HOW TO USE ORGANIC MANURE TO REPLENISH SOIL NUTRIENTS

Organic Manuring as a method of replenishing soil nutrients

(i) It promotes the activities of soil living organisms such as earthworms, termites and microbes. These organism promote aeration of the soil, easy percolation of water, mixing organic materials with soil, form humus and fix nitrogen into the soil.
All these help to promote the fertility of the soil.

(ii) Organic manure helps to improve the structure of the soil by building the particles of coarse texture soil together.

(iii) Mineralization of humus adds nutrients to the soil.

(iv) It reduces rapid soil temperature fluctuations. As a result of its dark colour, humus easily absorbs heat during the day and loses it slowly at night

(v) Organic manure helps to conserve moisture and prevent, evaporation from the soil.

(vi) Organic manure (humus) has a buffering effect on the soil; i.e, it balances the acid-base condition of the soil or soil pH.

(vii) It prevents erosion because it improves the structure of the soil and reduces the speed of the run-off

(viii) Organic matter increases water-holding capacity of soil.

(ix) It increases the rate of water percolation through clay soil

(x) It increases the activities of soil micro-organism

(xi) It improves the aeration of the soil
All the advantages of organic manure help to maintain or even promote the availability of nutrients in the soil.