How to determine what kind of soil is on the site - we dig and study. What types of soils exist

You can do a soil analysis at home without special knowledge and instruments. So, to determine the composition of the soil, five tablespoons of the prototype are enough. Organic remains and stones must be carefully selected from it, then poured with water.

After that, you need to close the jar and shake the contents well - for several minutes. Let the container stand still for up to a week, while noting the levels of sediment that has appeared.

First, sand will fall out, later - dust, after 5-7 days - clay. The humus does not settle, but remains floating in the liquid, turning it brown. Now, using a ruler, you can find out the relative amount of the main components of the soil.

You can also try to make a ring 2 mm in diameter from a “sausage” 2 mm thick from moist earth. If a:

• it turned out a strong and smooth ringlet - this is clay;
• it was not possible to roll up the “sausage” - the soil is sandy;
• the ring is strong and the ends stuck together, only the “sausage” cracked a little - heavy loam;
• the ring is strong, but breaks up in some places - medium loamy soil;
• The "sausage" is rolled up, but falls apart when you try to roll it into a ring - sandy loamy soil.

How acidic is the soil

Available at gardening stores special sets to determine the acidity of the soil at home and field conditions, so it will not be difficult to make an independent analysis.

Soil acidity - important indicator when choosing garden and horticultural crops, top dressing for beds and flower beds. Paper indicator strips will help you easily determine the pH value according to the color of the scale.

For the experiment, you will need to lower a linen bag with a soil sample into the water (water and earth at a rate of 5: 1). After 5 minutes, lower the indicator into the liquid. At pH 7, the soil is neutral, above seven - alkaline, below - acidic.

Does the soil breathe well?

It is very important to find out the aeration of the soil, since good gas exchange is necessary for the normal development of plants. The soil "breathes" due to the pores, but if they are filled with water, the penetration of oxygen stops. Usually problem areas on a personal plot are heavy clay islands, layers, inclusions.

The amount of air is indicated by the color of the clay soil:

• gray - oxygen deficiency;
• reddish - oxygen is present.

Is the soil wet

If you dig a hole in your backyard and it fills with moisture, it means that groundwater is close. When growing plants, it is very important to know how moisture-loving they are and what are the hydrological features of the land in the country.

Plants themselves help to guess the degree of soil moisture, which feel great on one or another piece of soil. So, wild rosemary, cinquefoil, snake mountaineer, blueberry, meadow geranium love very moist soil. Moderately wet - stone berry, lingonberry, cornflower and meadow clover, and dry - bearberry, stonecrop, feather grass.

How fertile is the soil

Careful observations of different land plots in the country will help determine the degree of their fertility. Certain conclusions can be drawn from the following features.

1. The more earthworms in the earth, the more fertile it is.
2. Weeds such as white clover, chamomile, and daisy often grow on depleted soils.
3. Bushes of yellow dyer's gorse, sundew and cat's paws feel great on barren land.
4. Horsetails and creeping buttercups, stubbornly growing on the ground, are a sign of heavy, loose, waterlogged soil.
5. Fireweed, raspberries, celandine, woodlice and nettles are very fond of fertile soil saturated with nitrogen.

Depleted land and too much fertilizer are equally harmful to horticultural crops, so an annual soil test will help give it exactly what it needs and get. good harvest.

"There is no bad land, there are bad owners." This is exactly what our ancestors have long argued, trying to get abundant harvests on infertile soils.

If you have purchased country cottage area recently, you still probably don’t know what type of soil prevails on it. How do you know - are you lucky, and all crops will grow without any extra effort on your part, or will you have to replace and endlessly fertilize the fertile layer in order to achieve at least a minimal yield? Usually land plots are evaluated from two positions:

• overall assessment geographical location, topographic features of the area and the flora prevailing on it;
• soil factors: composition, acidity and level of occurrence ground water. In the article, we will pay attention to the second position and learn how to improve the soil on the site.

How to determine the mechanical composition of the soil

If you often took clods of earth from different places in your hand, you noticed that the soil different density, friability, moisture, stickiness, ability to hold a shape, etc. The composition and "character" of the soil largely depends on the ratio of sand, clay, silt, dust and small stones in it. This is called mechanical composition of the soil. To determine it, you do not need to use any sophisticated equipment or contact the laboratory for analysis. All it takes is to follow a few simple steps:

1. take a handful of earth;
2. moisten it with a little water;
3. knead with your hands until the dough is thick;
4. make a ball no larger than a walnut;
5. if you succeeded in completing the previous paragraph, roll out a "sausage" from it;
6. roll the "cord" into a ring;
7. compare the result with the table data.

The yield depends on 70-80% depends on the quality and condition of the soil

If loamy soil prevails on the site, then the owner is lucky - it requires minimal intervention, has good air and moisture capacity, and is also easily crushed. It does not need to be dug up often, you only need to periodically fertilize. Loamy soil is suitable for all kinds of plants. But the owners of sandy or clay soils you need to work on improving them, and we will tell you how to do it.

sandy soil

Sandy soils predominate in many areas. They possess good water permeability, i.e. they quickly pass moisture through themselves, but almost do not retain it. In the spring such soils warm up quickly that allows you to grow vegetables early varieties. However, sandy soil dries out faster and contributes to the rapid decomposition of humus, which negatively affects fertility.

