It is possible to improve soil fertility with the least labor costs. Useful ways to improve the soil How to treat the land in the country

We can say that our gardens are bare for most of the year. And so that this statement does not seem like empty words, let's start the year not from spring, but from autumn, when gardeners are passionate about cleaning gardens and are engaged in at least useless, and sometimes very harmful work: a corn and sunflower stem is cut down, bushes of peppers and eggplants break out , any tops, leaves, weeds gather.

All this is taken out from the beds - well, if not into the fire. In a word, they completely put things in order. And why should he? What's the point in it? Isn't it wiser, while relaxing, to enjoy the autumn gold of the forests, the gentle days of the outgoing "Indian summer", and leave the garden?

In this case, the plant remains would serve the earth in good stead: they would cover it for more than half a year; protected from rains that erode the earth and leach nutrients out of it; held back more snow; the top layer of soil would be enriched with crumbled and partially decomposed leaves and stems; by spring there would be less waste left.

If at the end of summer there is time, strength and desire, then you can do it in a way that is more beneficial for the soil - sow some kind of cover crop. So do, for example, American farmers. They leave the areas with corn stalks, eggplant bushes, okra, pepper to winter unharvested, and the bare fields are sown with buckwheat, oats, rye, clover and vetch. In the spring, all this is shallowly buried in the ground, and it becomes more fertile and structural, it is not depleted by autumn cleaning, but, on the contrary, is enriched.

Sowing buckwheat at this time - a very heat-loving one - is risky, although quite tempting: it “cleans” the beds very well, and quickly increases biomass. Sown, for example, on harvested potato beds, it even manages to bloom if the beginning of September is frost-free. However, even with early frosts, buckwheat manages to reach a size that helps it play the role of a “curator” of the soil.

But for the unusually hardy oats, there are no restrictions. It can be sown after harvesting peppers, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes in any free bed. In a mild autumn, it stays green until December, under good conditions it manages to grow to the knees, gives a fair amount of biomass, and the roots have time to “plow” the earth so that it does not need any plow. Oats cover plantings for the winter, retain snow even better than the usual “blanket” of sunflower stalks, Jerusalem artichoke, corn, and since spring, strawberries and garlic have a wonderful straw mulch.

At first we sow winter wheat, however, a little bit. Both as a cover crop and greens for chickens. In autumn, chickens graze on wheat with pleasure, and in spring, when they can harm the garden, we simply tear out bushes of wheat and throw them into the pen - they also have early greenery, which they yearned for over the winter, and willingly row in the roots. And “a little” is such an amount that, without being out of breath, clear the beds of wheat by the time of planting late crops. What these beds are clean, “dug up” by roots, ready to shelter belated peppers and eggplants!

Mandatory "autumn" culture, as a rule - coriander. It freezes only in a fierce snowless winter. And you can have fresh cilantro (coriander greens) until the very snow and in the spring immediately from under the snow.

So, with good reason, it can be argued that sowing cover crops in late summer and autumn protects the land from erosion, loosens it with plant roots, mulches it for the coming summer, forms the most favorable conditions for soil fauna, and provides abundant biomass without additional areas. In addition, the abundance of decaying organic material in the upper layer of the earth makes it structural, fertile, able to retain huge amounts of moisture and painlessly endure long dry periods.

So, replacing autumn garden clearing with late-summer cover crops - in addition to eliminating matches from farm implements - is one of the most effective methods of increasing the mass of this material.

Such a replacement has one more side advantage. The preparation of the land for cover crops is usually carried out before the total cleaning, when the weeds have not yet become seeded, and it turns out that by doing this we make it easier for ourselves to fight weeds next season!

Finally, there is a special aesthetic charm in the garden sown in autumn: the garden, green in November, looks much more attractive than black in October and blurry, numb, dirty by November.

It is worth noting that the echo of many points and even the repetition of individual theses are natural. After all, we are talking about a system of agriculture, and not about a set of isolated practices, each of which is significant in itself. The system would be good if there were no interconnection, overlap, interweaving of individual provisions, if they did not flow into each other!

So they overwintered ... In the garden, part of which remained unharvested since autumn, and part sown, a large amount of snow lingered, more moisture accumulated in the ground. And from the cleaned, and even, what a good, plowed garden for the winter, the streams carried away not only moisture, but also the nutrients that hurried to dissolve in it.

