Experienced gardeners are well aware that most of the planned seasonal work depends on the composition of the soil in the garden. The maintenance of the garden and vegetable garden is not complete without taking into account the soil composition and characteristics of the soil on the farm. Sowing, caring for and fertilizing the land for an excellent harvest is necessary only after a thorough analysis of the soil.
To improve its quality and characteristics in agriculture, even special methods have been developed for processing and touching green manure, various plants that fertilize and strengthen existing soils with the products of their vital activity. In order to effectively apply such agricultural technologies within your own suburban economy, it is better to use them after a careful study of the existing varieties of soils, their typical properties and characteristics.
The territory of Russia is quite diverse and the soil composition can also vary. When the question arises of introducing green manure for processing and improving gardening, selecting horticultural crops to obtain a high-quality and rich harvest, dividing the site into planting and fertilizing zones, and other work to improve soil quality, it is necessary first of all to study the characteristics of the soil on the site. Such knowledge makes it possible not only to avoid many difficulties with growing plants, but also to qualitatively increase productivity, protect your garden from typical garden diseases and pests.
This variety is very easy to identify. So, when during the spring preparatory work, the soil is dug up, the clods turn out to be large, stick when wet, and you can easily roll a long cylinder out of the ground that does not crumble when bent. This type of soil has a very dense structure with poor air ventilation. Saturation with water and warming up of the earth is going poorly, and therefore planting and growing capricious horticultural crops on clay soils is quite problematic.
But in gardening, this type of soil can become the basis for a good harvest if you resort to tillage on the site. For the cultivation of clay soils, green manures are rarely used to facilitate their dense structure, they are enriched with sandy, peat, ash and lime additives. An accurate calculation of the amount of various additives can be made only by conducting a laboratory study of soils from the site. But to increase their fertility, it is better to use averaged data. So, to enrich a square meter of land, you need to add about 40 kg of sand, 300 grams of lime and a bucket of peat and ash. From organic fertilizers, it is better to use horse manure. And if it is possible to use green manure, you can sow rye, mustard and some oats.
Recognizing them is very easy. The main characteristics of such soils are friability and flowability. They cannot be compressed into a lump so that it does not crumble. All the advantages of these soils are also their main disadvantages. Rapid heating, easy circulation of air, minerals and water leads to rapid cooling, drying and washing out of nutrients. The substances necessary for plants do not have time to linger in such soil and quickly go to the depth.
Therefore, growing any kind of vegetation on sandstones is a very difficult task, even after the start of processing. For cultivating the land in such a plot, the introduction of substances is used that makes the light structure more dense. Such additives include peat, humus, compost and clay flour. It is necessary to make sealing components for each square meter at least a bucket. It will not be superfluous to use green manure. For this work, you can sow mustard, rye and various varieties of oats, after such processing, even the use of fertilizers will become more effective.
sandy loam priming
This type of soil cover is very similar to sandstones, but due to the greater percentage of clay components, it retains minerals better.
The cultivation of such soils is easier and does not require as much effort as sandy and clay varieties. Types of sandy loamy soils may differ slightly from each other, but the characteristic always corresponds to rapid heating and heat retention for a long period, as well as optimal saturation with moisture, oxygen and useful substances. To determine the sandy loam cover, you can compress an earthen lump, which should take the form of a lump, but gradually disintegrate. These types of soil in the original version are ready for growing any horticultural and horticultural crops. But for greater efficiency and in cases of depletion of the soil cover, you can use the planting of plants of the green manure group rye or mustard. It is enough to plant rye and mustard once every 3-4 years, if the choice fell in the direction of oats, then strengthening is carried out more often.
Loamy priming
Such species are optimal for growing a wide variety of plants. Their characteristic allows to do without additional processing. Such soil contains the optimal amount of microelements useful and necessary for full growth and development, as well as a high level of saturation of the root system of plants with water and air, which makes it possible to achieve not only a large potato yield. On such lands, you can grow all kinds of garden and garden plants. It is very easy to distinguish them from other types of soils. It is necessary to compress the earth into a lump, and then try to bend it. Loamy soil will easily take shape, but break apart when trying to deform it.
Lime priming
Very poor variety of land for gardening. Plants grown on calcareous substrates often suffer from iron and manganese deficiencies.
Lime soil can be distinguished by its light brown color and structure with many stone inclusions. Such soil requires frequent processing to obtain a crop. The lack of basic components and the alkaline environment do not allow moisture and organic composition to receive everything necessary for proper growth and development. To improve the fertile properties of the land, the use of green manure is very effective. A simple solution would be to sow rye and mustard. If you grow rye and mustard on the site for several years, you can increase the yield of other crops by several times.
swampy or peat priming
In the original version, these soils are unsuitable for setting up a garden or vegetable garden. But after processing, growing plants is quite possible.