How to improve sandy soil

If you are dominated by sandy soils, then get ready for the fact that they will need to be constantly looked after:

• in order not to disturb the already unstable structure of sandy soils, they need to be dug up only once a year autumn period;
• watering the sandy loam should be frequent and little by little, regularly wetting the root layer;
• sandy soils need a huge amount organic fertilizers- up to 700 kg per 1 weave. Give preference to manure or compost with high content peat and manure;
• use green manures such as peas, lupins, beans and sweet pea. After the growth of green mass (before flowering), green manure plants must be mowed and planted in the soil in the beds, as well as in trunk circles trees.

The main sign of improving the composition of the sand composition are earthworms.

What fertilizers are suitable for sandy soils

For cultivation cultivated plants use nitrogen and potash fertilizers (spring) and phosphate rock (autumn), embedding them to a depth of 20-25 cm. Apply them no more than 1 time per year. Magnesium, the deficiency of which is observed in sandy loam, is replenished by adding dolomite flour (200-400 g per 1 sq.m.).

More radical method the "transformation" of the soil and its transformation into loamy or sandy loam is considered. To do this, the top layer is replaced with clay, black soil or sod land river floodplains (up to 50 kg per sq.m).

clay soil

Not very lucky with the site and those who are dominated by heavy and unsuitable for growing clay. Such soils wet and cold, in the spring they thaw worse and are warming up. Precipitation and almost melting snow do not penetrate into the lower layers, stagnating on the surface in the form of puddles. As a result, the roots do not receive oxygen and die.

With deep digging of such areas, heavy loam gets to the surface. If this matches with lingering rains, it will be very difficult for plants to get oxygen and moisture from upper layers soil. It is also impossible to cultivate wet soil - this will only eliminate voids and compact it. It is better to take care of the organization of the drain.

How to improve clay soil

Clay soil is very difficult to modify, and the main measures are as follows:

• add washed or river sand to the soil at the rate of 15-30 kg per 1 sq.m. Also improve the composition clay soil manure, peat, compost, humus at the rate of 800 kg per 1 weave (frequency of application - 1 time in five years). For heavy loams, up to 300 kg of fertilizers are required annually;
• the most effective top dressing- These are granular superphosphate and potash fertilizers. Also, other fertilizers can be applied 2 times a year - ash in the fall, and any nitrogen compounds in the spring. Fertilizers close up to a depth of 10-15 cm;
• carry out liming at the rate of 400-600 g per 1 sq.m no more than 1 time per year.

Most vegetables, many flower crops, especially bulbs and annuals, and strawberries grow best on light loam.

Plant starvation - signs of micronutrient deficiency

It is not always possible to detailed analysis soil conditions, but often the plants themselves suggest what they lack. Signs of a lack of macro- and microelements are reflected primarily in appearance plants.

• Lack of nitrogen. Leaves turn pale green and stunted.
• Phosphorus starvation manifested in the shrinking of flowers and shortening of the stems. The leaves turn purple-red or purple and soon fall off.
• Potassium deficiency leads to the "burning out" of the leaves, their lightening, then to the death of the edges and the stiffness of the shoots.
• Copper shortage causes leaf chlorosis, tillering of shoots (their formation near the ground in in large numbers), the death of shoots and the reduction of fruiting.
• Boron deficiency It manifests itself in the fact that young leaves turn pale, internodes shorten, and the apical bud and roots gradually die off.

Plants do best in sandy and loamy soils. However, even these types of soil need fertilization.

Soil acidity - what to look for

The mechanical composition of the soil is an important, but not the only characteristic of the soil. The reaction of the soil environment, or the level of acidity, also affects the growth and yield of country crops. Soils are sour, neutral and alkaline. The level of soil acidity is determined using test kits consisting of indicator sticks that measure the reaction of the soil environment.

The optimal soil for most cultivated plants has a neutral reaction with a pH level of 6.5-7.

Adjust acidity if the pH is below 5 (acidic soil) or above 7.5 (alkaline soil). On soils with such indicators, plants develop poorly, their immunity is weakened, root system often sick and dry, and diseases and pests attack plants with a vengeance.

You need to measure the acidity level at least once a season.

For acid soil neutralization use:

• lime;
• dolomite flour;
• ordinary ash.

For elimination of the alkaline environment plaster is used.

The application rates of substances range from 100 to 300 g per 1 sq.m, depending on the pH values.

Neutralizer for soil contribute autumn or spring when digging it, removing all vegetation from the surface. The substance is scattered thin layer on the surface and dig up, closing it to a depth of 25-30 cm. After that, the soil reaction changes and reaches the desired level within 4-5 years.

What is the use of green manure

One of universal ways increasing soil fertility is the use of green manure. The benefits of green fertilizers are as follows:

• they are environmentally friendly and unpretentious to the growing conditions;
• green manure contribute to the flow of nutrients from the lower layers of the soil to the upper;
• additionally loosen the soil;
• inhibit the development of pathogenic microorganisms;
• prevent the growth of weeds.

The most common and effective green manure:

• peas;
• mustard;
• buckwheat;
• sweet clover;
• lupine;
• alfalfa;
• oats;
• rape;
• radish;
• rye.

