Earthworms are not there when soil is clean
I am more and more convinced that earthworms are there to clean the soil. I first didn't really understand the significance of this statement when I read this thing about earthworms in an natural farming article, but as I continue more observation, it became more clear that if you see earthworms in your soil, the soil is still transforming.
Most obvious evidence is that where there is great forest, there aren't many earthworms. The soil is clean smelling and that forest ecosystem is mature and stable. and if you plant in this soil, a lot of things grow healthy, not necessarily big, but healthy.
Most organic gardeners tend to (want to therefore they do) think that the healthy forest soil has a lot of earthworms, but in reality soil with low nitrogen litter like fallen leaves have very few earthworms. on the other hand, places like under fruits trees or fresh mowed grass tend to have more earthworms due to high protein contents.
I am talking about low N, fibrous high carbon leaf litter and branch type of forest soil.
This also explains "cleanliness of soil" as opposed to "soil fertility". Many people talk about soil fertility being important factor, but not so much about cleanliness. Fertility is important because that's the soil's capacity to hold and create nutrients. It's hard to keep soil clean especially if you are sincere believer of "ORGANIC" culture.
If one knows what it means to grow healthy vegetables, I am not saying big or lots, but healthy and pure tasting, typically he or she first look, smell and feel the soil and it should resemble that of a great forest. and not any forest, but where the leaves provide dark black soil of high carbon environment.
Earthworms are signs of high organic matter in the soil. Most typically half-decomposed organic matter. Many organic gardeners think this is great since it says that you are working hard, and putting compost and organic fertilizers in the soil, but what they are doing is really uncleaning or contaminating the soil.
I still get a few earthworms when the field is going through transition from new to established beds and see various growth forms both natural or forest-type growth and organic growth. Best way to learn this is to find a good dark loamy soil in natural forest.
I am still skeptical about what I have so far at the farm is truly from the clean soil, perhaps there is transitional release of nutrients from weedy disturbed soil to mature beds, or whatever it is. need to see the result. Try the rot test.
Mr Mokichi Okada never laid out how to do it beacause it all varies depending on each situation. where you are. what soil you have, what climate, vegetation and etc. I am slowly understanding the depth of this simple natural farming as I shed typical organic farming and chemical farming theory.
Most obvious evidence is that where there is great forest, there aren't many earthworms. The soil is clean smelling and that forest ecosystem is mature and stable. and if you plant in this soil, a lot of things grow healthy, not necessarily big, but healthy.
Most organic gardeners tend to (want to therefore they do) think that the healthy forest soil has a lot of earthworms, but in reality soil with low nitrogen litter like fallen leaves have very few earthworms. on the other hand, places like under fruits trees or fresh mowed grass tend to have more earthworms due to high protein contents.
I am talking about low N, fibrous high carbon leaf litter and branch type of forest soil.
This also explains "cleanliness of soil" as opposed to "soil fertility". Many people talk about soil fertility being important factor, but not so much about cleanliness. Fertility is important because that's the soil's capacity to hold and create nutrients. It's hard to keep soil clean especially if you are sincere believer of "ORGANIC" culture.
If one knows what it means to grow healthy vegetables, I am not saying big or lots, but healthy and pure tasting, typically he or she first look, smell and feel the soil and it should resemble that of a great forest. and not any forest, but where the leaves provide dark black soil of high carbon environment.
Earthworms are signs of high organic matter in the soil. Most typically half-decomposed organic matter. Many organic gardeners think this is great since it says that you are working hard, and putting compost and organic fertilizers in the soil, but what they are doing is really uncleaning or contaminating the soil.
I still get a few earthworms when the field is going through transition from new to established beds and see various growth forms both natural or forest-type growth and organic growth. Best way to learn this is to find a good dark loamy soil in natural forest.
I am still skeptical about what I have so far at the farm is truly from the clean soil, perhaps there is transitional release of nutrients from weedy disturbed soil to mature beds, or whatever it is. need to see the result. Try the rot test.
Mr Mokichi Okada never laid out how to do it beacause it all varies depending on each situation. where you are. what soil you have, what climate, vegetation and etc. I am slowly understanding the depth of this simple natural farming as I shed typical organic farming and chemical farming theory.
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