Such soils quickly absorb water, but do not retain it inside. Also, such land has a rather high level of acidity, which leads to a lack of minerals and useful elements for vegetation. After the beautification work, arranged in the fall, you can try to grow unpretentious garden crops in the next season.
Chernozemny priming
Chernozems are a gardener's dream. But among country soils, it is found infrequently. A stable coarse-grained structure, an abundance of humus and calcium, ideal water and air exchange make chernozems the most desirable soils.
But with active cultivation and use for the cultivation of fruit trees and vegetable crops, even such soil can be depleted, so it must be nourished in a timely manner and stimulate fertile properties. For such purposes, the cultivation of green manure is ideal. Rye and mustard are very good to plant after potatoes, which quickly deplete the earth. It is worth repeating the procedure with planting green manure once every 2-3 years. Rye, mustard and varieties of oats are often used in mass agriculture to restore soil fertility, but excellent results can be achieved in home garden conditions. It is easy to establish that there is really chernozem soil on the site, it is necessary to compress the earthen ball and a greasy and black spot will remain in the palm of your hand.
Plant selection by soil composition
To facilitate the work when creating a garden and vegetable garden, it is worth choosing garden crops based on the characteristic features and adherence of plants to soil varieties. So, some representatives of the flora will not grow on land that is not suitable for their cultivation, despite all the efforts made, while others, under the same conditions, will actively grow and bear fruit.
When choosing the vegetation of the garden, the characteristics of the soil of the site must be taken into account.
clayey Earth
The density of the soil does not allow the root system to be fully saturated with air, moisture and heat. Therefore, the yield of vegetable crops in such areas is very small, the only exception can be the cultivation of potatoes, beets, peas and Jerusalem artichoke. But shrubs and trees with a strong root system on a site with clay soil feel quite acceptable.
Sandstones
Even before the application of compacting components, you can increase the level of productivity of the site if you sow carrots, melons, various varieties of onions, currants and strawberries. If the soil is regularly fertilized during the season, then you can get a good harvest of potatoes, cabbage and beets. The use of fast-acting fertilizers can increase the fruiting of fruit trees.
sandy and loamy Earth
Any plant is suitable for these types of soil. The only limitation can be considered the selection of horticultural crops, taking into account the terrain, zoning and climatic conditions.
lime Earth
Growing plants on such soil is quite problematic. It is not suitable for growing potatoes, it is also worth abandoning tomatoes, sorrel, carrots, pumpkins, cucumbers and salads.
swampy or peaty Earth
Without processing on peatlands, only gooseberry and currant bushes can be grown. For other horticultural crops, cultivation work is needed. Growing fruit plants, especially potatoes, in a peat bog is impossible.
Chernozemnaya Earth
The best option for summer cottages and household plots. It is ideal for all garden crops, even the most demanding ones.
For each type of soil, professional agronomists have developed special techniques and methods that ensure the optimal survival of new plants and the full growth of existing ones.
To increase the level of productivity, you can use the following simple recommendations.
Clay
For clay soils recommended:
- high position of the beds;
- it is better to sow seeds at a shallower depth;
- seedlings are planted at an angle for optimal heating of the root system;
- after planting, it is necessary to regularly apply loosening and mulching;
- in the fall, after harvesting, it is necessary to dig up the earth.
Sand
For sandstones there is a technology when a clay base is created on sandy soil, about 5 cm thick. On this basis, a bed is created from imported fertile soil and plants are planted on it.
Sandy soils
Such soils respond well to the introduction of a variety of organic fertilizers. It is also recommended to periodically mulch, especially in the fall after the end of the harvest.
Loam
loams do not require additional processing. It is enough to support them with the help of mineral fertilizers, and in the fall, when digging, it is very good to introduce a small amount of manure.
Limestone
For limestone the following should be carried out regularly:
— saturation of the earth with organic fertilizers;
- mulching with the introduction of organic impurities;
- it is often necessary to sow plants of the green manure group: rye, mustard, varieties of oats;
- it is necessary to sow seeds with frequent watering and loosening;
- a good result is the use of potash fertilizers and additives with an acidic environment.
Peat
For peatlands quite a lot of garden work is required:
- you need to strengthen the soil with sand or clay flour, for this you can carry out in-depth digging of the site;
- if the soil is found to have increased acidity, then it is necessary to carry out liming;
- You can increase the fertility of the land by introducing a large amount of organic matter;
- the introduction of potash and phosphorus equations well increases the yield;
- for fruit trees, planting in deep pits with the introduction of fertile soil or planting on artificially created earthen hills is necessary;
- as for sandstones, under the garden it is necessary to create beds on a clay pillow.
