Beds of humus instead of earth. Compost: how to turn harm into good. Disadvantages of high compost beds

Use of compost.

return to earth plant nutrients, what they took from her - that's the idea compost. Weeds, food waste, paper, leaves are all good for composting. Composting is also science.

The decomposition of plant residues is carried out by microorganisms, most of which do not harm and are even beneficial to plants, but at the same time compete with or destroy microorganisms harmful to plants - pathogens of plant diseases. That's why compost and another organic contribute to the improvement of the soil from pathogens of plant diseases.

There are several ways to use compost and other organic matter:

1. Compost is prepared in compost heap and in mature form is introduced into the furrows and onto the surface of the ridges.
2. A "high" bed is made, where weeds and other plant residues are laid.
3. "Semi-ripe compost" is laid in a bed with sides of 15-20 cm and sprinkled with earth a little.

Benefits of high compost beds

High or raised ridges, with or without sides, have the following common features: after winter, they quickly warm up and get rid of excess moisture, while the rest of the soil remains cold and excessively waterlogged for a long time. high ridges vital for waterlogged places in the spring.

Warm, well-aerated soil allows plants to start early. At the same time, the most vulnerable part of plants - their roots - do not suffer from a lack of oxygen and low soil temperature. Under such conditions, plants grow rapidly, quickly develop deep root system and well resist pathogens and adverse conditions.

in warm soil high ridges useful soil microorganisms that have frozen out during the winter multiply rapidly, reducing the danger plant diseases. Finally, high ridges, stuffed compost or manure, begin to warm up due to the microbial decomposition of organic matter, warming and nourishing plant roots.

Disadvantages of high compost beds

To disadvantages high ridges the possibility of their drying out with insufficient and irregular watering should be attributed.

Compost ridges cannot provide a balanced plant nutrition. Therefore, you should use mineral fertilizers as supplements. You can use mitlider mixes 1 and 2. In the first year of using the compost bed, the dose nitrogen fertilizers in mixture 2 can be reduced.

Use of compost on the surface of the beds

Usage mature compost on the surface of the ridges - this is a vegetable growing classic generally recognized by foreign and domestic vegetable growers. mature compost mixed with complete mineral fertilizer also lay in planting furrows and holes.

Sometimes used half-ripe compost as a mulch on the surface of the beds in combination with seedling method. Good results are obtained in a dry summer, when compost mulch not only nourishes, without increasing the concentration of the soil solution to dangerous limits for plants, but also protects the soil from drying out.

However, beware of transferring plant pathogens on semi-decomposed plant residues, although the high biological activity of compost suppresses most pathogens of plant diseases - this is the healing role of organics.

Also, due to the high biological activity of semi-mature compost, sowing seeds in it does not always give positive results. But when using seedling method always get good results.

Compost ridges with sides 15-20 cm high

are very promising compost ridges with low sides 15-20 cm high, for example from boards. You can first dig a trench to the depth of a shovel bayonet, sprinkle a small layer of sand 5-7 cm on the bottom and fill the bed with semi-ripe compost along the sides. Above compost must be covered with earth. You don't even have to dig a trench, just fall asleep half-ripe compost between the sides and sprinkle it with earth. The width of the ridges can be any: from narrow - 45 cm to much wider.

It is convenient to build such ridges in the fall, using semi-ripe compost and plant residues of the current year, which accumulated during the season in compost heap(in the compost yard). When laying compost and plant residues, they should be well moistened, it is advisable to use biologics type "Kyussey" - effective microorganisms (EM) or manure infusion.

When using geometry narrow Mitlider ridges(narrow ridges and wide passages) we have in fact "Mitlider" ridges on organic. This is reminiscent of the Mitlider ridges with two-layer soil, where upper layer on the beds between the plank sides 20 cm high, covered with a mixture of sawdust and sand. The only difference is that in Mitlider method are used mineral fertilizers, because sawdust contains very little nutrients in accessible form, and in compost apply less mineral fertilizers.

Some differences are as follows: the process of decomposition of sawdust in the sawdust-sand mixture goes mainly along the path of humus, and the mixture gradually, over 2-3 seasons, turns into loose, rich in relatively stable humus soil. Compost but mostly decomposes, settles, humus also formed, but less stable, organic breaks down, releasing nutrients at a much higher activity soil microflora. However, when compost decomposes, the nutrient-forming substances are not balanced in composition and quantity (often there is an excess of nitrogen and a lack of calcium and magnesium). Therefore, corrective application of mineral fertilizers, which requires some experience from the gardener. You can also use standard Mitlider top dressing with a decrease in the proportion of nitrogen fertilizers in them for compost beds first year of use.

