What is the composition of the soil. What are the types of soils. The influence of soil acidity indicators on garden plants

There are three main types of soil: clay, loamy, sandy. Loamy is considered ideal for agriculture. Knowing what types of soils exist, their characteristics, properties, advantages, disadvantages, is one of the main conditions for the proper cultivation of vegetables and fruits on your site, as well as increasing their yield.

Soils, at least most, are made up of a combination of three basic constituents: sand, silt, and clay. It all depends on what percentage of clay, sand, silt is present in it. Depending on the size of the particles present in it, it is classified into different types. The soil makes up the top layer of our planet. This is the medium from which plants obtain their nutrients. Below is a classification of soil types, their characteristics.

Soil type: sandy

Advantages:

  • warms up quickly
  • good air condition
  • well absorbs atmospheric precipitation,
  • can be processed.

Flaws:

  • cools down quickly
  • low moisture content
  • ability of subsurface capillary irrigation,
  • manure decomposes very quickly;
  • mineral fertilizers are washed into the deeper layers of the earth,
  • plants need frequent watering.

How to fix:

  • use only cow or pig manure,
  • use mineral fertilizers in small quantities, but often,
  • do not mix decomposed manure or peat with the ground, but lay it out in a layer on the surface.

Soil type: sandy-humus

Advantages:

  • heats up quickly
  • slowly cooling down
  • easy to process
  • good air properties,
  • well absorbs mineral fertilizers,
  • good moisture capacity
  • considered very good for growing vegetables.

Flaws:

  • in dry weather, silty particles are blown out of it, which is very harmful to plants;
  • the surface of the earth dries up quickly.

How to fix:

  • use only manure, apply mineral fertilizers in small quantities, but often;
  • decomposed manure or peat should not be brought into the ground, but laid out in a layer on the surface.

Soil type: sandy loam (medium cohesive)

Advantages:

  • moisture capacity and subsoil irrigation ability are good,>
  • mineral, organic fertilizers are used by plants to the full extent.

Flaws:

  • heats up more slowly than sandy-humus;
  • low moisture content.

How to fix:

  • it is better to use cow or horse dung;>
  • mulching is very important to limit water loss through capillary evaporation.

Soil type: loamy (medium cohesive)

Advantages:

  • suitable for almost any vegetable,
  • moisture capacity and subsoil irrigation ability are good,
  • sufficient aeration,
  • manure is well used.

Flaws:

  • if regular application of humus is ensured, no significant shortcomings are noted.

How to fix:

  • mulching is recommended, which saves labor on watering, loosening;
  • for liming it is better to use slaked lime.

Soil type: clay

Advantages:

  • water holding capacity and subsoil irrigation ability are very good,
  • mineral fertilizers are washed out of the earth insignificantly,
  • manure is used very well,
  • with a high content of humus, this is the best garden soil.

Flaws:

  • poor aeration,
  • tendency to form a crust on the surface,
  • warms up rather slowly in spring,
  • difficult to handle
  • requires intensive loosening.

How to fix:

  • mulching can limit the tendency to form a crust, which improves aeration;
  • manure is best used horse,
  • regular application of quicklime also improves aeration.

Soil type: peat

Advantages:

  • absorbs water very well
  • especially suitable for plants growing on peatlands;
  • mineral fertilizers are not washed out of it,
  • the use of manure is unnecessary.

Flaws:

  • most often sour
  • poorly ventilated,
  • often very cold, especially with clay subsoil.

How to fix:

  • dig or plow a shovel into three bayonets to improve the structure of the subsoil layers;
  • abundantly lime,
  • add coarse sand to the top of the earth.

Thus, any soil can become suitable for growing horticultural crops. Within 10-15 years of intensive cultivation, the introduction of humus, liming, the correct alternation of crops, the earth will completely lose its original properties, acquire the characteristics necessary for growing horticultural crops.

The type of soil in a garden plot can be determined relatively accurately using the "finger method" (manually) according to the following scheme.

Scheme for determining the type of soil "finger method" in the field

Step 1. Try rolling it by hand into a pencil-thick sausage...

