What is Organic Matter and What Does it Do For My Garden Soil?
By Marie Iannotti, About.com Guide
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Organic Matter
Organic matter in the soil absorbs lots of water. If a soil has lots of organic matter, it can smell bad due to anaerobic conditions or because of decaying materials.
Organic Matter
A silt loam will have a fairly high organic matter content--perhaps as much as 5 or 6 percent. This organic matter is sometimes called humus.
Organic matter
Organic matter improves soil structure, as does the digging, and as it breaks down it releases small amounts of nutrients. That's what organic gardeners mean by 'feed the soil not the plant'.
Organic Matter
Any material originating from a living organism - peat moss, ground bark, compost or manure, for example - that can be dug into soil to improve its condition is referred to as organic matter.
Peat Moss ...
Organic Matter. Organic matter is the partially decomposed remains of soil organisms and plant life including lichens and mosses, grasses and leaves, trees, and all other kinds of vegetative matter.
Organic Matter
Soils should contain five percent organic material. Nearly all soils, whether clay, sandy or humus, benefit from the addition of organic matter.
Organic matter - A substance derived from plant or animal material.
Pathogen - An organism capable of causing a disease. ( such as fungus, bacterium, or virus) ...
Organic matter. The remains, residues, or waste products of any living organism.
Photosynthesis. The manufacture of sugar by plants through the action of sunlight.
Topics
compost, compost ingredients ...
Organic matter
Material that originates from living organisms such as peat moss, plant residue, compost, ground bark and animal manures.
Ornamental plants ...
Organic matter-Plant and animal residues, such as leaves, trimmings, and manure, in various stages of decomposition.
Add organic matter. This helps improve drainage and lighten heavy soil. It also provides nutrients for beneficial soil microorganisms which will, in turn, also help improve the soil. Before planting in spring, add compost and aged manure.
Add Organic Matter
Organic matter improves tilth (fluffiness) and opens the pores of the soil, allowing easier penetration of roots, air and water.
Add Organic Matter to the Soil
Most soil in coastal areas is sandy or alkaline, which keeps most plants from growing. So to keep your coastal garden going, you will have to change the makeup of the coil.
Add Organic Matter
The above picture is Larry's compost bins. He makes about 3 cubic yards of compost annually. The picture to the left is manure tea (more on this later).
Add organic matter to the soil as you plant. Compost and other organic matter increase the soil's ability to retain moisure.
Adding organic matter for preparing soil for bulbs
Organic matter is used when preparing soil for bulbs to improve the soil by improving low fertility, poor water-holding sandy soils and fertile but poorly-draining clay soils.
Organic matter is best used as an amendment rather than a source of fertilizer. First determine whether the problem in growing healthy plants is nutrition or a physical property of the soil.
Organic Matter Conditions Soil
Adding organic matter is the best way to improve the plant environment in nearly all soils. Organic matter improves soil structure and aeration, creating a better environment for garden plants.
Organic matter in the soil also ensures a continuous food source for soil organisms. As the organisms decompose the organic materials, they help maintain good soil structure, making the soil a more favorable place for root development.
Organic matter includes things like manure, leaves, lawn clippings, compost, straw and even shredded newspaper. You can start the vegetable garden in the fall, by layering lots of organic matter on the garden site.
Organic matter includes plant materials and some animal manures. Organic materials used for compost should include a mixture of brown organic material (dead leaves, twigs, manure) and green organic material (lawn clippings, fruit rinds, etc.).
Organic matter such as grass clippings, tree leaves, shrubbery, and tree trimmings are all excellent sources of plant nutrients. These sources had already accumulated the requisite and essential nutrients for their own growth needs.
Organic matter is the key to good soil preparation. Add 4 to 6 inches of compost, peat moss or finely ground bark to the soil if you are preparing a new planting area.
Organic Matter
A part of the soil resulting from decaying or decayed plant material
Perennial ...
ORGANIC MATTER TIP: For maximum nutrient benefit from bulky organic materials such as manures, incorporate them into the soil when they have only partly rotted.
As organic matter breaks down it creates air space - an important feature for good drainage and healthy roots.
Tips ...
All organic matter can be put into the Worm Farm Waste System. All household waste, including water from the washing machine, showers and toilet passes through it.
Add organic matter to the soil and adopt care practices that preserve soil health. You will be amply rewarded.
For more information, see the following Colorado State Extension fact sheet(s).
Add organic matter to garden soil.
Trees and shrubs can be planted in the fall. Determine where and what types you wish to plant.
October ...
Using Organic Matter in the Garden
Cornell Horticulture Department
Cornell Composting
Cornell Center for the Environment ...