A layer of compost improves the structure of the soil and prevents it from drying out during dry times. In the process of decomposition, both sawdust and compost, carbon dioxide is released - an absolutely necessary substance for plant nutrition, especially in greenhouses or greenhouses, where there may be a shortage.

"Classic" high compost bed

high compost ridge

Manufacturing "high" compost ridge allows you not to wait for the maturation of compost, but to use unripe weeds and plant remains. high compost ridge may have sides, or not have them, then vegetables are also grown on gentle slopes. Often it is enough to dig a trench to the depth of a spade bayonet and somewhat less than the width of the ridge. If the soil is heavy, clayey, then a layer of sand should be poured at the bottom of the trench, at least 5-10 cm. Then cut branches of trees and shrubs, raspberries, etc. should be laid on the bottom. They are laid on them weeds and others plant remains, moisturize well, you can pour it with manure infusion or preparations of useful soil microflora, sprinkle with lime or dolomite and complete mineral fertilizer (this is a must), trample down with your feet and roll the earth back. It turned out a "high" bed. From above, you can plant zucchini, pumpkins, cabbage and other plants that require good food, and at the edges - plants that need less nutrients. In the second - third years, you can plant root crops and other plants in the center. Excellent yields guaranteed 2-3 years. The excess selected land of the spent compost is used for adding flower beds, shrubs and trunk circles trees.

The structure of a high compost bed

If the soil is heavy, clayey, then a layer of sand should be poured at the bottom of the trench, at least 5-10 cm. The wire mesh at the base of the bed protects the plants from voles (rats) and moles. Next, a layer of chopped wood, branches, raspberry chips is laid - all pruning from the garden instead of burning it. Use branches no thicker than a finger and long with a pencil. Chips are laid on top of them - this forms the air core of the ridge. Next, lay layers of moistened leaves, plant residues. It is advisable to sprinkle each undecomposed layer with lime or dolomite and add a handful of complete mineral fertilizer.

The next layer is half-ripe compost, and above - mature compost mixed with garden soil. From above, along the ridge, it is necessary to make a groove (or earthen sides) for irrigation and water retention. For impregnation irrigation inside a high compost bed, at a depth of about 20 cm, you can place plastic pipe or a hose with holes with a diameter of 3-4 mm.

Dimensions high ridge

The bed is an earthen rampart or mound with a height of about 80 cm in the center, fading along the edges, a width of 1.8 m and an arbitrary length.

Note

There is practically no need to burn any plant residues: pruning of trees and shrubs goes into compost beds, with the exception of thick branches that are used as firewood.

Features of the high ridge

* when forming a high bed, leftovers are laid in it healthy plants. However, in practice, such a rule is difficult to fully implement. Therefore, you can do this: do not use compost, especially half-ripe, for those crops from which it was prepared for 3-4 years. For example, compost potato tops should not be used for potatoes and tomatoes until 3-4 years have passed and it has been decontaminated. Do the same with other plant residues;
* plentiful watering - the main condition for obtaining high yield on the high garden;
* unlike a compost heap, a high bed should only be placed on sunny place. All crops that are recommended for growing on a high bed are very photophilous (pumpkins, zucchini, tomato, pepper, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, white cabbage). Otherwise, crop losses and an excess of nitrates cannot be avoided;
* when organic matter decomposes, heat is released, and the soil on a high bed will be 5-7 degrees warmer. Therefore, it is common practice to grow heat-loving crops on compost heaps.
* in the first year, compost beds contain a lot of nitrogenous nutrients, so for the first two years it is not recommended to grow nitrate-accumulating vegetables on a high bed: lettuce, spinach, beets, chard, radish. Therefore, in the first year, crops are grown that require enhanced nutrition: cabbage, celery, pumpkin - zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers. However, keep in mind that, say, a pumpkin quickly depletes the compost. A year later, plants can be planted with an average nutrient intake: endwie, head lettuce, beets. In the third year, plants are planted with medium and low nutrient intake. The photo on the left shows a tall compost bed in its second year of use. AT mixed culture it is planted with kohlrabi, lettuce and onions.
* except for the main crops grown along middle line, along the edges of the bed, plant companion crops with a lower nutrient intake.

