Re: Composted manure versus composted leaves and ideal organic levels.

I'll say a few words about soil levels of Organic Matter (OM). 
 I believe it is perhaps the most important single ingrediant a
grower can add to thier soil.  

OM contains most the nutrients needed for plant growth, in just
the right proportions that plants require.  It also contains
lots of Carbon which is the basic food source for the soil's
microlife.  As the beneficial microbes proliferate they "mine"
the soil for the nutriants and minerals plants need and release
them in forms the plant can absorb.  The microbes are hard at
work all summer providing slow release of plant foods as long
as the OM levels of the soil are high enough.

The microbes secrete gum-like substances which help form soil
aggregates, thus improving soil structure and the penetration
of air, water and roots.

So generally, increasing Organic Matter content will improve
water penetration, water-holding capacity, soil structure,
microbial biomass, nutrient availablility, resistance to
compaction and more.

Organic Matter decomposes, under proper conditions, into Humas,
Humus is a soil-like material with high levels of organic acids
(Humic, Carbonic and Fulvic Acids), and a very high Cation
Exchange Capacity (or the ability of retain Calicium,
Potassium, and other cations as plant nutrients.)

Soils which are below 2% Organic Matter are for all purposes,
"dead" in that they do contain enough carbon to feed the micro
life which provides fertility to plants.  Soils of between 5%
and 10% OM are adequate to provide for the needs of most
plants.

I like to keep my patches between 15% and 20% OM.  But, I think
it is important to build OM over a period of years as adding
too much at one time can cause a variety of problems.

If your soil is low in Organic Matter, I recommend you use
compost that has been fully composted to build a base of OM. 
You can add 5 to 10 yards of this per 1,000 square feet and
jump your OM to a reasonable level without fear of creating
other problems.  I would use manures more sparingly, and only
in the fall. Composted and aged manures are best. Other good
sources of OM are leaves, grass clippings and cover crops.  You
must add OM every year because it breaks down and goes away
fairly quickly.....

vince

--- Lubadub@aol.com wrote:

> If you are putting composted manure in your garden, I would
> go with the best 
> you can find. The more nutrients the better. The question of
> exactly how much 
> organic matter should be in your garden is not really clear
> in my mind. I see 
> people putting tons of manure in their garden each year and I
> see others just 
> planting a cover crop and then tilling it in. They both get
> respectable 
> pumpkins. Too much organic matter can be a problem as can too
> little. In the woods 
> of PA there is 5 to 6% organic matter in the soil. Farther to
> the south there 
> is 3% as it breaks down more rapidly in the higher
> temperatures. The benifits 
> of manure and compost are well known. The question is, "How
> much organic matter 
> is enough?" I rememeber hearing from one grower that he put
> loads and loads 
> of manure into his garden. Nothing grew. When he took the
> temperature of his 
> garden he realized that he had created a large compost pile
> as the temperature 
> was around 110 degrees. I would be interested in hearing what
> people out there 
> believe is an upper limit for organic matter and whether it
> depends on where 
> it comes from...compost pile using leaves, using cow manure
> etc.
> 
> Marv in Altoona


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