Healthy soil is full of life; it consists of worms, bacteria, fungi, nematodes and many more organisms. The diversity of soil life ensures that plant remains and animal manure are broken down into nutrients for the plants. It also ensures a lighter and looser soil. Soil life forms glues that stick the soil particles together.
Soil life ensures good soil quality.
Organic matter content
The soil consists of mineral parts and organic matter. The mineral parts are, for example, sand and clay. Organic matter is the collective name for everything in the soil that comes from plants, animals and microorganisms. Both the living and the dead remains. Organic matter has a positive influence on soil fertility.
Organic matter is created from crop residues (leaves, stems and roots), which can be in the form of compost. It is also created from animal manure. These products are broken down by bacteria, fungi and other soil organisms.
What is the effect of organic matter on the soil?
- Organic matter gives a dark color to the soil. This speeds up the warming process, which has a positive effect in the spring.
- Organic matter buffers water better in the soil, which reduces leaching of nutrients.
- Organic matter stabilises the soil structure, preventing erosion.
- Organic matter is a source of nutrients for plants
- The soil becomes airier and looser
Mulching
Mulch is a layer of fine plant material that is used to cover the soil. Covering the soil is important; the advantage of this is that it prevents dehydration and atomisation (break down of the soil). In our organic bulb cultivation it works as a winter cover for the flower bulbs.
Mulch is also food for soil life. And it stops weed growth because no light can reach the seeds through the layer of mulch.
These principals are used in our production process.
After digging up the bulbs, non-inversion tillage is applied. Then a green manure mixture is sown. Green manure means that plants are grown that will be mulched after growth.
This increases the organic matter content. After sowing the mixed green manure, our own organic compost is distributed over the plot.
The green manure is mowed some time before bulb planting. This creates a beautiful mixed green manure sod.
