Composting is the making of soil through a process that emulates nature.
Humans have always tried to emulate nature. In many ways, they have succeeded. All plants that provide food to humans and domestic animals alike have their origins in nature, not in someone’s garden.
One way humans have succeeded well in imitating the natural process is composting. In nature, leaves, limbs, twigs, dead animals and other carbon and nitrogen-related elements fall to the ground, intermingling with rock particles. Once there, the organic substances are acted upon by micro-organisms and macro-organisms, which, along with air and water, begin to break down these substances, and dissolve the particles of rock, reducing minerals integrated in the rock down to their molecular structure. These creatures eat, reproduce and die, adding their bodies to the mix. Plants then take up this nutritious substance through their roots, eventually converting it into food, growth and reproductive processes. Then the cycle begins all over again. This is called aerobic composting. Aerobic composting creates a great amount of heat of to and above 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). A welcome side effect of aerobic composting is that the high heat tends to kill plant pathogens, seeds of undesirable plants, and other unwelcome organisms.
There is another type of composting – anaerobic composting –, which is used in converting solid waste to methane gas and soil improvement.
Through composting, humans have not only recreated a natural process, but have speeded it up considerably. In addition, if done correctly, compost is an environmentally safe and organic material that not only provides nutrition to plants, but also reinforces a natural balance for plants. In turn, plants grown with organic compost tend to be more disease and insect resistant. If the plants are grown for food, the food is more tasty and nutritious. Flowers and fruit tend to be more colorful and full. Herbs tend to be more aromatic. Lawns tend to be greener and healthier.
Using organic compost, along with organic pest and disease management keeps the soil alive with microbes and macro-organisms. Pesticides and herbicides tend to kill indiscriminately. Therefore, not only are pests killed, but also so are beneficial organisms. In effect, living soil reverts to rock particles. More and more chemical fertilizers are necessary to provide plant nutrients. The balance of nature is interrupted, and in some cases, destroyed. Plants become more and more susceptible to disease and insect damage. Insects and plant diseases become more and more resistant to chemicals.
The results of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on soil not only kill beneficial organisms, but also encourage their replacement by undesirable organisms.
This is not to say that there may be times when non-organic compounds must be used. Using compost can reduce the dependence upon chemicals for producing plants, help create healthier plants that are more in balance with nature, and less likely to be damaged by pests, diseases and undesirable weeds.
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