For chernozem no special processing required. Additional work can be associated only with the characteristics of specific groups of plants. It is also necessary to regularly carry out work to prevent soil depletion. It is enough to plant a few green manure plants: rye, mustard and oat varieties, and the soil will be strengthened and saturated with useful elements for a few more years.
Methods for cultivating the soil and preparing it for planting fruit and berry plants depend on the type of soil and underlying soils. The soils of the Non-Chernozem region are very diverse due to the heterogeneity of soil-forming rocks, the diversity of relief and climatic conditions.
Soil structure
Soils of the podzolic type are predominant, the natural fertility of which, as a rule, is low. Each type of soil has a characteristic structure for it. The elements of the profile structure are soil horizons, denoted by letter symbols.
Here are the main ones:
- A - the upper humus (humus) layer, usually dark in color, most favorable for root growth;
- B - transitional from humus to the parent rock;
- C - parent soil-forming rock.
You can see the structure of the soil on the walls of the soil section. Soddy-podzolic soils are characterized by a shallow humus horizon (12-18 cm) and the presence of a whitish or brown podzolic layer. It is formed as a result of washing out of organic matter - it is barren, structureless, often contains a large amount of elements harmful to plants. Plant roots do not grow in the podzolic horizon.
Determining the degree of soil podzolization is of practical importance: in slightly podzolized soils, the podzolic horizon is 2–5 cm, in medium podzolized soils, 6–14 cm, and in strongly podzolized ones, 15–30 cm or more.
Weakly podzolized soils can be cultivated in one step by digging with the introduction of manure or compost. In the presence of a large layer of podzol, it is necessary to gradually involve the podzol in the arable soil layer.
The transitional horizon (B), predominantly brown in color, may be heterogeneous. Soil quality is influenced by the parent rock (C). It can be clay, loam, sandy loam, sand (boulder or non-boulder); two-membered sediment (sandy loam and sand are underlain by clay or loam). Uncultivated sod-podzolic soil contains little potassium, phosphorus, and has high acidity.
Widespread in the area are soils of varying degrees of waterlogging. They are rich in phosphorus and nitrogen, but become suitable for planting only after drainage and subsequent cultivation. Under waterlogged conditions, a large amount of poorly decomposed plant residues of a characteristic bluish or greenish color accumulate in the upper horizon of these soils. Soil properties, their water permeability, moisture capacity, air and thermal regimes, nutrient supply largely depend on the mechanical composition, i.e. the size of their constituent particles. On this basis soils are divided into clay, loamy, sandy and sandy.
A simple field method can be used to determine the mechanical composition of the soil. To do this, take some soil and moisten it to a paste density. Then they knead and roll out a cord about 3 mm thick in the palm of your hand, which is folded into a ring and a conclusion is made by its appearance.
Main soil types
Clay soils
Clay soils (consist of silty and silty particles) are dense, do not pass water well (about 30% of summer precipitation penetrates), contain little air, and beneficial microbiological processes are weak in them.
- Clay soils retain up to 20% of water in a state inaccessible to plants, they do not warm up well, but they contain more nutrients than light soils.
- They need to be loosened frequently, dug up in spring and autumn.
- To improve the physical and mechanical properties, a lot of manure, compost or peat is introduced into heavy soils. It is effective to introduce sand (sanding) or slag for digging.
Sandy and sandy soils
Sandy and sandy soils consist mainly of sand and silt.
- They poorly retain moisture, along with it, nutrients are washed into the lower layers.
- They warm up quickly, but dry out a lot, so they require additional watering.
- As a rule, sandy soils are low in potassium and magnesium. To increase fertility and improve the structure of such soils, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied fractionally, in smaller doses in spring and autumn; loosen less than dense soils.
- For cultivation, legumes are sown, which, during the budding period, are buried in the soil as a green manure.
One of the ways to improve sandy soils is to lay layers of peat, compost mixed with clay in the soil. Such layers are laid along the planting line to a depth of 50-60 cm. On deep sands, wide trenches or pits are dug 1-2 m in diameter, up to 0.8-1 m deep, but not deeper than the groundwater level in spring. Clay mixed with sand or peat (3 parts of clay and 1 part of sand or peat) is laid at the bottom with a layer of 5-10 cm.
loamy soils
- in terms of mechanical composition and properties, they occupy an intermediate position; they are most favorable for horticultural crops. Light loamy soils lend themselves well to cultivation.