For several years now I have been arranging “warm” beds in the garden, this method has become a real salvation for my site. The work invested in the creation of natural "warmers" is minimal compared to what benefits the gardener receives:
Plant waste that makes up the garden bed heats the plants from the inside and allows you to get early harvest. This is very important for the North-West, because May and June, and often all summer, we have very cool, night temperatures drop to + 8-10 degrees, and you can’t plant the whole garden under a greenhouse.
The land in the garden must be constantly updated. However, it is very expensive to import soil by trucks. A plus, purchased soil often brings only disappointment - the gardener receives dirt and clay instead of humus. Different variants"warm" beds allow you to update all the land on the site with sectors, using a method invented by nature itself.

Different types of beds that warm and make the earth themselves

All gardeners create "warm" beds in one form or another, sometimes they just don't know it. It remains only to approach this issue wisely, and the yield on the site will increase.

There are several ways to create warm beds:

1. Compost heap in a stationary box. Summer residents who ignore this method, simply burying or throwing away grass or waste, are acting very unwisely. Organizing several compost heaps in bins with a removable wall is very simple, and the benefits of this business are enormous., The sides can be cemented or made from wood and improvised materials.


One such pile is filled all summer long with waste from the kitchen, grass, manure in layers - late in the fall it is covered with compost on top, next season you can plant pumpkins or zucchini on it, and after summer the pile is opened to get compost for beds.


While one compost bin is being filled, vegetable crops are growing in the other and soil is taken from it in autumn or spring. Thus, there is always fresh compost, and it turns out to be of good quality. It is also possible to arrange a compost heap based on a barrel or a concrete ring.

2. Grass hole. On the virgin soil or in the garden with loamy soil at the beginning of the season, you can dig a hole 40-50 cm deep, dump grass there after processing the beds all summer, fill the hole with compost at the end of summer, plant green manure or legumes in this place next season and get a piece of fertile developed soil.

3. "Warm" ridge-trench. A deep rut that is dug two bayonets of a spade or even deeper and gradually filled in during the whole season or at the end of summer.

4. "Warm" bed in a box, which is formed in layers at the end of the season.

How to quickly make a "warm" out of an ordinary garden bed

In my garden, I use all methods, but I’ll tell you more about the latter.
At the end of summer after harvest vegetable crops the beds are gradually released, this is the most opportune moment to make “warm” beds. Usually on such ridges we grow zucchini, pumpkins, squash, beans - the yield of these crops drops significantly if they are not provided with heating from under the ground.
All our beds are enclosed in a wooden or metal box 30-40 cm high, on the basis of this design it is very easy to make a warm bed, you can act according to this scheme:
We choose a sector of about 1.5 by 1.5 meters, we focus on our strengths, too big garden it will be difficult to dig out at one time and will take a long time to fill.


We dig up the earth from the bed, put the top one in buckets or throw it into a pile on the side, and send the lower loam to long-term compost or use it for household needs. If there is a strong assistant, then you can dig out the entire box, so the beds will be completely updated.


However, there is an easier option - to make a wide deep trench in the middle of the garden.


At the very bottom we put branches, large tops, chips, paper, these organic materials will decompose slowly, so they are placed in the base. Plus, there are always gaps between dense stems and pieces of wood, it turns out a kind of drainage layer that provides a gradual outflow of water. If I make a warm bed not from scratch, but with a furrow, then I put not hard branches at the base, but tops from beans, Jerusalem artichokes, sunflowers, zucchini, pouring everything with coarse-grained sand. I am an opponent of chips and rotten wood in the garden, because. we have a lot without it garden ants, so I don’t use such materials at all, but I mention them, because this material is in use by gardeners.


Next, we tamp and spill the greens well, the amount of water depends on the weather. We pour everything with a layer of earth, you can use the excavated soil, which we put aside in buckets.
In the next layer put organic waste, which decompose more quickly - traditionally, leaves, soft tops, wood chips, rotten vegetables and fruits are placed in the middle of the beds. I usually process strawberries during this period, so most of the strawberry and strawberry foliage from pruning gets into this layer on my garden bed, I'm afraid to put rotten apples in the beds, because. it makes the soil very acidic.