In the spring, you can also talk about bare ground, if where there are peppers, tomatoes, blue, melons, radishes, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, borage, onions do not grow “early in the morning”. But such early birds not only treat winter beriberi. They also do very useful work for the earth. Firstly, they cover it from the sun, which can be fierce already in May, and prevent excessive evaporation of moisture. And secondly, they give good biomass for compost and enrich the soil with organic matter.

In summer, the land in the gardens is also bare, at least in the aisles of monocultural flaps. And with great benefit it can be protected by well-chosen neighbors.

Here's another couple. Suppose that the garden bed, which has supplied onions to greens since spring, is intended for pepper. Let's plant a pepper first, and between the peppers - germinated okra peas. Okra plants reach a considerable height (in hot and humid summers favorable for them, about 2 m). Direct sun can easily scorch peppers. Okra is not at all afraid of him and creates a favorable rarefied shadow for the peppers. In addition, fragile peppers protected by okra - a very strong plant - are not afraid of strong winds. The earth throughout the garden is covered from the scorching sun, it heats up less and does not dry out. And the okra itself, not only blooms amazingly beautifully, constantly, until the very frost, gives tender pods for soups, stews and sautés.

And again it turns out that “charity” pays off. They wanted to cover the land, but what a profit they got!

Another option to cover the ground in summer is mulching. If the root zones of plants are covered with straw, hay, grass clippings, etc., then they can be watered less often, or even completely abandoned this not harmless activity.

So, summing up, we repeat: the land can be covered in the fall (for the winter) by sowing cover crops and refusing to clean up the gardens in the autumn, and in the spring by relay planting, in the summer by joint planting and mulching.

In a word, good soil is not at all “beautiful” black earth, but something “cluttered” and overgrown, capable of retaining moisture, providing soil fauna with shelter and food, and enriching itself.

Can "rich" soil in the country give a low yield? Of course it can! Our summer residents do not always understand the meaning of the word "rich", thinking that this concept is equivalent to the term "fertile". In fact, rich soil is called, in which there are many useful components. But they may not be available to plants due to the poor structure of the soil layer. Roots just can't get them. A land rich in substances with a good structure is considered fertile, thanks to which the maximum of substances and water will get to the roots.

Video about the causes of land depletion

And the task of the summer resident: not to “fill up” the land with an abundance of fertilizers, but to make them fertile by processing and adding certain components that will improve air circulation, moisture capacity, etc.

But for this you need to know what is the mechanical composition of the land in your country house: clay, loamy or sandy.

What soil is fertile?

How to determine the composition of the soil yourself

To determine the composition of the soil, take a lump of earth, wet it with water to make a mass that resembles a thick dough. Then roll an elongated cord out of the soil and try to twist the ends into a steering wheel. Look at the quality of the bend. If you managed to mold a bagel, and at the same time the soil did not crack, then it is clay. Small cracks in the fold will tell you that the soil is loamy. If the ground is sandy, then you won’t even be able to twist the tourniquet.

Now that the composition of the soil is clear, let's figure out what is useful and "unuseful" for each of these types of soil, and whether there is a chance to improve it.

Clay soil easily rolls into a tourniquet

How they "fight" with clay soil

This is just the case when the earth is rich, but not a single plant gets these riches. Such "greedy" land is considered infertile, because it:

heavy;
weakly warms up;
with poor air circulation;
there is a lot of moisture on the surface, but it weakly passes into the deeper layers;
at hot temperatures, the surface becomes covered with a dense crust.

In order for the harvest to please, it is necessary to lighten the dense structure and make it looser. For this, sand is added (per m² - 30 kg), peat. To increase the number of active bacteria, add manure, compost. To avoid acidification - lime.

Plowing the site should raise layers of more than 25 cm to saturate the earth with oxygen.

Planting crop seeds in clay soil is shallower so that it is easier for the roots to reach the water and get as much air as possible. So the potatoes need a depth of 6 cm.

Seedlings are laid at an angle so that the root system warms up to the maximum by the sun.

Loamy soil: lucky you

Loamy soil occupies the middle between sandy and clay, having a large supply of nutrients. At the same time, the structure is much better than clay. All substances of the plant are easily extracted, therefore, special agricultural technology is not carried out on such land. Unless, as she is exhausted, she will have to be fed (as well as everyone else!).

Spread manure or compost effectively as mulch.

Poor soil is sandy

Sandy soil is distinguished by an even yellow color.

