Great enthusiasm and experience in the field on behalf of Kane and DuPage Counties. Welcome aboard, Tommy and Maisie!

To borrow on that same theme, in the world of Soil Science, organic matter is like “Chicken Soup for Your Soil”. No matter what the malady of your soil, organic matter seems to be the cure-all, especially for growing things. If the soil is too sandy - add organic matter. If the soil is too clayey - add organic matter. If the soil is infertile - add organic matter, if the soil is too drouthy - add organic matter, and so forth. Organic matter can improve your soil and remediate many of the problems or limitations for worn-out old soil or for new soil around modern homes in subdivisions. Organic matter is the fuel that drives so many of the life processes in the soil, such as providing food for the critters to decompose a leaf to make it a useable compound for a plant.

In order to improve the soil, to get the soil to “eat the soup”, one needs to understand what organic matter is and how to add it to the soil. By definition, organic matter is anything that once was living (or is living) or part of something that was living, but hasn’t been processed with non-organic material. Technically, people consist of 100% organic matter, as well as does a 100% pure cotton T-shirt. Realistically for your lawn or garden, the organic matter is generally thought of as plant material - leaves, grass clippings, vegetable food scraps, and even highly composted manure from some farm animals - and the critters that are living within the soil, such as bacteria, fungi, worms, nematodes, etc.

Where can one find organic matter to add to a garden or lawn? Fortunately, organic matter is abundant. Whenever we harvest crops or bag grass and leaves, we are depleting our soils of organic matter. By not bagging or collecting grass clippings, one can add organic matter back to the lawn. Mulching leaves, instead of raking and bagging, will add organic matter back into the soil. Many homeowners can also create a compost bin. Compost is decomposed organic matter. Organic matter, like grass clippings left on the lawn, will decompose on their own if not bagged. However, homeowners can build a compost bin to speed up the decomposition of organic matter and turn plant material and vegetable food scraps into a useable commodity. Composting vegetable scraps also reduces the waste stream of material going to a landfill or down the garbage disposal. Here is a link about composting from the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension. If one doesn’t want to mess with a compost bin and home composting, bagged compost and decomposed manure can be purchased at most garden centers.

Woody and dry plant material, such as shredded hardwood mulch or straw can also be a source of organic matter in perennial gardens if left to slowly decompose. If growing crops or tender young annual flowers, adding dry woody or fibrous material will impact the immediate nutrient supply, as a bloom of microbes will consume the readily available nutrients, and the plants may not thrive. Adding dry material in the fall will give time for the material to decompose for planting in the spring. Once the plants in a perennial garden are well established with deep roots, applying a supplement of woody mulch in the spring will have less negative impact on the vigor of the plants.

How does one get the organic matter into the soil? Compost may be added to the surface of the garden or spread on the lawn with a lawn spreader. There is no need to till the soil to incorporate the compost. Nature will help blend the compost into the soil. So, remember that organic matter is like “Chicken Soup for Your Soil”. Organic matter can remediate many soil issues, especially for growing things. It is readily available, free, and easy to apply. If one is into growing things, even if it’s just a lawn, one needs to think in the long run. There may not be noticeable improvements over just a single season, but over several seasons, one should see the improvements from increasing the organic matter in the garden.

To keep our water clean, it's important that pet owners properly dispose of their dog's waste by bagging it and throwing it in the trash. Do NOT add it to your backyard compost (but if you are determined - you can build a separate dog poop composter). Flushing is probably NOT an option - check with your municipal wastewater department first.

Gerard Fabrizius Chairman

Thomas Konen Vice Chairman

William Pauling Secretary/Treasurer

Patrick McPartlan Resource Conservationist

Becky Monreal Resource Analyst

Tommy Purdom Resource Analyst

Mark Bramstedt Soil Scientist

Kat Gerdts Administrative Coordinator

Sue Rankin Administrative Assistant