Differences between peatlands and mineral soils
The above soils are classified as normal mineral. But there are still peat soils that subdivided into lowland, upland and transitional.
Lowland peatlands
- are located in river valleys, near lakes, in lowlands, here a large amount of nutrients are carried away with the flow of surface and groundwater. They are formed with the participation of abundant vegetation. Therefore, peat is rich in nutrients, well decomposed, slightly acidic or neutral, and often does not require liming.
Raised peat bogs
- formed in elevated areas. They are formed mainly due to sphagnum mosses and atmospheric precipitation. Raised bog peat is slightly decomposed, brown in color, poor in nutrients, and very acidic. The development of upland peatlands is less effective than lowland peatlands.
Transitional peatlands
- occupy an intermediate position between lowland and upland. The peat of such swamps is characterized by a low ash content and a slightly acidic reaction.
Peat soils are fundamentally different from mineral (ordinary) soils. This difference is explained by the predominance of organic matter in them (50-70% in lowland, 80-90% in high-moor peats), which is many times more than in ordinary soils.
- Peat has a high moisture content. Lowland peat can absorb 5-7 times, and high-moor peat 10-15 times more than its mass in a dry state (the soil retains 20-50% of water from its mass).
- Peat soils are characterized by low thermal conductivity, therefore they are considered “cold”, they thaw and warm up very slowly in spring, which delays the start of agricultural work by 10-14 days. In autumn, early frosts lead to the cessation of vegetation of plants earlier than on ordinary soils.
Peat does not contain microorganisms harmful to plants. It is potentially fertile, however batteries are in the composition of tightly bound compounds that are inaccessible to plants. Of the main nutrients, peat contains a significant amount of nitrogen. As decomposition proceeds, micro and macro elements accumulate in peat. To accelerate the decomposition of peat, to activate biological processes, manure and fecal composts are introduced in small doses.
As a rule, when caring for plants propagated on peatlands, higher doses of potassium and phosphorus are used than on ordinary soils. Of the microfertilizers, the most important is the use of copper, boron and molybdenum fertilizers.
Orchards can also be used developed peatlands. Peat quarry soils are distinguished by underlying rocks. All types of dark-colored peatlands underlain by limestones have a rich humus horizon, slightly acidic or neutral reaction. They don't need lime.
Peatlands underlain by sandy or sandy loamy soil have a podzolic horizon, slightly acidic or acidic. The developed high-moor peatlands have a weakly expressed humus layer, they are acidic.
Peatlands with a layer of 40-50 cm are considered the most suitable for garden cultivation. However, even with a layer of 10-15 cm, soils can be deepened by mixing it with 2-5 cm of underlying soil.
During development, peatlands are limed, organic and mineral fertilizers, and bacteriological preparations are applied to stimulate microbiological processes. Removal of excess water reduces the level of groundwater. It is difficult to grow fruit trees on peat bogs due to the proximity of groundwater and the increased frost hazard of the relief, but berry bushes grow well, and strawberries grow successfully.
When growing berry crops on peat, attention should be paid to the density of the soil. If it is very loose, then the plants develop poorly. To eliminate this drawback, sand or clay is added to drained peat soils. 4 buckets of sand or 2 buckets of clay are scattered over the surface at the rate of 1 sq.m of lowland peat bog; for a raised peat bog - 5 buckets of sand or 3 buckets of clay. Then the site is dug up on the bayonet of a shovel.
Soil containing a lot of gravel or substances harmful to plants is not desirable. When sanding or claying on peatlands, the root layer warms up better, and the duration of the period with optimal temperatures is significantly extended (by 50 days or more).
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A close “relative” of sandy soil in terms of the mechanical composition of the soil can be called light sandy loamy soil. The only difference between the presented samples of sandy and sandy loam soil is the content of a greater percentage of clay inclusions in sandy loam soil than in sandy soil. From this, one can draw not only a conclusion, but also determine the main characteristics of sandy loamy soil.
Characteristics of sandy soil
The sandy soil of your site has many unique components, therefore:
- better retains nutrients at the roots of plants,
- useful organic substances in the soil decompose quickly, which favorably affects the development of the plant,
- warms up quickly in the sun
- retains heat for a long time when the temperature drops with the onset of night time.
- sandy soil does not pass water through itself so quickly,
- dries out rather slowly, nourishing the root system of the plant with the required amount of moisture,
- after watering, like any soil, sandy loam soil dries out, but does not form a soil crust on the surface, does not crack,
- breathable and moisture-absorbing soil,
- there is no stagnation of water at the roots, root rot is rarely observed,
- the soil is very well aerated, has good flowability,
- crumbles well and is not prone to the formation of lumps,
- contains a greater amount of mineral and organic substances than sandstone due to the increased presence of clay components,
- simple and easy to process - the soil does not stick to the shovel even when digging a wet area,
- root crops, such as carrots and potatoes, are always taken out of the ground clean and dry.