This layer should be quite voluminous, it can be divided into two, sprinkled with earth and spilled with water. I also add ash, because. My soil is quite acidic.


The next layer of the bed is formed from organic matter, which decomposes very well, this is an elite level, which should turn into humus by the beginning of the next season. Here I put low grass without seeds and roots, plucked or cut with a sickle, and lawn grass after the lawn mower, which I collect and dry, getting hay.


The “warm bed” settles very strongly, so at this stage you need to fill up the bed so that the grass sticks out of the bed. This green hill should be compacted, spilled and covered with a 10-15 cm layer of compost humus. Then you can wait a few days and duplicate this layer again.


Put a layer of humus on top again.


Then on the newly made ridge, you can plant green manure - oats, rye, mustard.


Before, I sometimes planted oats before winter and then we kind of shoveled it, or beans in the spring, when we left the ground fallow. This year I planted rye, after 5 days the sprouts have already begun to crawl out. I read that pulling and burying is not best method, it destroys the green manure root system, which accumulates nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals. This year I want to try to cut the rye - however, this requires a very sharp flat cutter or chopper.

Such a bed does not need to be dug up, just loosen the ground with a hoe. In the spring, to start life in the ridge, it can be watered warm water or a solution of manure, then cover with a film for a while. Temporary hotbeds on such a natural "heater" also give a good result, because. plants are heated both from above and below, it turns out a real bathhouse. A “warm” bed in a box lasts 2-3 years, in the second year I add compost to it, and in the third or fourth year I change it.

A "warm" ridge based on a trench serves 7-8 years, because they dig it out for two bayonets of a shovel or even more, put sand and large branches and pieces of wood on the bottom. In my opinion, the ridge in the box is more convenient and efficient, because. it is easier to make and the land is changed more often, which means that the bed does not have to be left fallow for rest.

Gardening in Russia is famous for the fact that people are constantly adopting various low-cost ways to increase productivity. The so-called warm beds have earned high popularity. Their device is designed in such a way that early heating of the soil occurs with natural (from rotting organic matter) or artificial (with the help of an energy carrier) heat.

To put it simply, a warm bed is a kind of compost pit, which has drainage at the bottom and placed at the top. planting soil. There are three options for compost beds for their placement relative to ground level:

• raised above the surface;
• buried;
• mixed design (the base is at a depth, the top tower is located above ground level.

In any case, the filling of the beds will look like a layer cake, in which each layer is some kind of organic material.

Such beds are formed either in early spring or late autumn. Going into the winter with pre-prepared beds is very rational, because before freezing in the bowels of the structure, the process of decomposition of organic matter will already begin, and in the spring it will continue with renewed vigor.

Contents of organic warm beds

Approximate content of raised beds from bottom to top:

• protection against rodents - mice and moles (use a metal or plastic mesh);

• drainage layer (plant branches, large branches, logs, remains of old stumps and other bulk material);
• insulating fabric (geotextile) or a layer of old newspapers and cardboard on top of it;

IMPORTANT. The insulating layer prevents the drainage layer from being flooded with water, and also prevents the germination of weeds.

• sawdust, bark, chopped branches;
• unripe organics - old foliage and various plant remains;
• rotted compost;
• garden soil or specially brought fertile soil.

IMPORTANT. The thickness of the top layer must be made such that the roots have enough space and they do not grow into the layer of unripened organic matter. Study in advance the specifics of those plants that you plan to plant on this bed.

Depending on the design, some layers can be eliminated. For example:

• if the bed lies on the ground without deepening, then a drainage layer of bulk material is not needed. No need for cardboard - just cover the bottom of the bed protective coating from rodents, and then with a waterproof technical fabric so that irrigation water does not quickly go into the soil;

• if the bed is of a mixed type (buried with elevation) - make sure that the ground level is somewhere between a layer of cardboard and unripe organic matter.

There are no strict rules. the main task novice designer warm beds is to understand the whole principle of work:

• layer sequence;
• organization of the process of decay;
• rodent protection;
• thickness of each filler layer.

Most of the questions are related to how thick each layer should be. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to pay attention to key points:

• top fertile soil with compost 15-25 cm (depending on the length of the roots going deep into the soil);
• unripe organic matter (old leaves, etc.) with a layer about 12-15 cm thick;
• a layer of old branches, sawdust- about 10-13 cm;
• the lower drainage layer is from 5 to 10 cm.

