the essentials in brief
- humus is decomposed organic material
- The humus content in the earth varies from 1 to 15%
- Humust is very rich in nutrients and contains, among other things, phosphorus, nitrogen and sulfur
What exactly is humus?
At first glance, defining humus is not difficult: it actually only describes that decomposed portion of organic material in the earth, or that in the decomposition process understood. Its counterpart, or its preliminary stage, is the detritus - the undecomposed part. The remaining part of the mineral earth is made up of living organisms - the biomass.
also read
- What is the difference between humus and compost?
- Everything you need to know about humus soil
- Mix the potting soil yourself
When looking at the decomposition process of organic material, however, it starts to get complicated. Because the boundary between decomposed and undecomposed material is floating. And that's mainly because the decomposition process goes through several stages and the exact "time of death" of the material cannot be precisely determined.
The decomposition process produces two different types of humus - nutrient and permanent humus. These types of humus differ in their persistence, which is determined by the degradability of their components. Nutritional humus consists of half of rapidly degradable carbohydrates and the other half of lignin. On the other hand, permanent humus - which basically only represents a later stage of decomposition - can last for thousands of years as a stable organic substance.
Digression
Humus content in the soil
Here is an overview of the humus content in the soils of Germany to illustrate the real average values. It comes from the result of a study by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Raw Materials as part of the project "Contents of organic matter in topsoil in Germany". This includes around 9,000 soil profile data for the three most common types of land use in Germany - arable, forest and Forestry and grassland - evaluated from 1985 to 2005.
| Farmland | Forestry / forestry | Grassland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humus content | 1 to 4 % | 2 to 8% | 4 to 15% |
How is humus made?
So humus is created from organic material in the earth - what is that exactly? First and foremost, of course, plants and parts of plants that are no longer alive, such as dead wood, fallen leaves or remains of roots. But also the legacies of animals, such as molting coats, bristles or excretions, are part of it.
During decomposition, the organic material goes through several stages in which various biochemical reactions and mechanical processes take place. These stages are as follows:
1. Preliminary phase
In the preliminary phase of decomposition, only the organism's own substances react with one another, for example in the form of oxidation or hydrolysis. The cell structure remains intact, which means that the external shape is retained.
2. Initial phase
In the initial phase, in addition to further biochemical reactions, there are also mechanical washouts, e.g. B. of amino and other acids. The substances released in the process attract a large number of microorganisms that feed on them.
3. Crushing phase
Worms and other insects break up the organic material
In the shredding phase, the material is - who's surprising - significantly shredded. Namely from the so-called macrofauna, i.e. worms, spiders, insects and snails. They eat parts of the material, excrete it in a different way and work it into the soil.
4. Dismantling and conversion phase
Finally, the fragments are split up by enzymes. In the end, inorganic substances such as water or nitrogen dioxide are also produced. In the end, this process creates mineral and poorly degradable material such as lignin, which is mainly broken down and converted by fungi. This so-called mineralization (i.e. quasi-soil formation) is also referred to as the clay-humus complex, i.e. the combination of organic and inorganic fragments. Above all, humic substances form a connection with clay minerals and ensure that they are so valuable Crumbling of the humus, which is responsible for its soil structuring and water and nutrient-retaining properties cares.
What is humus made of?
There is no general answer to this. Because the composition of the organic material that decomposes into humus is always different - depending on the plant and animal species whose legacies come together locally. (and also their age!)
The type of humus is measured primarily on the basis of its nitrogen-carbon ratio. Nitrogen is the valuable growth-promoting component. In addition, humus also contains phosphorus and sulfur, also important substances that promote plant growth.
Meaning of humus
Humus contains many valuable nutrients
Above all, humus has a water balance-regulating, structure-building and fertility-promoting importance for the soil. Above all, the substances nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus it contains are essential for plant growth. In addition, the crumbly consistency of the humus acts like a sponge-like structure, which effectively helps the soil to deal with water shortages and excesses. This means that the soil water is available to the flora and fauna for longer and floods can be intercepted well.
Its porous structure also makes the humus an effective filter for pollutants such as residues from pesticides.
In addition, humus can bind CO2 - and that for thousands of years.
What is humus used for?
Humus is generally used to enrich the garden soil with nutrients, to store water or Prevention of dehydration and soil protection. Above all, this means that important soil organisms, especially the microfauna, feel particularly comfortable under a protective layer of mulch and diligently promote humus enrichment.
When promoting humus in your garden soil, you should consider the following:
- bring compost or Mulch(€ 239.00 at Amazon *) before winter for protection against the cold and remove the layer in spring to allow the sun and warmth to reach the ground
- especially dark compost material is conducive to the spring warming of the soil
- it is better to use your own compost for humus enrichment, the raw materials of which you can control. Humus soil from composting plants or in conventional agriculture are more frequently polluted by chemical pollutants, resins, fungi and weed seeds. If you make compost and thus your own humus and garden consistently without the use of chemical pesticides, you will get the best "organic humus".
