Just as plants need soil, soil needs plants: bare earth, they say, is bad earth

29 January 2026, The Tablet

Coming up roses – adventures in sustainable gardening

One of the golden rules of permaculture – an approach to growing food that mimics the natural interactions of environment, ­climate, plants and animals – is always to keep your soil covered. Bare earth, they say, is bad earth. It’s a philosophy just as useful to anyone who gardens for pleasure.

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