Varieties

Exist various versions beds that give natural warmth from the inside. The choice of design depends on how much you are willing to spend time and effort on the result. Remember that any garden design is considered simultaneously as:

• opportunity to increase yields;
• means of facilitating further garden work, improve convenience;
• aesthetic organization of plantations and plantings on the site.

Technologically the easiest option. What are the advantages of a warm bed of this type:

• they are much easier to care for;
• there is no need for hard work on digging the earth to a depth;

IMPORTANT. They are ideal in conditions when the soil is excessively swampy (inside the contour of a warm bed, an optimal environment is created due to the selection of fillers, and the bottom is covered with insulating material).

• easy to create clear geometric shapes(relevant for lovers of sophistication of landscape design);

• it is much easier to protect plant roots from mice and moles.

buried beds

Most difficult option in terms of labor costs. However, the result is more solid:

• under the ground level, organic matter does not freeze as much as in raised beds, so the process of heat release begins much earlier in the spring;
• once you dig a trench and fill it with organic materials, you don’t have to worry about repeated work for several years (shelf life is about 3-4 years without the need to change the internal contents);
• saving time and effort on the side frame of the beds, because. you can do without it (if the surface of the beds is flush with the level of the surrounding ground).

mixed type

This option is considered optimal:

• the buried part plays a long-term role (it is not necessary to dig it up every spring);
• the elevation of the upper fertile part allows you to process the bed with less effort;

IMPORTANT. Working in a sitting position is relevant for older people. Often they suffer from atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases, in which the head down position is contraindicated.

• the recommended height of the part protruding above the surface is approximately 55-70 cm;

• the towering part will have to be decorated with side walls, that is, an aesthetically attractive view will be obtained - the garden or vegetable garden will look more stylish, pleasing to the eye with landscape design.

materials

Highly important aspect- from what to make the contour of the beds. Although there are a wide variety of materials on the market, they have different properties:

• aesthetic appearance;
• financial high cost/cheapness;
• fragility / durability;
• temperature response;
• safety from an environmental point of view.

IMPORTANT. Never use glass. The risk of a battle is great, and it is simply unrealistic to remove small fragments from the soil.

The final decision is always yours, and let it be balanced. Short review Materials to be used:

DIY garden bed

In this article, we will consider a mixed type construction:

• deepened by the base;
• having an above-ground part;
• wooden side frame.

This guide will help you better understand general scheme and details of working with various materials.

Preparation for work

Tools and material:

• carpentry (saw, drill, level, screwdriver, measuring tape, corner);

• garden (shovel, rake, pitchfork, garden cart for transporting compost and other filler materials, earth drill);
• edged board 2-2.5 cm thick, 17-20 cm wide;
• bar 4x4 cm for stakes;
• metal or plastic mesh from rodents.

Bed sizes:

• in width, it is important that it is convenient to work with the bed when growing plants. It is optimal if the bed is no wider than 1.0-1.3 m. bottlenecks plot (for example, at the fence) you can make beds 70 cm wide. Even with one-sided access, plantings will receive necessary care and care of the gardener.
• the length is arbitrary - as far as the configuration of your garden plot allows.

• as mentioned above, the ground part of the beds is recommended with a height of 50-75 cm;
• but this recommendation is optional. Especially considering the fact that the thickness of the inner layers varies. Therefore, the bed can also be placed inside a lower contour (20-35 cm).

IMPORTANT. Plan ahead, so it will be easier for you to implement your plans without wasting time on rework and refinement.

Frame manufacturing

Please note that the sides of the beds will have to be made from a double board, that is, one board should be placed vertically above the other so that the height of the walls is sufficient. Thus, you have to do the following:

• measure the desired length, cut the boards (4 pcs. side, 4 pcs. end);

• prepare stakes from a bar 4x4 cm, 75-80 cm long;

IMPORTANT. How many stakes will be required? With a bed length of 2-2.5 meters, 6 pieces are enough. With a bed length of 3.5-4 meters, 8 pieces are enough.

• make two-level boards by connecting two boards together (use cutting boards, loosened with a hatchet into planks);

• keep in mind that the screws should not go beyond the drilled wood (when buying self-tapping screws, remember that the thickness of the board is 2.5 cm, and it must be multiplied by two, since the connecting strips will be the same thickness).

