Plants that love acidic soil. Weeds - soil bioindicators What weeds grow on acidic soil

Weeds - headache all gardeners and gardeners. The ubiquitous wild herbs, many of which spread at an almost mystical rate, plague the busy gardening season, and getting rid of weeds is perhaps the most time-consuming aspect of garden maintenance. But do not rush to complain about pest plants like that: they can also be beneficial. And we are talking here, of course, not about medicinal or nutritional properties some of them. The thing is that many plants from the weed group are excellent bioindicators that, without special analyzes, will help you learn about the characteristics and condition of your soil. Do not ignore such "talents" and, perhaps, it is thanks to such unloved and annoying weeds that you will have time to solve more than one problem with the cultivation of cultivated garden species in time.

Everything garden soils very different, in fact, the soil is as individual as the plots themselves. Some soils pass moisture well, while others, on the contrary, retain it. There are loose and dense soils, heavy and light, sandy and clayey, rich and depleted, depleted, and this is not to mention acidity: alkaline soils, with high level lime soils are fundamentally different from acidic ones not only in chemical characteristics, but also in the possibilities of growing plants on them. Weeds are everywhere - on the poorest soils, and on the most acidic or nutritious, because they need a minimum of heat, sun and moisture to develop. But some bioindicator weeds prefer strictly defined conditions and soil type, which makes it possible to diagnose its condition using them.

To understand what kind of soil you have in your garden, you just need to decipher the "testimony" of those weeds that grow on it. To correctly understand what features of the soil indicate the development of weeds, it is not enough just to find one plant. Accurate bioindicators can only be obtained by finding several plants with similar requirements. As you walk around the site, note which weeds predominate and make a kind of map. This method of studying the soil is especially convenient when you do not have the opportunity to analyze the soil - for example, when buying a suburban area. True, this does not mean at all that weeds should be freely allowed to "scatter" in your garden. Therefore, never forget about weed control and timely weeding.

The fertile, nutrient-rich soil is evidenced by stinging nettle, field calendula, tenacious bedstraw, common goutweed, creeping ranunculus, medicinal dandelion, medium chickweed, creeping tenacity, plantain. At the same time, the plantain testifies to the dryness of the rich soil, and the common gout, field horsetail, tenacious and creeping buttercup testify to the humidity. The paucity of the soil is indicated by the horned locust growing on it, the small burnet. On calcareous soils, self-seeding poppy, common sorrel, field mustard, key sorrel, and on acidic soils - tricolor violet will settle. Nitrogen-rich soils usually grow nettle and small-flowered galinsog. On unkempt and too dense soils, creeping couch grass and common coltsfoot spread.

It is customary to distinguish four main types of garden soil:

- nutritious, moist and calcareous;
- nutritious, raw and dense;
– dry, stony and calcareous;
- sour and light.

Let's figure out which bioindicator weeds will help determine each of the four soil types.

The fact that the soil is alkaline, slightly moist and rich in nutrients can be “telled” by such weeds as nettle and goatweed, which are considered one of the most whimsical, choosing the most attractive garden soils of weeds. They do not grow on dry or depleted soils, preferring fresh, loose and rich soil. These are one of the most harmful crops that can spread so quickly through the garden that if you don’t notice them in time, then from literally a couple of plants in a few years, almost the entire garden will turn into a solid carpet, and most importantly, into a continuous lump of long and tangled rhizomes, which are not so easy to notice. And although the young greens of both plants can be eaten as a source of early vitamins, it is almost impossible to fight them without the help of herbicides and laborious digging with careful “tracking down” of the roots. To prevent gout and nettle from growing too much, they should be removed in advance, in late spring, when the soil dries out enough to remove all rhizomes without hindrance. Where nettle or gout grows, all lush perennials will gladly settle.

If you notice that dandelions and buttercups prevail on the site, then you have too wet, clay and heavy soil. It is also easy to recognize by the long drying and "puddles" after the rains. Most often, such soil remains in the areas after construction and compaction in the absence of deep digging. There is not enough oxygen in such soil, and most plants will not grow here. Such soil is improved by deep loosening and laying a drainage layer with the replacement of the soil in the planting pits with looser mixtures. If you do not want to engage in complete digging of the soil, then you can leave such an area for specific, but very ornamental plants, which will feel good even in such soil - for example, for a lawn made of Japanese iris and sponge.

Rocky, alkaline-balanced soil that almost always stays completely dry, unable to retain moisture at all, is usually covered in weeds such as poppy or coltsfoot. This is a kind of natural rockery, suitable for growing all plants for alpine slides(saxifrage, ankhuz, sage, etc.), drought-resistant species and trees and shrubs that love alkaline soils (such as acacia).

