How and what to fertilize the soil in the garden. Autumn fertilizers for the garden, what and how. Organic fertilizers for the soil

Fertilizing the soil is important to do correctly, because due to a number of gardeners' mistakes, unpleasant results can be obtained.

Incorrect fertilizer and their application can lead to prolonged growth of shoots, reduce winter hardiness, deteriorate fruit quality and reduce the period.

Also, if the soil is not properly fertilized, you can ruin the plants or get no result at all.

For the rapid growth of vegetables and other plants, nutrients are needed that are contained in top dressing.

We will talk about what fertilizers exist, how and when to apply them.

Types of soil fertilizers

There are several of them:

• organic;
• nitrogen;
• minerals;
• phosphorus;
• potassium.

Phosphate fertilizers for soil

They are essential elements in the life and growth of plants. They provide energy and are involved in the formation of DNA and RNA.

Phosphorus fertilizer is very convenient in that even with its excess, you will not spoil it. They will take as much phosphorus as they need.

Phosphorus deficiency in plants can lead to:

• underdevelopment of seeds;
• slow growth;
• coloring of plants in dark green and purple colors;
• changing the shape of plants;
• dark spots.

Phosphorus fertilizers for the soil are applied mainly in autumn, because during the winter period hard-to-digest fertilizers will be able to move into the soil-retaining complex and by summer they will begin to fully deliver nutrients to plants.

If you want to fertilize the ground in the spring, then use tuk. They contain fast acting ingredients.

Choose such phosphate fertilizers for the soil as:

• Superphosphate (suitable for any plants, especially suitable for tomatoes);
• Double superphosphate (suitable for trees and shrubs);
• Ammophos (for vegetables, lawn, trees and ornamental plants);
• Diammophos or ammonium hydrogen phosphate (potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers);
• Bone meal (processed bones of domestic animals, suitable for tub crops, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes, also applicable for).

Phosphate fertilizers can also be made from herbs of wormwood, feather grass, hawthorn, mountain ash, thyme.

Organic fertilizers for the soil

Basically they include:

• manure;
• humus;
• bird droppings;
• deciduous land;
• sod land;
• peat.

Organic fertilizers are suitable for any soil and are considered the most natural.

Manure is the most easily accessible and inexpensive way to fertilize the soil.

It contains a number of nutrients that, when decomposed, turn into carbon dioxide.

Thus, clay soil will become loose, and sandy soil will become viscous and wet, it turns out.

Fresh manure is brought in in the autumn season, and rotted manure in the spring.

Humus can be obtained by decomposing the leaves and roots of plants.

It is very popular to use it for seedlings, applying 50 kg per m2.

bird droppings rarely used, because, it is a highly concentrated fertilizer for the soil.

It must be diluted by adding 0.3 liters. bird droppings per ten liters of water.

Peat as a fertilizer, choose light riding, transitional and lowland.

Do not use it in its pure form, because it contains many acids. Peat should be used in.

You can fertilize the soil in spring or summer.

In the spring, it is applied when digging at 6 kg per sq.m. In summer, a layer of about half a meter and 20 cm of manure is poured, and 50 cm of peat is again covered on top. Cover and leave for a year.

sod land easy to use by DIY.

Pick up and collect fallen leaves by tamping them into a wooden box. Then add water, moistening slightly. Add superphosphate in the amount of half a kilogram per 1 cubic meter.

Add 2 tablespoons of ash to the mixture and let it perspire. Good to use for vegetables in various.

Mineral fertilizers for soil

Usually used in conjunction with organics. With their help, you can grow a large crop that will exceed all your expectations.

It is better to use mixed mineral fertilizers. Mainly:

• Ammonium nitrate;
• Urea (carbamide);
• Copper vitriol;
• Phosphate flour;
• Microfertilizers;
• Nitrophoska.

Mineral fertilizers can be used in spring and summer when cultivating the land and sowing seeds. Only phosphorite flour is brought in in the fall so that it has time to saturate the soil.

Potash fertilizers for soil

These include:

• Potassium sulfate (20 grams per meter for watering, 10 grams for dry dressing);
• Potassium chloride (for greenhouse soil in the autumn season 5 grams per meter);
• ash (100 grams per square meter, for 2 years);
• Nitrophoska (20 grams per 10 liters for irrigation and 50 grams for dry top dressing).

Nitrogen fertilizers for soil

These include:

• Ammonium nitrate (note that the soil may acidify);
• Urea (15 grams per 10 liters of running water, use every 12 days);
• Potassium nitrate (20 grams per square meter).

How to properly fertilize the soil?

If you have clay soil, you should add river sand to it and vice versa, so the nutrients are not washed out by rains.

Observe crop rotation and do not plant one crop for two years in a row for one.

As a general rule, start fertilizing the soil in the fall. Remove all plant debris and treat the land from harmful insects.

For root crops, fertilize the soil with superphosphate by adding organic fertilizers.

Do not forget about liming the soil. By doing this once every 4 years, you will get a good harvest.

After lime is applied, plants such as:

• radish;
• cabbage;
• radish;
• turnip.

Do not add organic matter with lime. It only reduces efficiency.

