Biodiversity in your Backyard (Cont. 3)

The Importance of Compost and Mulch in your Garden

Biodiversity does not only occur in places where we can see it. 

There is a whole world of diversity of which few people are aware - the community of organisms that live in the soil.

Healthy soils are brimming with life. 


There are:  

• Earthworms

• Millipedes

• Centipedes

• Woodlice

• Crickets

• Scorpions and Pseudo-scorpions

• Slugs and snails

• Beetle larvae and Spiders. 

Many of these organisms fulfill important functions in the soil. 

Earthworms, millipedes and woodlice, for instance stimulate decomposition by fragmenting organic matter into small particles, making it more accessible to micro-organisms. 

Furthermore, earthworms improve the structure of your soil by digging tunnels and mixing the organic matter with sand and clay particles, giving it a granular aspect. 

This enhances both drainage and aeration of the soil, which in turn stimulates root growth. 

The way to enhance the diversity of soil organisms is by mixing a lot of compost into the soil and covering it with mulch. 

By mulch we mean any kind of organic matter that comes down from the trees, be it: 

• Leaf litter

• Flowers

• Fruits

• Seedpods

• Bark

• Twigs 

• or even rotting logs. 

A thick layer of mulch (± 5 cm) provides a good habitat for the many soil organisms mentioned above.

Moreover, it dampens fluctuations in soil temperature and moisture content and prevents 'crusting' of the soil. 

A nice thick litter layer is also irresistible to Thrushes and Cape robins, who love to turn the leaves in search for tasty morsels. 

Tomorrow we will find out how to attract birds to your garden.

By: Dr Ed Stam, Ecologist, NZG