About the lungs, usually not too much nutrient soils with increased acidity is evidenced by the predominance of sorrel and wild violets. Most often, such soils are sandy, quickly drying. If necessary, the characteristics of the soil can be changed by adding lime materials, but usually such areas provide an opportunity to grow acid-loving crops - rhododendrons, hydrangeas, heathers. As for nutrition, it is easy to replenish it by applying fertilizers of organic origin, including compost, and adding clay soils.

Individual plants can also suggest which crops are best grown in a given location. For example, where the wild thistle grows, panicled phloxes will take root well, in place of the horsetail - Siberian irises, tricolor violets - rhododendrons and heathers, nettles - weigela and bean, common snotweed - lungwort and snake mountaineer. Mallow and sweet pea it is better to plant where the small-flowered galinsog grew, buddley and tulips - in the place of the horned louse, hellebore and gentian - in the place of wild poppies, bird cherry and acacia - where the coltsfoot grows. Lilac, hawthorn and roses will prefer places where the middle chickweed most often grows, viburnum will grow well in place of the buttercup (chistyak), honeysuckle and willow - couch grass, hazel - creeping buttercup, Japanese maple and beautiful fruit - sorrel, red bubble and euonymus - tenacity, snakeheads and large rhododendrons - key oxalis. In place of medicinal dandelion, delphiniums and wide bells grow well, field mustard - St. John's wort and ash, plantain - lychnis and catnip, tenacious bedstraw - cornflowers and chrysanthemums, burnet - geraniums and eryngium.

Despite the role of bioindicators, weeds should be controlled on time, determining the method of reproduction and, accordingly, the control strategy. So, if plants are propagated by seeds, then weeding should be done only on fine sunny days, always before the inflorescences appear. But it is better to destroy the cultures that multiply thanks to the sprawling shoots as early as possible, before the plant gets stronger, and the flexible shoots have time to take root in the nodes. The greatest trouble is caused by rhizome perennial weeds, which should be removed entirely, completely digging out with a pitchfork, so as not to cut the roots, from which new plants will soon appear. For compost, you can collect only those who did not have time to bloom, self-sowing weeds or rhizomatous ones with thick and juicy roots (but not wheatgrass, which needs to be burned at all).

For summer residents, sometimes the following picture develops: plants grow poorly, and everything grows in the neighbors' garden, while, at first glance, all plantings are carried out correctly and on time. It is necessary to determine the acidity of the soil by weeds, because this can be the main reason for the poor growth of horticultural crops. Acidic soil increases the concentration of harmful metals and certain substances that block the flow of phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium to the roots of the plant. Most crops cannot grow in an acidic environment because they lack nutrients.

Why Consider Acidity?

Soil acidity by weeds (photo), which will help determine acidic or alkaline soil, the first indicator that allows you to establish a fact without the use of special instruments and other agricultural practices.

Every summer resident who respects his work should take into account the acidity of the soil when planting horticultural crops, because this will make it possible to grow healthy, strong plants and get a bountiful harvest.

Acidified soil adversely affects the cultivation of crops.

The likelihood of plant diseases, especially chlorosis, increases, an acidic environment will neutralize the ingress of phosphorus and potassium.
Lack of nitrogen threatens oxygen starvation.
Such soils are prone to waterlogging, which affects the reproduction of harmful microorganisms in it.
The amount of calcium, molybdenum, boron, copper, zinc, magnesium is reduced, which reduces the amount of yield or contributes to the reduction of fruits.
There is an accumulation harmful substances, which can increase the toxicity of the plant.

The more acidic the soil, the more nutrients are deposited and not absorbed; in such plants, protein and carbon metabolism will be disturbed, which will affect their appearance: They will be weak, lethargic and pale green.

Garden crops grow well in a neutral (pH 6.3-7), slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.2 7), slightly alkaline (pH 7.1-8) environment.

The cause of soil acidification can be:

frequently introduced mineral fertilizers one type;
natural environment (type of soil - peat bogs, clay-soddy);
improper alternation of planting garden crops;
acid rain, harmful emissions from industrial enterprises.

To avoid acidification of the soil, it is necessary to check the level of soil acidity in spring and autumn, the first sign of which may be the presence of weeds in the area.

What weeds grow on acidic soils + photo

Experts have long noticed that various weeds grow with various levels pH, but there are those that can adjust to anyone.

