How do you test for humus?

Question

how do you test for the humus content in the soil?

Answer 1

A more widely used term for humus is organic matter.  Google "soil organic matter test" for some references.  You will find that testing for organic matter is not precise, and may be presented as a range.  If you are a gardner who has been adding quite a lot of organic matter you might find your local labs are not set up to provide very high readings anyway.  Again if you are a gardner as opposed to a farmer, take some soil and squeeze it when it is fairly moist.  Assuming it is not a heavy clay soil, you can tell if you have good organic matter content by noting how well the soil "sticks" together.

Answer 2

In one method, a soil sample is taken, dried gently to remove water and weighed.  The weight is recorded.  The sample is then place in a crucible and exposed to high temperature to burn off the organic matter.  The sample is cooled and weighted a second time.  The difference in weight is the amount of organic matter (humus) in the sample.  Better soils have higher humus content.

An easier method is to take a sample of soil to a gardening center and let them run tests on humus, mineral nutrients and soil structure.  With that information, you will know what you need to do to improve the soil in your garden.

Answer 3

i don't know