In this case, apply fertilizer at planting.

If you are going to grow dill, lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers and squash, apply manure during spring digging.

Nitrogenous elements can be added to manure.

By June, it will be important to feed the garden with potash fertilizers. This will help rid them of diseases and accelerate growth.

Potato fertilizer

Fertilizing the soil for potatoes is the most common question.

It is worth remembering that watering and hilling does not guarantee you a good potato harvest. Fertilizers are indispensable.

For potatoes, it is better to choose such fertilizers:

• ash (combine ash with nitrogen fertilizers and apply in the spring or autumn season);
• nitrogen (easily washed out, therefore they are applied every year);
• phosphoric (stir with manure and applied every 2 years);
• manure (fertilize in the amount in which the potato crop was harvested, i.e. for 50 kg of crop, take 50 kg of manure).

Apply organic matter when planting potatoes or when digging for the winter. Mineral fertilizers - after germination and during flowering.

To fertilize potatoes with organic elements, make a hole and lay 100 grams of stale manure, sprinkled with earth. You can add 10 grams of ash and 15 grams of bird droppings on top. Put the potatoes on top and dig in the hole.

When shoots appear, dilute the manure with water (10:1) mixed with nitrogen and phosphorus components (10:8). Pour the sprouts with a solution and wait for the harvest.

During flowering, use the same method, only without manure.

strawberry fertilizer

Applying mineral fertilizers to fertilize the soil for strawberries should be done carefully, it is better to use the instructions on the package.

Strawberries are a very delicate plant, so you should not experiment with it.

Manure and humus is the most suitable option for fertilizing strawberries. It will not only nourish useful substances, but also protect various diseases.

For strawberries to have a bright red color, large size and sweet taste, use chicken manure.

The main thing is not to overdo it, because you can ruin the crop.

Add ten liters of water to 1 liter of chicken manure and leave for three days. Fertilize strawberry bushes need half a liter (per 1 bush).

There are also folk ways to fertilize the soil for strawberries. These include dairy products.

Mix a few tablespoons of ash with humus, manure and a fermented milk product.

Strawberries love yeasty soil, so bread is a great top dressing option.

Take dry bread and soak until fermented in water (about 10 days). Dilute the solution with water 1 to 10.

Mono also use nettle infusion. Take a nettle and fill it with rainwater, crushing it with a load.

Stir the infusion every 2 days. Dilute 1 to 20 with water and apply before foliar feeding.

Do the first soil fertilizers when digging for the winter. The second - after picking berries.

Do not fertilize strawberries during fruiting.

The third fertilization of the soil for strawberries is done in September. For this, ash and mullein are used (for 1 bucket of mullein, half a glass of ash).

When transplanting, fertilize the new soil with 8 kg. organic fertilizer and 30 gr. mineral fertilizer!

In order for the earth to restore its properties, after harvesting, a new portion of nutrients is laid. What fertilizer to apply in the fall depends on what is on the farm: manure, chicken manure, ash, green manure or purchased mineral mixtures. For different crops, top dressing is applied at different times: berry bushes earlier, fruit trees later. There is only one goal - to restore what the plants took from the soil - nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, as well as trace elements.

Organic matter for digging

The properties of organic fertilizers - to restore the amount of humus and improve the biochemical composition of the soil - have long been known. Since the time of Ancient Egypt, when people waited with hope for the floods of the Nile and only then began to cultivate the land and plant agricultural plants. On the desert sandy soil, there was only enough organic matter for one season, as the rains quickly washed out the nutrients and they fell into deep layers.

It is easier with chernozems, loams and sandstones: useful substances stay in them longer, especially long-lasting organic substances. What is the fertilization of the earth in the fall and the effect of fertilizing on plants.

wood ash

Ash fertilizers in the fall for digging are applied under perennial plants. In the autumn, it is dangerous to lay fertilizing, which includes nitrogen, as this can give an impetus to plants to new growth of shoots. Before winter, young branches will not have time to lignify and freeze.

As a result, a fungal or bacterial infection will get into the wounds, after which it will be necessary to treat a plant - a tree or a shrub. The composition of the ash includes potassium, phosphorus and trace elements that are necessary for vegetation for immunity. There is no nitrogen in the ashes - it all evaporates when burning plant residues and wood.

The ash solution is made 6 - 7 days before the proposed introduction, to transfer nutrients into the water. In this form, they are better absorbed by the roots. On a bucket of water you need to take 300 g of ash.

How to fertilize correctly for fruit trees:

• Dig a trench 15–20 cm deep around a shrub or tree.

• It is good to shed the earth - up to 200 liters for each adult tree.

• Pour the ash solution evenly into the recess.

• Fill the trench with soil.

Usually, fruit trees are fertilized after pruning, as are raspberry, gooseberry, and currant bushes. If you use ash, then autumn liming of the soil is not required. Ash has an alkaline reaction due to the calcium in it, so the simultaneous use of lime and ash can lead to a strong alkalization of the soil. This threatens plants with poor absorption of phosphorus and iron.

Bone flour

Long-lasting organic fertilizer from animal residues decomposes in the soil for a long time.