Clover can be used in the aisles of horticultural crops, where it grows without oversowing for 2-3 years

Siderates are grown from the beginning of spring until late autumn on pre-designated beds or scattered among vegetables and herbs. spring green manure sown beds before planting the main crops. Growing up, they shade young shoots from scorching sun, and then serve as mulch and environmentally friendly fertilizer. Summer green manure is sown on the vacated beds, and autumn or in early winter winter rye and oats are sown. In the spring they are plowed into the soil 3-4 weeks before planting the main cultivated plants.

Loosening - the final stage of all work

After completion of all activities, the soil must be loosened. This simple agricultural technique provides air access to the roots of plants, promotes the penetration of moisture into the soil, normalizes temperature regime soil and accelerates the decomposition of nutrients in it and their transformation into a form easily digestible for plants.

Loosening inhibits the growth of weeds and saturates the upper layers of the soil with oxygen

Loosening is carried out with a pitchfork or cultivator to a depth of 25 cm, and during the season several times renew the surface layer to a depth of 10-15 cm. After heavy rain or stagnant water, destroy the crust formed on the surface. Loosening is especially effective during prolonged drought, since then the moisture "stuck" in the lower layers of the soil evaporates and simultaneously saturates the roots with moisture.

"Good land gives more" - with folk wisdom hard to disagree. And in order to "appease" the earth, you need to follow a few simple recommendations, follow physical characteristics and the level of soil acidity and respond in a timely manner to the "SOS signals" sent by plants.

How to find out what kind of soil

Then pay attention to what kind of vegetation is on the site you have chosen for the garden. The presence of a noticeable amount of burdock, dandelion, celandine, quinoa or nettle is also good sign because these herbs love fertile soils. Her admirers also include trees and shrubs such as linden, chestnut, birch and bird cherry. If there is a young, but noticeable and healthy growth of these trees on the site, then everything is fine.

Sorrel, horsetail, spurge, veronica, mint, ranunculus and plantain grow on predominantly sandy, acidic gray soils. The humus layer here is too thin and vulnerable, so the plants will need serious and constant feeding. This is also indicated by coniferous trees and all types of heather.

Of course, you can use ordinary litmus paper, if you can buy it somewhere. Such soil will need to be heavily fertilized and measures taken to reduce its acidity by liming. Although there are vegetable crops, berries and greens that grow best on such soils. These are strawberries, blueberries, chicory, sorrel, potatoes. Carrots, turnips, radishes, pumpkins and tomatoes are also very tolerant of moderate acidity.

At the same time, good slightly acidic and neutral soils are found under nettles, field bindweed and red clover. The same soils, but already with average fertility, are usually overgrown with wheatgrass, daisies, coltsfoot. This soil is preferred by the vast majority of other common vegetable crops.

How to determine the acidity of the soil yourself on your site

Very often, novice farmers are wondering how to determine the acidity of the soil on their own. The easiest way, which does not require any investments, is observation and the necessary stock of knowledge. So, plants growing on soils with hyperacidity receive insufficient nutrients. This affects the condition of the leaves and trunk.

For example, consider beetroot, which prefers an alkaline environment. If its leaves are green and the petioles are red, then it grows on neutral ground. With the appearance of weak red veins on the leaves, it can be said that the soil is slightly acidic. And if the tops turn red, the soil has an acidic reaction.

How to determine the acidity of the soil using chalk?

By purchasing land plot, each owner plans to seriously and for a long time to engage in the cultivation of cultivated plants. First you need to determine the acidity of the soil. On your own garden plot even a beginner can handle it, and he will do it with minimal cost. Do you want to know how? To do this, you can use chalk, which is sure to be found in every home. First you need to prepare a glass bottle and put a handful of earth in it. Then add five tablespoons warm water. Then add crushed chalk - one teaspoon is enough. Next, the neck of the bottle must be closed with a rubber fingertip.

It remains only to vigorously shake the bottle with all the contents so that the ingredients mix well. If the fingertip begins to straighten, it means that a chemical reaction is taking place between the acid in the soil and the chalk, which is alkali. This means that the soil in your area is acidic.

Determination of soil acidity using red cabbage

The leaves of this vegetable have the ability to change their color depending on the environment in which they are located: alkaline or acidic. The response check is done like this. Cabbage is cut into thin strips, which are placed in a saucepan, poured with water and boiled for thirty minutes from the moment of boiling.

Simple White paper cut into ten-centimeter strips (lengthwise). Their width is one centimeter. When the solution has cooled, it should be filtered. Then the prepared paper is lowered into it for five minutes. When the strips are saturated with liquid, they are taken out and placed on a wire rack to dry completely. We got homemade indicators. Now the determination of soil acidity independently on the site can be carried out with their help.

You need to take one part of the earth and three water. Mix everything well and insist for half an hour. Strain the solution and drip onto a homemade indicator. If its color has not changed, the soil in your area is neutral. Pink color stripes indicate slightly acidic soil, and red indicates very acidic soil.

What kind of soil do different plants prefer?

For growth different cultures soil with a certain reaction to acidity is needed. So, neutral land is preferred by such plants as coltsfoot, bindweed, clover. From vegetable crops - cabbage, beets, onions, garlic.

Slightly acidic soils provide a good harvest of cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, radishes, peas, potatoes, radishes. They are ideal for roses, daisies, chrysanthemums.