If the site “pleased” with sand, then there are few nutrients in it. Of course, the soil structure is good: it quickly passes moisture, warms up in a short time, there is a lot of air. In spring, the sand is the first to be ready for planting. But the water instantly evaporates, which nullifies the other advantages. Therefore, you will have to establish constant watering in the summer.

The first thing that improves sandy soil is annually, in several steps, components are added to retain moisture: compost, manure, peat. The largest amount of additives is applied for autumn digging (4 kg of manure or 5 kg of compost + peat are scattered per m² of area).

Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers should be carried out often, but in a small amount, so that the plants have time to absorb until it is washed out by rains.

To increase fertility, it is good to sow sandy lands with green manure plants. They will compact the structure of the soil layer, linking the particles together. By the way, these plants are also effective as baking powder on clay soils.

Seeds are sown deep in such lands (about 12 cm) so that they receive at least part of the moisture before it has time to evaporate. Hilling is not recommended, contributing to even greater drying of the soil. One is enough, shallow, which is carried out after rain.

The second indicator on which soil fertility depends is acidity. If the land is acidified, then even the introduction of additional fertilizers will not improve the yield. More detailed instructions on how to find out the level of acidity of the soil in the country and how to change it can be found on our website in the article “Useful tips for summer residents: is liming the soil necessary and does it make sense to fight moles?” .

Ways to improve soil fertility

Even the most fertile land will cease to please you over the years, if only you take from it without giving in return, that is, without taking any action to preserve or improve the soil. What does soil fertility depend on? Here are some ways to help the earth stay "healthy":

Send the ground on vacation

After a year of work, every person has the right to leave. The land in your dacha deserves the same right. Let not in a year, but in 5, but it is necessary to give her the opportunity to “breathe freely”. For this, the lands are not sown at all and are not planted with any crops, but spring and autumn diggings are carried out, organic matter, ash and, if necessary, lime are introduced.

"Feed" the soil with green manure

These are annual plants that are planted to improve the microflora of the earth, to enrich it with organic matter. This group includes mostly cereals and legumes. Cereals structure soils, and legumes saturate with nitrogen. You can buy mixtures or plant monocultures.

What each of the legumes is good for, in addition to increasing the amount of nitrogen:

beans lower the level of acidity;
peas and alfalfa are saturated with phosphorus;
the bird-foot increases the percentage of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium in the soil;
lupine - the most optimal green manure before planting strawberries;
vetch-oat mixture - an excellent baking powder, reduces the number of weeds, increases the level of phosphorus;
mustard suppresses weeds and destroys the wireworm;
rapeseed loosens heavy soils, destroys bacteria, saturates with sulfur and phosphorus.

How to apply green manure correctly

It is often written that the most effective way is to plow before planting the main crop. But in this case, the root system with nodules, in which there is a lot of nitrogen, turns upside down and collapses, becoming useless. The abundance of green mass during plowing can give an excess of nitrogen, from which the planted crop will “burn out”.

The best way is to scatter the seeds after harvesting vegetables and rake them up. As soon as the green mass becomes high enough, but does not enter the flowering phase, green manure is mowed (with a mower or scythe), leaving the entire mowing on the soil surface. It is not necessary to dig up until spring. During the winter, the root system will decompose itself, having managed to give everything useful to the soil.

If you miss the time and let the green manure seed, then you will join the ranks of the weeds, because in the spring a “heap team” will rise, with which you will have to fight.

In this phase of growth (when flowering has not yet come), green manure is mowed and left to decompose until spring

"Pamper" the earth with manure

Manure additives are only effective when the composition is overripe, because weed seeds and harmful bacteria have already been killed in it. Fresh manure can easily "burn" the roots. Dose - 10 kg per hectare.

If possible, consider the mechanical composition of the soil. For clay lands, it is better to purchase a sheep or horse “product”, because the decomposition process is faster with it. Sandy lands respond well to pig manure or cattle.

The best option is to let the manure rot in the compost.

Prepare your compost

The old "grandfather" method was used to make compost from almost everything that can be called household waste. To do this, they dug a compost pit and threw it there:

tree pruning waste;
flying leaves;
cut grass;
waste paper;
uprooted weeds (that haven't started blooming!);
food waste;
manure, bird droppings, etc.

What not to compost:

strawberry rhizomes;
cabbage "rods" with a root;
nightshade tops (tomatoes, potatoes, etc.);
weeds that have begun to bloom, or with seeds.

The pit is periodically watered and turned over to accelerate decay. As a rule, such compost is “prepared” for about 4 years. A faster method is to add to the pile of accelerators that are on sale today and California worms.

