nurturing our soil through the cooler months, we not only support our gardens but also the web of life that depends on them. Each small act, composting, testing, or simply leaving the leaves, is a contribution to a healthier, more connected world.

If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and access to past articles, can be found at westtexasgardening.org under “Resources”.