It is customary to use bone meal once every 3 years. This is enough for the plants to be provided with phosphorus and calcium. Together with bone meal, potash fertilizers are laid, since these substances interact well.

And applying nitrogenous fertilizers in the fall will be a waste of money, because nitrogen decomposes quickly and is poorly retained in the soil. It is useless to make it on an empty bed, and dangerous under perennials. This fertilizer is left in the spring, when the active growth of greenery and shoots begins.

For embedding in the ground, a dry substance or an extract is used. The amount is calculated based on the type: steamed, concentrated or regular. The largest percentage of phosphorus is 35% in defatted concentrated bone meal. Fertilizers containing phosphorus are the most useful than fertilize the earth in the fall. When to apply autumn fertilizers has already been said: after the harvest, so as not to leave all the work for August and September.

Manure

Expensive pleasure, than fertilize the earth in the winter. But if there are cattle or birds on the farm, then feeding plants in the fall with liquid infusion will benefit the future harvest.

Manure contains nitrogen and potassium, trace elements. There are also negatives:

It is better to make compost from manure. After overheating, all negative moments disappear. The maturation process of compost is long - from 9 to 12 months, but it is a valuable nutrient.

Green manure or how to fertilize the land in the fall if there is no manure

Green manure on the farm is much cheaper, and in terms of nutrient content they are not inferior to manure. If the question is what fertilizers to apply in the fall for digging for potatoes, then you can simply sow white mustard in the garden in August, wait until it grows by 15–20 cm and mow it. They practice a method in which green manure is not cut off, but left in the area under the snow. During the winter, the greens lie down and in the spring it can be dug up already when planting potatoes.

There is another method on how to fertilize the land without manure: cut off the green manure and take it to another bed. Roots will remain in the soil, which will decompose over the winter. At the same time, tubules will be left in the ground, through which water and air will flow. It is not necessary to loosen or dig the soil.

How to fertilize the land in the fall at their summer cottage:

• mustard;

• cereals - rye, oats, barley;

• lupine;

• clover;

• legumes - peas, beans.

It is important to ensure that the green manure does not have time to bloom. After flowering, their nutrient content drops sharply, so it is necessary to plant them in the ground before branching begins.

Mineral fertilizers in autumn

It is not advisable to use only minerals, since the amount of humus decreases with each season. As a result, the soil loses its friability and cracks. Vegetables will lose their flavor over time. It is not for nothing that in the West the prices for vegetable bio products are much higher than for vegetables grown using purely mineral mixtures.

Minerals are divided into fast-soluble and long-playing. For example, phosphate rock, which fertilizes beds in autumn or spring, dissolves in the soil for 3-4 years. For the production of superphosphates, faster phosphate fertilizers, phosphorites are additionally enriched.

Potassium is used sulfate or chloride. Here you need to look carefully at autumn fertilizers - what to fertilize with in the fall, for which crops potassium is intended - not all plants respond well to chlorine mineral additives, although chlorine in the ash is perceived well. Potash top dressing for autumn fertilizer in the garden is used together with phosphorus minerals - superphosphate or phosphorites.

Video: What fertilizer to apply to the soil in the fall

As for nitrogen, it is better to leave it for the spring. Although industry produces nitrogen, which is activated only in spring, it costs more. It makes no sense to spend more if you can buy cheap urea and treat the soil before crops.

What fertilizer to apply in the fall:

• azophoska;

• nitrophoska;

• potassium magnesia;

• superphosphate;

• potassium sulphate.

Preparing the soil for fertilization

Before fertilizing the ground in autumn, three conditions must be met:

• Harvest completely so that minerals do not accumulate in the fruits.

• Remove tops with rhizomes and weeds from the site. It is better to burn them and use them to prepare an ash solution.

• Water the soil well. This is especially true for berry bushes, in which the root system is located in the surface layer and additional watering before winter will not harm them.

Autumn fertilizers take longer to dissolve because the weather can be dry in autumn, and without water, the plants will not receive nutrients. Therefore, the soil is shed to the depth of the roots.

For raspberries it is 50 - 60 cm, for fruit trees up to 2 meters. It will take a lot of water, but the next year's harvest is guaranteed.

Weeds are removed so that they do not take nutrients from the soil. You can mow them down before winter. Leave the roots for rotting, and use the greens for mulching berry bushes. This will retain moisture in the soil and protect the soil from erosion.

What top dressing for which crops is needed in the fall

The most popular crops in the country are potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers. How to fertilize the land to make up for the lack of nutrients for the future crop? The needs of each culture must be taken into account.

For example, potatoes and tomatoes like a complex fertilizer containing a large amount of nitrogen. But since nitrogen in mineral form does not last long in the soil, green manure is the best for these plants. Plant residues take longer to decompose and, by the beginning of the growing season, will completely transform into a form that is convenient for absorption by the roots.

Preparing the land for winter with the help of green manure is carried out by several methods:

• with digging;

• without digging.

The second option is simpler in terms of labor costs and benefits for the soil. Although few gardeners know that microorganisms living in different layers are of great importance for soil quality. Moving them from their place is fraught with death.

