What does humus do?

Answer 1

Humus is decayed organic matter in the top soil of mature soils. Humus helps the soil to hold water better, by providing nutrients, and by keeping the soil from getting packed down makes a plant grow very fast.

Answer 2

Compost can be considered synonymous with humus. Compost is the end-product of human-intervened or Mother Nature-guided processes which yield the same environmentally friendly, healthy product. Compost is dark-colored, fresh-smelling, nutrient-rich organic material, which is also what humus is.

Answer 3

Composting refers to the process of breaking down certain materials into their constituent elements. Compostables are the eligible materials, such as already dead carbon-rich brown, and freshly cut or severed nitrogen-rich green, yard wastes. Compost refers to the end product, which is dark brown, fresh-smelling, organic matter-rich humus.

Answer 4

The adding of fresh smelling dark brown color, the encouraging of healthy soil texture and structure, and the introduction of nutrient rich organic material are what humus does to topsoil. The fresh smell and the dark brown color result from the aerobic breakdown of dying, decaying and dead matter. The adjective 'aerobic' refers to the critical role of air in the breakdown, as opposed to its lack in the anaerobic decomposition that takes place in landfills.

Healthy soil texture and structure refers to the presence of proper, adequate air and water pore space. Proper air and moisture levels are needed for access to soil nutrients by plant roots and soil food web members. They're also necessary for avoiding yo-yo situations of underground drought or waterlogging.

Nutrient rich organic material is created with the decomposition of animal and plant matter. For example, brown decaying plant matter tends to be carbon rich. Green plant matter such as fresh grass clippings tend to be nitrogen rich. These nutrients are released from the confines of the animal or plant body, and become available to nutrient needy plant roots and soil food web members.

Answer 5

Humus contains the dead remains of plants and animals while compost contains vegetable peels etc.

Answer 6

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