Humus

Humus is the organic matter above the topsoil and below leaf litter which is finely divided having a high surface area. It is derived from decomposition of plant and animal substances. Humus, which ranges in colour from brown to black, is largely composed of carbon, and contains high amounts of nitrogen, and smaller amounts of phosphorus and sulfur.

Humus retains moisture in the topsoil, in particular in soils with a coarse texture.
Humus is the Latin word for "ground" or "earth".

Back to Composting →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

LUNCHSCRAPS

Waste less, eat well — composting, food-waste and meal-prep guides, plus the kitchen tools to make it happen.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every entry, image, fact, and figure is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.