Acidic soil fully provides nutrients to tomatoes, pumpkin, carrots, sorrel, parsley.

What determines soil acidity?

Many plants prefer to be planted in neutral soil. They grow better in it. The acidity depends on the limestone contained in the soil. If it is not enough, it will be sour. And in it, plants absorb the nutrients necessary for growth much worse. nutrients. When fertilizing, the efficiency will not meet your expectations. In such a land, plants develop poorly, experience starvation. As a result, the yield decreases, and the quality of the product leaves much to be desired.

It is better to lime the soil in the autumn spring period. Lime is carefully crushed. Its grains should not exceed one millimeter in diameter. Otherwise, the lime effect will decrease. The prepared crushed rock should be scattered over the beds, dug carefully and evenly to a depth of 20 centimeters. If the lime is unevenly distributed over the area, it can kill the plants. You can acidify the soil by watering it with a solution, for the preparation of which potassium permanganate is dissolved in water.

How to know and measure soil acidity

About quality Soils says not only her fertility. Its acid (or pH) reaction is also important. Before planting plants, it is worth doing a soil analysis and, if necessary, replacing or improving it.

Most plants grow best in slightly acidic and neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0). With this level of acidity, beneficial microorganisms develop, and minerals are easily available for the root system of plants. In too acidic soil beneficial bacteria die and develop mold fungus; many minerals create water-insoluble chemical compounds.

Some plants prefer neutral or calcareous soil (pH 7.0-8.0). But they, as a rule, are unpretentious and also develop well in soils with a pH level of 6.0-7.0. Plants that prefer an acidic environment are more demanding. In unsuitable soils in terms of acidity, they grow poorly and turn yellow. Acidic (pH 5.0-6.0) soils need hydrangeas and magnolias, and strongly acidic (pH 4.0-5.0) - azaleas, lingonberries, wintergreen, kalmia, pieris, rhododendrons, heather and erica.

How to take a soil sample?

In a garden of 500 m2, you need to dig in different places 10-15 holes and take a soil sample from each.

Attention! It is impossible to take for analysis freshly fertilized, contaminated (for example with lime) soil, as well as from places where compost or building materials were stored. The results of such an analysis will be incorrect.

How to change the pH?

You can lower the pH level (make the soil more acidic) by adding acidic peat to it. Plants that prefer acidic soil are best planted in holes filled with a mixture of acidic peat that decomposes. pine bark and garden soil(in a ratio of 1:1:1) or acid peat and garden soil (in a ratio of 1:1). You can raise the pH level (make the soil calcareous) by adding ground chalk, lime-magnesium fertilizers or wood ash. Liming should be repeated every three to four years, as over time the amount of calcium in the soil decreases (it is consumed by plants; it is washed out by water).

Attention! When starting to lime the soil, make sure that it will benefit all plants.

HOW TO MEASURE PH?

This can be done with Using a chemical field acid meter. A pinch of soil should be put into a recess in the plate or into a test tube (depending on the type of acid meter), add chemicals, mix thoroughly, and after a minute, compare the color of the solution with the scale and determine the pH level.

Electronic acid meter. Deepen the metal tip of the acid meter into the ground (install the device vertically).

Helpful hint to keep in mind:

How to neutralize the alkaline reaction of saline soil?

In the southern regions of the country, gypsum is used on saline soils. To improve the condition of the upper 20 cm layer of earth, 20-30 kg of gypsum is applied per 100 m2, depending on the level or degree of salinity.

You can not only add gypsum - calcium chloride or phosphogypsum will do for this purpose. After application, water the area to displace sodium from the top layer of the earth.

Plants are calciphiles and acidophiles

Common mistake: when choosing an assortment, soil acidity is not taken into account

calciphiles

Plants that prefer alkaline soils are called calcephiles. This means that the pH level must be greater than 7. When planted in the garden, such plants gratefully respond to liming. Among the well-known trees and shrubs, these are plants such as bean, forsythia, lavender. Put dolomite flour under the bush, gently loosening the soil.

Of the perennials, calcareous soils are loved: adonis, Italian aster, Iberis, some types of geraniums, hyssop, catnip, rejuvenated, hellebore, thyme, sage, etc.

acidophiles

Plants that grow well in acidic soils (pH less than 6) are called acidophiles. Among the shrubs, these are rhododendrons, heathers, ericas, hydrangeas, etc. Of the perennials, one can name gravel, some types of anemone, dicenter, forest poppy, ozhika, pachysandra, Kamchatka hazel grouse, forest poppy, tiarka.

You can increase the acidity of soils by regularly applying manure, peat or compost, as well as acidic fertilizers: superphosphate, various sulfates and nitrogenous - ammonium sulphate. Test the acidity level first with litmus paper or special device soil pH measurements.

Soil acidity in your area how to determine and reduce

Soil acidity in your area: how to determine and reduce?

It turns out that where potatoes feel pretty good, you can not get a crop of tomatoes, celery, beets, cabbage, onions and many other vegetables at all.

What is dangerous acidic soil in the garden

Increased soil acidity inhibits the growth and development of plants. This happens due to the fact that in acidic soils the content of soluble aluminum and its salts, as well as manganese, which bind alkaline minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, etc., predominates, preventing their absorption by plants.

