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For those that do not understand here is an explanation of why you need organic matter in your soil.
Organic Matter is defined as all living and decaying residues, including weeds, crop residues, decaying roots, microorganisms and anything which is added to the soil in the form of composts, manures, cover crops, mulches, leaves, etc. These materials all contain many nutrients for future plant growth; including carbon which is the most basic food source for the soil's microlife and (indirectly) for the plants themselves. This carbon feeds the microbes and earthworms, stimulating their activity and increasing their populations.
As the microbes proliferate they in turn act as food for other microbes, which also "mine" the soil for the minerals the plants need. Acids are secreted by the microbes which "etch" rock surfaces and expose mineral particles for micro food as well as plant nutrients. The microbes also secrete gum-like substances which help form soil aggregates, thus improving soil structure and the penetration of air, water and roots.
Increasing the organic matter content will improve water penetration, water-holding capacity, soil structure, microbial biomass, nutrient availability, drought, and heat stress resistance, resistance to compaction and more. Increasing the soil's organic matter content is perhaps the most important improvement a farmer can make.
Raw organic matter decomposes, under proper conditions, into humus. Humus has been digested by soil microbes and earthworms, creating a soil-like material which high levels of organic acids (e.g. humic, carbonic and fulvic acids), and a very high cation exchange capacity (or ability to mobilize calcium, potassium, and other cations as plant nutrients).
Humus is full of soil microbial life and acts in much the same way as a yogurt culture or sourdough starter, in stimulating soil life. Humus also, as a produce of the soil digestion process, is a highly concentrated source of plant available nutrients.
One way to visualize humus is to think of the difference between raw organic materials going into a compost pile and the rich earth-like material which comes out of a finished pile.
Organic Matter is defined as all living and decaying residues, including weeds, crop residues, decaying roots, microorganisms and anything which is added to the soil in the form of composts, manures, cover crops, mulches, leaves, etc. These materials all contain many nutrients for future plant growth; including carbon which is the most basic food source for the soil's microlife and (indirectly) for the plants themselves. This carbon feeds the microbes and earthworms, stimulating their activity and increasing their populations.
As the microbes proliferate they in turn act as food for other microbes, which also "mine" the soil for the minerals the plants need. Acids are secreted by the microbes which "etch" rock surfaces and expose mineral particles for micro food as well as plant nutrients. The microbes also secrete gum-like substances which help form soil aggregates, thus improving soil structure and the penetration of air, water and roots.
Increasing the organic matter content will improve water penetration, water-holding capacity, soil structure, microbial biomass, nutrient availability, drought, and heat stress resistance, resistance to compaction and more. Increasing the soil's organic matter content is perhaps the most important improvement a farmer can make.
Raw organic matter decomposes, under proper conditions, into humus. Humus has been digested by soil microbes and earthworms, creating a soil-like material which high levels of organic acids (e.g. humic, carbonic and fulvic acids), and a very high cation exchange capacity (or ability to mobilize calcium, potassium, and other cations as plant nutrients).
Humus is full of soil microbial life and acts in much the same way as a yogurt culture or sourdough starter, in stimulating soil life. Humus also, as a produce of the soil digestion process, is a highly concentrated source of plant available nutrients.
One way to visualize humus is to think of the difference between raw organic materials going into a compost pile and the rich earth-like material which comes out of a finished pile.
