The Role of Organic Content in Soil:

Organic content is a key component of healthy soil and is critical
to its functioning properly in order to support plant life naturally.
Organic matter provides structure and a place for water, air, and
biological life to exist in soil. A soil without necessary volume of
organic matter does not hold water sufficiently or supply an
environment for beneficial microbes. These soils become quickly
dependant on high levels of watering and multiple fertilizer
applications and pesticides to maintain lush growth. Typically,
New England soils are low in organic content requiring the
addition of an amendment to increase the organic content.
Peatmoss and compost are two commonly used amendments that
are high in organic matter. However, peatmoss does not supply
nutrients and beneficial microbes that compost does and peatmoss
is a limited material resource while compost is a recycled product. Additionally, compost is more economical to use as a soil amendment because of its price and availability. By incorporating compost during installation it is possible to add life-microbial activity and organic matter into the soil. Adding life to the soil will replicate native soil systems where shrubs, trees, and grasslands thrived without fertilizer or pesticides.

 

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