compost.The microbial life provides a living pulsation in the
soil that preserves its vitality for the plants. The microbes
tie up essential nutrients in their own body tissues as
they grow, and then release them slowly as they die and
decompose. In this way, they help stabilize food release
to the plants. These organisms are also continuously
excreting a whole range of organic compounds into the
soil. Sometimes described as “soil glue,” these excretions
contribute to the building of the soil structure. The
organic compounds also contain disease-curing
antibiotics and health-producing vitamins and enzymes
that are integral parts of biochemical reactions in a
healthy soil.
The use of soil in compost is important, because it:
- Enables the pile to hold moisture better—facilitating
the decomposition of the pile - Contains microbes that enable the pile to decompose
more easily - Holds many of the nutrient-laden compost “juices”—
keeping them from leaching out.
Tip: You will probably want to build some compost without soil for your perennial
growing areas. This is because you cannot easily take soil from these areas to build
compost piles. Also, the perennial roots will necessitate surface cultivation to an
approximately 2-inch depth in most cases.