- an additional inoculation with nitrogenous Herbal manure (especially from nettles) in the spring makes mulch application even more effective. Above all, she gives plants to the sowing an initial growth spurt
- Apply a layer of mulch thick enough so that weeds have no chance of conquering the area.
Mulch protects against weeds and dehydration
Apart from nutrient and permanent humus, there are many other distinctions within the humus cosmos. A distinction is made primarily between the composition of the starting materials and the resulting effects. Different plants and animal legacies contain different substances that have a corresponding effect on the soil.
If you want to make humus yourself, the best way to do this is through the usual horticultural composting and Incorporation of the compost soil into the soil, where then humus with the help of the local soil fauna and minerals can arise. Even by simple Mulching A nourishing humus layer is created on the top of the soil. Depending on which raw materials the compost is made of, a different humus is created. Foliage is one of the most important because mulch materials also essentially contribute to humus formation in nature. Basically the following can be stated in this regard:
- Fruit tree or beech leaves plus lawn clippings and other nitrogenous material (e. B. Manure): for plants in need of nutrients, especially vegetables
- Oak leaves together with bark and woodcut: for mulching under acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons or berry bushes
- Walnut, plane or chestnut leaves: very tannic and difficult to rot, therefore for mulching or unsuitable for humus production
For the lawn, mulching with your own lawn is a well-suited means of creating natural humus directly on the spot. Research has shown that lawns that are cut regularly with a mulcher lawnmower are more robust Sward train and are more resistant to competing plants and grass diseases.
Tips
If you want to mulch to build up humus, it is worthwhile to clean the mulch material well before spreading it to shred - for example with a chopper or for the lawn directly with one Mulcher lawn mower. In this way you promote the decomposition stages and the work of microorganisms and enzymes. In this way, your garden soil benefits more quickly from the nourishing, structure-providing and water balance-regulating effect of the resulting humus.
When does humus promotion make sense?
The humus content in Garden soil Funding always makes sense. Especially, of course, if you are cultivating a kitchen garden from which you want a lot of harvest to fall. It is not for nothing that the compost, through the production and application of which you promote the humification of your garden soil, is also known as the “gardener's black gold”. In general, a humus content of less than 4% is considered to be low - a lot of re-circulated and depleted arable land is usually far below that. Your garden soil should, depending on how high or low its density, have a humus content of over 4%.
If you are not sure how much your garden soil needs a permanent fertility sprayer, there is a very specific way of examining your soil for its humus content. However, certain equipment is required for this, as shown in the following video:
Youtube
frequently asked Questions
What is the difference between humus and compost?
The differentiation is actually only in the origin: in the case of humus it is initiated by nature, in the case of compost it is initiated by humans. Humans lay their compost heap separately from the natural soil (e.g. B. in a compost crate or on a simple pile) specifically to improve its garden soil and counts on the help of microorganisms. The humus, on the other hand, is a pure work of nature and naturally forms compounds with minerals and the locally occurring microorganisms. When compost is incorporated into the garden soil, it gradually turns into real humus.
How can you make humus yourself?
Basically, this has already been answered with the previous question: Real humus is only created through natural decomposition by local minerals and microorganisms in the earth. You can only “make your own” humus by giving the natural soil the task to do so. If you have already advanced in the decomposition compost available and put it in the soil work in, you get real humus where you want it: in the vegetable and flower bed or in the Turf floor.
Where do you get humus garden soil in large quantities?
Large quantities Compost soil for the garden you can use waste management companies or separate humus and soil plants. As a rule, the valuable, nutrient-rich and structure-forming soil is used as compost and not as humus soil sold because, strictly speaking, they are only available if the humus remains in the natural soil for a longer period of time and decomposes further locally can speak. You can collect compost soil in humus and earth factories for prices between 5 and 10 euros per cubic meter (not by weight). A proper transport fee is often due for an individual delivery.
Where can I find humus soil cheaply?
Large hardware stores such as Obi or Hornbach offer compost soil with humus content very cheaply. But don't let the low price seduce you. Because and often it concerns with the offers to industrial humus from composting plants, which not insignificantly with residues of chemical Pesticides, weed seeds, fungal spores and even plastic and small amounts of heavy metals is contaminated from improperly stocked Biotons is coming. Completely free of charge and, with careful gardening waste management, also pollutant-free, you get your humus through your own composting - the price here is just patience.
How do you recognize good humus?
To distinguish good humus from less good humus, you can simply do sensory tests. Rely on your nose, hands and eyes. Valuable humus feels balanced, crumbly and evenly moist, smells pleasantly woody and mushroom and has a clear, dark color. Inexpensive "industrial" humus packaged in plastic from hardware stores often has a high water content and even nutrient content that is too high. With the high water content you can of course earn more money, especially since the compost packs are sold by weight.
Is humus suitable for cultivation?
In any case. Humus is an important part of cultivation soil because it has a wonderfully crumbly, airy structure and can store a lot of water, which is ideal for the development of young roots. You can easily make cultivation soil yourself by mixing well-matured compost, so to speak humus, with sand in the preliminary stage.
