How do you keep soil healthy during a drought?, tell me about this news in (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cde0lxgwzx4o)

Regarding the BBC link, the webpage cannot be directly accessed due to site access restrictions. However, here is a practical guide on how to protect and maintain healthy soil during drought conditions.1. Apply a Thick Layer of Organic Mulch

• Why it matters: Bare soil exposed to intense sun and dry winds loses moisture rapidly and forms a hard, impenetrable crust.
• Action: Spread a 2 to 4 inch (5 to 10 cm) layer of coarse organic mulchsuch as wood chips, straw, shredded bark, or dry leavesover exposed ground. Mulch acts as an insulating shield, cooling soil surface temperatures, dramatically cutting evaporation, and preventing wind erosion.

2. Stop Tilling and Avoid Soil Disturbance

• Why it matters: Tilling or digging in dry weather exposes buried moisture to the air, accelerates organic matter oxidation, and destroys the delicate network of mycorrhizal fungi and earthworm channels.
• Action: Practice zero-tillage or minimum disturbance. Leave root systems in place when crops or plants die back; as they decompose, they create organic channels for future water infiltration.

3. Build Organic Matter (Compost & Humus)

• Why it matters: Organic matter functions like a sponge. Every 1% increase in soil organic matter can significantly increase its water-holding capacity per acre.
• Action: Apply a thin top-dressing of finished compost beneath your mulch layer. Soil microbes and worms will gradually pull this organic material downward without drying out the profile.

4. Keep Soil Covered with Living Roots

• Why it matters: Living roots continuously exude sugars and carbon that feed beneficial soil microorganisms. When soil sits bare and fallow, microbial populations crash.
• Action: Plant drought-tolerant cover crops (such as buckwheat, clover, or deep-rooting grasses) or preserve existing drought-hardy ground cover to maintain active root systems and stabilize the soil structure.

5. Water Deeply, Slowly, and Strategically

• Why it matters: Light, frequent sprinkling only wets the top few millimeters of soil, which quickly evaporates and trains roots to stay near the scorching surface.
• Action:
  • Water early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize evaporative losses.
  • Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses delivered directly at the soil level rather than overhead sprayers.
  • Water deeply and infrequently so moisture penetrates deep into the root zone, encouraging plants to seek lower moisture reserves.

6. Avoid High-Nitrogen and Synthetic Fertilizers

• Why it matters: Synthetic fertilizers are mineral salts. Without sufficient water to dilute them, they draw moisture out of root cells, causing fertilizer burn. Furthermore, high-nitrogen fertilizers trigger rapid leaf growth, which drastically increases the plant’s water consumption.
• Action: Suspend synthetic chemical fertilization during drought periods. Rely on slow-release organic amendments applied during cooler, wetter seasons.

7. Prevent Soil Compaction

• Why it matters: Dry, brittle soil aggregates can easily be pulverized by heavy foot traffic or machinery into fine dust, which later seals up and repels water when rain finally returns.
• Action: Designate permanent walkways and avoid driving equipment over garden beds and agricultural fields.