This completes the preparation. It will be necessary to install the frame directly into the trench - in the same place to make fastening at the corners of the structure. Measuring angle and level will help you to maintain accuracy.

Trench and its filling

Step by step:

• make a marking of the beds or beds (basting with the help of a peg and a stretched cord will allow you to dig a trench of an even geometric shape);

• it is desirable to dig a trench so that its depth is about 40-45 cm;

• lay down a net from rodents (it is sold in construction stores, ask for reinforcing mesh or chain-link);
• create a drainage layer (see details above) - coarse, long-ripening organic matter;

• cover with old newspapers, cardboard;

• install side walls;
• drill holes for support stakes;

• at the corners of the structure, connect the boards and stakes with self-tapping screws;
• use a corner and a level so that the structure “sits” in the ground exactly both horizontally and perpendicular to the connecting corners;
• continue to fill the raised part of the beds;
• add dry grass, foliage and other unripe organics;

• further - humus, manure or compost;
• the final layer is high-quality garden soil.

IMPORTANT. In fertile areas, before starting trenching, carefully remove the top layer of earth, set it aside. This is the turf you use for planting.

After all the steps, do not forget to water the bed with water to create a humid environment. Under such conditions, the process of decay inside will begin. Do not try to moisten each layer with water as the trench fills. There is no hurry, let everything go at a moderate speed. There is still time before planting, and the contents of the garden bed should just rot and be loose, and not rot in a viscous slurry.

Video - Do-it-yourself warm beds

Warm beds with artificial heating

The concept is that:

• water pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene are laid on the drainage layer;
• the pipe structure is connected to the electrical cable;
• heating is controlled by the user (turning on and off the heat supply - as needed, depending on the temperature of the soil).

IMPORTANT. Artificial heating is optimally suited for covered (tented) beds and greenhouses - the heat generated by the pipes is stored inside the system, and is not sprayed in the open air.

The order and list of fillers may vary. In any case, the most important layers should remain:

• lower drainage (it is laid directly on natural soil);
• additional insulation (prevents cooling of the “layer cake” from below, from the ground);
• sand (occupies the location of the heating pipes) - plays the role of fine-grained drainage, helps to retain heat, promotes the passage of irrigation water to go down).

Only after all these components is placed at the top fertile layer earth.

• in summer cottages it is advisable to use an electric cable (after all, cottage heating, as a rule, temporary and low-power);

• in capital private houses, you can connect directly to the heating (do not forget to make a shut-off valve in case the house is heated, but the garden bed does not need to be heated at this time).

What type of heating is allowed? It can be of any type:

• gas;
• electrical;
• steam;
• water;
• furnace.

Operating procedure

It's actually quite simple:

• prepare layers (large drainage, synthetic insulation, sand);

• lay water pipes. Scheme - closed circuit (provide circulation warm water round);

• add some more sand on top;

• the final layer is directly fertile soil. Use benign garden soil, as well as additional black soil. Keep in mind that the soil when heated should nourish the plants well;

• connect the greenhouse piping to the heat source.

For lack of experience with electricity, invite more knowing person. If electric installation work you understand, the whole process will be elementary for you, and the design will turn out to be durable, efficient and reliable.

Previously, we were not fond of farming, the plot was depleted, there were no crops, and therefore we had no interest in this occupation. But one day we learned that it is possible to build such beds on which all heat-loving plants grow by leaps and bounds, and even sing on the bushes. And they are called warm. We carefully studied how to build such beds and immediately set to work. They dug a trench, filled it with organic matter according to the principle of composting. Layers of organic matter were thoroughly sprinkled with Radiance-3. The bed was spilled with water and covered.

A few days later we made holes, filled them with 10 liters of nutrient soil and planted tomato seedlings.

Plants and, however, grew very well on a warm bed, the harvest was excellent.

We had never seen green tomatoes before, but here red ones, and even in clusters. From that moment on, we decided that we would always make warm beds, because they can’t be compared with ordinary ones.

In the spring, our warm beds gave us another surprise. In order to re-lay them, we began to free the trenches from the contents from last year. How much we were surprised when huge heaps of well-rotted organic matter grew in the middle of the site.

Blimey! We have never had so much compost. And what does that mean? Can I plant all the plants in all the beds in compost? Here we parted: in all the holes, in all the grooves, in all the beds, they laid out ready-made compost.

