AMES, Iowa – A new study from Iowa State University scientists sheds light on the mystery of how soil organic matter forms across a wide range of ecosystems. The study, published in the academic ...

Researchers discovered that microbes respire three times as much CO2 from lignin carbons compared to cellulose carbons. When soil microbes eat plant matter, the digested food follows one of two ...

CORVALLIS – Adding organic matter is the best way to improve nearly all kinds of soils. If you’re unsure if your soil needs amendments, take note if it dries and cracks in summer, drains slowly or is ...

To be a successful gardener, one needs to have a basic understanding of the soil which you are tending, as well the factors which affect the fertility, pH and quality of the soil. This is the case ...

Most gardeners know that success depends on many factors: You can’t grow a sun-loving plant in a shady area, for example. And a shrub that loves wet places won’t do well in dry soil. But the most ...