Acrobat X Files

Home > Hobbies > Gardening

Using Organic Matter in the Garden

Sort Desciption:

Organic matter is used in the garden and. landscape for many reasons .... However in many organic gardening or. farming systems compost is the major ...

Content Inside:

Using Organic Matter in the GardenPage 131601Using Organic Matter in the GardenCharles P. Mazza Senior Extension Associate Cornell UniversitySally J. Cunningham Extension Educator Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie CountyEllen Z. Harrison Waste Management Institute of the Center for the Environment Cornell UniversityHealth of the garden depends on organicmatter. What happens below the soil linemay not be as romantic as roses but itdoes make the garden more healthy andthose roses more beautiful. In gardeningmany products are called organic matter.Animal manures peat moss from bogsleaves straw newspaper sludge yardand garden waste kitchen scraps andgreen manures or cover crops all areforms of organic matter that can be incorporated directly into the soil. Oftensuch products are composted rather thanused directly and the compost is used inthe garden. Compost can be made athome from kitchen garden and yardwastes or it can be produced by an industry or local municipality.Organic matter is used in the garden andlandscape for many reasons beginningwith its effect on soil structure. Organicmatter helps soil particles bind togetherinto aggregates or clumps which makesit easy to dig or penetrate. We often callthis quality tilth. In this way adding organic matter helps all poor soils whetherthey are too sandy or made of too muchclay. A soil with good tilth also has goodnutrientholding and waterholding ability. In addition organic matter improvessoil by stimulating or feeding the life ofthe soil. It provides nutrients to bacteriafungi earthworms and other organismsin the soil which in turn recycle the nutrients into forms that are readily available for plants to absorb through theirroots. Organic matter also helps to prevent soil and wind erosion by bindingsandy soil particles together. Organicmatter also prevents caking crackingand water runoff that occurs when claysoil dries out.This publication describes some ...

Source: www.gardening.cornell.edu

 

Related Files

ORGANIC GARDENING BASICS

Filed under: Hobbies and Gardening
organic methods. The learning process in gardening and organic methods can be a ... gardeners on various techniques in organic gardening the information ...

Organic Farming and Gardening

Filed under: Hobbies and Gardening
At Organic Gardening we are more committed than ever. to J.I. Rodales vision.We are dedicated to helping people grow the besttasting and most healthful ...

Organic Gardening

Filed under: Hobbies and Gardening
Organic Gardening. by Nicola Rankin. Organic gardening is just as easy as ... organic gardening. You can buy. compost or make it yourself ...

Organic Gardening Technology

Filed under: Hobbies and Gardening
USA (wide listing of organic gardening resources; mainly ... Organic gardening is an art that had been almost lost in an era of. industryled farming. ...

Tips for the Home Gardener

Filed under: Hobbies and Gardening
Tips for the Home Gardener ECO-GARDENING Ecological gardening (eco-gardening) emphasizes using environmentally-sound gardening techniques for a positive ecological impact.