Protein and carbon metabolism is disturbed metabolic processes in plants, because of which reproductive organs may not appear at all, which leads to crop loss.

In acidic soil, pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms, as well as pests, multiply faster and more actively.

At the same time, the development and reproduction of soil-forming bacteria belonging to beneficial microorganisms is inhibited. Manure, peat and other organics introduced into the soil no longer decompose and are not converted into food available to plants. Together with the previous point, this leads to an imbalance in the soil.

Bacteria that absorb nitrogen from the air, which then accumulates in the ground, die.

The more acidic the soil, the faster it becomes waterlogged.. After a while, only some marsh regulars and coniferous plants will be able to grow on it.

Increasing at a furious pace, soil acidity is one of the most important and most acute environmental issues modern society. The trend is that over time, an ecological agrogeochemical catastrophe may occur. That is why every zealous owner, even if he does not own hectares of land, but only a summer cottage for 6 acres, must be aware of the actions that he takes and approach the issue of harvesting in a comprehensive manner, trying to imitate nature as much as possible.

Causes of soil acidification

Among all the factors leading to a decrease in soil acidity, two groups can be conditionally distinguished: the first one is not amenable to the influence of the owner of the site, the second one is in his full competence.

External factors:

Acid precipitation. Most often, they are formed due to emissions from thermal power plants and automobile internal combustion engines.

Emissions industrial enterprises which contain sulfides and oxides of metals.

Absence proper crop rotation in the beds leads to land depletion.

Not enough organic matter. Nature has its own regulation mechanism: the plant draws useful microelements from the soil for its growth and development, and then gives them back, rotting right at its place of residence. We, on the other hand, by harvesting and throwing away the tops of plants, or, even worse, by burning, leave the soil bare and devastated, giving nothing in return. It is in order to replenish the reserves of microelements after each harvest that it is necessary to sow green manure - green manure.

Internal factors:

The lack of proper crop rotation in the beds leads to soil depletion.

Application mineral fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea, urea, superphosphate, etc.)

Not enough organic matter. Nature has its own regulation mechanism: the plant draws useful microelements from the soil for its growth and development, and then gives them back, rotting right at its place of residence. We, on the other hand, by harvesting and throwing away the tops of plants, or, even worse, by burning, leave the soil bare and devastated, giving nothing in return. It is in order to replenish the soil reserves after each harvest that it is necessary to sow green manure - green manure.

By eliminating at least those causes that depend on the host, it is possible to stop the harmful acidification of soils. This will be useful both for the owner himself and for Nature as a whole.

How to determine the acidity of the soil

To determine the acidity of the soil in your area, you can use both improvised means and specialized instruments.
Please note that if you decide to lime the soil, you need to know the pH of your soil exactly, the ameliorant rate per hundred square meters will depend on this.

1. Litmus paper

You can buy it in any store of chemical reagents and even sometimes in pharmacies. You can also purchase or order in stores for gardeners and summer residents. They are a set of pieces of paper impregnated with a special reagent that changes color depending on the change in the acidity of the medium. On the package or insert there is a table with the correspondence of color and pH value.

Depending on what size area we want to know the pH, we collect some soil with different depth occurrence.
If we want to check the pH level for each bed, then we take samples from each bed separately.
If we want to know the average value for the site, we can collect soil from arbitrary places located in a chaotic manner at a distance from each other.

Important! Acidity can be very different even in two adjacent beds.

We wrap the collected soil sample in a double or even triple layer of gauze and lower it into a container with clean distilled water, which can also be bought at a pharmacy.
Distilled water is necessary because it does not contain its salts and compounds.

Shake well and try to dissolve as much salt from the soil as possible. Then dip the litmus paper into the water for a few seconds. When it changes color, we take it out and compare it with the correspondence table.

2. Alyamovsky device

The device is a set of reagents for analysis of water and salt extracts of soil. The kit includes: a universal indicator, a solution of potassium chloride, test tubes with stands, scales of exemplary paints and instructions.

The sequence of actions is the same as with a litmus test.

3. Soil meter

Devices for determining the acidity of the soil appeared on sale, which perform several functions at once. With the help of them, you can determine the acidity, humidity, temperature, illumination of the soil and more.

In stores for gardeners and gardeners, such a device can be purchased once and for all life.
The principle of operation is simple and is described in the instructions.

4. Agrochemical laboratory

The most accurate result can only be obtained in this way by contacting the agrochemical laboratory and providing them with soil samples.

5. Currant or cherry leaves

AT glassware throw a few currant or cherry leaves and brew them with boiling water. When the water has cooled, we throw a little checked soil into the container. Water should change its color: red - acidic soil, blue - slightly acidic, green - neutral.

5. Weeds on the plot

The easiest, but not the most accurate way to determine the acidity of the soil, you should pay attention to the weeds growing on your site.

What grows in acidic soil:

Horsetail. Ivan da Marya. Heather. Plantain. Sorrel is ordinary. Horse sorrel. Nettle. Creeping buttercup. Pike. Pikulnik. Belous. Oxygen. Buttercup. Daisy. Sphagnum and green mosses.

Grows on slightly acidic soils:

Creeping wheatgrass. Clover. Field birch. Coltsfoot. Mayweed. Plantain. Dog violet. Cornflower meadow and others.