When digging, there is an exchange of layers and microorganisms that do not survive in new conditions. Because of this, organic matter is less efficiently processed. To replenish the number of soil bacteria, EO preparations are used, which accelerates the decomposition of plant residues. If you water the mulch under the berry bushes with such a solution, by spring all organic matter will completely dissolve and go into the soil.

Cucumbers and tomatoes love potassium, so potash fertilizers must be applied for digging in the fall. If you do not replenish the amount of potassium, the harvest on this bed will be small.

All plants need phosphorus, especially potatoes. Phosphorus top dressing creates favorable conditions for the growth of the root system. The root is responsible for the absorption of all other substances - nitrogen and potassium. When iterating with nitrogen fertilizers, but with a lack of phosphorus, the plant will be weak and will not be able to grow green mass. This will affect flowering and fruiting - it will be scarce. With a lack of nutrients, vegetable crops drop flower stalks.

Liming to reduce acidity

What fertilizers are applied in the fall also depends on the acidity of the soil. Check the soil for acidity you can table vinegar:

• Take a handful of earth.

• Pour in some vinegar and see if the soil sizzles or not. If it sizzles and bubbles, then the amount of alkaline elements is normal. If not, additional liming is required.

To reduce acidity, dolomite flour, chalk or lime is used.

How to fertilize the land in the fall, if there is no manure? This question is asked by many gardeners. After all, autumn is the perfect time to fertilize. In winter, the soil rests, and all the organisms that are in it allow you to process useful components. In addition, fertilizing in the fall allows you to prepare the garden and garden for spring.

Synthetic or natural

After harvesting, it is necessary for the next season. However, not all summer residents know how to fertilize the land in the fall if there is no manure? Someone thinks that it is better to use several complex mixes at once. And someone, on the contrary, recommends using various fertilizers separately. This is the wrong approach. After all, some natural and synthetic additives can lose most of their beneficial properties during the winter.

In order to use fertilizers correctly, you need to know exactly which one can be applied to the soil in the fall, and which one should be left until spring. In addition, it should be noted that not all additives are universal. Some can only be used for trees, while others can only be used for soil intended for planting vegetables.

bird droppings

So, how to fertilize the land in the fall, if there is no manure. Bird droppings are considered the most concentrated organic fertilizer. This dressing is ideal for strawberries. However, it is very difficult to apply such fertilizer in spring and summer. After all, bird droppings are a caustic substance that can ruin a plant. Especially if the solution got on the roots of the bush. In addition, top dressing must be carefully prepared. Bird droppings are fermented, then defended and diluted with water.

It is best to use this fertilizer in the fall. Such organic matter can be introduced into the soil, which will then be dug up. Bird droppings do not need to be prepared and bred. Moreover, there is no need to fertilize annually. In addition, it can adversely affect the condition of the plants. It is better to bring bird droppings into the ground once every few years.

Compost application

How to fertilize the land in the fall, if there is no manure and bird droppings? In this case, many summer residents use compost, distributing it throughout the site. Often such fertilizer is dug up along with the soil. You can also cover the ground with compost in a continuous layer just before plowing. However, according to experts, these are not the most effective methods.

After the entire crop has been removed from the beds, all weeds should be weeded out. After that, the soil does not need to be dug up. It should be covered with a uniform layer of compost. In conclusion, it is recommended to pour the supplement with an EM preparation, previously diluted in accordance with the instructions. After processing, the earth should be loosened with a Fokin flat cutter and not touched until spring. This method of composting allows you to maintain soil fertility. The earth does not turn sour.

What plants are suitable for

Thanks to this top dressing in the spring, additional top dressing is not necessary. Suitable fertilizer for potatoes. In autumn, compost is distributed over the site, and tubers are planted in spring. Harvest dates are shifted by about 2 weeks. It should be noted that this fertilizer is suitable for all early vegetable crops.

What fertilizers to apply in the fall under fruit trees? Many advise using compost. After all, the garden also needs additional nutrition. It should be noted that such a substrate is often used to protect the root zone of all fruit trees. To do this, the compost is laid in a fairly thick layer around the trunk along the entire diameter. Fertilizer is left here until spring. When the first warm days come, the soil near the trunks must be carefully loosened. Thanks to such manipulations, the useful components contained in the substrate penetrate deep into the soil and begin to nourish the roots of trees and shrubs.

Is it worth using ash

Apply organic fertilizers in the fall to the soil should be wisely. Ashes should also be attributed to natural dressings. This substance is rich in potassium. It is usually applied to heavy, clay soils. If the soil is soft, then it makes no sense to use quality. It will be washed out by spring meltwater from the soil structure. As for the application rate, only a glass of ash is required per 1 square meter.

It is worth noting that this fertilizer is ideal not only for replenishing potassium reserves in the soil, but also for combating some pests that can cause severe harm to certain crops. To do this, the area that will be used for planting garlic and onions must be carefully sprinkled with ash. This should be done on the last warm autumn days. The ash should cover the beds with a fairly dense layer at least 1 centimeter thick.

This organic fertilizer can be used to protect winter garlic and onions. In this case, the amount of ash is recommended to be reduced. The thickness of the layer should be no more than 20 millimeters.

