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Good, healthy soil is basically organic humus mixed with nutrients, microbes and trace elements. Humus is the end result of compost, the naturally-occurring breakdown of dead organic matter. This organic matter, such as leaves, grass, fruit, bark, droppings, insects and animals, is broken down by the naturally-occurring microbes and good bacteria in the soil. Earthworms and insects help break down this material, too. The forest floor is a great example of pure humus, as the ground will have a slightly spongy feel to it. Away from forests, soil is mixed with sand, clay and rocks to create the type of soil we are all more familiar with.
To develop healthy, organic soil, it’s time to put this rich, black humus back in. The greatest source is from your own compost bin! So called "green" and "brown" materials makes the best compost, as this mixture breaks down faster and has an optimum balance of nutrients.
Making Compost
Green materials are high in nitrogen, necessary for the greening of plants, and consist of:
- Vegetable kitchen scraps
- Grass clippings and green leaves
- Hair
- Manure from vegetarian animals, such as cows
Brown materials, or carbon, is necessary as fuel for the microorganisms that will turn your waste to rich compost. Unsurprisingly, brown materials are easily identified as not being green! Examples are:
- Dead brown leaves
- Dryer lint
- Hay
- Sawdust
- Shredded twigs
Do not add salted foods (salt kills the good microorganisms), or any meat products (this will make your compost bin smelly and attract animals.)
To create a good organic potting soil, mix in 1 part finished compost, 1 part peat moss and 1 part vermiculite. This will make a light, fluffy soil ideal for container plants.
For your outdoor flower beds and vegetable garden, you will want to build up the existing soil. Mix in compost and cow manure for excellent, nutrient-rich dirt.
Organic Fertilizer Mixes
Along with compost and manure to help build up the soil, there are ingredients you will need that will add specific nutrients to the soil. Here are a few:
Bulb Fertilizer:
- 4 to 5 pounds bonemeal (added before planting)
- 1 part cottonseed meal
- 1 part bonemeal
- 1 part greensand
Start by working the large amount of bonemeal into the top layer of your bed. This amount will cover about 100 sq. ft. Then mix the last three ingredients together. Plant the bulbs in the bed, sprinkling the fertilizer on top as soon as leaves begin to emerge. Apply about 2 pounds of fertilizer for every 100 sq.ft. Try to keep the fertilizer off the foliage. Water lightly to slowly dissolve fertilizer into the soil.
Azalea Food: This is a great organic fertilizer for any acid-loving plants.
- 2 parts cottonseed meal
- 1 part kelp meal
- 1 part fish meal
Mix together. Use in March, then every sixty days through the growing season.
General Purpose Organic Fertilizer.
This all-purpose fertilizer is good for many types of perennial plants.
- 1 part alfalfa meal
- 1 part fish meal
- 1 part greensand
- 1 part gypsum
- ½ part bonemeal
Mix all ingredients and spread 1 cup around each plant. For very
large bushes use 2 cups. Mix the fertilizer into the first few inches
of the soil with a hoe or cultivator. Fertilize once in early spring
and again in the summer.
About the author: Chris Molnar is the editor of Goorganicgardening.com. Visit the site for more tips on organic soil conditioners, composting and tips on creating a beautiful organic garden.
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