  • if it does not roll, then it belongs to the “sands” group,
  • if it rolls down, then it belongs to the “sandy loam and clay” groups.

Step 2 Viscosity test with thumb and forefinger:

  • if not viscous, i.e. does not smudge between fingers - go to step 3;
  • if viscous, i.e. smeared between the fingers, it contains 14-18% clay and belongs to the type: loamy sandstone.

Step 3 Rubbing the soil in the palm of your hand:

  • if nothing remains on the lines of the palms, then it contains 0-9% clay and belongs to the type: sand;
  • if traces of it remain on the lines of the palms, then it contains 10-13% clay and belongs to the type: slightly loamy sandstone.

Step 4 An attempt to roll the soil by hand into a sausage half a pencil thick:

  • if it does not roll, then it contains 19-24% clay and belongs to the type: strongly sandy loam;
  • if it rolls, then go to step 5.

Step 5 Rub the sample with thumb and forefinger near the ear:

  • if a strong crunch is heard, then the soil contains 25-30% clay and belongs to the type: sandy loam;
  • if there is little or no crackling, go to step 6.

Step 6 Evaluation of slip when crushing the sample with fingers:

  • if the sliding surface is matte, then it contains 30-44% clay and belongs to the type: loam
  • if the surface is shiny, go to step 7.

Step 7 Soil testing with teeth:

  • if it crunches on the teeth, then it contains 45-65% clay and belongs to the type: loamy clay
  • if there is no crunch, and the soil has an oily consistency, then it contains more than 65% clay and belongs to the type: clay.

The "finger method" is a method that is used for analysis not only in garden plots, but also in laboratories. For a more accurate analysis, screening and analysis of the silt fraction is carried out.

Every gardener is interested in getting sustainable crops. Good for someone who has already mastered the ABC of agriculture. What if it's the first time you've got land? Watch the video. It will help to solve many soil problems not only for novice gardeners and gardeners.

How to improve the soil on your site, increase fertility, if the type is loam or loamy clay? Such soil needs to be cultivated.

To do this, you can use manure, compost, humus, sawdust, chopped bark. But be patient, it will take a lot of time, more than one year.

If heavy soils are not flooded by groundwater, the cultivation process consists in a gradual increase in the thickness of the arable layer due to the underlying layers and the addition of organic and mineral fertilizers.

The addition of sawdust or shredded bark to heavy soils requires the application of nitrogen fertilizers, as the decomposition of these materials occurs under the influence of microorganisms that absorb nitrogen. It is good to bring in sawdust not fresh, but lain in a heap for one or two years. Better yet, run them through the compost heap.

Clay soils have a good absorbing complex, that is, they contain a sufficient amount of nutrients in their composition. In terms of fertility, they are better than light, sandy loamy ones. On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, there are all types of soils characteristic of the European part of Russia, ranging from the primitive high-mountain soils of the Caucasus Mountains to the most fertile heavy-duty chernozems of the Azov-Kuban lowland. These are soils of plain steppes (chernozems), foothill forest-steppe (gray forest-steppe), foothills and mountains (gray forest, brown forest, podzolic-brown forest, sod-calcareous, brown, meadow-forest gray, mountain meadow), soils of steppe depressions, river deltas and valleys (meadow-chernozem, meadow, meadow-marsh, alluvial), saline (salt marshes, solonetzes, solods), soils of rice fields (rice), humid subtropics of the Black Sea coast (yellow soils).

Type is the main unit of soil classification. It is allocated in accordance with the profile of the earth. V. V. Dokuchaev in 1886 for the first time classified types.

Soils that arose during the cultivation of areas that were not previously suitable for the development of agriculture belong to a special group.

Some species do not form groups (zones), they are found in separate areas within the zones. This is largely due to the characteristics of rocks, moisture, and terrain.

The most common are zonal soil types. They (together with vegetation and other elements of the landscape) form natural areas.

