Compost Tumblers For Sale

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“If you are having a compost problem it is because you are not paying attention to what is causing the problem:” The Invisible Gardener

Making Compost is like making cake. There are plenty of receipts and many different ways to make it. The more you make compost the better you will be at it. I started making compost in the 6th grade, the year I started doing my own natural pest control business. That was the year that I realized that in order to control the ant population I would have to bring back any sick trees and I would do that by bringing the soil back to life. How would I do that?  By using compost that is mineraly rich and bacterially active, you can bring the soil and everything else back to a balanced state of being. Making compost should be a pet friendly project and by only using natural products such as rock dust, organic compost starters, etc, you will not be using anything that could harm them. In the past my dog has eaten compost which gave her a mild case of the runs, but that is the extent that it should affect your pet. Follow common sense…. Compost needs water to cook with, energy to make it heat up,  carbon matter to feed the bacteria, green matter for its nitrogen  and living bacteria to convert it into food for the plants. Combined together in the right way and you have a new product called compost! It is important is to follow common sense when applying compost. It make sense to rake in your compost and to keep the pets off the lawns, etc., until it has been watered in and dissolved; otherwise they will get it all over themselves and bring it into the house. Best to keep them controlled long enough to allow the compost to be absorbed into the soil. If your pet insists on eating it, it could be because you have not completely composted the ingredients that you have added. Remember the basic law of what’s goes in must come out!

“Compost is Mother Nature’s best hope for our planet.”Andy Lopez  Invisible Gardener

Steps to Compost Production

The C Spot

Where to make your compost is important.

You will need to find a location that gets morning sun if possible. If it gets too much sun, it may dry out on you and you will need to water it more often.

Another factor in locating a spot for your compost making operation is what type of system you are using- whether it be bin or pile? This is determined by the amount of space you have available. The bigger the size of your property, the more compost it will produce, the more bins or piles you will need. Also local city rules will determine what you can do.

Another factor is that your compost set up should have easy access to your kitchen, water, and enough space for for storage of materials you will need.

Drainage is important. It is important that the compost set up be in contact with soil as it will allow microorganisms to enter the compost process as well as allow for proper drainage.

It’s too cold!

The time of year you make compost is important also. If you live    in a place that has a heavy winter you should make compost before winter comes, then allow it to sit during the winter time.

It’s too wet!

Protect it from rain by covering it with a tarp.

To Air or not to Air?

There are two types of microorganisms that work the compost

Aerobic microorganisms require open air oxygen rich composting environment

Anaerobic microorganisms do not require oxygen.

Which type you have will depend on how you plan on making your compost.

Aerobic microorganisms require compost bins or piles that are turned over regularly to expose them to oxygen.

Anaerobic microorganisms require closed environments whether bin or pile, that do not need to be turned over regularly.

What ever you decide to do, the proper microorganisms will be there to do it for you! I suggest that you use the Aerobic microorganism since these work faster to get the job done then the Anaerobic type; but require more work (fun).

To bin or not to bin?

Whether you use bins or make piles depends on a few factors;

Local city rules

The amount of space you have available

The size of your property

Your time

Here is a good example of an open compost bin set up. Sent in From Mary Ann of Westlake Ca

More Bins! This one protects from sun and rain! Sent in from George of San Diego Ca

HYPERLINK “http://www.invisiblegardener.com/compost/building_compost_bins.htm” To Pile or not to pile?

Whether you make compost piles or not really depends on the size of your property and the amount of compost you will need. Personally I feel this is the  best way to make compost (if you can do it) because it allows the compost to heat up enough to control any diseases. Smaller bins will not heat up as much!

Are you watering enough? Compost needs a little bit of water in order to heat up. Use a water filter to remove chemicals since chlorine, etc.,  kill bacteria. (hint hint).

Don’t over water it since too much water will drown it.

Add enough of each type of materials in order to get it to heat up

Green materials such as grass clippings, new leaves, vegetable wastes etc.

Brown materials such as dried leaves, dried plants (run through shredder) etc.

Use some type of animal manure such as rabbit, horse, cow, llama, etc.

Use rock dust as a mineral source see “http://www.invisiblegardener.com/rockdust.htm” Rock Dust Dept

Add a bacterial product such as “http://www.invisiblegardener.com/online_store/online_store_superseaweed.html” SuperSeaweed, to increase right bacterial count…

Do not add any chemical fertilizer to your compost! That is a no no.