Having determined the level of soil acidity in your summer cottage, you can begin to take measures to deoxidize it, if necessary.

Hello dear gardener!

In this post I will show how potatoes grow in mulch (coniferous litter) not on soil, not on clay, not on sand, but on ... let it be an intrigue for now.

Straight to the point...

By June 18 the tops were already a decent height, however, not all potatoes are the same. Apparently, some potatoes for some reason did not grow at full strength.

You know yourself even from seeds that are sown for seedlings, not all plants grow the same. Some plants develop normally, while some do not grow at all, as if they are missing something.

Actually, Here's the thing, probably. Each seed, potato or cutting has its own supply of energy, which then affects the growth and development of the plant in the future.

I myself am such an underdeveloped plant I saw, and many subscribers wrote to me that they observed such a phenomenon with their plants. This is how the plant at seedling age was smaller than the rest of its fellows, so it grows in the summer cottage all season, but. But there are exceptions, of course.

The same is happening and with potatoes. And it even happens that at the end of the season the crop has grown and it needs to be harvested, and the planting potatoes, as they were hard and alive, remain, and do not turn into squabbles.

Here is the riddle so a mystery.

OK, we still can’t solve these riddles, let’s continue about potatoes ...

By June 18 potato tops grew up and looked like in the picture - the leaves and stems are green and powerful.

By July 26 The tops of potatoes in this plot were on a par with other potato plots.

Here is the tops in this plot ...

And these are three potato plots with our soil, pure clay and pure river sand(from left to right)…

With time tall stems began to fall sideways and by August 25 they were already lying on coniferous mulch.

Then we got rain September 1 and 5, videos about which I posted here in this (look later).

We arrived with my wife to harvest potatoes in this plot on September 10th. And before we started cleaning, we recorded a short video. In the video, however, I made a mistake with the number of bushes - there were 16 of them ...

And this is a photo just the bush that you saw in the video ...

The wife took it herself choose potatoes from coniferous litter, and this is what happened in the end - 16 piles ...

Green and small potatoes the wife put it aside (on the grass), and put the rest of the potatoes in a bucket. It turned out a twenty-liter bucket.

Then I asked my wife select all the coniferous litter and what was formed from it (humus) from the box of the plot, so that you can see what the potatoes grew on.

Ready?

Did you take a deep breath?

Tape yourself up to the chair on which you sit, so as not to fall from surprise?

Then look...

These are regular boards. from our old wooden fence.

Part of the boards was laid along the box, and part across ...

You may not be able to see due to organic residues in the joints between the boards, but this does not matter. Here are pictures of the preparation of the plot for sowing potatoes on May 1 ...

Notice the potatoes did not touch the soil "no sideways", as they say. It grew only in coniferous litter. And here a relevant simple question arises: “Where or from where did the potato get food for its growth, development and fruiting?”

The answer is simple:"Those microorganisms that lived in this mulch fed on these organic residues themselves and" fed "potato bushes"

And considering the fact that the main chemical element for all living organisms on our planet is carbon, and all organic residues are 42-46% carbon, then, therefore, this chemical element in the mulch of this plot was enough for potatoes to grow without any problems.

And here it begs simple conclusion, who actually grows our own plants for us?

As you probably already guessed- these are bacteria and fungi, i.e. beneficial microorganisms.

Man to grow plants has nothing to do, i.e. absolutely no-how-to!

Therefore, the first task of every summer resident- create favorable conditions for the soil and its inhabitants, and plants sown through seeds or planted through seedlings and seedlings ( fruit trees and berry bushes), will grow themselves, under the supervision of useful soil workers!

Perhaps some part species (strains) of these useful "workers" was already in the coniferous litter, but I also artificially introduced additional useful types of microorganisms by watering this plot with my country infusions of EM-elixir.

I understand you perfectly what do you want to say now: “Now I need to cover the potato field with planks or what?”

No, potato field no need to cover it with boards, I just want to show you with reliable facts that Mother Nature already has all the nutrition for any of our plants. There is! These are air gases, plus ...

Plus, those chemicals which are released from organic residues that we use as mulch in our plots - here you have it full set complete nutrition for ANY plants!

Yes, and here is another banal example, which I always cite to confirm that there is food for plants in Nature - Taiga. Millions of square kilometers have been growing on our planet for millions of years. So? So.

Where are these ancient trees take food?

Correctly! From the air around us (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon) and plus those chemical elements into which organic residues lying under the trees break down when they are digested by soil microorganisms!

It's just arranged in nature?

Not just simply but GENIUS!

And this is another argument. in order to stop digging up the soil in summer cottages or household plots and plow it in the farmer's fields.

It makes me want to scream to these plowmen and diggers - STOP KILLING life in the soil, STOP (here I'm all on emotions, sorry) ...

And stop referring on our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who allegedly plowed and carried crops in carts. Stop spouting this nonsense, stop it.

Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers really they carried their crops in wagons and fed half of Europe with their bread, and precisely because they DID NOT plow their fields, but only made a plow, that is, they carried out surface tillage without affecting the deep layers, where for centuries the worms created soil voids with their moves.