How to determine the type of soil?
When squeezing a handful of moist greyish-brown earth into a sausage or lump, sandy loamy soil will easily take the desired shape, but it will not be able to hold it, it will crumble when it dries. This means that you have a handful of sandy loam soil, which is rightfully considered fertile soil, capable of producing good yields of vegetable crops, subject to frequent watering regimes and the application of complex mineral and organic fertilizers. Sandy loam soil is considered one of the good options for garden plots, but, nevertheless, one should not neglect the methods and methods of cultivating the soil, which can greatly affect a good harvest of vegetable crops.
Plants for sandy soil
On sandy soils of the garden plot, varieties of all types of cabbage are recommended for cultivation, early, medium, late, colored, broccoli give excellent and large fruits. A good harvest of tomatoes and cucumbers, parsley, dill, celery, cilantro, which experienced gardeners recommend sowing a little deeper than the usual sowing method.
Almost all vegetable and berry crops are grown on sandy loamy soils, subject to the application of the necessary fertilizers, crop rotation and the obligatory use of a mulch layer consisting of rotted foliage, chopped sawdust or dry twigs, dried mowed grass or straw.
Coniferous shrubs and trees grow almost without losses on sandy loamy soils. Spruces, pines, firs, cypresses, European larches and juniper bushes grow well on sandy and sandy loamy lands.
Found their place on sandy soil and ornamental flowers and shrubs. Garden plots are decorated with bushes of barberry and hawthorn, white turf and cinquefoil, and even dyeing gorse. From perennial flowers, plantings of Italian aster and thyme, cornflowers and oregano, tansy and herbal cloves, yarrow and sage, as well as ornamental cereal plants can be distinguished. Annuals such as marigolds and kosmeya, calendula and nasturtium, sweet peas and lupins, ornamental beans, purslane and irises adorn the flower beds of a garden plot equipped on sandy loamy soil.
Of the fruit trees, the Japanese quince takes root very well and gives large fruits.
Describing plants that take root well and give a bountiful harvest on sandy loamy soils, it should be noted that sandy loamy soil is considered the most favorable soil for growing wine grapes such as Alepo, Rkatsiteli, Pino.
Ways to improve the fertility of sandy soil in your garden
Despite the initial good fertility characteristics, I recommend fertilizing any soil, thereby controlling and significantly improving the quality and quantity of the crop. Therefore, to maintain high quality, do not forget:
- regular application of peat is recommended to bind solid particles in the soil,
- to maintain the microflora and chemical composition, mineral and organic supplements are necessary,
- the introduction of ash from burnt sawdust, since ash favorably affects plant growth, like potash fertilizer,
- the introduction of clay, because when digging sandy loamy soil, it is necessary to add clay components that affect the moisture absorption of cultivated soil,
- sowing green manure - plants that increase the saturation of the soil with nitrogen and oxygen when plowing the site and deepening the green mass into the soil. This is an environmentally safe way to enrich poor soils, reliable and quite economical in financial terms.
- mandatory mulching of plantings and rows between plants, because mulch retains moisture well at the roots, provides additional nutrition and enrichment with microelements,
- addition of manure and grass compost, affecting the physical properties and fertility of sandy loamy soil.
Disadvantages of sandy soils
- Weak structure. After the surface layer dries, humus particles easily escape even with a slight breeze.
- Mineral dressings in the upper layer are weakly retained due to the lightness of the soil.
- Rain or irrigation water carries nutrient particles into deep clay layers that are inaccessible to plant roots.
It is not difficult to observe agrotechnical rules when cultivating sandy loamy soils. It is enough to follow some advice from experienced gardeners, apply the recommended methods and methods for cultivating the fertile layer, and the result will undoubtedly please the summer resident.
It is not always necessary to choose the land for the site. For the most part, it frankly does not really fit the description of fertile lands: either some former peat bogs, or former sand pits, or even heavy clay soils. To begin with, we will try to determine what type of soil the land you have inherited belongs to.
