< See more articles >

With so many hot days through the summer and variable rainfall, soil in the garden can become very depleted of moisture. Even with regular watering, the organic matter in soil will gradually break down over the warmer months of the year and need restoring. Organic matter in the soil comes from various sources from living organisms such as animal and plant excretions such as manure and the breakdown of dead organisms. We greatly enhance and speed up these processes with worm farms or compost systems, creating high-quality enrichment for soil that is easy and free, and it’s always a much more sustainable option than purchasing expensive soil improvers and wetting agents.  

Organic matter is a rather complex substance that is made up of very large molecules that have lots of the element carbon as their backbone. These carbon-based molecules are referred to in scientific terms as ‘organic’ molecules. We often hear the word ‘organic’ used in a different context to refer to chemical-free growing of fruit and vegetables so this word can be a bit confusing. From a soil point of view the organic carbon-based molecules are incredibly important in helping to capture and store both moisture and nutrients in the soil. Essentially organic matter acts like a sponge that can soak up soil water, and in that soil water there are all sorts of nutrients dissolved that get stored as well. Humus is the end product of the breakdown process, with compost and worm castings usually containing organic molecules at all different stages of decomposition, but all have a role to play as the ’sponge’ in your soil.  

If your soil has become very dry and dusty and takes a long time for water to soak in, then the humus-rich products of worm farms and compost bins will give the kind of complete rejuvenation required to help the soil absorb and retain moisture and nutrients. They also provide other benefits like releasing nutrients and providing a haven for beneficial microbes that help both soil and plants thrive. Very dry soil often becomes hard to get wet again, this has a scientific name such that your soil is known as hydrophobic i.e. it literally dislikes water. Digging in compost or worm castings helps to prevent soils becoming hydrophobic.  

Whether you have a traditional stackable worm farm or an in-ground system, worm farming is one of the best ways to turn kitchen scraps into soil conditioner. The compost heap or bin, on the other hand, is perfect for larger green scraps from the garden as well, such as lawn clippings and the bits and pieces of greenery generated from pruning trees and shrubs. Compost bins and heaps generally provide a less nutrient dense and a coarser type of compost compared to worm farms, but still full of humus and good things for the garden. Both methods are ideal for practicing more sustainable ways of gardening and living, while providing economical and high-quality soil conditioners/fertilisers.  

Horticulturists use the term ‘soil conditioner’ to indicate a low nutrient compost that functions as the ‘sponge’ mentioned above. Worm farms are generally fed on high nutrient material such as kitchen scraps that results in a more nutrient dense output of worm castings (worm manure essentially) that functions as a fertiliser supplying nutrients as well as soil conditioning humus.  

Whatever organic matter you produce in your garden, there are a couple of ways you can apply it to maximise the benefits to your soil. If you have a clear garden bed such as in between crops in the vegetable garden then you can simply dig the compost into the top 10 to 20cm of soil using a garden fork or spade. If you are applying the organic matter to an established plant then we recommend putting a 5 to 10cm thick layer on top of the soil and covering it with 5 cm of a coarse mulch as woodchips or pine bark that will allow the compost underneath to stay moist and be discovered by the natural earthworms that are present in most soils. The worms will eat the compost and tunnel into the soil, aerating it and fertilising as they go.

< See more articles >