And these soil voids connected the soil surface to the subsoil, where soil moisture reserves are stored. Therefore, on unplowed fields, grain crops do not particularly react to drought, because in the case when there is no rain for a long time, then moisture is “pumped up” to the soil surface (into the root layer) just from under the soil layers and precisely along the paths of worms.

What's going on, when a farmer drives tractors with plows into his field?

Correctly. All soil voids (worm passages) are destroyed and all soil microflora is destroyed, which is programmed by Mother Nature to grow plants.

In cottages and household plots when digging the soil, the same unfortunate picture occurs. The summer resident uses this shovel to such an extent that, after digging up his site, he takes a bunch of pills for pressure and smears his back with all sorts of ointments from sciatica.

And in fact, Doing this is not something that is not necessary, but is strictly prohibited!

I will speak for myself. We have not dug up our summer cottage since 2000, and we will never dig it up, no matter how agronomists and professors urge us to do so.

My wife and I in the fall, we simply mulch the soil in the plots, in the spring we sow or plant our vegetables and do not interfere with their growth. Everything.

While the wife was cleaning potatoes, I picked tomatoes and apples, and this is what a piece of the harvest we got for that day ...

I will finish...

Finished post very emotional, but I didn’t want to offend anyone, if you’ll forgive me. But what I think is what I say. I am a simple but specific guy. And I'm not talking out of the blue, but on the basis of the reliable results I have received for many years.

But I wanted to get through to every summer resident and farmer, so that they understand on such simple examples, which are published in this post (and in other posts of my blog), that we need to learn how to grow SOIL, as Mother Nature does, not plants.

And plants in such living soil will grow themselves! Verified by me personally, on our site for 17 years.

On this I would like to finish the materials of this post, but I want to ask you: “What do you think about digging the soil, using mineral poison from the store, feeding bait and other country duties that agronomists and professors of agricultural sciences have introduced into our heads?”

Your thoughts, questions, suggestions or wishes, write in the comments to the post.

Goodbye.

Best wishes,
Sergey Dyakov.

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36 comments on “Is the soil “poor” and infertile (part 7 - about potatoes on ...)”

Alexander

That's right, but what about warm beds

Cool. Earnestly. Cleanly done. Where would now find more coniferous waste. I understand that he is good because he is small.

Sergey Dyakov replied:
February 18, 2018 at 02:02 pm

A useful note about slugs. Otherwise (if you don’t scare them away), these slugs, snails, right there, under these boards, will begin to lay their eggs (tested on their sad experience), and then they will have to be collected in banks - unless, of course, garden ants will not help - the ants eat part of the juvenile snails.

I had an interesting thought that not only coniferous litter, but some plants that are inedible for slugs, could help. I'm thinking of experimenting with tinctures of Canadian Goldenrod (Golden Rod).) —

in the form of a spray.

Poisoning yourself in this way is unlikely, since the Golden Rod is included in antimicrobial fees in small doses.

And about the POWDER from slugs you found ... I hope it's just soda, without impurities of Bona acid.

Boric acid is the strongest remedy for garden ants. They cease to multiply, and therefore, a useful link in the area is lost.

Sergey, you hinted that a small amount of It’s even useful for slugs on the site that they let them crawl, if only they don’t touch the crop ... Have you thought about connecting other beneficial insects?

For example, I recently learned that predatory insects do an excellent job with aphids, for breeding which it is necessary to plant umbrella plants on the site (for example, under trees affected by aphids)

I can say for sure that I see these insects every year on my ecological site like "forest". Only they are very fond of summer mushrooms, they just make holes in the crop)

It remains to be generally surprised how everything is balanced in the forest and not one link dominates the others. There is a forest for itself, everyone lives there, including insects, snails and even aphids. Probably, some plants grow next to useful ones ...)

just fantasy... that is, not fantasy, of course, but reality, but it is fantastic... bravo.

Alexander

Dear Sergey! I am also categorically against digging and persecuting Mother Earth with chemicals! I got acquainted with your post, I agree that everything depends on the quality of the land in the plots. According to your principles. i do warm beds, going a little deeper into the ground, by 15-20 cm, laying this distance with old boards, all sorts of scraps, and organic matter on top. Top row hay. On such beds, all vegetable crops grow very well and, of course, Em-elixir. I don't dig, I don't loosen, I don't weed. Plants decide how and where to grow. In the plot with pumpkins, the vines go 12-15 meters, and the fruits (pumpkins) all sit in the plot, apparently they like it that way and it’s more convenient for me, I cut off the extra vines and all the work. Grass does not grow in plots, which is very important, saving time and physical strength.

Hello Sergey! I bow before your tireless energy and strict understanding!

1. Potatoes sown under mulch will be all green! Potatoes climb into the world with demonic power. Or you need to lay down mulch half a meter thick.

2. After digging, the worms will again make thousands of moves in depth - moisture and air will circulate.

3. If the earth is not loosened every year, it will “turn to stone”, and the potatoes must be taken out with a cauldron!

Wonderful! My husband and I have not been digging beds for 5 years either, but we started composting only last year, we water with EMs, the crop immediately increased and the plants began to hurt less, we hope this year will be even better. Sergey, do you spray your garden with the same EM, from diseases and pests?

Sergey Dyakov replied:
February 19, 2018 at 13:07

Hello!