Superphosphate

What fertilizers are applied in the fall to the soil? It can be not only organic top dressing, but also synthetic. For example, superphosphate. The main component of this compound is phosphorus. This substance is heavier than the rest dissolves in the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to make such supplements in the fall. Phosphate fertilizers are the main group of fertilizers. For 6 months, the active component has time to completely dissolve. In summer, phosphorus is an excellent nutrient base for any plant.

How much to deposit

Fertilizers for digging in the fall should be applied in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. If there are no instructions on the package, then you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Monophosphate (simple superphosphate) - 40 to 50 grams are required per 1 m 2.
2. Double superphosphate - 20 to 30 grams are required per 1 m 2.
3. Superphosphate granulated - 1 m 2 requires from 35 to 40 grams.

As for ammoniated superphosphate, it is not used for autumn application. After all, such a fertilizer is enriched with nitrogen, which is lost during the winter. Many experts recommend adding preparations containing potassium to the soil along with superphosphates. Without this component, phosphorus will not dissolve well.

Is it possible to use phosphate rock

So, what fertilizers are applied in the fall to the soil? This list includes phosphate rock. It is used for fertilizing impoverished and leached chernozems, which are being prepared for spring liming. This supplement is of natural origin. These are crushed rocks.

Many experts recommend applying such fertilizers for digging in the fall along with manure. This contributes to a better dissolution of phosphorus in the soil. In addition, it is not suitable for every plant, as it contains calcium. The main advantage of the supplement is the natural composition. This fertilizer is absolutely safe for humans.

Organic fertilizer - urea

Fertilizing the soil in autumn is an important process. For these purposes, you can use urea. It refers to nitrogen supplements. The second name of the substance is urea. The main active ingredient is nitrogen of the amide form. Thanks to this component, urea can be applied to the soil in the fall. Indeed, during this period, it makes no sense to use nitrogen fertilizers. As for urea, the main substance in it is contained in the amide form. This prevents nitrogen from leaving the soil.

How to use urea

So, what fertilizers to apply in the fall under fruit trees, and which ones to use for beds? Urea is usually used in combination with phosphorus additives. Of course, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied in the spring. However, the time for this will be much less. To fertilize the soil, superphosphate should be neutralized with limestone or chalk. In this case, it is worth observing the proportions. For 1 kilogram of superphosphate, 100 grams of limestone or chalk is required. Two parts of carbamide should be added to one part of such a mixture. The mixture should be mixed and then applied to the soil. For 1 m 2, from 120 to 150 grams of the finished composition is required.

As for fruit trees, urea in combination with manure should be used for top dressing. In this case, the amount of carbamide should be less. For 1 m 2, from 40 to 50 grams will be enough. In this case, it is worth considering which tree the fertilizer will be applied under. For example, to feed an apple tree, 40 grams of superphosphate, 70 grams of urea and 5 buckets of animal organics are required.

Potassium sulfate

Fertilizing the soil in autumn is of particular importance. Calcium sulphate is an additive that is used in combination with phosphate and nitrogen supplements. Such a preparation is often used to fertilize the soil around gooseberry, currant and raspberry bushes. In addition, the additive is suitable for fertilizing garden strawberries and strawberries.

Potassium sulphate, which was introduced into the soil in the fall, allows shrubs to easily overwinter. At the same time, the percentage of survival of horticultural crops increases even with severe frosts. As for the dosage, 1 m 2 requires no more than 30 grams of fertilizer.

Calcium chloride

A similar substance is used as a fertilizer for potatoes. In autumn, the drug is scattered over the fields. Suitable for soil that will be used for spring planting of chlorine intolerant plants. This substance is an unstable element. Six months after the application of such a fertilizer, chlorine will partially disappear or dissolve in melt water. At the same time, calcium will be well preserved in the soil. It is recommended to apply no more than 20 grams of such fertilizer per 1 m 2.

It is not recommended to introduce microelements individually into the ground in the autumn period, since only a small part of them will remain by spring. As a result, the substances will not be able to affect the yield of plants.

We are publishing two more chapters from the book by Pavel Trannua "Encyclopedia of a fruitful garden on reasonable soil" (of course, with the permission of the author).

Chlorine

Curious element. We study it at school as a poisonous gas, but it is present in every living being!

Probably, from the fact that all plants came out of sea water, they still contain a share of chlorine, about 0.1% (0.2% in animal meat, or twice as much).

The soil more than covers the needs of plants when the usual circulation of substances takes place in it with the participation of animals and their droppings.

Manure contains the prescribed proportion of chlorine, like ash.

But people who abuse salty foods, eating a matchbox of table salt a day as part of various sauces, cheese, cookies, are able to poison plants with chlorine through fecal compost.

Just count: a person produces about a liter of urine a day, and a box of salt is dissolved in it (chlorine is excreted from the body mainly with urine)!

So, you see, there is a pack of salt in the compost, then the second ... The first to suffer are crops that tolerate high chlorine content worst of all, among garden plants it is potatoes.

Fecal compost is applied to the beds only in autumn, so that chlorine is washed out with melt water, and at the same time it should be dug in as evenly as possible.

