Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Soilsecrets@aol.com]

In an attempt to expel information on humus, soils, and organic matter the information is often so grossly over simplified that it becomes gobble gook and unreadable to most laymen.  Many a scientist have spent their entire adult life trying to understand this process, earning Ph.D.'s in the process and still don't truly understanding it. 

 

My idea is to keep it simple and stick to some basic facts:

1. organic matter or debris turns into compost which in time will turn into humus a stable polymer called Humic substances in the arena of science. 

2. in the process of turning into humus the minerals of the organic matter is re-mineralized into the soil and made useful to all life.

3. Organic matter is a source of nutritional calories or energy.  This provides fuel for the microbiology process of the soil. In essence, organic matter is solid solar energy temporarily tied up in a biomass form of calories consisting of sugars, proteins and fats (oils).

4. Humus has many benefits beyond the comprehension of mankind and many claims that cannot be easily substantiated or proven for the objective of getting the stuff properly label approved in many states.  In other words, there are about 20 states that will not let a manufacture make any claims about humus on a label because the research to prove the claims is still not solid.  Even the components of humus such as the Humic acid and Fulvic acid are debated with some states not recognizing a difference between the two. 

 

Dr. Michael Martin Melendrez