While working with the participants of our natural farming course in Ground-Up Initiative (GUI), I made interesting observations in the soil of our plot.
In Singapore, there are lawns everywhere. In such constructed landscape, grasscutters come to mow the grass regularly, leaving behind large quantities of nylon strings, which get buried in the soil eventually. In such conditions, even weeds (pioneer species) cannot grow. The lawn is simply a lifeless green desert.
Our natural farming plot was just a typical Singapore lawn initially, with very poor reddish-yellow compacted soil. Not even a single earthworm could be seen. We marked off an area for our plot and allowed the grass and weeds to grow naturally. We didn't sweep away the leaves that fell on it. Over time, through biological processes in and on the soil, humus begins to form. The layer of dark soil shown in photo 2 indicates good humus content and richer soil life as compared to photo 1, which shows the condition of the soil in the lawn area just outside our plot. This comparison shows how thoughtless human intervention can prevent nature from restoring fertility to the soil.
Humus is a very important substance that supports life, including us. It makes the soil dark and spongy, and possesses so many crucial properties that make the soil alive to support the healthy growth of plants.
Humus is 60% organic carbon (carbon sequestered in soil). It is created through a multitude of complex biological processes beginning with photosynthesis, which pulls carbon out of the air and fix it into carbohydrates in the plant body. A certain fraction of the fixed carbon will eventually enter the soil through different biological pathways and become stable soil organic matter - humus. Humification is a very efficient carbon sequestration process. Check out French government's 4 per 1000 Initiative.
The role of humus in soil cannot be replaced simply by adding to the soil things like fertilizers, biochar or even humic and fulvic acids, which are derived from humus.
This single substance can solve so many problems that humans have created, from food issues to climate issues and is so important for the future of humanity. It is a concern that many people, including some who are passionate about climate change and other environment issues, do not even know the word: humus.
Formation of humus is complex, but to help nature create humus can be simple. We just need to pay attention to a few simple principles as we grow our food.
We need many more people to understand the importance of humus in food security and climate and get involved in one way or another to help restore health to our soils.
In Singapore, there are lawns everywhere. In such constructed landscape, grasscutters come to mow the grass regularly, leaving behind large quantities of nylon strings, which get buried in the soil eventually. In such conditions, even weeds (pioneer species) cannot grow. The lawn is simply a lifeless green desert.
Our natural farming plot was just a typical Singapore lawn initially, with very poor reddish-yellow compacted soil. Not even a single earthworm could be seen. We marked off an area for our plot and allowed the grass and weeds to grow naturally. We didn't sweep away the leaves that fell on it. Over time, through biological processes in and on the soil, humus begins to form. The layer of dark soil shown in photo 2 indicates good humus content and richer soil life as compared to photo 1, which shows the condition of the soil in the lawn area just outside our plot. This comparison shows how thoughtless human intervention can prevent nature from restoring fertility to the soil.
Humus is a very important substance that supports life, including us. It makes the soil dark and spongy, and possesses so many crucial properties that make the soil alive to support the healthy growth of plants.
Humus is 60% organic carbon (carbon sequestered in soil). It is created through a multitude of complex biological processes beginning with photosynthesis, which pulls carbon out of the air and fix it into carbohydrates in the plant body. A certain fraction of the fixed carbon will eventually enter the soil through different biological pathways and become stable soil organic matter - humus. Humification is a very efficient carbon sequestration process. Check out French government's 4 per 1000 Initiative.
The role of humus in soil cannot be replaced simply by adding to the soil things like fertilizers, biochar or even humic and fulvic acids, which are derived from humus.
This single substance can solve so many problems that humans have created, from food issues to climate issues and is so important for the future of humanity. It is a concern that many people, including some who are passionate about climate change and other environment issues, do not even know the word: humus.
Formation of humus is complex, but to help nature create humus can be simple. We just need to pay attention to a few simple principles as we grow our food.
We need many more people to understand the importance of humus in food security and climate and get involved in one way or another to help restore health to our soils.