The chlorine ion is negatively charged, therefore it is poorly retained by clay soil and is strongly washed out by rains. For this reason, with a flushing water regime, the soil can rather quickly be freed from excessive amounts of chlorine introduced with fertilizers. With sodium, things are more complicated.

Fertilize in spring or fall?

With experience, you confidently conclude that in all respects it is preferable to fertilize in the fall.

There is, perhaps, not a single serious reason in favor of spring fertilizer, except for the “human factor”: the intractable habit of doing everything at the last second.

Soluble nitrogen will be washed out by melt water, you will say again.

The studies and calculations of farmers have long since found out everything: PPK retains almost everything from the applied nitrogen and potash fertilizers.

On clayey, well-humused soil, about 10% of the introduced nitrogen is washed out by melt water, and 90% remains. No more than 30% is washed out on the sand, and 70% of the applied fertilizer remains.

And this is in areas with a leaching water regime, on black soil there are even less winter losses, it is generally strange to hear horror stories about some kind of nitrogen leaching there.

If we talk about cultivated garden soils, where limestone or ash (a source of calcium), compost or manure (organic matter, a source of humus) were added, then on most loamy soils of the Middle Strip - soddy-podzolic, gray forest, floodplain - we can take the average losses from winter-spring leaching of fertilizers applied in autumn, no more than 10-15%. On sandy soils - no more than 15-25%. Well, on almost clean sands, podzols, manure or carbamide introduced will lose about 30% of nitrogen.

No matter how clean your sand may seem, it still has a “dregs”, a clay part, which is revealed when it is shaken in a jar of water. This turbidity also retains nitrogen.

She also nourishes the plants planted there with everything necessary. A little fertility, but there is. And it must be raised, and not be afraid to fertilize.

In horticulture, floriculture, and even more so in fruit growing, professionals take these relatively small losses for the sake of an incomparably greater gain from autumn fertilizer.

An experienced grower knows how unpredictable seeding can be from freshly applied fertilizer. Sometimes the fertilizer introduced just before planting turns out to be so “caustic” (by-products in high concentrations) that it undermines the power of sowing.

The behavior of plants on freshly fertilized soil is unpredictable: sometimes they stick, and sometimes they don’t like something.

Fertilizer that has settled down, “calmed down” in the soil, is much more reliable.

In such cases, they say “the fertilizer has been assimilated by the soil” - it has not disappeared, but stabilized in it, its beneficial substance has become part of the soil colloids: now it does not burn the roots, it cannot cause poisoning of the plant by quickly drawing in too large a dose.

In crop production, there is no need to rush. Plants are accustomed to a very slow life, and you should adapt to it.

What else benefits from early fertilization apart from reliability? What about you, not enough?

Reliability is already a very big win. It, like a premium on an insurance policy, already covers small losses in the early spring washout: do not forget that crop production is a very unpredictable and risky business for those who neglect calculated steps.

Reliability in crop production is expensive. And there are additional rewards.

Let's list them:

• during autumn application, a possible excess of chlorine is washed out of fertilizers (toilet waste is in the first place here: if they are used as a “guarantor of maintaining the predominance of nitrogen in the ratio N: P: K in the soil”, which is very important, then they should be introduced mainly in the pre-spring period);
• the land fertilized since autumn allows for extremely early sowing immediately after snowmelt, without digging, of the following crops: black onions, lettuce, celery, parsley, carrots and beets - all this under a film: in early April, the earth is wet and does not dig, it inconvenient to mix with fertilizers; if desired, such land can be sown in the March thaws;
• a number of vegetable crops - cabbage: white cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi and with them ordinary turnips are planted with seedlings under caps or under lutrasil tunnels as early as possible, in April, in order to be in time before cruciferous flea attacks, in wet ground, fully prepared in advance since autumn;
• in low damp places, potato tubers are planted by laying out along the surface along a line (without holes) with immediate hilling with a chopper - this method, if used, is also used, then on the soil fully prepared in advance from autumn; for potatoes, the abundance of moisture in the soil is very important during the beginning of the germination of tubers;
• during autumn digging, the land in the spring during crops is much cleaner from weeds than if it is not touched in autumn: it happens that in May people dig up a thick green carpet, sowing something on such beds is obviously getting a weak harvest;
• in the spring, it’s generally more pleasant to work in the garden, when your land is at least in the garden, at least in most of the beds is already completely ready (after all, there are so many things to do on the site!) - and now you just need to “come up and stick a few onion bulbs on the greens from the edge ". How it makes life on the estate easier when you don't have to hurry forever;
• all root crops and potatoes need organics that have fully matured as much as possible: if decomposed compost or manure humus is given under them, then it is still better to do this in the fall, thoroughly mixing with the soil in order to “soften” the organics even more;
• garlic should immediately take root in October in fertilized soil, the start is very important for all crops, garlic should immediately “feel the roots of an abundant environment”, so it is too late to fertilize it in the spring; therefore, so that the soil has time to settle, the garlic bed is fertilized even earlier, from summer;
• simultaneously with organic fertilizers, limestone materials are also brought in for digging (so as not to dig once again), and they are brought in only in the fall.