All trees and shrubs were mulched. Enough for everything, never regretted. The plants were very happy with this feeding. And we somehow rejoiced at the first full-fledged harvests.

Now we plant warm beds every year, as they are a real compost factory, they feed not only the plants that grow on them, but the whole garden.

Highly good time to create warm beds the end of summer - the beginning of autumn. At this time, there is a lot of organic matter. Grass has grown, entire mountains have harvested tops, trees have shed their leaves.

And in the spring, for warm beds, we use hay and food waste accumulated over the winter. So, creating such a factory is not at all difficult and accessible to everyone.

The most important factor proper development plants is their balanced diet. Everyone will agree with this: both the summer resident-amateur, and the experienced gardener-practitioner, and the scientific agronomist. The most important factor in the proper development of plants is their balanced nutrition. Everyone will agree with this: both the summer resident-amateur, and the experienced gardener-practitioner, and the scientific agronomist.

Even supporters of traditional arable farming will not argue on this issue with adherents of natural agricultural technology, because. both those and others are trying to provide plants with everything necessary for their proper nutrition, and, therefore, for good growth.

Experience shows that urban gardeners, as well as many rural residents, have a very superficial idea of ​​what, and most importantly, how plants eat. Most summer residents with whom I often communicate have ideas about plant nutrition often close to those of Aristotle, which reigned in European civilization for two thousand years. He taught that plants are, as it were, animals set with their heads in the ground and finding ready-made food in it with their roots.

When meeting with gardeners and gardeners, I often ask the same question: "Where do you grow vegetables best?". The answer is almost the same: "On the compost heap." To the question: "Why is this happening?", Most do not know the correct answer, at best, gardeners say that there is a lot of heat and nutrients. The third question is: "Why even on the most the best garden, consisting of almost one compost, grows worse than on an unripe compost heap? ”and, as a rule, confuses everyone. It would seem a paradox, but it can be easily resolved if you know how and what plants eat. Most gardeners believe that plants, in addition to water, need nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other minerals.But today it is known for certain that nitrogen in the diet of plants is only 15%, the rest of the macro- and microelements account for 7%.Plants also need oxygen ( 20%) and hydrogen (8%), and the main element in the diet is carbon (50%).

Plants get carbon from carbon dioxide. Back in school, we studied that in the green leaf of plants, when exposed to sun rays a unique phenomenon of photosynthesis takes place: the formation organic matter from water molecules and carbon dioxide with the release of oxygen. And what about the compost heap? The fact is that only 0.03% of carbon dioxide in the air is about 30% of the necessary, the remaining 70% of the plant is obtained as a result of the vital activity of living microorganisms (bacteria, microfungi, etc.), decomposing organic matter with the release of not only mineral elements , but also a large number carbon dioxide. Now it becomes clear that on the compost heap, where intensive decomposition of organic matter occurs under the action of a large number developing microorganisms are created Better conditions for carbon (basic) nutrition of plants.

Thus, our practical observations with you have led us to the truth already proven by scientists that living microorganisms, decomposing organic matter (grass, foliage, etc.) in the course of their life, play an important role in creating fertility and favorable conditions for plant growth.

The first microbiological preparation Nitragin was created back in 1896 and contained only one nitrogen-fixing bacterium (nodule). This bacterium converts nitrogen gas "inedible" for plants into a nitrate form, easily absorbed by plants. In the late 80s of the twentieth century, the Japanese scientist Higa Terou created for the first time a sustainable community of agronomically beneficial microorganisms (the Kyussei microbiological preparation). Agronomically useful microorganisms not only accelerate the decomposition of organic matter many times over, but also suppress pathogenic microflora (phytopathogens, putrefactive, etc.). The results of using the drug exceeded all expectations: yields increased by 3-4 times with significantly lower labor costs. Further development led to the creation of technology of effective microorganisms (EM-technologies). EM technologies are one of the main methods of today's Organic Farming.

So, dear gardeners, if everything grows “by leaps and bounds” on a compost heap, then draw the right conclusion and turn all your beds into compost beds! Bring organic matter into large quantities not in the compost bin, but directly on the beds. Revitalize the activity of microorganisms and worms, for which in no case do not use chemicals and do not dig, but only loosen the earth, use EM technologies, and then your environmentally friendly crops will grow without nitrates and toxins, while reducing costs and constantly increasing soil fertility!

Sergei Rumyantsev