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Roses Article Series
What
is Humus?
If
you do not know what Humus is, join the club. No, it’s not the tasty Mediterranean treat spread on
pita bread. It is a term used to describe a process that is
vital to life on earth. You may be wondering, why then was
it not a major item on your high school biology exam? Well,
that could be because Humus is such a tough word to define.
It is a process that has been playing hide and seek with scientists,
gardeners and biologists for centuries.
Humus is to plants what drawing breath is to us. We take it
for granted and no one really talks about it, but if it stops,
we stop. And that would mean for good. The difference is that
we can explain and understand respiration. Humus is not so
easy to clear up. There are parts of the process that have
been revealed but eventually, we have to admit that Humus is
still something we just don’t fully get.
A great example of this is the plentiful descriptions of Humus
that can be found. Some are lengthy explanations that seem
to go in circles. While others are relatively clear, but really
hard for us that don’t hold any Biology degrees, to understand.
So here is a little bit about Humus. It will not get you into
graduate school, but it will help you understand why your garden
is working or why it isn’t
Humus is one of those scientific terms that often are defined
by using itself. That is because it is easier to through a
term out there then trying to dissect the scientific meaning
behind it. Humus is also used as a label for an intense process
that is difficult to explain.
With all that said, there are still a couple of things that
gardeners and just ordinary people might want to know about
Humus. It is, after all essential to life on earth, making
this tricky term very important. Let’s begin with a small piece
of the pie. Humus is the result of decomposed organic
materials in soil. It is a mixture of animal, plant and other organic
materials from manure and decomposition. The process that leads
to Humus production is called humification. Humification naturally
takes place in soil or when compost is made. It is essential
in increasing the fertility of soil. Humus holds moisture in
the soil and makes plant growth possible.
Humification
is an intense process that combines water soil,
sun and decomposing materials of living things to provide nutrients
for plants. How it is extracted from soil is still a mystery.
People have been trying to pinpoint a clear concise definition
of Humus since the days of the Romans. In the late eighteenth
century J.G Wallenis narrowed Humus down to the decomposition
of organic materials. He was headed in the right direction
but it wasn’t until 1840 that it was discovered that plants
can not get minerals directly from the soil.
Plants can only get nutrients from the soil in an inorganic
state. Plant food is transformed first into mineral salts.
Theses mineral salts are the result of the humification of
decomposing matter which is the most efficient environment
for Aerobic microorganism. The amount of free oxygen present
in soil is a major contributor in managing good or bad conditions
under which Humus is created. Soil temperature and moisture
combine with the decomposing residue and make Humus. If there
is too much oxygen and organic matter decomposing swiftly Humus
won’t occur. This is common in tropical areas. Another determiner
is soil temperature. If coil temperature rises, microbial activity
increases. In very aerated soil Humus does not build up.
There
are different types of Humus. There is peat Humus and
it can also be formed in water or soil. The better the Humus,
the better your garden will be. You will have healthier plants
due to the soil balance that Humus maintains.
Of course, as a gardener it would be nice to have a clear
definition of Humus. But let’s face it, we can’t explain everything.
Just be glad that it is here to help you in you gardening endeavors.
Humus Happens! And that is the most important thing for you
to know about it. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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