Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2002
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/soilmulch.html

Compost ... the Key to Fertility
February 2002
Warren Johnson, Back to Nature, Inc., Slaton, Texas

    To the American pioneers, the Great Plains were truly a gift from
God É over a half million square miles of unclaimed, undisturbed soil É
a self sustaining carpet that supported not only itself, but millions of
living creatures, great and small. When plows first broke ground on the
Great Plains it was hard to tell in the freshly turned earth where the
soil ended and where plant life began.

    Without pointing fingers, it has taken man in his constant quest for
"more" less than 150 years to reduce that resource to less than 1% of
what it was. To place that statement in its proper perspective, it may
be helpful to recognize that the thin layer of topsoil that remains is
all that stands between us and extinction.

    Turn over a shovelful of earth today and if you're lucky you will
see a dark layer at the surface that contains lots of organic matter and
maybe even an earthworm or two. That dark layer is topsoil. If you look
closely you will see that it consists primarily of dead and decaying
organic matter. The rest of your shovelful of earth will consist of a
combination of clay, sand or stone. While those things are important in
the overall scheme of things,it is the topsoil that gives soil its
fertility.

    The organic content of the soil acts as a home and food source for
beneficial soil organisms. These organisms convert nutrients into a form
plants can use, provide aeration through their tunneling, and facilitate
the transferal of nutrients from the soil to the plant. Still other
organisms help to maintain a balance between harmful and beneficial
forces in the soil.

    Experts agree. The single most beneficial thing we can do to restore
soil fertility is to return organic matter to the soil, preferably in
the form of compost. Composting is important because the heat generated
by microbes in the process of decomposition helps to destroy weeds,
insects and pathogens.

    You can help by using a mulching mower and leaving the clippings on
your lawn when you mow. Grass clippings are a free source of fertilizer.
They are high in nitrogen and break down quickly in healthy soil.

    Some household waste can be added to a compost pile and eventually
contribute to the fertility of planting beds. Johnson's can provide you
with information on the "dos" and "don'ts" of composting.

    There are a number of commercial composts available. In our opinion,
the best compost on the market today is made from cotton bolls.

    Cotton gin trash has been used as a soil conditioner in the Southern
U.S. for over 150 years. Cotton is a heavy feeder, and the "burr" or
"boll" (fleshy husk sepal around the cotton fiber) contains a
significant amount of essential plant nutrients. When properly
composted, cotton bolls are prized for their ability to break up clay;
won't cause nitrogen tie-up like wood and wood by-products; and hold as
much moisture as peat moss. Recent studies have shown that the greatest
asset of cotton boll compost may be its value as a food source for
beneficial soil organisms, whose population levels soar rapidly with its
use.

    We recommend Gard'N-Wise Cotton Boll Compost. It can be used as a
mulch for existing beds or can be tilled into the soil.

    Gard'N-Wise Cotton Boll Compost is manufactured in Texas by Back To
Nature, Inc. Other fine products offered by Back to Nature include
composted cattle manure, composted chicken manure, as well as several
blended products for roses, flower beds and lawns. Stop by Johnson's
Garden Centers for all your soil amendment needs.