If the compost pit is fenced in this way, then more layers can be applied. In this case, the entire compost will be well ventilated.

"Heal" the earth

There are plants that kill disease-causing microbes, thereby improving the quality of the soil. These include garlic, marigolds, wormwood. They can be planted between rows of other crops or along the perimeter of the beds. And the marigolds in the fall should be cut, finely chopped and the whole mass smelled.

Marigolds are an excellent healer for the soil

If you try at least a few ways to improve fertility in your dacha, the beds will thank you with an excellent harvest!

Each person wants to use a garden or personal plot to the maximum: plant vegetables, sow greenery, and create a flowering flower bed. However, the soil tends to deplete. That is why it is worth figuring out in advance how to improve the soil, enriching its composition to increase fertility.

How to effectively improve the structure of the soil in your own garden, you need to understand thoroughly. Determining whether the substrate needs top dressing is simple - to do this, carefully inspect the soil composition. If it takes on a pale hue, it means that the soil lacks nutrients. Brown soil is direct evidence that the amount of humus in the substrate is too small. When you need to approach this issue more seriously, give a sample of the earth for laboratory analysis.

It is believed that when the earth becomes whitish in the garden, it means that it is saturated with too much carbonates. You can verify this as follows: put a few drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid on a lump of soil. If a reaction occurs and the liquid begins to sizzle, your doubts have been confirmed.

In the process of identifying signs of depleted soil composition, it is very important to pay attention to the type of soil. Take a small handful of earth in your hand, form a lump out of it and then see if it crumbles. If it has broken up, it means that the soil in your garden is sandy. Otherwise clayey.

However, do not forget about intermediate options: loamy and sandy loamy soils. It must be remembered that when the substrate is sandy, it absorbs moisture well and rather quickly, but also loses it instantly. All the same, it is simply necessary to improve the structure of the soil in this case.

Video "How to improve the quality of the soil on the site"

In this video, an expert will talk about what needs to be done to increase soil fertility.

We change the structure of the soil

Experienced gardeners know how to quickly improve soil fertility in their own garden plot. The first rule is a reasonable and well-thought-out agricultural technique, especially when it comes to cultivating plants in large areas. However, even in this case, over time, mineral salts, nutrients and trace elements gradually disappear from the soil. In this case, the salt composition of the substrate is significantly disturbed. This is an important signal that it is time to change the structure of the soil. This procedure is carried out in different ways, and the features of its implementation depend on the type of soil.

If you have heavy loamy soil in your garden, you need to dilute it with sand and fine expanded clay. When you have to cultivate greens and vegetables on poor sandy loam, it is recommended to include clay and humus in the soil. In both cases, do not forget about organic matter, which saturates any substrate with nutrients.

We sow green manure

For those who want to quickly and effectively enrich the soil composition, it is necessary to take into service plants that improve the soil. Green manure crops include annual crops that are planted in the garden, grown, and then mowed and embedded in the ground. Most often, it is recommended to sow such herbs after harvesting potatoes. In this case, by the onset of winter cold, you can grow green manure and process them in such a way as to saturate the substrate. The use of these nutrient herbs is primarily remarkable in that with their help you replenish the soil with organic matter and at the same time loosen it well.

If the soil in your garden is really poor, you can sow perennial clover. In this case, you will let the soil rest for several seasons, and during this time the grass will saturate the substrate with nutrients. Three years later, the garden will need to be dug up (plowing is good for cultivated plants), and then feel free to plant any vegetables or other cultivated plants.

We mulch

How to improve clay or sandy soil, you need to find out in detail. It is not necessary to prefer one option if you can approach the solution of the problem in a complex way. For example, adding mulch is considered a good way to increase soil fertility. To do this, in the autumn, the cultivated and fertilized soil must be covered with a layer of natural mulch.

The best option is sawdust, straw, bark, grass or some kind of covering material. Moreover, you can resort to such a procedure not only at the end of the growing season, but also in its midst. The benefits of mulching are many:

prevents evaporation of moisture from the soil;
protects the rhizome of plants from overheating or freezing;
allows you to achieve the optimal level of acidity in the substrate;
enriches the earth;
prevent the growth of weeds;
protects vegetables and greens from overgrowing with weeds.

You can also increase the fertility of clay or sandy soil with the help of mulching.

