Studies show that the important nutrients needed by the plant in the soil have already been washed out into the seas due to oil erosion caused by deforestation.  Pollution due to improper disposal of toxic waste from factories further aggravate the problem.

Chemical fertilizers are helpful only to an extent.  The ill effects on the soil is irreparable despite the fact that their immediate effect on the plant is that it is forced to bloom and bear fruit.  The use of harmful chemical fertilizers to hasten the production has worsened.  Man seems to be in a hurry to kill Mother Earth.  To save the earth from dying, we must all exert effort to rehabilitate the soil.  It is easy to rehabilitate the soil.

Simple way to rehabilitate the soil.

One simply way is to dig a compost pit.  The hole must be one and a half meters deep and one meter long and wide.  Vegetable and fruit peel and other biodegradable waste from the kitchen, fish entrails, animal manure, dried leaves etc. can be thrown gradually into the pit.  Top it with a thin layer of soil and ash after several inches of organic waste is piled.  To hasten the decomposition, sprinkle a small amount of urea.  According to a botanist urea contains nitrogen, which helps in the growth of beneficial bacteria needed for the decomposition  of organic matter.  To lower the acidity of the soil, the ash is necessary to exist in the mixture.  Everyday a layers and layers of the mixture pile up, the decomposition begins. To spread and mix the nitrogen and the ash evenly, you must occasionally  have a dig holes and mix the layers thoroughly allow oxygen to enter.  Cover the hole with G.I. sheet or plywood and let stand for a few weeks when the compost pit is full.  The soil mixture is ready to be used as organic fertilizer for your garden.  According to researcher mulching helps keep the soil moist. The decomposing of materials  mix and blend with the soil gradually as the dry leaves or grass piled on top of the soil around the plant a tree decays.

Ways of Improving and Fertilizing the soil:

• Green Manure Method.  All you have to do is allow or any vegetation to grow and plow it down and cover it with soil.  In the process repeat this several times.  Repeat this several times and in the process, sprinkle a small amount of urea and ash occasionally.  The result after several weeks is a direct application of the organic fertilizer to the ground.  Thd ground is ready for planting.
• Making pig or cow manure tea.  Fill half of a big clay jar or any big container with pig or cow manure and fill the rest with water and cover with a thick piece of cloth.  Allow to stand for six to eight weeks until sediments settle in the bottom.  After the process is done the resulting liquid should be clear and tea colored.  You can further dilute the manure tea if you desire.  This can now be readily used for fertilizing the plant.
• Burying fish entrails or discarded fish.  Fill a plastic container or a metal gallon with rotten or stale fish (you can obtain this from the wet market).  Seal the container lid with masking tape and bury the container for three to four months after which the solid fish will turn into a thick emulsion and can be diluted in water for fertilizing your plants.  To prevent the spread of flies in the surrounding mix it with insecticide in the solution.
• Drying animal manure under the sun until it becomes powdery.  Add a small amount of soil to the dried powder manure and use it right away as your plant food.  Chicken and dove manure must be further burned with rice hull after the drying period.  Studies show that chicken manure contains a very high amount of acidic chemicals that do not easily decay and burning will help hasten the process.

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Resource: Woman's home companion