Do not use anything with sewer sludge in it! (bad, bad).

Use it or lose it!When compost is ready, you must use it otherwise the insects and other creatures will use it for them selves!  If you are having rats and other creatures living in your compost then you are not paying attention!      

Never use chemical fertilizers to make your compost with. You can instead increase the nutritional level of your compost by adding a good organic slow release fertilizer like those available from  HYPERLINK “http://www.groworganic.com/?plink=1107″ Peaceful Valley Farm Supplies

Andy Lopez,The Invisible Gardener

http://www.invisiblegardener.com

Good luck!

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Would you like a more natural alternative to using those plastic planter containers? Well, here is a project for you, where you can have an interesting planter during the growing season, then throw the container out in the garden for mulch, without having to add to the world’s landfill problems.

These planters can be used and grown anywhere you can provide good plant growing conditions, including on a patio, pathway or even a roof top. The main criteria being enough sunlight for the plants chosen, easy access to water and an ease of access to maintain the planter/s.

Just follow the steps below.

What you will need

· One or more rectangular bales of hay, (One per planter).

· 4 to 8 seedlings or small plants per planter.

· One to two good handfuls of soil/compost/potting mix per plant.

· Small garden handtools.

· Hose/watering can.

· Liquid fertilizer.

· Area chosen to provide enough light for growing conditions required by plants selected.

Steps

Take one rectangular bale of hay; flip it on its side so that the straps are around the sides not over the top and bottom.

Moisten the hay bale thoroughly with a hose or watering can.

Using the handle of a hand tool, dig four to eight holes in the new upper surface of the hay bale, these holes have to be big enough to hold a good handful of soil.

Into each hole, place a handful or two of compost, soil or potting mix.

Plant up your choice of annuals, herbs or short-lived perennials.

· Water the plants in well and fertilize them with a liquid fertilizer.

· Because of the air gaps in the hay, this type of planter can dry out more quickly than a normal planter, so regular watering is essential.

· Also remember that your planter is actually decomposing while you are using it so remember to regularly fertilize the plants growing in it. Because nutrients may become temporarily unavailable during the decomposition process.

After you have finished growing your plants, move it out to the garden, take the straps off the bale, and use it to mulch/fertilize a part of your garden. You will find that the centre of the bale has decomposed into compost nicely by this stage.

Good luck!

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Is this going to be your first time to try your hand and luck in composting? This should not be that hard. But it isn’t that easy either. The sure thing about this is that it is going to take a lot of your time. But the end result will all be wroth it, especially if the next thing that you want to try your hand on is organic gardening.
The two actually go together. You will be able to utilize to its full potential your compost on your organic garden. If you think that you have a knack and you have the talent for it, you should really try gardening. It is not all work but no play. This can actually be just a hobby that you can use to relax while flexing those muscles out for a much needed exercise.
The main reason for gardening may be for beautification. But when you go the organic route, the reason behind this will be much bigger and much in tuned with nature. By making compost, you are also being one with nature. You are doing your part in preserving its beauty by gathering the waste elements that can be recycled to act as fertilizers to your garden.
For starters, it is only natural to worry if your project will be a success or not. But why worry if you can take the necessary actions for it to actually succeed. Here are some tips that you can follow.
1. Manage the stink. You don’t want to get into trouble with your neighbors for the sake of nature. To achieve this, you must keep the pile oxygenated. You can turn the materials periodically to gain such effect. This way, the materials on your pile will decompose regularly.
2. Decide if you are going to do it hot or cold. If you’ve decided on cold, you just have to pile all the organic materials and let nature takes its course over them. But this will take months to even years for all the materials to be good enough for compost.
If you will choose hot, this is a more detailed process and more effort is required on your part. You have to place your materials on a compost bag. Place the leaves first then put soil into it. Add other kitchen wastes like scraps from vegetables and fruits. You must remember to moist this pile periodically for the bacteria to grow so they can aid in decomposing the materials faster.
3. Watch out for the unnecessary visitors. You must be vigilant in a sense that if you are seeing flies and other pests inhabiting on your pile, take the proper actions to get rid of them. You want the pile to rot but not in a way that it won’t be useful in the end.
4. Place the compost, whether it is being done through hot or cold way, a good distance from the household and nearby neighbors. This way, you can proceed with the steps without the probable intrusion and questioning by the people nearby who don’t get what is that all about.
Composting can really eat up a lot of your time. So do it methodically. Make sure that you’ll devote ample amount of time into the process if you really are serious about gaining positive results from this.