There are several types of weeds committed to different levels soil acidity:

limit acidophiles that grow in strongly acidic soil(pH 3 - 4);
medium acidophiles, grow in slightly acidic soil;
weak acidophiles take root in areas with neutral and slightly acidic pH;
neutrophils, suitable soil for growth and reproduction with a neutral pH.

List and photos of weeds that are an indicator of acidic, slightly acidic soil.

Sorrel sour (common or horse) - perennial distributed throughout Russia. It has basal leaves long-petiolate, entire elongated-oval.
Field horsetail is a perennial plant in which the stem is leafless, leaf teeth are collected in whorls with oval spikelets. Grows up to 50 cm.
Belous sticking out, it includes a number of plants belonging to the Bluegrass and Cereals family. Leaves bristle-shaped up to 15 cm long, spikelet inflorescence.
Wild mint (field, meadow) - family Yasnotsvetkovyh, leaves are elongated-oval, jagged at the edges, fragrant, located on short petioles of green stems growing up to 40 cm.
tricolor violet (Pansies, Ivan da Marya) - the leaves are narrow lanceolate, the lower ones are wide oval, the flowers are five-petal blue-violet flowers with a yellow center.
Field navel is a weed of the Aster family, flowers similar to medicinal chamomile, openwork leaves, pinnately dissected, short, oblong.
Crowberry - Heather family, other names: Shiksha, Yernik, Voronika, Bagnovka. perennial creeping plant up to 1 m long. The leaves are watery, alternate, narrowly elliptical in shape, like a Christmas tree. The fruit is a black berry, spherical flattened shape.
Mariannik meadow- broomrape family, annual plant. Leaves lanceolate, pointed, entire, up to 9 cm in length. Solitary or collected in inflorescences on the stem yellow flowers similar to "dogs, helmet".
Ledum marsh- Heather family, leaves on short petioles are elongated-elliptical, alternate. The flowers are collected in inflorescences, shaped like a white ball.
Oxalis weedhaving trifoliate leaves, obverse heart-shaped on long petioles of green or dark purple. The flowers have 5 petals, white or yellow color with a lemon center.
Caustic ranunculus (Night blindness) - a perennial plant with pentagonal openwork leaves, yellow flowers, bright with a glossy sheen.
Moss green (Bryochites). Most often, the indicator of acidic soil is the weeds of the Bryophytes department - Sphagnum, Dikran, Hylocomium.
Cornflower - Asteraceae family, an annual plant. Flowers blue, lilac yellow.
Heather is a low shrub with small flowers collected in inflorescences, small trihedral leaves.

Also, weeds act as an indicator of acidic soil: lycopodium, violet, vaginal forest, blueberries, mountaineer, plantain, erica, oxalis. As well as meadow maryannik, antennaria, lingonberries, lupins, bear's ear, ground reed grass, wood lice, euphorbia. It is impossible to talk about acidic soil by one growing type of weed. To accurately determine, the garden should have clusters of one or two types of weeds.

Among the variety of plants found in the garden, there are those that can serve the gardener well. So, to determine approximately, acidic or not very acidic soil on the site, it is possible by growing weeds.

A classic example is horsetail and common sorrel. If they grow in abundance on the site, then the soil is excessively acidic, requiring prior liming. On the contrary, with an excess of clover, horticultural crops will feel better. On soils with an alkaline reaction, the flower of the lungwort becomes purple and azure-blue, on acid soils it becomes pink. The lush development of goutweed is evidence of the high fertility of the soil.

And now let's move on to the main thing: how easy and affordable it is to determine the acid-base characteristics of your site. Ordinary people can help us with this. weeds. So, the acidity of the soil can be approximately estimated by what herbage prevails on it (that is, by the prevailing weeds). But do not forget that in different parts soil acidity can also be different. In addition, it must, of course, be taken into account that the prevailing herbage is also affected by soil moisture, its aeration, fertility, and illumination.

Therefore, we will stipulate once again: focusing on the weeds prevailing on the site, please note that the list below gives only qualitative indicators, that is, it indicates which soil (what acidity) these plants prefer.

So, on acidic soil grow: tricolor violet, sorrel, field horsetail, creeping ranunculus, oak veronica, plantain, toritsa, rough mountaineer. That is, if these are the ones that prevail on the site from the whole variety of weeds, then the soil needs to be limed.

On neutral and slightly acidic soils grow: creeping wheatgrass, odorless chamomile, coltsfoot, field bindweed, meadow and creeping clover, sweet clover, sow thistle.

