Becoming Soil Aware: The Metamorphic Potential of Organic Matter
Following the journey of decomposition
“One writes such a story not out of the leaves of trees still to be observed, nor by means of botany and soil-science; but it grows like a seed in the dark out of the leaf-mould of the mind: out of all that has been seen or thought or read, that has long ago been forgotten, descending into the deeps. No doubt there is much selection, as with a gardener: what one throws on one’s personal compost-heap; and my mould is evidently made largely of linguistic matter.” – J. R. R. Tolkien, on the creation of The Lord of the Rings
There’s No Such Thing As Waste
One of my favorite things I like to say about compost is how it teaches us to embody the practical experience of how to eliminate the idea of waste, to see it as a resource. We put what we think of as waste into the compost pile, and it transforms into fertility for soil, potential for abundant new growth, and even resiliency against disease.
Our common practice of composting is rooted in the natural process of decomposition. It is essentially the same process as with the forest floor, a receptacle of fallen leaves and twigs, dying animals, deposits of manure and minerals, slowly digesting into a rich dark humus filled soil.
Whereas, active composting is a form of ecological engineering and biomimicry, taking this natural process, and identifying and tweaking its critical components to make it go faster, or shift the characteristics and properties of the finished soil product. Lasagna mulching also falls along this spectrum, in between the forest floor and a hot compost pile.
The rate at which organic matter decomposes is influenced mostly by the ratio of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the moisture content, air flow, as well as the properties of the organic materials in the system (type of leaf litter or wood chip, type of manure, type of food waste, etc), which bring their own unique flavors to the mix. The microbial ecology is the host and guest to initiate this heap of life into the process of decay.
Microbial metabolic activity during decomposition releases a great deal of heat - the more precisely crafted ratios of nutrients, moisture, and air in a hot compost pile, will invite the greatest concentration of microbes to join the decomposition party, allowing the pile to reach temperatures of 130-160ºF. It’s best to avoid temperatures greater than 160ºF, as beneficial organisms can be inhibited at higher temperatures.
Rethinking Soil Organic Matter
Oftentimes we think of decomposition as a linear process transforming fresh organic material into the dark chocolate chunks of what many would call “humus”, which is a complex of humic and fulvic acids along with microbes and mineral particles. In my mind this is still a pretty good way to think about the process.
More recently, some soil scientists have argued that decomposition is not a linear process, and have proposed a Soil Continuum Model (SCM), where stable soil organic matter complexes are able to resist further degradation because they are well integrated within larger organic and mineral complexes and aggregates.
It’s a structural shelter, a strong home is what protects the organic matter. And in fact the organic materials within these complexes can be in various states of decay, some in earlier states and some later. Meanwhile small compounds like CO2 and plant available nutrients are released through this digestive process.
Rather than traveling through a linear pathway and arriving at a static final state, the processes of the soil ecosystem are in a dynamic continuum, a persistent flux, and ‘humus’ becomes an emergent property of the ecosystem, rather than a molecular constitution.
The quality of the organic material going in is related to how well protected, strong and resilient the resulting soil organic matter complexes will be.
Higher quality organic materials, such as more carbonaceous plant trimmings or woody materials, generally encourage more fungal populations to dominate, which also contribute more to soil organic matter formation.
Metamorphic Potential
I’m appreciating how much the state of soil resists being identified as a solid object. In fact, it is always moving potential. As with everything we think of as solid matter, the closer you look, the less solid it becomes.
I’m appreciating how a strong home fortified by an abundance of both organic and mineral materials allows the soil organic matter to shapeshift as needed, releasing nutrients and beneficial compounds through its process.
There’s an ephemeral, metamorphic, transformative quality to soil organic matter. A dynamic equilibrium, a holding wave leading to an entirely new portal of possibility. Where the eternal return finds itself circling within the particles of organic matter itself, as well as within the larger cycle of decomposition.
And yet, so long as we maintain regenerative land care practices aboveground, these ephemeral, metamorphic, transformative qualities will persist in perpetuity. We can count on soil organic matter to continue creating nutrients, retaining water, sequestering carbon, and fortifying our bodies.
The Cycle of Death and Life
One of my other favorite things about compost is how intimate we can get with the cyclical nature of death and life. Decomposition brings us to the melding point where death and life become that same potential.
These spaces of transition and rebirth can be sources of trauma and pain, a perpetual wound, a grief carried through lifetimes. Compost offers an invitation get comfortable with these difficult experiences.
Leaning in to the deepest darkest experiences of life also allows us to appreciate the gifts of life that much more powerfully.
Our cultural fear of death and decay pushes us to sanitize, manicure, make shiny, all the things that might remind us of our mortal disintegration. In turn, we are further disconnected from the circadian rhythms of nature, our inner nature.
Sweeping the darkness under the rug only allows it to fester, where it is forced to find expression by cracking through the ceiling, exploding like glass. Acknowledging, being present to, and giving space for the rot within ourselves to be expressed and released, liberates it from confinement, and allows it an opportunity find healthy integration within our ever-changing lives.
Birth, growth, healing, death, all work within this cycle of our micro-cosmos. Within this process, morsels of wisdom work their way into our being, and we grow to become more resilient, more capable of navigating this experiences of continual change.
Every pile building becomes an opportunity to reflect on what is wanting to be transformed within us. What hidden gem lies within the toxic sludge of our being that could become fuel for expressing our greater selves?
Upcoming Events
SoilWise @ Mycoverse
Monday, September 9, from 7-9pm at Arlington Garden
Dive deeper with me into the important role fungi play in building healthy soils. We’ll be going over decomposer and mycorrhizal fungi, their role in building healthy soil structure, soil C sequestration, water and nutrient transport, native vs introduced fungi, and ways to cultivate, encourage, and conjure more fungi in your soil. We will introduce ways to make high fungal compost, demonstrate the Microbiometer tool for assessing F:B ratio, and showcase fungi under the microscope!
Bring your questions about soil fungi, community soil science, and gardening!! We will start with a presentation and demonstration followed by Q&A.
Cass from The Rot will also be coming by with her fungal rich compost to check out under the microscope!
Mulch Party in the City of Highland, CA (San Bernardino)
Sunday, September 15, from 8am-1pm (Reply via email for address)
Let’s feed the soil together and make lasagna mulch in preparation for planting a native plant garden! This is an opportunity to ask questions, and apply theory to hands-on practice in the field. An opportunity to reflect on how all of these lovely processes work together in real time.
We will be spreading a lot of mulch! It’s a great time to connect, learn, and support community well-being.
Reply directly to lynn@soilwise.earth to register and get the address.
Learn More
If you want to level up your garden or soil, book a consultation, or check out the Lawn Rebate Transformation Webinar. We also offer soil testing for microbiology, F:B, pH/EC, moisture content, and water holding capacity.
References
Lehmann and Kleber, 2015. The contentious nature of soil organic matter. Nature Perspective, DOI:10.1038
Na and Zhang, 2015. Fungi contribute more than bacteria to soil organic matter through necromass accumulation under different agricultural practices during the early pedogenesis of a Mollisol. European Journal of Soil Biology, DOI:10.1016/j.ejsobi.2015.02.002
Rousk and Frey, 2015. Revisiting the hypothesis that fungal-to-bacterial dominance characterizes turnover of soil organic matter and nutrients. Ecological Monographs, 85(3): 457-472