Good luck!

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Getting started worm farm composting doesn’t have to be complicated. All you really need are the basics of worm composting trivia, and a little interest in gardening or recycling. Some of the most common questions and answers about worm composting follow.

Mature worms can consume as much as their own body weight every day. But what do they eat and how do they prefer to eat it? Worms can consume many of the same foods we eat, and lots of other biodegradable items as well. They will feed faster if you shred, mash or blend food scraps since these will make a more digestible mix that is easily consumed by the worms. Yard clippings, non-acidic leaves, organic garden waste, are fair game as well. Also, maintain worm bed temperature at around 23-25 degrees Celsius, since this temperature best matches their metabolism and the worms feed better. Also, avoid acidic foods, since it upsets the worms’ digestive system. Things you may also want to avoid feeding your worms include manure, onions, citrus fruits or peelings, garlic, garden waste sprayed with insecticides, dairy products like milk and cheese or meat. Salts are another taboo as this can wipe out an entire bed.

Worms tend to thrive in cool, damp or moist environments. So, should one water the worm bed regularly? Watering the beds will enhance the production of liquid fertilizer, but make sure not to pour too much water into it or it could drown the worms. The food wastes are about 80% water, which is released as the worms break them down. If you spray or add water to the worm bed every couple of weeks, be sure to just add water only to the point of getting the worm bed damp and cool. By doing it this way, you will have a constant supply of liquid fertilizer. If your beds are over-watered or it’s raining, your worms will tend to gather on the top or lid of the bed to avoid drowning. Simply relocate or shelter the worm beds, and mix in some dry material and return or mix the worms back into the bedding.

On the other hand, if the worms never seem to work or rise to the tops of the trays, the reason may be because you may have added new food before the worms have consumed the previous feeding batch. Worms have the instinct to stay with leftover food and will not search for a new food source until they consume what food is presently available. In this light also, before you add new trays, stop feeding the worms for at least five days to ensure all existing food has been consumed. Another consideration is that the level of castings in the working tray needs to be high enough for the worms to pass easily up to the next tray. You’ll get a feel for this as you go.

Worms can tolerate a temperature range between 10-30 degrees Celsius. If temperatures of your worm beds get hotter than these levels, move the beds into a shady, cool area, and regulate the moisture and humidity of the worm boxes to further control the bed temperature. A simple cooking thermometer stuck into the soil of the bed should help keep you safe.

In cold temperatures, you should cover the worm beds with old garments or carpets, blankets and wool shavings to help keep the bed temperatures in range. In the colder climates, you mat consider bringing your beds indoors to a porch or outbuilding. In Nature, worms go deep to avoid winter temperatures and freezing. Since your beds do not allow them to go down say seven or ten feet or more, you must compensate. Another trick is to feed the worms at least a quarter more than normal, since more food digested by the worms allow for more heat being generated in their bodies.

Worms tend to self-regulate their population with any given or available space and the amount of food administered to them. So, if you plan on growing your operation or harvesting the worms themselves, you’ll want to do so by regulating the size of your worm beds and their number.

Keeping these tips and hints in mind will help get you started successfully in worm farm composting.

Good luck!

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If you’re thinking about starting up a family-friendly composting project, why not consider doing one that involves worms? That’s right, worm composting, also known as vermicomposting, is a fun-filled way to get the compost you desire for your garden. All you and your kids have to do is keep the worms happy by feeding them and they’ll do all the work for you. Here’s how you get started:

All you need is a plastic 10 gallon worm bin with drainage holes on the bottom (home made or store bought is just fine), a tight fitting lid to keep the worms in the dark, moist bedding made out of one inch newspaper strips or sawdust, a pound of red wiggler worms that you can get from your local fish bait shop or from internet retailer sites like Composters.com, and some food waste like banana peels, fruit rinds and vegetable stalks. Be sure to keep in mind that this will get a bit messy, so it might be best to do this outside especially if you’re children are going to be involved. If it gets messy, it’s okay!

Start by halfway filling the worm bin with the newspaper strips; moisten the strips once you’ve reached the halfway mark. Once the newspaper is damp, push it to one side of the bin and repeat the process until the bin is full but not entirely packed and make sure there are no standing puddles collecting at the bottom. Add half a cup of sawdust or soil so that the worms have some grit to work with. Go ahead and add your pound of worms and watch as they wiggle their way down into the soil and newspaper. Next, bury your food waste into the bedding a few inches deep and cover the bedding with a five page blanket of damp newspapers.

