AS PROMISED LAST week, today we will discuss why organic matter “is the miracle drug of gardening.”

The lack of sufficient organic material is no laughing matter when it comes to your soil’s tilth and fertility. The organic faction in your soil is the next all-important issue after soil texture and structure, because not only do the varying degrees and amounts of organic matter directly influence the soil texture class of your particular soil, but it largely determines your soil structure as well.

That means organic material directly influences the physical makeup of your soil. Soil organic matter has a profound effect on soil biology and its chemical analysis as well, and we will soon learn why that directly affects the available nutrients in the soil. But first, split the organic faction into its two component parts.

All organic material in your soil is either alive or dead. If it is alive, there exists a direct cause and effect as the organisms move around, breed, eat, breathe, digest and emit waste products.

If the organic material is dead, then their decomposition effects on the soil are profound (as primarily provided food for the living organisms and nutrients for the plants).

Today, I want to focus on the living component of soil, for it consists of an extremely wide and divergent group of critters both beneficial and essential to us humans. Then, too, the living organisms of soil can be some of the most dangerous and harmful aspects of gardening, causing catastrophic and economic devastation to crops and livestock, which also includes death.

The living aspects of soil include mole worms, mice, insects, gophers, nematodes, snakes, spiders, fungi, algae, bacteria, snails, slugs, mites, sow bugs and actinomycetes.

Microscopically, the soil is a very, very scary place, filled with a plethora of visually weird and horrifying creatures.

Good fertile soil is absolutely alive, and all efforts should be maintained to keep it so.

First, soil organisms physically move soil around and thus act as rototillers in your soil by lessening compaction, creating pore space and adding greatly to its moisture absorption and atmospheric exchange.

Organisms distribute organic material by way of their waste products being generated and deposited as they move around. Also, soil organisms digest many plant parts and other organic material, and without them, decomposition would not occur.

We need to fully comprehend this vital link. If decomposing organisms are non-existent or in very low supply, our planet would be piled high with dead carcasses and organic residue — imagine dinosaur cadavers in your backyard. But through decomposition, especially in your soil, organic material is slowly broken down into basic chemical components that, in turn, can become readily available to the plants.

Without this breakdown, most of these nutrients would continue to be bound or fixated and never be available to the plant. Then, too, realize that organisms, especially plant parts and their roots, act as a major food source for other organisms, and without this food source, the web of life in soil would collapse.

But as the organisms of soil breakdown and decompose, roots or other dead-material humic acids are left behind. These humic acids and other byproducts of decomposition act as glue, combining soil particles into the aggregates (peds) we learned about last week.

Granular soil is the name of the game. Organic matter is the best way to accomplish that soil structure, and high organic soil also will be life-abundant.

Finally, remember biodiversity. The more that various forms of life exist in an ecosystem, the healthier that ecosystem will be — especially in times of peril. A biologically diverse soil will have all these elements of good and bad to counter each other.

As a particular pestilence begins to arise and develop to that of a problem, this increase will trigger other organisms to respond and consume this increase in food supply.

Remember that nature hates a vacuum, so a healthy natural soil will, for the most part, keep itself in check over time.

Next week, we will learn why dead organic material is truly the miracle drug of gardening.

So … stay well everyone!

Soroptimist Gala Garden Show

Today and tomorrow all us gardeners have the chance to indulge in some “Garden Gala.” For the 26th year, the Sequim Soroptimists are holding their annual Gala Garden Show. It is being held at the Sequim Boys and Girls Club, 400 W. Fir Street today (Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is an event local horticulturists do not want to miss. With 38 vendors and a plethora of garden speakers, it is a show that has something for every plant lover. Admission is only $5 and supports the wonderful projects the Soroptimist Club does. For more detailed information, go to sequimgardenshow.com. Maybe I will see you there!

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Andrew May is a freelance writer and ornamental horticulturist who dreams of having Clallam and Jefferson counties nationally recognized as “Flower Peninsula USA.” Send him questions c/o Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or email news@peninsuladailynews.com (subject line: Andrew May).