Fix Degraded Soil: Start With Water & Plants

Most degraded farms don’t need more inputs — they need a better starting point.
This is how you actually begin rebuilding soil, water, and productivity.

On a 3,000-acre property near Avenel, Victoria, we walk through what degraded country really looks like — compacted soil, low pH, poor infiltration — and more importantly, what to do about it.

With practical insights from Stuart Andrews of Tarwin Park Training and Phil Mulvey of Environmental Earth Sciences, this video breaks down the first steps to reversing land degradation:

How to diagnose soil issues without lab tests
Why water infiltration is the real limiting factor
Simple contour interventions to slow and spread water
What changes after 2 years vs 4 years
Why plant diversity and grazing management unlock real recovery

This isn’t theory — it’s a paddock-level system that shows measurable improvement in soil depth, aggregation, and water holding capacity in just a few years.

If you’re dealing with tired country, low production, or rising input costs, this is where you start.

Key concepts covered:
soil degradation, water infiltration, contour farming, regenerative grazing, soil pH, aluminium toxicity, pasture diversity, soil aggregation, water holding capacity, land rehabilitation, Australian grazing systems

Who this is for:
Farmers, graziers, land managers, and anyone trying to improve productivity without increasing input costs.

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#RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #GrazingManagement #FarmLearning #LandRestoration

00:00 The Real Problem With Degraded Land
00:44 Why Most Farmers Start Wrong
01:43 What Degraded Soil Actually Looks Like
04:40 Step 1: Diagnose Your Soil Properly
06:56 Soil pH, Compaction & What It Means
12:06 Read Plants Like a Soil Test
16:15 Step 2: Fix Water First
16:47 Contours Explained (Simple Setup)
19:12 Why Slowing Water Changes Everything
22:49 Early Results After 2 Years
25:18 What’s Still Limiting Growth
30:00 Why Water Alone Isn’t Enough
31:43 Step 3: Add Plant Diversity
33:10 4-Year Results: Real Soil Change
36:00 Soil Depth & Aggregation Improvements
42:36 Water Holding Capacity Gains
48:17 The System That Drives Recovery
49:48 Where To Start On Your Property

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