After a few days you should notice some positive results – the worms are digging in and out of the bedding, eating the food waste, soil and newspaper, digesting it and leaving behind worm castings (explain to your kids that it’s poop!). It’s the worm castings that you really want for your garden. To keep your worms happy keep adding food wastes every few days or so and they’ll keep producing that rich black gold for you. Have fun and don’t be afraid to get down and dirty!

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If you care about the environment, you will be in favor of the composting process. This concept is all about giving back to the land what it has given you. It is all about recycling. It is all about a cycle that things go through in order to grow.
It is an interesting cycle. If you just take a moment to take a deeper look into a pile of decaying things, you will see that some things that are slowly becoming part of the land. And you also see some offspring that are growing from the process.
That’s life. And that’s how your life is also going to be. If you are in touch with nature, you will see such cycles as miracles, and something to be joyful about.
Compost is also more than just a using fertilizer on soil. This actually means that the cycle of life goes on. You can gather decaying leaves of plants and other manures and things that can be found in your garden for this purpose. You will then use all the materials to form your very own compost.
This process is actually practiced by many farmers in all parts of the world. But ordinary gardeners or people who love nature and things that revolve in it can also benefit from this.
The organic residue that you collect when you gather different materials from the land that is converted into something black, somewhat fragrant, and crumbly (decomposing) is what will be the compost. The idea here is to arrange the materials so that the soil bacteria and fungi can survive and also multiply as they all break down. The bacteria act as the converters of all raw materials so that they must be in a workable environment with proper moisture, food and air.
If you haven’t made yours, but is interested in starting a compost, you can begin by gathering the green and dry elements that you can see around your garden. You must think what you can feed the bacteria for it to thrive. For such, you can tap on the grass clippings, the green weeds, as well as the vines of pea and leaves of lettuce. What do they have in common? They contain sugar elements as well as proteins and they all can decompose fast.
Dry leaves and other small twigs must be mixed with the greens when decomposing. These materials take a lot of time in order to decompose because they contain little nitrogen. That is why they must not be left alone in the process.
You can also build a compost pile by mixing a fertilizer, then adding manure and garden soil between every layer of your gathered waste material.
You need not be a pro to be able to come up with your own version of this tool. All you’ve got to have is a big heart for nature and you are set to go.
What you have to remember is that you are doing the environment a great favor by being involved in such a process. Not everyone loves to garden, having said that, it is also true that not everyone will love the idea of making compost.
Practice will make everything perfect. This is also true with the idea of composting. Through time, you will be able to develop your own techniques. And hopefully, you will be able to share with others what a gem you have found in this kind of process.

Good luck!

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If you are still find it hard to understand the nature of composting, it can actually be simplified. Compost is an organic substance that is added to the soil which functions more than just being a fertilizer.It can actually be compared to recycling. Instead of throwing out all your waste and garbage, or at least what you consider as garbage, you can sort that out. In recycling, you need to pick the things that can still be transformed into other materials so that you can use them for different purposes.
The more popular things that are being utilized in recycling are the pins on soda cans. These are said to help out in making aluminum. Other containers can be used as pots or vases. Used clothes can be turned into mats or rugs. The idea here is that while there are things that can still be useful in your everyday lives, most of the recycled materials are being implemented as decorative elements.
With the products of compost, you will not pick things out of the garbage pile to be able to come up with other things that will be useful to you on your everyday life. No, the process will not come up with an exotic looking vase or a picture frame made out of shells or bottle caps. You can leave those thoughts to recycling.
Composting entails the recycling of the materials that can be found on nature. The popular samples of this would be dried leaves, grass clippings, vegetable or fruit peelings, animal manure, sawdust, among others. How would all these be useful? Unlike the practical applications of the product of recycling, this in turn will mostly be for gardening purposes.
This will be especially helpful if you are into organic gardening. This method requires the use of organic materials. That means that you cannot turn to synthetic products, especially for the purpose of fertilizers and pesticides. And it is possible. Your compost can make the soil for this type of gardening healthy and happy. As a result, it will produce healthy crops and chemical-free plants.
Organic gardening may sound complicated to the novice ears. But if you put your heart into it, you will find out that all the hard work that you will spend doing this will all be worth it. But this doesn’t really mean that you have to do it especially if you can’t afford to because of the time consideration and other factors.
But even if you don’t have time to do organic gardening, you can still try your hand in making compost. This can also apply with people living on the urban zones. Even with such situation, you can still do a little gardening trick by having your plants in pots. No, you don’t need to go organic all the way. Nobody’s telling you to do so. But using the products of your compost as a fertilizer can actually engage you with the project and may start your curiosity towards the real organic gardening thing.
Besides, everything nowadays seems to be marketed as organic. Look at the grocery aisles. There are organic food, organic soap, organic tissue, cloth and everything. This seems to be trend. And nature is definitely not complaining.
By going out of your way to do composting, consider nature sending out her appreciation your way. And may this inspire you to do other things to help with the causes of Mother Earth.