We make fertilizers

The structure of garden soil can be safely diversified through the application of fertilizers. Combine them or add alternately either organic or mineral compounds. Among the most popular organic nutrient mixtures, it is worth highlighting manure. It includes a large number of trace elements (cobalt, copper, boron, manganese), as well as microorganisms, which help to decompose and assimilate organic matter much faster.

Even more nutritious is bird droppings. That is why it is recommended to use it in a diluted form, since the content of useful components in it is concentrated.

If you make bird droppings that are not diluted with water and other compounds, you can cause a burn on the root system of your greens.

Take care of the plants in your own area, apply high-quality fertilizers and be sure to alternate them. If you wish, use other methods of enriching the soil composition (sowing green manure and plowing, mulching), and you will extend the life of your garden.

Nature has rewarded man with many amazing and priceless gifts, one of which is the soil. We use the earth completely and do not think about how many millions of years it took to form it. Soil is the source of all life on the planet. If the surface of the Earth was not covered with soil, a person simply could not live here - there would be no vegetation, animals would have nothing to eat, people would not be able to get food for themselves.

Characteristics of soils by mechanical composition

The main task of any gardener is to obtain a stable quality crop with a minimum investment of time, effort and material resources. In order for the plants to feel good, it is necessary, first of all, to understand what the mechanical composition of the soil in your area is. This will depend on the basic methods of cultivation and the choice of the most suitable crops. According to the mechanical composition, the following main types of soils are distinguished today:

clayey
loamy and sandy
sandy
limestone
peat

In order to determine which type of soil prevails in the garden, it is necessary to observe the ground during heavy rains or at the time of drought. It should be noted that on many land plots a combination of several types is sometimes found, so it is extremely important to study the features of each of them.

Clay soils

If, after heavy rain, puddles remain on the surface of the soil for several hours, and in hot dry weather the earth is “taken” by a hard crust, then we can safely say that the soil in the area is clayey. It is felt in the hands as a dense substance, from which, when wet, you can easily mold various figures.

The main characteristic of this type is its lack of structure or the complete absence of structure. It is extremely difficult to loosen such land, and in the rainy period it is generally impossible, as it blurs underfoot. The terms of work in the spring are limited here due to the fact that the clay soil slowly warms up and dries out. Given the lack of structure, plants constantly experience either a lack of moisture or an excess of it, which negatively affects their growth and development.

In areas with clay soil, only those plants that love excess moisture feel good, for example, some varieties of roses, raspberries, rutabaga, cherries. It is recommended to plant vegetables on such land only after taking measures to improve the soil structure.

Clay soil can be improved by adding ash and coarse sand to it, which will contribute to loosening. The application of organic fertilizers, compost, mulching and green manure will make the alumina more fertile and structured. On clay lands treated in this way, beans, peas, almost all types of cabbage, potatoes, most shrubs and fruit trees feel great.

Loamy and sandy soils

These types of soils are considered the most fertile and suitable for growing both various vegetable crops and laying gardens and vineyards. If, after rain, water is absorbed into the ground quickly enough, and, at the same time, moisture lasts for a long time, then we can say that the soil in your garden is loamy or sandy loam. Loams consist of clay and sand in a percentage ratio of 70 to 30, respectively. The soil is considered to be of the highest quality, where large grains of sand and particles of silt are present.

Sandy loam soil consists of approximately 20% clay and 80-90% sand. This is also a good combination, however, it should be borne in mind that if the amount of sand exceeds the indicated values, then the quality of the soil is significantly reduced.

Loams and sandy loams are characterized by a highly structured composition, good air and water permeability. These types of soils are rich in minerals necessary for plants, which contributes to high quality yields. It is a pleasure to work on such land, it loosens wonderfully, has a dark color and is rich in humus. To the touch, wet loams and sandy loams are granular and smear hands a little.

Loamy and sandy soil does not need any additional improvement; it is easy to grow a rich harvest of any crop on it. And if such soil is protected and cultivated, following the principles of organic farming, described in the article “Organic farming. Main features ”, then she will pamper your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with environmentally friendly crops.

sandy soils

If the earth quickly absorbs moisture, but also quickly evaporates it, then we should talk about the sandy type of soil. Such soils have both advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantages include low labor intensity during processing - they practically do not need loosening. Good air permeability provides oxygen access to the roots, which has a positive effect on the development of the root system. Sandy soils are very warm, they warm up much earlier than others, so they are ideal for growing early vegetables and fruits.

