4.5 Tiny Bytes: The 5% That Runs The Soil

We break down what soil organic matter really is, from living microbes to old, dark humus that can take years to form. We also explain why that small slice of soil drives soil health through better structure, nutrient cycling, and water holding capacity. We discuss• defining soil organic matter as the biological legacy of a field • connecting soil composition to the “critical” 5% organic fraction • explaining humus as a stable end product of decomposition • improving soil aggregation and aggregate stability for better structure • boosting water retention and water holding capacity • increasing negative charge and cation exchange capacity to hold nutrients • chelating micronutrients like iron, copper, and zinc for plant availability • releasing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur through organic matter breakdown • feeding soil microbes by expanding the soil food buffet • building organic matter with compost, residue, manure, cover crops, and reduced tillage Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.https://gktechinc.com/