Soil types

  1. Swamp lands. formed with prolonged or excessive constant moisture (bogging). As a rule, they are formed in the forest areas of temperate zones.
  2. Brown forest. These types of soils are mainly found in areas with a warm temperate humid climate.
  3. Brown semi-desert, desert-steppe. These types of soils are formed in areas with a dry climate, in the temperate zone, under desert-steppe plant species.
  4. Mountain. They are a group that forms in a mountainous area. Almost all types of soils included in this category are distinguished by gravelly, insignificant power and the presence of primary minerals.
  5. Chestnut. Distributed in semi-deserts and steppes of the temperate zone.
  6. Meadow soils form under meadow plant species, in areas of high surface moisture, or in areas subject to continuous groundwater exposure.
  7. Salted. Distributed in arid areas with a high concentration (more than 0.25%) of mineral salts, easily soluble in water - magnesium, calcium, chloride carbonates.
  8. are formed in mixed forests and taiga, in temperate continental and continental climates. They experience excessive moisture and are constantly washed by seeping water.
  9. Serozems are common in the subtropical zone.
  10. Merged soils are formed in the subtropical, tropical, in their profile they have a merged horizon, which strongly swells and acquires high plasticity when wet, remains hard and dense when dry.
  11. Tundra. They make up a combination of soils of the Northern Hemisphere, its tundra zone. This category includes tundra humus-carbonate, soddy, podzolic and other soils.
  12. Chernozems. These soils are common in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the temperate zone.

An important indicator in the classification of soil is its composition.

Light - sandy - soils include a large amount of sand, a small proportion of humus, a small amount of clay particles. Soils of higher density are classified as heavy - clay soils. They do not crumble during processing, on the contrary, they form large lumps, which makes digging very difficult.

Stony soils are common on the slopes of mountains or hills and are not very fertile. Most of them are

The basis is mostly organic matter. They are rich in nitrogen, contain little potassium and a very small amount of phosphorus. However, there are also peat vivianite soils, in which, on the contrary, a high concentration of phosphorus is noted.

Sandy loamy soils are endowed with many of the properties of sandy soils with a more balanced ratio of components; they belong to an intermediate variety. These soils are considered favorable in all respects for the cultivation of plants.

The soil- the surface layer of the Earth, which has fertility.

This is a loose surface layer of land, the formation of which took place over a long time in the process of interaction between the mother, plants, animals, microorganisms, and.

For the first time, the soil layer was distinguished from other parts as a “special natural-historical body” by the Russian scientist V.V. , it was he who established that the main types of soils on the globe are located. Soil types are distinguished on the basis of their fertility, mechanical composition and structure, etc.

The main types of soils in Russia

Tundra-gley - thin, contain little humus, waterlogged, contain little oxygen. Distributed in the north.

Podzolic and sod-podzolic soils are poor in humus and mineral elements, since they carry nutrients from the upper layer, and it acquires the color of ash (hence the name of the soil). They occupy more than half of the country. Podzolic are formed under coniferous, sod-podzolic under mixed.

Gray forest soils form under deciduous forests and are quite fertile. Large vegetation decline and less intense leaching in this natural area contributes to the accumulation of humus.

Chernozems are the most fertile soils. A lot of humus accumulates from the remains of vegetation, the thickness of the humus horizon reaches 60 - 100 cm. Less than 10% of the country's territory is occupied. Distributed in the zone and.

In drier climates, chestnut soils form. The content of humus in them is less, as the vegetation cover becomes sparse.

Only 13% of the country's land area is used for gardens, hayfields, pastures and arable land. Most of them are located in the south of the country. The most fertile soils are used for arable land - chernozems, gray forest and dark chestnut soils. Accordingly, the main agricultural zone of the country is located in the zone of mixed forests,. Podzolic and chestnut soils are used for pastures and hayfields.

As a result of the economic activity of people - the construction of roads, industrial enterprises, there is a constant decrease in arable land. At the present stage, the main task is the rational use of arable land and increasing their productivity.

The set of organizational, economic and technical measures aimed at radically improving soils and increasing their productivity is called. The main types of land reclamation are: control, irrigation, drainage,.

The natural enemies of the soil are wind and water erosion, which occurs under the influence of rain and melt water,. The soil also suffers most severely as a result of inept human activities. Improper plowing of the land and excessive grazing also contribute to the development of soil erosion.

