ABSTRACT
Soil organic matter is all derived from living organisms such as plants, earthworms, slugs, snails, arthropods, nematodes (eelworms), fungi and bacteria including actinomycetes. On death these plant and animal remains then decompose and are recycled along with any other organic matter that is added such as farmyard manure, composted municipal waste, mushroom compost, leaf mould, chipped bark and composted straw. To a greater or lesser extent the plants grown in horticulture are incorporated directly during primary cultivation or indirectly after being composted.