The list shows how many vegetable crops actually require advance soil preparation from the fall.

These are early starter crops, where their cold hardiness allows much better use of precious soil moisture.

It is advisable to sow and plant them before the May holidays. Many gardeners can only start with a shovel to the ground in May, when it is already too dry and becomes even drier before our eyes every day.

There remains a very small group of heat-loving crops of open ground: cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, sunflower, corn, beans - they are all “rowed”, i.e. they are very easy to protect from weeds with a chopper, they all love an abundance of nitrogen, under them everything is possible slowly continue to fertilize all spring until mid-May (manure or waste
toilet), leaving 1-2 weeks before planting for the absorption of fertilizer: this is enough for them.

But even under them, the seat can be fertilized in the fall.

When the land as a whole has been fertilized since autumn, then in the spring nothing prevents us from adding something “forgotten” to it for loosening.

Autumn is a loose concept. Someone will decide that it means the time before winter itself. No, the earlier you start fertilizing, the better for the absorption of fertilizers and self-purification of the soil. It is wiser, after all, not to fertilize the entire garden at once, but as the beds are released, back in August, and to carry out the main work in September. This is real, because onions and garlic are harvested early, potatoes - also in August, cucumbers and pumpkins - in the first half of September ... Well, cabbage and root crops remain until frost, there's nothing to be done.

Book in the Labyrinth

Pavel Trannua's book "Encyclopedia of a fruitful garden on reasonable soil" can be purchased at the Labyrinth online store, you can also look at spreads and reviews of it there.

In spring, the time comes to prepare the land for planting, and one of the most important stages of work is fertilizing the soil. And how to fertilize the land in the spring, if there is no manure - a question that gardeners often ask at this time.

Optimal timing of fertilization in the soil in the spring

Many summer residents begin to fertilize the land in the fall, before the snow has fallen yet. Often there are questions about what fertilizers should be applied in the spring, at what time it is better to add them.

Interestingly, many experts believe that early spring is the best time to apply most known fertilizers. It is especially important at this time to apply nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium, ammonium nitrate) and superphosphates. In this case, the following rules must be taken into account:

1. You should focus not on calendar dates, but on specific signs, since in different years the spring season may be delayed or, on the contrary, come earlier than usual. First of all, half-melted snow and melt water should completely leave the garden (usually this happens in the 2nd half of April). If you start applying before this moment, the result will be ineffective - since many fertilizers dissolve well in water, then they will leave with it, and when everything dries out in the country, the soil will lose useful substances.
2. Of great importance is the type of crops for which fertilizing is applied. So, in the case of fruit trees, fertilizers can be applied a little earlier than for other crops - their powerful root system will be able to receive nutrients even at a time when the soil in the lower part of the trunk has not yet completely melted.
3. In the case of vegetables and flowers, fertilizers are applied to the beds right before they are planted (per day).

Advantages and rules of spring application of manure as a fertilizer

It is often believed that it is better to feed the earth with manure in the fall, because during the autumn and winter it will have time to decompose well and give all the useful substances to the ground. But there are advantages to using it in early spring.

The fact is that overripe manure (humus), decomposing in the ground, will retain heat, which is very necessary for seedlings just placed on the beds. Another important detail is that manure can lose its value from frost. For this reason, it is even required to store it in a barn and wrap it carefully.

In this case, the introduction of manure requires compliance with several important rules:

1. It is better to apply manure only in a mature, rotted form - because it is in this state that it retains the maximum amount of valuable components.
2. It is necessary to fertilize with manure no more than once every 3 years.
3. Fertilizer should be applied to the soil to a depth of 15-20 cm, and not scattered over its surface.
4. Do not rely on the principle: the more, the better. Even on non-chernozem soils, manure is applied in the amount of 5-6 kg per square meter of the earth's surface.

How to fertilize trees in spring (video)

How to fertilize the land in spring if there is no manure

If spring has come, but there is no manure at hand, this is not a reason to abandon the sowing campaign. There are many different types of fertilizers (phosphate, nitrogen, universal, etc.) that significantly increase yields and at the same time are affordable.

We use green manure

This is the name of plants that are specially grown for subsequent grinding and placement in the ground to enrich it with nitrogen, suppress the growth of weeds. These top dressings are also called green manures.

These include:

1. Legumes (alfalfa, soybeans, peas and many others). Special bacteria settle on their roots, which bring a significant amount of nitrogen into the soil.
2. Cruciferous (various varieties of mustard, rapeseed, radish, colza).
3. Cereals (wheat, sorghum, rye, oats, etc.).
4. Buckwheat, phacelia, etc.

The beneficial effect of these plants is explained by the following reasons:

1. During their flowering, plants attract pollinating insects, which often eat flies, aphids, etc., harmful to the garden.
2. Their roots often grow strongly, penetrate deep into the earth, loosen it, due to which it becomes more saturated with air.
3. Some of these plants suppress plant diseases (eg wilt).

Green manure can be used not only in spring, but also at the end of summer or during a break in planting for a year.