To combat water erosion, plowing and sowing across the slope, deep plowing, creating forest protection belts, and strengthening slopes and beams are used. Against wind erosion - non-moldboard tillage. The drainage of wetlands and irrigation of arid lands, the fight against salinization, the application of fertilizers, scientifically based crop rotation are also used.

Land reclamation and reclamation measures constitute measures for the protection of soil resources.

For a gardener and gardener, the most important factor is the quality of the land on his site.

The different types have the following characteristics:

  • structure;
  • ability to pass air;
  • hygroscopicity;
  • heat capacity;
  • density;
  • acidity;
  • saturation with micro and macro elements, organic matter.
For a practicing gardener, knowledge of the types of soil and their characteristics will allow you to choose the right crops for cultivation on a personal plot, select and optimally plan agrotechnological processes.

clayey



This is a land with a high density, a weakly expressed structure, contains up to 80% clay, slightly warms up and releases water. Poorly passes air, which slows down decomposition in it. When wet, it is slippery, sticky, plastic. From it you can roll a bar 15-18 cm long, which is then easily rolled into a ring without cracks. Clay soils are usually acidic. It is possible to improve the agrotechnical indicators of clay soil in stages, over several seasons.

Important! For better heating of the beds in clay areas, they are formed high enough, the seeds are buried less into the ground. In autumn, before the onset of frost, they dig up the earth, do not break the lumps.

Optimize such soils by introducing:
  • lime to reduce acidity and improve aeration - 0.3-0.4 kg per sq. m, is brought in the autumn period;
  • sand for better moisture exchange, no more than 40 kg / square meter;
  • to reduce density, increase friability;
  • to saturate with minerals;
  • for replenishing organic matter, 1.5-2 buckets per sq. m per year.
Peat and ash are brought in without restrictions.

This type of soil must be carefully loosened and mulched. and with a developed root system grow quite well on clay soils.

Did you know? Red grapes of technical grade« Merlot» grows well on clay-pebble soils of Pomerol, the smallest wine region in France, province of Bordeaux.

loamy



Outwardly similar to clay, but with the best characteristics for agriculture. Loam, if you want to visualize what it is, is soil, which can also be rolled into a sausage when wet and bent into a ring. A sample of loamy soil holds its shape, but will crack. The color of loam depends on impurities and can be black, gray, brown, red and yellow.

Due to neutral acidity, balanced composition (clay - 10-30%, sand and other impurities - 60-90%), loam is quite fertile and versatile, suitable for growing almost all crops. The structure of the soil is distinguished by a fine-grained structure, which allows it to remain loose and pass air well. Thanks to clay impurities, loam retains water for a long time.

To maintain the fertility of loams, perform:

  • fertilizing crops with fertilizers;
  • manure application for autumn digging.

Sandy



Light, loose, loose sandy soil contains a high percentage of sand, does not retain moisture and nutrients.

The positive properties of sandstones include high air permeability and rapid heating. Grows well on this kind of soil.

  • and berry trees;
  • plants of the gourd family.
To increase the yield under crops, they also apply

Sandstone can be cultivated by adding additives that increase viscosity:


Sideration improves the mechanical structure and saturates it with organic and mineral substances.

To save resources, there is another method of organizing beds - a clay castle.

In place of the beds, a layer of clay 5-6 cm is poured, on top of which a layer of fertile soil is applied - loam, black soil, sandy loam soil, into which plants are sown. The clay layer will retain moisture and nutrients. If there is no fertile soil to fill the beds, it can be replaced with improved sandstone mixed with additives for viscosity and fertility.

sandy loam



To determine this type of soil, we also try to mold a bagel from wet earth. Sandy loamy soil will roll into a ball, but it will not be possible to roll it into a bar. The content of sand in it is up to 90%, clay up to 20%. Another example of what kind of soils are that do not require costly and long cultivation. The substrate is light, warms up quickly, retains heat, moisture and organic matter well, and is quite easily processed.

It is necessary to choose zoned plant varieties for planting and maintain fertility:

  • dosed application of mineral and organic fertilizers;
  • mulching and sideration.

