Suelo Vivo
Soil regeneration
Healthy soil is the foundation of a resilient finca. It stores the rain that falls, feeds plants without heavy inputs and protects the slope from erosion.
Why start with the soil
In a Mediterranean climate, soil is under pressure: intense summer heat, long dry periods, heavy autumn rain and often decades of tillage or bare ground. Organic matter is lost, structure breaks down, and the soil can neither absorb water nor hold it.
Rebuilding the soil is slow but cumulative work. Each improvement in organic matter and structure means more water stored, more biological activity and plants that cope better with dry months. It also makes almost every other measure on the finca more effective.
What we work on
- Soil assessment Structure, texture, depth, compaction, infiltration and signs of soil life, observed in the field.
- Organic matter and structure How to build up the carbon and crumb structure that hold water and air.
- Compost and mulch Using what the finca produces — prunings, green waste, manure — to feed and cover the soil.
- Soil biology Supporting fungi, bacteria and soil fauna, which make nutrients available to plants.
- Water retention Covered, living soil that soaks up rain and keeps moisture longer into the summer.
- Reducing erosion Ground cover, roots and contour planting that keep soil on the slope.
- Ecological nutrient management Feeding the soil with local, low-cost resources instead of relying on bought inputs.
- Locally adapted practices Methods chosen for your soil type, slope, water and the time you can give.
Suelo Vivo as a course
Soil regeneration is also a practical workshop topic: how to read your soil, make good compost, use mulch well and prepare simple homemade fertilisers from local materials. Courses can take place on your finca or in small groups.
Is your soil holding you back?
Describe what you see — hard ground, poor growth, erosion — and I will suggest where to begin.