calcium, 7 times richer in available phosphorus, and 11
times richer in available potassium than the soil they
inhabit.^1
- It occurs in the form of animal and plant bodies that
decay on top of and within the soil in nature and in
compost piles.
- And it occurs in the form of roots, root hairs, and
microbial life-forms that remain and decay beneath the
surface of the soil after harvesting. It is estimated that
one cereal rye plant in good soil grows 3 miles of hairs
a day, 387 miles of roots in a season, and 6,603 miles of
root hairs each season!^2
Qualitatively, some people feel that compost made
from plants is 4 times better than that made from
manure and that compost in the form of plant roots is
twice as good as plant compost! It is interesting that the
roots (which have a special relationship with the soil
microbes and the soil itself) can weigh 45% to 120% of
the above-ground weight of the plants.