Good luck!

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So long as they have a high surface to volume ratio, most plant materials from your garden will work beautifully in your compost bin. However, you want to use common sense when adding larger items like sequoia branches or giant rubber tree leaves, simply shred them or chip them up into smaller pieces – the more surface area available to you resident critters, the faster the decomposition process. Plant food scraps from the kitchen, shredded cardboard boxes, and sawdust from untreated wood will all contribute nicely to your organic potpourri, just don’t put too much of any one thing in – it can throw off the N-P-K balance, not to mention the pH.

Always remember to throw in a handful of good garden soil to inoculate the new pile with living organisms. A few earthworms and rollie pollies are a nice addition, too. Though it is not required, many individuals add compost starters and accelerators to help their pile along–this is fine, just avoid the synthetic additives and seek out natural and organic sources with minimal packaging.

Though all organic matter can be broken down naturally, some materials are just not suitable for the home compost pile. First and foremost, no human or pet excrement should be added to the bins. Feces can harbor harmful bacteria, and there is no guarantee that the high temperatures of your pile will successfully kill them. Second, stay away from greasy foods, dairy products, meat scraps and bones. Not only can their decomposition result in ‘colorful’ aromas, they can attract rodents. Unless you are a seasoned composter, it is best to avoid them completely.

Natural chemicals in citrus peels, eucalyptus leaves, and pine needles can actually slow down your compost pile, so avoid mixing them into your artistic masterpiece. Ashes from your fireplace are basically worthless — they are already broken down as much as possible (remember the heat and flames), and therefore have little potential energy to offer the micro organisms in your pile. Beside, ash can drastically alter the pH of the soil. If your prize tomatoes experienced their worst blight on record, you probably want to keep their diseased leaves and stems out of the pile, especially if the finished compost will be returning to your vegetable garden. Why propagate pestilence? Rocks, plastic and Styrofoam are not going to do much for your creation either, so keep them out. A good rule to go by is “when in doubt, keep it out.”