Determine the type of soil
We divide all soils into four conditional types: clay, loamy, sandy, sandy loam. To determine, you can conduct a simple well-known test: take a sample of soil and carefully moisten it, adding water to the point where something can be blinded. First, a ball is molded, then we roll out a thin stick from it (approximately 3 mm in diameter). And at the third stage, we try to roll it into a ring. If the ball does not roll up, it is most likely sandy soil. If it was not possible to roll out the stick, then this is sandy loamy soil. If everything worked out, then it is loam or clay. Dry the ring. If cracks appear and the ring collapses, then it is loam. A clay ring will keep its shape well.
very poor, it contains practically no organic compounds and alo inorganic. Improve such soil by adding peat.
sandy soil are sand and clay. Improved by adding organics and peat.
loamy soil- is considered quite fertile. She knows how to accumulate moisture, stores heat, retains nutrients. You can improve such soil by adding mineral fertilizers and organic matter.
- very heavy. It is waterlogged in the rain, as it passes water very poorly, and in the heat it overheats, becomes covered with a crust, which makes it impossible to grow crops on it. To improve it, sand, organic matter are added, and sometimes it is even necessary to bring fertile land from other places.
Determine the acidity of the soil
Wouldn't it be nice to know how acidic your soil is? The plants that settled here can tell about this. For acidic soils are typical: horsetail, plantain, oak veronica, passerine sorrel. Neutral and slightly acidic soils are characterized by: coltsfoot, chamomile, field bindweed, meadow clover, creeping couch grass, field horsetail. Healthy, dense stinging nettle grows on good fertile soil.
The acidity of the soil can also be determined using ordinary school litmus paper. A little earth is taken, water is added. We wait until the whole earth gets wet. Now we put litmus paper on the soaked clod of earth and press it firmly. Red color will report strongly acidic soil. Green means neutral. Pink is medium acid and yellow is slightly acid.
Acidic soil is poorly fertile, the plants on it do not develop well enough, they often get sick. It is necessary to strive for slightly acidic, and preferably neutral soil. The acidity of the soil decreases by liming, that is, when lime dust, chalk, and lime fertilizers are added to the soil. As a rule, lime is applied in autumn, when cultivated plants are harvested. Application rates of slaked lime: for strongly acidic soils - 50 kg per 1 hundred square meters, for medium acid soils - 40 kg, for slightly acidic soils - 30 kg with a frequency of 5-7 years. Having scattered slaked lime over the surface, it is necessary to dig the soil well. It is also impossible to abuse the introduction of lime, because this leads to negative consequences.
Growing the same plants in the same place, we greatly deplete the soil. Yes, and the earth accumulates a large number of diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to apply crop rotation. This will increase soil fertility and crop yields.
Weeds are also plants, and they also deplete the earth. Therefore, weed control is simply necessary, and even when cultivated plants have already been harvested.
It must be remembered that the formation of fertile soil is a laborious and long-term process. Especially for clay soils. Manure, compost, peat - this is what will lighten and improve such soil. Before spring planting, compost and fresh manure must be applied. It is advisable to do this every season. Also, for clay soils, it is recommended to raise the beds. This will free them from excess water. The edges of the beds are best reinforced with sides. By the way, compost can be added to clay soil at any time.
Soil is a complex biological complex that includes mineral (mechanical) and organic parts, soil air, water, microflora and microfauna. From this complex and a combination of influencing factors, such as climatic conditions, planting dates, variety, timeliness and literacy of agricultural practices, the quality of growing horticultural crops in your backyard depends. Also no less important when laying a garden, lawn or vegetable garden is the type of soil. It is determined by the content of mineral and organic particles.
The type of soil prevailing in your area determines the choice of crops, their placement, and ultimately the yield. Depending on this, a specific complex is developed to maintain fertility through proper processing and the application of the necessary fertilizers.
The main types of soils that owners of personal and summer cottages most often encounter include: clay, sandy, sandy loam, loamy, calcareous and swampy. A more precise classification is as follows:
- By organic composition- chernozems, gray soils, brown and red soils.
Each soil has both positive and negative properties, which means it differs in recommendations for improvement and selection of crops. In their pure form, they are rare, mostly in combination, but with a predominance of certain characteristics. Let's consider each type in detail.
Sandy soil (sandstones)
Sandstones are light soil types. They are loose, loose, easily pass water. If you pick up a handful of such earth and try to form a lump, then it will crumble.
The advantage of such soils— they quickly warm up, are well aerated, are easily processed. But at the same time, they quickly cool, dry out, weakly retain minerals in the root zone - and this flaw. Nutrients are washed out by water into the deep layers of the soil, which leads to a decrease in the presence of beneficial microflora and suitability for growing crops.
Sandstones
To increase the fertility of sandstones, it is necessary to constantly take care of improving their sealing and binding properties. This can be achieved by introducing peat, compost, humus, clay or drill flour (up to two buckets per 1 m²), using green manure (with incorporation into the soil), and high-quality mulching.
