Want thriving, healthy plants in your garden? The secret lies in a rich, humus-filled soil. In this article, we’ll show you how easy it is to increase the humus content of your garden soil—using natural methods that mimic what happens in the wild. With a few simple steps, you can significantly boost your soil’s fertility and create an ideal growing environment for your plants.
The secret to healthy, vigorous plants lies in a high humus content in the soil. Here’s how you can easily enrich your garden soil with humus.
The humus content of garden soil has a significant impact on its fertility. Unlike the mineral component of soil, which can only be changed with a costly soil replacement, increasing the humus content is relatively easy. You simply need to replicate what happens naturally in forests and meadows: organic waste such as fallen leaves, dead plant matter, and animal droppings fall to the ground, where they are broken down by various organisms into humus and incorporated into the topsoil.
Humus has several positive effects on soil: it improves air circulation by increasing the proportion of large pores and enhances water retention through the addition of fine pores. Various nutrients are bound within humus and are released slowly and steadily through mineralization, making them available to plant roots. A humus-rich soil also provides a favorable growth environment for plants: its dark color helps it warm up quickly in the sun, and the high activity of soil organisms continuously releases thermal energy.
In a nutshell: How can you increase the humus content of your garden soil?
Regular mulching, for example with autumn leaves or bark mulch, promotes a humus-rich soil in ornamental gardens. The application of garden compost in spring also supplies essential nutrients – even in vegetable gardens. Organic fertilizers can also raise the humus content in the soil. But be careful: not all plants tolerate or benefit from humus or compost!
For High Humus Content: Regularly Mulch Garden Soil
Regular mulching is one of the most important measures for building humus in your garden. Virtually all organic materials and garden waste are suitable for mulching – from autumn leaves to dried grass clippings, shredded shrubs, and classic bark mulch. For very nitrogen-poor materials like bark mulch or shredded wood, it’s recommended to work about 100 grams of horn shavings per square meter lightly into the soil before mulching. This prevents soil microorganisms from extracting too much nitrogen during decomposition, which would otherwise be unavailable to your plants, causing stunted growth and typical nitrogen deficiency symptoms like yellowing leaves. This phenomenon is known as “nitrogen immobilization.”
Mulching an ornamental garden with organic material is essentially the same as surface composting in a vegetable garden, where beds are completely covered with vegetable waste. In addition to increasing humus content, mulch layers suppress weed growth, protect the soil from drying out, and reduce extreme temperature fluctuations.
More Humus with Garden Compost
Garden compost is a particularly nutrient-rich form of humus. It not only adds organic matter to the soil but also delivers all essential nutrients. Compost can be applied each spring as a base fertilizer in both ornamental and vegetable gardens – depending on the nutrient needs of the plant species, use between 1 and 3 liters per square meter.
Increasing the humus content of your soil doesn’t require expensive products or complicated techniques—just a bit of knowledge and consistency. Whether you’re mulching regularly, applying compost, or using organic fertilizers, each step brings you closer to a healthier garden. Keep in mind, though, that not all plants thrive in humus-rich soil, so choose your approach wisely. With time and care, your garden will reward you with stronger, more vibrant growth.
