Bags of compost add organic material to soils.
Soil provides the foundation for plants in more ways than one. Sure, plants root into soil to secure themselves to the ground, but just as importantly, soil helps regulate water flow and provides valuable nutrients to budding life. Basically, healthy soil makes healthy plants. According to the National Resource Conservation Service, adding decayed organic material to soil is one of the best ways to improve soil fertility, for a number of reasons. Does this Spark an idea?
Soil Structure
The basic structure of soil helps determine how well the ground holds water, which factors into plant health. Sandy soil lets water in freely, but it drains just as fast, whereas clay-based soil absorbs and drains water slowly. Neither option is ideal for thirsty plant roots. Decayed organic material such as compost resembles dark, rich loam soil and helps improve the drainage and irrigation properties of less than ideal ground.
Nutrients
Plants depend on the soil to sustain them with healthy amounts of essential nutrients. Healthy plants require three main nutrients -- potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus -- as well as a myriad of secondary and trace nutrients such as magnesium, calcium and boron. The improved soil structure created by the addition of decayed organic material holds nutrients better than unamended soil, and fast-growing plants can draw on the nutrients in the decomposed materials.
Life in the Soil
Adding decayed organic material to soil releases excessive amounts of carbon -- carbon that beneficial microorganisms like bacteria and fungi thrive on. Those microorganisms can increase the strength and vigor of growing plants and fend off soil predators looking to feed on roots, such as nematodes. In addition, increasing the amount of compost and other organic materials in soil have been shown to reduce the frequency of soil-borne diseases, according to the National Resource Conservation Service and the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension.
Sources
Compost piles break down organic matter -- including paper products, kitchen scraps and lawn refuse -- into a rich, crumbly soil-type material perfect for soil amending. If keeping and tending a compost pile sounds like a lot of work, you can buy bags of compost at garden supply stores. However, you can also add materials like mulch, manure, dead plants, grass clippings, wood chips and peat to soil and it will decay at varying rates, providing long-lasting benefits to your lawn or garden.
Tags: organic material, soil helps, Conservation Service, decayed organic, decayed organic material