Organic matter content is the measure of the vast array of carbon based materials in compost and is typically expressed as a percentage of dry weight. Organic matter is an important ingredient in all soils and improves soil structure, physical condition, soil temperature, water holding capacity, and nutrient availability – especially the soil bacterial processes which affect the availability of mineral salts to plants.
High quality organic soil amendments should contain at least 40 percent organic matter. Soil and silica make up the remainder of the compost dry matter. The range for ideal organic matter content for compost ranges from 30 to 70 percent.
Being aware of a product's organic matter content is necessary for determining compost application rates on specific applications, such as soil incorporation, turf establishment, agricultural crop production, and topsoil production. Knowing the organic matter content is also useful for estimating the age and physical properties of the compost.
Each month, we send a sample of our compost to the US Composting Council lab where it is analyzed and tested. Organic matter content is one of the many properties that is tested.
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