A more non-standard method of improving these soils is the creation of an artificial fertile layer by claying. To do this, in place of the beds, it is necessary to arrange a clay castle (lay clay in a layer of 5 - 6 cm) and pour 30 - 35 cm of sandy or loamy soil on it.
At the initial stage of processing, it is allowed to grow the following crops: carrots, onions, melons, strawberries, currants, fruit trees. Cabbage, peas, potatoes and beets will feel somewhat worse on sandstones. But, if you fertilize them with fast-acting fertilizers, in small doses and often enough, you can achieve good results.
Sandy soil (sandy loam)
Sandy loam is another variant of soils that are light in texture. In terms of their qualities, they are similar to sandstone, but contain a slightly higher percentage of clay inclusions.
The main advantages of sandy loam- they have a better holding capacity for mineral and organic substances, they warm up quickly and hold it for a relatively long time, they pass moisture less and dry out more slowly, they are well aerated and can be easily processed.
sandy soil
With conventional methods and the choice of zoned varieties, anything can grow on sandy loamy soil. This is one of the good options for gardens and orchards. However, methods of increasing and maintaining fertility for these soils are also acceptable. This involves the introduction of organic matter (in normal doses), the sowing of green manure crops, and mulching.
Clay soil (alumina)
Alumina are heavy soils with a predominance of clayey and loess (silty) sedimentary rocks. They are difficult to cultivate, have little air and are colder than sandy soils. The development of plants on them is somewhat delayed. Water can stagnate on the surface of very heavy soils due to the low water absorption coefficient. Therefore, growing crops on it is quite problematic. However, if clay soil is properly cultivated, it can become quite fertile.
How to identify clay soil? After digging, it has a large-lumpy dense structure, when wet, it sticks to the feet, does not absorb water well, and easily sticks together. If a handful of wet alumina is rolled into a long "sausage", then it can be easily bent into a ring, while it will not crumble into pieces or crack.
Clay type of soil
To facilitate the processing and beneficiation of alumina, it is recommended to periodically add substances such as coarse sand, peat, ash and lime. And you can improve the biological quality with the help of manure and compost.
The introduction of sand into clay soil (no more than 40 kg per 1 m 2) makes it possible to reduce the moisture capacity and thus increase its thermal conductivity. After sanding, it becomes suitable for processing. In addition, its ability to warm up and water permeability increases. Ash enriches with nutrients. Peat loosens and increases water-absorbing properties. Lime reduces acidity and improves soil air conditions.
Recommended Trees for Clay Soils: hornbeam, pear, pedunculate oak, willow, maple, alder, poplar. shrubs: barberry, periwinkle, hawthorn, weigela, derain, viburnum, cotoneaster, hazel, magonia, currant, snowberry, spirea, chaenomeles or Japanese quince, mock orange or garden jasmine. From vegetables potatoes, beets, peas and Jerusalem artichoke feel good on clay.
Particular attention on clay soils must be paid to loosening and mulching.
Loamy soil (loams)
Loamy soil is the most suitable type for growing horticultural crops. It is easy to process, contains a large percentage of nutrients, has high air and water permeability, is able not only to retain moisture, but also to evenly distribute it over the thickness of the horizon, and retains heat well.
You can determine the loam by taking a handful of this soil in the palm of your hand and roll it up. As a result, you can easily form a sausage, but when deformed, it collapses.
Due to the combination of available properties, loamy soil does not need to be improved, but it is only necessary to maintain its fertility: mulch, periodically apply organic and mineral fertilizers.
All types of crops can be grown on loams.
calcareous soil
Lime soil belongs to the category of poor soils. Usually it has a light brown color, a large number of stony inclusions, does not give iron and manganese to plants well, and can have a heavy or light composition. At elevated temperatures, it quickly heats up and dries out. In crops grown on such soil, foliage turns yellow and unsatisfactory growth is observed.
calcareous soil
To improve the structure and increase the fertility of calcareous soils, it is necessary to regularly apply organic fertilizers, mulch, sow green manure, and apply potash fertilizers.
Everything is possible to grow on this type of soil, but with frequent loosening of row spacing, timely watering and thoughtful use of mineral and organic fertilizers. Will suffer from weak acidity: potatoes, tomatoes, sorrel, carrots, pumpkin, radish, cucumbers and salads. Therefore, they need to be fed with fertilizers that tend to acidify (ammonium sulfate, urea), and not alkalize the soil, for example.
Marshy soil (peat)
Marshy (peaty) soils are not uncommon in garden plots. Unfortunately, it is difficult to call them good for growing crops. This is due to the minimum content of plant nutrients in them. Such soils quickly absorb water, just as quickly give it away, do not warm up well, often have a high acidity index.