With my EM elixir infusions, I spray all my plants on the leaves, without exception for diseases. Although, some buyers write that these infusions also help against aphids on apple trees and currants. To be honest, I did not make such observations, so I can’t say anything, but I don’t want to lie. From diseases, infusions definitely help, but from pests, I don’t know ...

Tamara replied:
February 20, 2018 at 21:50

Hello Sergey! Thanks for answering. I still have a question, please tell me, is it possible to compost the beds horse manure mixed with straw or sawdust and spilling them with EM?

Sergey Dyakov replied:
February 21, 2018 at 10:00

Hello!

Perhaps you meant not to compost with horse manure, but to mulch?

If yes, then of course you can! Only manure needs to be covered from above with hay, straw, coniferous litter, foliage, etc. After all, bacteria and fungi need humid environment. And if the manure simply lies on the soil in the plots uncovered, then it will be dry. So, here you need to correctly and reasonably approach the use of horse manure!

And from above, already on the mulch, you can also water with EMs, it won’t get worse!

Tamara replied:
February 22, 2018 at 07:43 pm

Hello Sergey! Yes, I meant mulching. Thanks for answers. You have interesting articles, if possible, you should read it, it's a pity there are few videos. Good luck and good harvests!

I have been wanting to switch to natural farming for a long time. But the problem is with the mulch. We don't have straw around. You can't mow that much grass by hand. But anyway, this year I will start mulching all the beds. It hasn't worked since the fall. In winter, I bought two large bales of hay, I'm going to order three more bales of straw. Of course it turns out to be a little expensive, but I think that this is only at the beginning, and then it will only be necessary to enclose. I have been watching programs about your country experiments for a long time. bought CDs, including Elixir, but never tried it that year. They are completely exhausted with potatoes, they are not growing, all the seed has already been replaced, there is no harvest. And the same problem with tomatoes, I seem to be doing everything right, but the tomatoes do not tie and there are few flowers.

Tell me more, please, should I start mulching when the seedlings hatch or as soon as the snow melts?

Many land owners are interested in the question of whether it is necessary to dig up the ground in the garden in the fall. They want to know what benefit and harm digging will bring to the earth at this time of the year and whether all lands need it.

Why dig up the ground in the garden in the fall - what does it give, the pros and cons of digging

The procedure of digging the soil in autumn increases the fertility of the soil and is considered more effective than in the spring. The need for digging the earth in the fall is influenced by the type of soil in the garden. Digging in the autumn is necessarily subject to uncultivated areas, as well as those on which heavy clay soil.

When the ground in the area is loose, sandy, dries quickly and can pass air well, then autumn digging she doesn't need to. In a garden with such soil, you just need to break the crust on its surface, deeply loosening the earth with a rake. Frequent digging breaks the structure of the soil, it becomes poorer and loosens even more.

The main goal of autumn digging is the destruction of perennial weeds with roots, garden pests that remain in the soil for the winter, as well as fertilization.

The earth is dug up on a spade bayonet in autumn

Pros of digging

The positive aspects of the annual digging of the earth are as follows:

• the surface layer of the earth is disinfected, gets rid of harmful microorganisms;
• the soil becomes looser, nitrogen-containing microorganisms (bacteria) are activated in it, saturating the soil with nitrogen;
• roots freeze in weeds, weed seeds fall to a depth when digging and do not germinate until spring; the amount of weeds on the site is reduced;
• the earth falling into the upper layer from below already contains fertilizers, minerals necessary for future plants;
• only during autumn digging, organic matter is introduced into the soil in the form of manure, compost, humus, ash, which saturate the earth with microorganisms useful to it;
• the lower layers of the soil are ventilated;
• weeds move deep into the earth from the beds, which rot and fertilize the earth;
• pests prepared for winter: larvae and adults of caterpillars, wireworms, Colorado beetles, located in the lower layers of the soil, when the earth is turned over, they find themselves on its surface and die from the sun, wind, and are eaten by birds;
• in case of dry weather in summer and autumn, turned over when digging earthen clods retain moisture obtained from dew, air, condensate due to significant temperature changes at night and during the day;
• if there are trees on the site, then the leaves that have fallen from them are buried in the ground when digging, from which useful humus is obtained;
• the ground will be ready for spring planting.

Autumn digging will prepare the ground for spring plantings

I had to dig up the ridges in the garden after the harvest was harvested in the fall. I was always pleased with the well-groomed appearance of the beds at the end of the summer season, and in the spring there were no weeds on the site for a long time.

Cons of autumn digging

This procedure also has disadvantages:

• It's pretty hard physical work. You should dig the area that is within your power, and not overwork.
• When turning over the layers of the earth, the soil inhabitants change places. The earth contains many living organisms: worms, bacteria, microbes, spiders. Each such family is located at a certain depth. The more such inhabitants, the more fertile and healthier the soil. In the process of turning the earth most of living organisms is destroyed, since the inhabitants of the lower layers cannot exist above, and those living in upper layers are dying below.

The destruction of useful inhabitants is the greatest minus of autumn digging, which means that it makes no sense to dig the earth aimlessly. A potato plot, for example, should not be dug up, because during the cultivation of potatoes, the plot is often weeded and hilled. And to spring planting potato plot is clean.

Video: autumn digging of the earth

You only need to dig in the fall heavy lands which improves their quality.