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Many people are tea drinkers. Whether they are drinking Oolong tea or black tea from their local grocery store, that person has a certain image as to what it is, what it tastes like, and what it is for. There is a certain kind of tea that no one should drink but is one of the most beneficial, nutrient filled solutions that has ever existed. It is called worm tea. What is worm tea? Here are a few tips on how you can create and use worm tea otherwise known as compost tea to enhance your organic gardening needs.
Used for hundreds of years, organic gardeners and farmers that have known of the value of vermicomposting have been creating this potent nutrient filled liquid that is better known as worm tea or compost tea. This liquid which some say has a fragrant odor or is completely odorless can be used on the leaves of potted plants and also in the soil to enhance plant growth as well as help protect the plants that you grow.
It is actually a very simple process with a couple of not so simple steps if you have never done it before. Basically, the vermicast is put into a filter like a nylon and added to a jug of water and oxygenated in order to encourage microbes within the mixture to flourish and grow. Some additional ingredients to add to this tea include molasses or sea kelp. The oxygenation process will continue for about a day or sometimes longer.
Once done, it can be bottled and sprayed on plants or poured into soil at the base of the plants in order to inject a kind of a topical fertilizer that not only helps plant growth but also repels insects and disease such as spider mites and various pathogens, respectively.
There are various ways to get compost tea and one of those ways is through the collection of worm castings. Worm castings are essentially the poop of the worms. Their manure feels like soft little nodules that can be bagged up and cooked like a tea (except at room temperature water) and then used in the same manner that the worm tea was used in liquid form. Usually distilled water is used in the sifting process when using the castings and can actually be a much neater process when doing this on a large scale.
Most compost tea is concentrated so even if it does come in a bottle that looks ready to use, treat it the same way you would miracle grow or other non organic fertilizers. Castings tea should not burn the leaves of plants or over fertilize the soil but it is a good idea to use it more often in diluted form than less often in concentrated form. Red worms and their castings have become a hot commodity for all of those in the organic gardening field.
In essence, you are putting healthy microorganisms back into the soil which can then begin to thrive and multiply creating the ideal environment for your plants and a natural barrier at times for things that would come to destroy them. And unlike most nonorganic fertilizers, if you happen to spill too much into an area of your crop, it will not burn your plants.
By taking the time to create your own worm farm, and making your own tea for your garden or crops, you should see not only a positive growth in your vegetables or fruit, but a noticeable taste difference and production difference in how long it takes your crops to grow. You will also notice that your plants succumb less to fungus and other pathogens and diseases.
Also, by regularly adding this special tea into your garden area, it will also help you regulate the watering of your garden which is very important for crop growth. If you are doing this on a larger scale, you may need special equipment in order to harvest the worm castings and process them, and also to make worm tea on a commercial scale requires significantly different equipment than a small scale operation.
Overall, it will be worth your while to go the natural way and create a worm farm that will supplement the nutrient needs of your garden no matter how big or small. The use of compost tea as not only an additive of nutrients but also as an insecticide to protect your crops will make your organic gardening growing experience more pleasurable each and every year.
So the next time that you hear about a special tea that can enhance the growth of your crops, make your food taste better, and increase your overall yields, you will not think about the kind of tea that you sip quietly at the kitchen table, but of natures key that is given to us by red worms to help all organic gardeners grow more plentiful crops called compost tea.

Good luck!

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Have you ever thought about what actually happens when things rot? It may be that, like me, you have got confused reading garden books, as they are usually full of vague meanings for words like `stabilised humus’!

Many of you may think that making compost is an unpleasant or difficult process – well, I can assure you, it’s not!

For a fast track way of changing crude organic materials into humus (something resembling soil) read `a compost pile’. The word humus, however, is quite often misunderstood, together with the words organic matter and compost

Making compost is really a very simple process. It can become a natural part of your yard or gardening maintenance if done properly. If you are mowing your lawn or weeding your flower-beds, making compost doesn’t have to take any more effort than bagging up your garden waste.

To me, astounding as it may sound, handling well-made compost is actually a very pleasant experience. Don’t but put off by compost’s `dirty, nasty’ origins. There is little similarity between the healthy-smelling black or brown, crumbly substance dug out of a compost pile and the garbage, leaves, manure, grass clippings and other waste products from which it began.

To define composting precisely, it means ‘enhancing the consumption of crude organic matter by a complex ecology of biological decomposition organisms.’ Many raw organic materials are eaten and re-eaten by thousands of tiny organisms from the smallest (bacteria) to the largest (earthworms).

The components are altered gradually and recombined. Unfortunately, many gardeners use the terms compost, organic matter, and humus as interchangeable identities. However, there are important differences in meaning that need to be explained.

This organic matter food gardeners are vitally concerned with is actually formed by growing plants that manufacture the substances of life. Most organic molecules are very large and complex – inorganic materials are much simpler. Of course, animals can break down, reassemble and destroy organic matter but the one thing they cannot do is create it.

Only plants can make organic materials like proteins, cellulose, and sugars and they produce this from inorganic minerals derived from air, water or soil. The elements plants use to build include magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, cobalt, zine, iron boron, molybdenum, carbon, manganese, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen

Thus, it is organic matter from both land and sea plants that fuels the entire chain of life from worms to whales. Because humans are most familiar with large animals, they rarely stop to consider that the soil is also filled with animal life consuming organic matter or each other.

Our rich earth is crowded with single cell organisms like bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, rotifers and protozoa. Soil life forms increase in complexity to microscopic round worms called nematodes, various kinds of molluscs like slugs and snails (some so tiny the gardener has no idea they are even there), thousands of often microscopic soil-dwelling members of the spider family (arthropods), insects and, of course, the larger soil animals most of us are more familiar with such as moles.

The entire sum of all this organic matter – living plants, decomposing plant materials, and all the animals, living or dead, large and small – is sometimes called biomass. One realistic way to gauge the fertility of any particular soil body is to weigh the amount of biomass it sustains.

Good luck!