The only advantage of marshy soils is that they retain mineral fertilizers well and are easy to cultivate.
swampy soil
To improve the fertility of swampy soils, it is necessary to enrich the earth with sand or clay flour. You can also apply liming and fertilizer.
To lay a garden on peat soils, it is better to plant trees either in pits, with soil individually laid for cultivation, or in bulk hills, from 0.5 to 1 meter high.
Using as a garden, the peat bog must be carefully cultivated or, as in the variant with sandy soils, a clay layer should be laid and loam mixed with peat, organic fertilizers and lime should be poured on it. For the cultivation of gooseberries, currants, chokeberries and garden strawberries, you can do nothing, just water and weed, since these crops grow on such soils even without cultivation.
Chernozems
Chernozems are soils of high potential fertility. A stable granular-cloddy structure, a high humus content, a high percentage of calcium, good water-absorbing and water-retaining abilities allow us to recommend them as the best option for growing crops. However, like any other soil, they tend to deplete from constant use. Therefore, already 2-3 years after their development, it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers to the beds and sow green manure.
Chernozem
Chernozems can hardly be called light soils, so they are often loosened by adding sand or peat. They can also be acidic, neutral and alkaline, which also needs to be controlled. To determine the black soil, it is necessary to take the guest of the earth and squeeze it in the palm of your hand. The result should be a black bold print.
Serozems
For the formation of serozems, loess-like loams and loess with pebble bedding are necessary. Plain gray soils are formed on clayey and heavy loamy deluvial and alluvial rocks.
The vegetation cover of zones with gray soils is characterized by pronounced zonality. At the lower level, as a rule, there is a semi-desert with bluegrass and sedge. It gradually passes into the next zone with a semi-desert and bluegrass, sedge, poppy and barley representing it. Higher areas of the foothills and low mountains are mainly occupied by wheatgrass, barley and other crops. Willows and poplars grow on river floodplains.
Serozem
The following horizons are distinguished in the profile of serozems:
- Humus (thickness from 12 to 17 cm).
- Transitional (thickness from 15 to 26 cm).
- Carbonate illuvial (60 to 100 cm thick).
- Silty-loamy with inclusions at a depth of more than 1.5 m of fine-grained gypsum.
Serozems are characterized by a relatively low content of humic substances - from 1 to 4%. In addition, they are distinguished by an increased level of carbonates. These are alkaline soils with insignificant indicators of absorptive capacity. They contain a certain amount of gypsum and easily soluble salts. One of the properties of gray soils is the biological accumulation of potassium and phosphorus. Soils of this type contain quite a lot of easily hydrolysable nitrogen compounds.
In agriculture, gray soils can be used subject to special irrigation measures. Most often they grow cotton. In addition, beets, rice, wheat, corn and melons can be successfully cultivated in areas with gray soils.
To improve the quality of gray soils, in addition to irrigation, measures are recommended to prevent secondary salinization. It will also require regular application of organic and mineral fertilizers, the formation of a deep arable layer, the use of the alfalfa-cotton crop rotation method and the sowing of green manure.
Brown soils
Brown forest soils are formed on variegated and red-colored rubbly-loamy, proluvial, alluvial and alluvial-deluvial rocks of the plains, located in the foothills under deciduous, beech-hornbeam, oak-ash, beech-oak and oak forests. In the eastern part of Russia, they are localized on foothill and intermountain plains and are located on clayey, loamy, alluvial and eluvial-deluvial bases. They often grow mixed, spruce, cedar, fir, maple and oak forests.
Brown soils
The process of formation of brown forest soils is accompanied by the release of soil-forming and weathering products from the thickness of the soil profile. They usually have a mineral, organic and organo-mineral structure. For the formation of soil of this type, the so-called litter (fallen parts of plants), which is a source of ash components, is of particular importance.
The following horizons can be identified:
- Forest litter (0.5 to 5 cm thick).
- Rough humus humus.
- Humus (up to 20 cm thick).
- Transitional (thickness from 25 to 50 cm).
- Maternal.
The main characteristics and composition of brown forest soils vary significantly from one horizon to another. In general, these are soils saturated with humus, the content of which reaches 16%. A significant part of its components is occupied by fulvic acids. Soils of the presented type are acidic or slightly acidic. They often undergo processes of claying. Sometimes the upper horizons are depleted in silty components.
In agriculture, brown forest soils are traditionally used for growing vegetables, cereals, fruit and industrial crops.
To determine what type of soil prevails on your site, it is best to contact specialists. You will be helped to find out not only the type of soil by the content of minerals, but also the presence of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other useful microelements in it.
