Spalling (concrete flaking or popping off) comes generally from two sources.
1) They poured a "hot load". When concrete is past it's due time to be laid, it will subsequently flake off (spall). This would have happened a while ago if that was the case.
2) Water infiltration. Putting dirt around it would make it worse. Paint the concrete with a concrete waterproofer called UGL. You can buy it at home depot/lowes etc. It's about $80 for 5 gallons, but comes in 1 gallon buckets also.
commercially its most readily available in gray, white and beige.