Although this method is being used across the world, very little data has been collected in the UK.
This project aims to work with gardeners to distribute tea bags across the UK in order to compile a Tea Bag Index database. Using this information I hope to find out how decomposition varies across the country, and whether it is influenced by how gardeners manage their soil, particularly with respect to the application of compost.
I will also be working with the TBI team comparing my UK data to data from across Europe.
With a better understanding of how microbial communities are affected by soil management we can provide better advice on how to maintain a healthy soil.
The Tea Bag Index - UK 