Organic MatterThe Measure of "Life" in the SoilIt has been estimated that somewhere around ninety eight percent of your crops growth comes directly from organic matter (OM) I use Black Gold cotton burr compost. It is the best compost that I have ever found. It is available straight up for amending your soil or custom blended for container gardening. I like it because it does not contain any animal waste! There are no fillers. Some companies dilute their compost by adding ground up wood debris and scrap material. Repeated laboratory testing has shown this compost to be loaded with nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms. (Bacteria, Fungi, Nematodes and Protozoa) These microbes secrete organic acids which help release nutrients contained on soil particles and polysaccharides that glue soil particles into stable aggregates. The end result is abundant microbial activity that improves the overall soil structure, increases air penetration and resists soil compaction. In balanced growing conditions, bacteria occupy most of the leaf or root surface and thus are most effective at consuming the food resources that disease causing organisms would otherwise consume. In soil, bacteria have additional benefits, they retain nutrients such as N, P, K, S, Ca etc. Bacteria also decompose plant toxic materials and plant residues and build soil aggregate structure. The smallest building blocks of soil structure are built by it. Without it, the bricks that hold the soil house together would not occur and further development of soil structure will not happen.
It is important to understand that water holding capacity of soil cannot be improved and soil compaction will remain until sufficient micro-organisms are present in the soil. Return from Organic Matter from Soil Fertility
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