SummaryThe effects of varying the pH and ionic strength, and the concentrations of organic matter, copper, calcium and phosphate upon the complexing of copper by extracts of humified organic matter from laboratory preparations, soil and peat were measured. The extent of complexing increased as pH increased and ionic strength decreased, and with increasing organic matter: copper ratios in a way consistent with the complexant being heterogeneous. Calcium competed with copper for organic matter, but the effect of phosphate was negligible. The extent of complexing at pH 7 by equal weights of colloidal and dialysable material from the same extract were usually similar. Weight for weight of organic carbon, alkali‐extracted humified organic matter complexed copper much more extensively than the corresponding water‐soluble mater