Discover practical information on soil management and links to soils research and knowledge exchange activity. Whether you need an introduction to soil biology or a detailed guide to improving field drainage, we have information and guidance to support you.

GREATsoils: Helping you protect your soil and improve its productivity.

The soil health scorecard

The soil health scorecard provides a framework to monitor soil health on a rotational basis.

The Excel-based tool uses soil analysis results for core soil health indicators and compares them to typical ranges for UK soil types and climate regions (benchmarks).

A completed scorecard automatically produces a 'traffic-light' snapshot of soil health to guide your management decisions.

Access the soil health scorecard

Soil assessments

To farm sustainably, you need to understand a soil’s physical structure as well as its nutrient and biological status.

A simple set of routine assessments will help you understand your soils better, and identify where improvements can be made.

Find out more about the soil assessments

Soil biology

Find out about different groups of soil organisms and their roles in nutrient cycling, stabilising soil structure, water infiltration and interactions with plant roots. 

Learn more about soil biology

Principles of soil management

Although soil type cannot be easily changed, knowing which soil type is present helps determine how to manage the soil to optimise its structure, water relations and nutrient supply.

Read more about the principles of soil management

Know your soils events (autumn 2024)

In October and November we are running three events with Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) that examine how to integrate soil biology, physics and chemistry as part of the soil health scorecard.

Find out more and book your place

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