Soil can become “unhealthy" over time: it may lose much of its organic matter, capacity to retain water, and become generally unstable. These problems can be addressed by applying “soil carbon amendments," materials created from plant and animal byproducts which are predominantly carbon-based. The most common type of amendment is compost, but other examples include biochar and other carbon-based products like wood chips and pulverized paper. Amendments like compost can be applied on many kinds of land: crop and rangelands, pastures, forests, and developed land—effectively, nearly anywhere that soil health has been depleted.
Applying amendments like compost provides a host of benefits to the land. As it decomposes, compost slowly releases organic fertilizer into the soil, replenishing the chemical and biological properties that have been depleted and improving the quality and quantity of its organic matter. This boost for soil health improves its ability to retain moisture, provides a stronger base for plant roots, and allows for increased and more robust plant growth: when applied to rangelands, this also boosts forage production for grazing. Using organic compost replaces the application of synthetic fertilizers, which release additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when they decompose and leave residue chemicals in soil and water systems.
Learn more about the application and benefits of compost and other soil carbon amendments on the CA Field Office Technical Guide website.
Sacramento County currently provides access to free self-serve compost for County residents at two locations: visit the County's Self-Serve Compost page to learn more about the program and how you can apply compost in various ways to your own lands and gardens.
The following sections highlight some of the most applicable and effective methods for the Sacramento region and provide access to additional sources to learn more.
