Ultimately, humus and the process by which it is formed can have a dramatic impact on your garden. Synthetic fertilizers cannot replace organic matter lost through soil mismanagement. In time, more fertilizer is needed to compensate for the degeneration of organic matter in the soil. Organic matter helps to bind soil particles into aggregates, which produces a granular structure and permits the accessibility of air to roots, the capillary movement of water, and the penetration of roots through the soil. Ultimately it will help to make the soil easier to work.
Compost helps to improve the ability of the soil to hold water.
Compost provides a food source for the many beneficial soil microbes critical to a robust, vital soil. It is important that compost or other organic matter be added to a garden every year to keep the soil alive. We suggest that 2 inches be added every spring and tilled in a minimum of 6 inches before planting. For new gardens, or poor soil, add organic matter again in the fall as a mulch for the first few years.