The disadvantages of sandstones are as follows: sand does not retain moisture well, which does not linger in the root area, but seeps either deeper or evaporates. Lack of rain or irrigation leads to drought very quickly. Excellent air permeability contributes to the decomposition of nutrients into mineral components in a form inaccessible to plants, and rains and irrigation easily wash out organic matter, and humus does not accumulate. Metal and alkali salts are also easily washed out of sandy soils, which leads to their strong acidification. We will talk in more detail about the chemical composition of soils a little later.

To increase the fertility of sandstones will help the introduction of biological fertilizers in large enough quantities. Planting green manure will improve the structure of the soil and saturate it with additional organic residues, and prevent the leaching of nutrients. Mulching with any materials at hand will help save soil moisture, and the mulch layer in this case should be at least 7 cm.

Sandy soil can be turned into sandy loam by adding clay to it at the rate of 3 buckets per 2 sq. m every year for 5-6 years. The clay must be in a powdery, dry state, otherwise it will not mix properly with the sand. This method of improvement is a task that requires a lot of time, effort and money.

On well-treated sandy soils in the manner described above, potatoes, various varieties of onions, and almost all root crops grow well. Tomatoes will love it too.

calcareous soils

This type of soil can be identified by the following features: the rapid absorption of water after rainstorms, and when dry hot weather sets in, the earth acquires a dirty white or grayish tint.

In terms of structure and properties, calcareous soil resembles sandy soil. It also does not retain moisture, and leaching of nutrients greatly reduces fertility. Lime soil differs from sandstones in the presence of a large amount of calcium salts, in other words, lime, and has a pronounced alkaline reaction.

Fertilizing and greening will help replenish nutrients and improve soil structure, and a thick layer of mulch will conserve moisture. It is easy to work on this land - it, like sandy, practically does not require loosening.

Lime soils, with sufficient organic fertilizers and appropriate cultivation, are suitable for growing most types of plants, the only exception is potatoes, which prefer soils with a slightly increased acidity.

Peat soils

This type of soil is extremely rare in gardens and household plots, where there used to be swamps. With perfect processing, peatlands can produce stable crops for a long time.

Drained peat soils are rich in organic matter, but poor in nitrogen and other minerals in a form available to plants. To speed up the transformation of minerals into such soil, it is necessary to add sand and clay per 10 square meters. m - 20 buckets of clay and 40 buckets of sand. Clay, as in improving the structure of sandy soils, should have a dry powdery consistency. To speed up the conversion of nitrogen, it is also recommended to add compost to peat soil (10-15 kg per 10 sq. M).

Peatlands have a porous structure and remarkably retain moisture, such land practically does not require loosening, however, the increased acidity of peat soil can cause a number of dangerous fungal diseases such as cruciferous keel.

Potatoes and bush berries grow well here, strawberries and wild strawberries feel good. When planting vegetables, it is necessary to pay attention to the level of groundwater, if they are at a height of less than 1 meter to the surface, then crops should be planted on raised ridges. How to organize them correctly is described in detail in the article "How to lay smart beds". Due to the high level of groundwater, it is not recommended to plant fruit trees on peat soils.

What is acidity and how to determine it

Acidity is the most important characteristic of the chemical properties of soils of various types. Increased or, conversely, reduced acidity can cause many garden crops to feel unwell.

Acidity is measured by the pH unit (acidity level), depending on which soils are divided into acidic (pH 4-6.5), neutral (pH 6.5-7) and alkaline (pH 7-9). This scale has extreme values from 1 to 14, however, in Europe, such indicators are not actually found.

How to practically determine the acidity of the soil in a personal plot? You can, of course, take its samples to the laboratory. But not always and not everyone has such an opportunity. You can also purchase a special pH tester from garden centers and take measurements with it.

However, the approximate pH level can be determined in simpler ways. If you pour a piece of earth with ordinary table 9% vinegar and it “hisses” - the soil in the area is alkaline.

You can determine the level of acidity as follows: dig a hole wide and deep on a bayonet, cut off a thin layer of earth along the entire perimeter, mix it well and moisten it with rain or distilled water. Then the earth must be squeezed together with litmus paper in hand. If the paper turns red, the soil is strongly acidic, if it turns pink, it is medium acidic, and yellow is an indicator of slightly acidic soil. If the litmus paper turns green-blue, you can safely say that the pH level is approaching neutral, blue means neutral acidity, and green indicates that the earth in the garden is alkaline.

