Healthy garden soil is at the core of organic gardening. Soil that is naturally rich in nutrients, rather than enhanced with synthetic fertilizers, renews itself more readily and is resistant to nutrient depletion. At the core of healthy soil is humus and gardeners can make it in their backyard compost bin.
The content of soil determines the amount and quality of nutrients available to your plants. The components that make a healthy soil include active microbial life forms, decomposing organic material, and humus. Humus is the portion of your soil that is the result of the microbial life forms breaking down organic material to produce nutrient rich material.
Soil, though thought of as a singular element, is actually made up of a variety of organisms and inert material. Particles of sand, silt and clay make up the texture of the soil. Within this basic collection of “dirt” lives microorganisms which include insects, bugs, worms, bacteria and fungi.
When decaying plant material is added to the mix, the microorganisms feed on the plant material and convert it to waste. They also die off and decompose. Plant material that isn’t consumed by microbial activity decomposes as well. The processes of decomposition and waste removal within the soil environment create chemical reactions that turn “dirt” into a healthy, nutrient-rich soil.
As a broad definition, humus is described as the finished product, the final result of decomposition. It is the material that has undergone naturally occurring chemical processes and is now particles of soil that contain necessary nutrients for plant growth. The nutrients are in an inert state, making them accessible to plant roots for processing.
However, humus isn’t separate from the other elements within the complex organism called soil. It is as much a part of the collective as all the other actions and elements. Humus is one part of the process, and not a process onto itself.
Finished compost is the result of decomposition and microbial activity. Plant material, kitchen scraps and microorganisms follow the natural processes of feeding, waste removal, decomposition and chemical changes. Finished compost is, essentially, humus.
Adding finished compost, or humus, to your garden soil on a regular basis continually introduces new material to the garden. The particles of sand, silt and clay are enhanced, or amended, by the humus. The soil is enriched with nutrients; moisture retention is regulated for proper drainage; and the microbial population increases.
In organic gardening, maintaining a balance of decomposing organic material, finished compost and inert nutrients creates an ongoing cycle that continually renews the soil. The organic gardener, then, has no need of synthetic fertilizers, as humus is continually produced within the soil and compost bin.
Planet Natural.com Soil Health: Organic Matter and Humus
Physical Geography.net: Introduction to Soils
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