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

Randy e-mail me
----- Original Message -----
From: "d&rsundstrom" <sundstrom@pronetisp.net>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Composted manure versus composted leaves and ideal organic
levels.


> as usual vince a very well written informative post deb
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "vince" <anaid_tecuod@yahoo.com>
> To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
> Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 12:49 PM
> Subject: 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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