Soil acidity can be determined quite accurately by certain types of weeds growing on the site. For example, sorrel, creeping ranunculus, plantain, horsetail, tricolor violet love acidic soil. If you notice chamomile, couch grass, coltsfoot, clover and sow thistle in the garden, then the acidity is most likely neutral or slightly acidic. Field bindweed, poppy, larkspur indicate alkaline soil.

All the plants that we plant in home gardens treat different pH levels in different ways. According to this principle, four groups are distinguished:

Crops that prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soil and do not tolerate acidic soils - currants of all varieties, any kind of cabbage, beets.
Plants that do well on soils with a slightly acidic reaction are legumes (peas, beans, etc.), onions, cucumbers, wild roses.
Garden crops that calmly tolerate soil of moderate acidity - tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, turnips, gooseberries, raspberries.
Increased acidity likes sorrel and potatoes.

To neutralize soils with high acidity, it is recommended to carry out liming every 4-5 years with the introduction of slaked lime, dolomite flour, and furnace ash into the soil. These materials are introduced in the fall per square meter. m:

sandy and loamy soils - 3 kg;
heavy loam and clay soil - 4.5-5 kg.

It should be noted that it is impossible to carry out liming simultaneously with the introduction of manure, since such a combination will contribute to the loss of nitrogen, which is contained in large quantities in manure.

There are times when the soil in the garden needs to be acidified, for example, if the earth is of a calcareous type. This is especially true when planting potatoes or conifers. To increase the acidity, high-moor peat or coniferous soil from the forest can be added to the planting pits or furrows.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that in order to obtain a high-quality high yield, it is necessary not only to observe the agricultural techniques necessary for each specific type of cultivated plants, but also to carefully study the chemical and mechanical composition of the soil, its structure and characteristics. Only an attentive and careful attitude to the earth will allow you to pamper your family with environmentally friendly vegetables and fruits year after year.

Determining the cause of the problem

The first stage of soil destruction is accompanied by a subtle smell of rot. Over time, mold will add to it. The first and most obvious cause of the problem is the actions and inactions of the gardener:

excessive use of chemicals;
too frequent digging;
too frequent use of fertilizers;
wrong choice of humus and so on.

In a separate category, there are reasons that are due to the wrong choice of agricultural practices. Growers use the technologies imposed on them. Botanists recommend first checking whether one or another option is compatible with a particular type of soil.

Stage II of soil destruction is the result of direct human errors. The gardener, who digs up the earth on the site, turns over small clods of earth. From the outside, it seems that there is nothing to worry about.

In fact, a person destroys beneficial bacteria. After each "coup", they sink deeper underground. The less oxygen the bacteria get, the faster they die. Do not be surprised then that the fertile layer has become smaller. The second problem, which is provoked by human actions, is associated with the destruction of earthworms. The more often the gardener digs up the site, the more likely it is to cut all the earthworms. The smaller they are, the worse the soil feels.

On a note!

Manure should be used in exceptional cases. He is a carrier of infection, not nutrients. The process of rotting in a heap is the result of human actions. There is nothing like it in nature. Even with a small amount of manure introduced into the soil, its condition worsens.

Manure heaps should be less

Nature is arranged in such a way that there is nothing superfluous in it. As soon as the decay of the manure heap is completed, the artificial toxins contained in it “weather out”. After some time, worms will come into the soil, which is saturated with manure. Beneficial bacteria are localized in their body. As soon as the bacteria react with the manure, the result will not be long in coming. The biologically active "mess" that will turn out in the end cannot be classified as "safe". Botanists call the resulting soil humified soil. It cannot be used for agricultural purposes.

The rate of "transformation" of the soil after such a reaction cannot be called stable. Much depends on the amount of incoming oxygen. As a rule, negative changes are localized in the surface layer. The more dangerous substances in it, the faster it will acquire a dark shade. At the gardener's site, the soil is rich in putrefactive microbes. For the time being, they are in a "sleeping" state. As soon as the situation becomes favorable, they will “pass” into the active phase. A gardener who abuses manure risks his own health. Pathogenic flora will penetrate into the future crop.

Autumn is the time when gardeners are busy restoring the fertility of the land. Everyone has their own approach, but the goal is the same: everyone…

In nature, everything is arranged differently

Under natural conditions, the process of enzymatic decomposition of organic substances occurs differently. The catalyst is the remains of leaves and grass. They are compared to natural mulch. As a result, dangerous decay does not occur. To minimize the risk to your own health and the "health" of the soil, the following recommendations will help:

refuse to use manure;
if this does not work out, then you need to take precautions;
manure is laid out in a thin layer on the site so as not to touch the root system of green spaces;
to a lesser extent, raspberries and currants are susceptible to the negative aspects of manure;
within a few days, the decomposed manure undergoes enzymatic decomposition - a process that will be catalyzed by the microflora contained in the soil;
if the gardener refrains from applying chemicals, then he will have a safe and high-quality humic fertilizer on the site.

