How to help soil hold more water

To keep your soil moist, start by adding organic matter like compost or dried leaves. This improves the soil’s ability to hold water, almost like a sponge. When you mix organic material into the soil, it helps the soil stay moist longer, giving your plants a better chance to take up the water they need.

Another helpful method is to cover the soil with mulch. Mulch can be anything like straw, dried grass, or old crop leaves. When you spread mulch on top of the soil, it helps to keep the soil moist because it stops the water from drying up and disappearing into the air. It also keeps the soil cool and protects it from the sun. This is very useful during dry times or when the rain is not enough.

You can also plant cover crops. Cover crops, like grasses or legumes, grow on the soil when you’re not growing your main crops. They help keep the soil moist by slowing down the flow of rainwater and stopping it from running off. Cover crops also add organic matter to the soil, making it even better at holding water.

In areas where it rains a lot at once, using no-tillage farming can help. Instead of digging up the soil, you leave crop residues on top. The old leaves and stalks act as a cover, helping the rainwater soak into the soil slowly. They stop the water from drying up and disappearing into the air and keep the soil moist for longer.

Sources

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