Lime



Soils of this type can be light and heavy, their disadvantages are:

  • poverty - low levels of nutrients;
  • low acidity;
  • rockiness;
  • fast drying.
Improve the following soil:
  • making
  • enrichment with ammonium sulfate and to increase acidity;
  • mulching;
  • sideration;
  • application of organic fertilizers.
To retain moisture, calcareous soils must be loosened regularly.

Peat



Soil type is important for plant growth for several reasons. Soil provides plant roots with nutrients, water and air. The soil also serves to securely hold the plant.

The type of soil prevailing in your area determines the choice of crops, their placement, and ultimately the yield. Depending on the type of soil, it is necessary to plan the application of fertilizers.

Soil composition

Soil contains three minerals: sand, silt and clay.. The largest are sand particles, medium sized silt particles, and the smallest clay particles. In addition, the soil contains organic elements, water and air.

An ideal soil is 45 percent mineral (sand, silt, and clay), five percent organic material (humus, plant debris, soil organisms), 25 percent water, and 25 percent air.

The type of soil is determined by the composition of its mineral part. Based on this, four main types of it are distinguished: loamy, clayey, sandy and silty.

loamy soils

They are considered the best soils as most plants grow well in them. In the composition of loamy soils, an equal ratio of sand, silt and clay, which is considered an ideal ratio. These soils are brown in color and crumbly to the touch. Loams are well-drained, they rarely become waterlogged, and at the same time they do not dry out in summer. Easily dug up and processed. Loams are rich in nutrients.

sandy soils

With a predominant amount of sand. They are considered rough and too loose. The color is light brown, easily dug up. However, such soils do not retain moisture well, because they have a high air content. Therefore, they require constant abundant watering. At the same time, with an excess of moisture, sandy soils are quickly saturated with water, and puddles form on them, which is also not good. Because of this, the content of nutrients in sandy soils is extremely low, as they are quickly washed out of it. This problem can be partially solved by applying organic fertilizers to sandy soil. Sandy soils quickly warm up in the spring, which makes it possible to carry out early sowing on them.

Clay soils

Dense, with a predominance of clay. Sticky to the touch, easy to form into a ball. The nutrient content is quite high, so plants that are suitable for such conditions grow well in clay soils. However, there are a number of problems. In hot summer, clay soils often dry out, and their surface is covered with a cracked crust, which prevents moisture and air from reaching the roots of plants. During periods that are too wet, clay soils can accumulate excessive moisture and become waterlogged as they become waterlogged. do not pass water well. Such soils are difficult to cultivate. It is possible to improve the quality of clay soils by adding sand and organic fertilizers to them - rotted manure, compost, etc.

Silty soils

With a predominance of silt. To the touch fine-grained, silky, very crumbly. When wet, muddy soils cannot be molded into a ball, but a sausage can be rolled up. Silty soils can accumulate moisture well, but do not become waterlogged. The air content in such soils is higher than in clay soils, but less than in sandy ones.

Based on the percentage of substances, there may be options - sandy loam, sandy loam, silty loam, etc.

It happens that the soil contains a large amount of other mineral impurities. Based on this, two additional types of soil are distinguished: peat and calcareous.

Differ in high acidity, but are suitable for cultivation of the majority of cultures. Plants grow well in peat soils if they adapt to acidic conditions. The color is almost black, easily dug up, spongy to the touch. Water in peat soil does not accumulate and they often remain dry in summer. Therefore, regular watering and mulching is necessary.

They are less common than others. Fine soil with pieces of white limestone or flint. Water retention is extremely poor, so they require plentiful regular watering. In processing it is not convenient due to the presence of hard limestone stones. Lime soils are always alkaline, so the list of plants that can grow on them is limited.

conclusions

Most crops prefer fertile, well-drained loamy soils. If the land on your site is different, remember that the properties of any soil. Regularly apply the missing substances, organic fertilizers in the right amount, and you will certainly be with the harvest.

To find out what type of soil prevails in your area, it is best to contact the experts. You will be helped to find out not only the type of soil by the content of minerals, but also the presence of useful microelements in it - phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and others.

If this is not possible, then you can independently find out what kind of soil in your garden is sandy, clay or other. More about it.

We hope this information will help you learn more about soil types, which in turn will help you get good yields.

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