Organic mulch is a safe alternative to manure. The choice here is not limited. The only caveat is to use "thick" layers. The recommended thickness is from 4-5 cm and more. As a result, the gardener will receive a good harvest without the risk of developing pathogenic flora.

On a note!

It is forbidden to store manure in a large pile. In any weather, it will become a huge biohazard bomb.

Choosing the right mulch

The focus is on materials of organic origin. The following options are popular:

husk;
husk;
chaff;
leaves;
grass.

The easiest way to find sawdust, which are inexpensive. Skeptics will say that most of the options listed above will increase soil acidity. In fact, it all depends on the method of application. Mulch is laid on the surface of the soil, not buried. The second nuance is that their mushrooms start the oxidation process. They are found in the soil. We can say that oxidation is a natural process.

Immediately after making sawdust or other mulch, worms and microbes will start the “meal”. Biologists have determined that the listed gardening assistants do not care what to “eat”. The only "but" - the end product of the activity of microbes and worms will be dangerous or safe substances. The result depends on the choice of the gardener. Botanists recommend making a choice in favor of processes that occur in natural conditions.

To get strong tomato bushes and a rich harvest, it is advised to use compost. It is a natural fertilizer...

After analyzing the main causes that undermine the health of the soil, you can move on to finding ways to solve the problem:

it is desirable to keep the garden under "tinning" - it is enough to mow everything that grows there once every six months to get high-quality soil;
weeds are removed no more than 1 time every 8 months;
representatives of cereal crops and clover are mowed without regard to the timing;
the grass that has been mowed is left on the site - it will serve as a nutritious diet for beneficial bacteria and worms;
up to 4 small pieces of land are left on the site, on which plants useful for the gardener are located - over time, they will spread the seeds in the surrounding area, which will improve the condition of the soil;
beds of some crops are limited with boards or slate from beds with other crops - a simple piece of advice minimizes the likelihood of stepping on one part of the plantings while processing another.

On a note!

The space between the rows is sprinkled with a 5-centimeter layer of sand or sawdust - it will become easier to move around the garden.

Proper soil care

Gardeners who have excessively loamy soil on the site contribute biocompost. The recommended dosage is 1 kg for every 1m2. Prepare it as follows:

choose a plot of the garden, which is located in the shade;
here they form a biofactory;
mix any organic matter with loamy soil in a ratio of 2 to 1;
500 ml of water are added to the mixture;
make up to 30 worms - choose manure and rain;
the pile is covered with thick oilcloth.

The gardener's task is to keep the biological factory active. It's about adding earth and organic matter. It is brought only from the side, and not from above. As a result, worms and beneficial bacteria will be comfortable throughout the year.

When the vegetables have grown

Active vegetation often leads to accelerated drying of the soil. Here are some practical tips to help slow down the process:

a thick layer of sawdust is poured between the rows - a simple manipulation that will eliminate the need for frequent watering;
several dozen earthworms and meadow soil are collected in the forest;
bring them to the site and lay them out evenly on the site where there is a layer of mulch;
after a few hours, natural gardening helpers will populate the site.

Further work will be taken over by beneficial bacteria and worms. The task of the gardener is not to interfere with them. After 1-2 months, there will be no traces of pathogenic microorganisms on the site. The nature of the way to solve many problems on your own. Healthy soil microflora will be the key to success.

Gardeners who thoughtlessly use agricultural machinery risk destroying the fertile layer. Over-fertilization and frequent digging, improper watering, the use of pesticides are a small part of the factors that lead to sad consequences. Attention to detail will help prevent the development of irreversible changes. As soon as the gardener smells rot or sees traces of mold, action must be taken immediately.

Let's start with the substances used. Humus is a source of problems for green spaces and living beings. It contains an excessive number of pathogens of deadly ailments. The second rule is that they rely on beneficial bacteria and worms. Natural gardening helpers solve many problems faster, without risk to humans. When choosing worms, preference is given to local populations. Imported worms are less effective in restoring soil health. The third rule concerns the use of manure, which is alien to nature. Instead of the mentioned source of "infection", a safe fermentation process is preferred.