Mineral fertilizers for the garden

Mineral refers to inorganic supplements (i.e. those that do not contain organic matter). Most often, they differ in the predominance of a single chemical element (potassium, nitrogen, etc.), but they can also be complex (mixtures of fertilizers).

Each of their species has its own benefits for plants:

1. Nitrogen fertilizers are easily absorbed by both the earth and crops, since they dissolve very well even in cold water. They contain in their composition easily digestible forms of nitrogen, thanks to which plants quickly gain weight, grow efficiently and without delay.
2. Phosphate top dressings are presented in the form of phosphate rock, precipitate, superphosphates. They contain phosphorus, which is also an important element and has a beneficial effect on plant growth. At the same time, phosphate fertilizers dissolve in water much worse than nitrogen fertilizers. For example, phosphorite flour is used more often on acidic soils, because in these cases phosphorus passes into a form that is easier to assimilate.
3. Potassium nitrate It has the chemical name potassium nitrate. It dissolves very well in water. It has a good effect on the growth of plants, as well as on the taste and juiciness of their fruits.

In general, plants on unfertilized soil not only grow worse, but also have a greater risk of suffering from infectious diseases or acquiring other abnormalities (poor ovary and fruit formation, falling flowers, small fruits, etc.).

Universal top dressing

Universal fertilizers have a different chemical composition and have a complex effect on plant organisms. Here are some examples of such supplements:

1. organomineral fertilizer "Universal" consists of half organic, half inorganic components. It contains many substances necessary for the growth of the plant and maintaining its health. At the same time, it also regulates the level of nitrates in the soil, preventing them from accumulating in excess. Accordingly, it has a positive effect on cultures.
2. Ammophos contains up to half the mass of phosphorus and about 10-15% nitrogen in an easily digestible form. Accordingly, it provides the plant with the beneficial effects of both of these elements.
3. Ammophoska contains not only nitrogen and phosphorus, but also potassium in approximately the same ratio.

In addition, universal dressings do not have to be bought at the store. They can be found among quite affordable home remedies. Here are some examples:

1. Ash It has been used to fertilize the soil since ancient times. It is valuable because it contains potassium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. It is universal not only in action, but also in coverage of crops - it can be used on almost any beds, as well as in a garden flower garden.
2. Herbal infusions used on mowed weeds. They are placed in large containers, poured with boiling water and infused for several days (up to 2 weeks). Then the mixture is filtered, the solid components are discarded, and the liquid is diluted in a ratio of 1 to 10. Any crops can also be watered with this solution. It is better to do evening watering sessions.

What organic fertilizers to apply to the soil before planting

The most common organic fertilizers other than manure include:

• peat;
• straw;
• sapropel;
• composts.

Food industry waste and domestic waste are often used as well.

Unlike mineral substances, organic substances are more specific, and they must be applied taking into account the characteristics of a particular culture.

So, for example, perennial vegetable crops (horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus, rhubarb) like to have organic matter applied immediately before planting.

At the same time, annual carrots, radishes, tomatoes, beets and others require very small amounts of these top dressings. Sometimes it is even better to fertilize them with inorganics.

It is especially important to apply organic fertilizers before planting fruit trees. If the fruits are pome fruits, then more fertilizers need to be applied, if the fruits with a stone - less. In this case, you need to regularly feed the trees and during growth.

How to feed indoor plants in spring

With the advent of spring, do not forget about feeding houseplants. Potted soil should be fertilized more often than in the garden., since it is deprived of natural conditions and does not actually participate in the cycle of elements, which ensures the balance of the content of various useful components.

In the spring, indoor pets especially need to be fed. because the increase in daylight stimulates their growth. Nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers are mainly used; you can also use pet feces mixed with straw or sawdust as organics. In this case, you need to follow some rules:

• if the plant has just been transplanted, then in 1 month it is undesirable to fertilize it;
• do not fertilize cacti with organic matter;
• during the dormant period it is better not to apply any fertilizers;
• if the roots of the plant rot, fertilizing is not recommended.

How to fertilize strawberries (video)

The main condition in the use of any fertilizer is the exact following of the instructions. Over-fertilizing is sometimes even more dangerous than not having them. Try to play by the rules and take good care of your green friends!

Reviews and comments

Vladimir 28.09.2017

I adhere to the rule that it is necessary to feed the plants during the period of the most active growth and immediately after the fruit set. That is, in fact, in the first half of the growing season. And then I wait for the harvest. The number of top dressings depends on the plant, and what it needs - you need to be able to recognize and correct. Now it's easier - the Internet will tell you everything.

Of course, manure and humus are the best natural fertilizers. When it is not possible to use them, we introduce wood ash into the soil, water it with a solution of potassium permanganate, and buy biohumus.

Aglaya 08.06.2018

I have not used manure for several years, it was not possible to get it. As fertilizer, I used ash, fish waste, which, when rotting, produces a large amount of nitrogen. Another excellent fertilizer is an infusion of herbs, especially nettle.

Olya 14.04.2019

I have long abandoned the use of manure, this fertilizer causes tremendous damage to the soil, in addition, it can simply burn the seedlings. For the past few years I have been using only mineral bait.