by Renee Rotto

Created on: October 03, 2009   Last Updated: October 04, 2009

Manure was once termed the 'black gold' of the garden world because of the nutrients it puts back into the soil, but today its use has become imperative, due to the world's loss of top soil.

Throughout history civilizations would plant and replant until the soil was not viable any longer. Then they would simply move on to a new area. Today is not much different, except there are very few places to move to.

David Montgomery, a professor of earth and sciences, at the University of Washington said, "We are doing the same things today that past societies have done, and at the same rate. In essence, we are slowly removing the planet's life giving skin. The causes for loss of topsoil are excessive applications of chemicals by farmers, spill or leaks of petroleum products and other toxic substances and tilling that leaves the land with little ground cover. All these practices kill the microorganisms in the soil."

According to soil scientist, Elaine Ingham, at Oregon State University, just one gram of healthy agricultural soil contains 100 yards of threadlike fungal material, 100 million bacteria, tens of thousands of protozoa, and up to 2,000 tiny worms. The growth of plants depends on the presence of these microorganisms, and without them things will not grow.

Organic material is a key factor in soil quality. Farmers and gardeners alike who use manures enhance the soil and the microorganisms that live there. Besides feeding microorganisms in the soil it improves the moisture holding capacity and releases nutrients. Manure contains a rich and wide range of minerals and nutrients. It also contains the three main chemicals your soil needs: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Of course all manures are not the same, mainly because of the diet of the animal they came from. Some are vegetarians and some are carnivores, but even with vegetarians, the diet will be different. A horse that eats mostly grass and weeds will produce a different product than an cow that eats the same because the cows chews and grinds the food and a horse does not. That means the seeds of the weeds just pass through, thus you will have more weeds using horses manure.

Cow manure - is the most popular manure for the garden. It's available in large quantities and reaps excellent results.

Horse manure - is the second most popular manures. Its mixture of straw and sawdust are added benefits to soil regeneration. Chicken and turkey manure is a good source especially if you live near a chicken

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