What Makes the Little Guys Happy in Your Soil?

A good home and tasty food!

The Home

Air - Yes, soil needs air. When soil does not get the air it needs it begins to stink and turns black and gooey. This is what can happen with extreme overwatering. This condition is called “anaerobic” meaning “no oxygen.”

Soil particles - It's the materials, the “dirt.”

Water - All life needs water.

The Food

Organic matter - This consists of root exudates, byproducts of decaying plant material, microorganisms, waste products, humus, etc. Soil critters like a high-carb diet!  Even though a typical healthy soil contains only 5% organic matter by weight, it provides a base for the life in a soil. It acts as a sponge to store water, it retains and provides nutrients, and it glues and binds soil particles into stable aggregates.