Mix in organic matter with existing soil before planting perennials or lawns, each time garden beds are replanted and when dividing perennials or repotting container plants. Sandy soils need more compost than do clay soils.
MANURE: Organic matter, excreted by animals, which is used as a soil amendment and fertilizer. Green manures are plant cover crops which are tilled directly into the soil.
HUMUS - organic matter in various stages of decay, such as oakleaf mold, peat moss, and rotted sawdust.
By adding organic matter and sharp sand to clay soil, you can dramatically improve its texture.
Glossary of Organic Gardening Terms and Techniques
BT - Bacillus Thuringiensis
What is a node?
Interplanting
Kelp Meal ...
First till in organic matter like compost when the growing season begins. This will keep your soil clean by adding natural elements and compounds that help keep pests away.
manure - Organic matter, excreted by animals, which is used as a gardening soil amendment and fertilizer.
meristem - Any growing point of both root and stem on a plant, where active cell division is taking place.
2. Make sure any organic matter, compost or manure is well-rotted before using.
The addition of organic matter will also help break up the heavy clods and supply slow release nutrients. There are some options regards organic matter, you can use compost (Mushroom compost is excellent) Cow, and Sheep manure.
Larvae feed on dead organic matter and on the roots of most grasses, causing browning and dying of the grass in localized spots or in large irregular-shaped arreas.
Amend the soil with organic matter and rototill.
Level the soil while it's dry, tamping with a rake or roller. "Because sod is thick, you need to grade the soil an inch lower than sidewalks and driveways," Shaw says.
humus Organic matter. The 'magic ingredient' which, when present in the soil, makes it more workable, adds to the moisture retention of lighter soils and assists plants to absorb nutrients.
The exact type of soil is not so important as that it be well drained, well supplied with organic matter, reasonably free of stones, and moisture retentive. The subsoil also is very important.
Prepare and improve the soil by working in lots of organic matter, such as compost, rotted manure, and chopped leaves. This is one of the wisest landscaping investments possible.
A basic house plant soil mix is 2 parts loam, 1 part composted organic matter and 1 part coarse, clean sand.
b.
A test indicates your soil's pH, organic matter content and nutrients required to balance it.
Remove thatch if it is more than 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) thick.
Prepare the soil by digging in plenty of organic matter and add a general or slow release ferriliser. Or use an organic fertiliser like blood and bone, but as it's low on potassium you'll need to add potash as well.
The best idea is to improve water flow and retention by adding organic matter to your soil, according to David Salman, president and chief horticulturist of Santa Fe, New Mexico-based High Country Gardens.
This layer develops when dead organic matter accumulates faster than it decomposes. A thatch layer less than ½ inch is considered beneficial.
Place the tree in the hole and refill the hole with soil mixed with some organic matter. When the hole is filled in and firmed make a little wall with some of the in-fill soil in a circle around the tree about 2 feet away from it.
All of this you buy is mostly made up of inorganic matter. Both provide plants with food. Manure is slower working and must decompose before all the value is realized from it.
By adding organic matter in the form of mulched leaves and manure each fall, your herbs will grow with vigour and be protected from winter cold. Water new transplants heavily, but mature plants sparingly.
If your garden plot has packed clay or sandy soil, till in organic matter such as peat, composted leaves or lawn clippings and work them into the soil as deeply as you can. This will form a soil structure that allows roots to breathe and grow.
The general rule for mixing your own cactus soil is 1 part organic matter such as peat, loam, compost or some kind of soil-less potting mix, 2 parts coarse sand and 1 part inorganic matter such as grit, perlite (the white, foamy bits), ...
Fill with a mixture of soil and well-rotted organic matter. Use any spare soil to form a mound; this will direct water away from the stem and prevents stem rot. Allow 1m between plants in each direction for the bush types, 1.
Organic Manures -- Almost any kind of organic matter may be used as manure, but some kinds are better than others. Organic manures vary widely in the amount of plant nutrients that they contain. Some are more concentrated than others.
Soils are formed from above (decaying organic matter) and from below (weathering bedrock). These two directions of creation create layers in the soil, known as soil horizons.
Hostas prefer rich, moist soil that is high in organic matter, yet well drained.
Blueberries thrive best in soils enriched with composted organic matter. Ideally, mix about 1/2 bushel of peat moss with the topsoil in the planting hole of each plant.
Sandy soil - free draining, light and easy to work but needs applications of good fertilisers and organic matter to add bulk
Silt - this is very similar to sandy soil but holds more water and is more fertile ...
 See also: Organic, Soil, Plant, Water, Flower
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