We may take the soil for granted, but it’s actually an amazing world teaming with creatures that help trees and other plants thrive. These organisms clean the soil, make nutrients, and create good soil structure that holds the roots that support our trees.

One of the best things we can do to promote this life is to mulch around our trees and shrubs. So what exactly lives down there? Everyone knows about earthworms that recycle the soil and tunnel through it. When you dig down, you can see other beneficial critters, such as cicadas and beetles. They shred dead plants, eat other organisms, burrow in the soil and stimulate microbial activity.

The microbes, which include bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes, also play important roles in the food web, including suppressing diseases, making soil stick to itself and storing nutrients. While they are invisible to our eyes, their fascinating forms inspire science fiction creatures we see in movies, video games and comic books.

Mulching is one way to enrich urban soil. But the soils of our cities and towns have other problems, including compaction and water retention. The Morton Arboretum is leading the way in researching tree root development in urban soil. Dr. Gary Watson, Head of Research at the Arboretum, is one of the top researchers in the world in this field.

The Morton Arboretum is a conduit for this knowledge to reach landscapers, arborists and other professionals. As a result, professionals working on your home landscape, our parks and other urban spaces are using cutting edge methods. It’s one of the many ways the Arboretum serves as a resource for our community and makes the world greener, healthier and more beautiful.

Questions for you:

1. Whether you live in a new housing development, established town or center of a big city, urban soils are usually of poor quality. What do you do to nourish your soil? Share your experiences and best practices with us!

2. What do you do when you are digging in the soil and come across a worm, beetle or other critter? Which of these 4 types best describes you?

A. Screamer – they gross me out, but I leave them alone.
B. Squasher – they gross me out, and I kill them.
C. Scientist – they fascinate me, and I try to learn about them on the internet and books.
D. Nurturer – I do everything I can to help them thrive.

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