On alkaline soil, poppy, field bindweed, and white drowsiness predominate.

On nitrogenous and fertile soils grow: nettle, wood lice, shepherd's purse, quinoa.

On clay and moist soils grow: coltsfoot, horsetail, tenacious bedstraw, wild mint.

On the lungs sandy soil ah grow: climbing mountaineer, blackberry Velcro, field blizzard.

On dry soils grow: wormwood, amaranth upturned, velcro blackberry.

With a lack of nitrogen, peas develop slowly, and with a lack of calcium, the leaves of this plant turn brown and wither. Tomatoes can tell that there is not enough phosphorus in the soil: the underside of their leaves becomes reddish-purple in color.

Interestingly, the distribution of celandine in the garden is associated with the settlement of the site by ants. Ants love the seeds of celandine and, dragging them into the anthill, thereby fulfill the role of sowers.

By the way, it is a pity that our gardeners rarely plant elms. This tree is considered the best air filter. If elms grow around the garden, it means that you breathe environmentally friendly air.

Determine the acid-base balance of the soil will help ... weeds

For many summer residents, such soil characteristics as acidic or alkaline are still a mystery. It is unlikely that any of them will gather to test the soil for these indicators in the laboratory. However, if you want to grow a good crop and not deplete the land too much, you just need to know what the acid-base balance of the soil in a given area is. To help readers identify these characteristics, we will first talk about a number of specific concepts used in relation to agriculture. So, acidity is expressed in terms of pH - an indicator (decimal power) of the concentration of hydrogen ions, usually in units from 0 to 14. Excessively high (above 9) or low (below 4) soil pH is toxic to plant roots. Within these values, pH determines the behavior of individual nutrients: their precipitation or transformation into those forms that are not absorbed by plants. notice, that certain types plants are quite adapted to existence in an acidic or, conversely, in an alkaline environment. However, most plants develop well only with a neutral (pH 6.5 - 7.0) or slightly acidic (pH 5.5 - 6.5) reaction of the soil solution. However, most of the essential plant nutrients remain available (in soil solution). If you do not know the agreed characteristics of the soil, then you will not know how to properly handle it. In this case, you can greatly harm both the soil and plants. For example, if mineral fertilizers are applied to acidic soil (they are also acidic in themselves), then the effect will be, but very short-lived, which will quickly lead to even greater inhibition of plants. Conversely, the introduction of organic matter into acidic soils often makes it possible to obtain good harvests even without notice. Therefore, mineral fertilizers are usually applied in mixtures with organic or very small doses. One more example. Compacted waterlogged soil does not conduct air well (poor aeration) and begins to turn sour. This means that soils with close occurrence ground water necessarily require continuous winter (and spring) digging. Of course there are cultures different varieties which may have different optimal values pH. In addition, some plants are able to grow well in a wide range of soil acidity. For example, potatoes can be grown at pH 5.2 to protect against scab, but in uninfested soil they grow well at higher pH. Gooseberries can develop well on acidic soil, however, in this case it should be well saturated with air (have good aeration). Irga generally grows on almost any soil, even on wet alkaline. Nevertheless, many plants, as already noted, are oppressed on acidic or alkaline soil. And now let's move on to the main thing: how easy and affordable it is to determine the acid-base characteristics of your site. Ordinary people can help us with this. weeds. So, the acidity of the soil can be approximately estimated by what herbage prevails on it (that is, by the prevailing weeds). But do not forget at the same time that in different parts of the site, the acidity of the soil can also be different. In addition, it must, of course, be taken into account that the prevailing herbage is also affected by soil moisture, its aeration, fertility, and illumination. Therefore, we will stipulate once again: focusing on the weeds prevailing on the site, please note that the list below gives only qualitative indicators, that is, it indicates which soil (what acidity) these plants prefer. So, on acidic soil grow: tricolor violet, sorrel, horsetail, creeping ranunculus, oak veronica, plantain, toriza, rough mountaineer. That is, if these are the ones that prevail on the site from the whole variety of weeds, then the soil needs to be limed. On neutral and slightly acidic soils grow: creeping wheatgrass, odorless chamomile, coltsfoot, field bindweed, meadow and creeping clover, sweet clover, sow thistle. On alkaline soil, poppy, field bindweed, and white drowsiness predominate. On nitrogenous and fertile soils grow: nettle, wood lice, shepherd's purse, quinoa. On clay and moist soils grow: coltsfoot, horsetail, tenacious bedstraw, wild mint. On light sandy soils grow: climbing mountaineer, black velcro, field blizzard. On dry soils grow: wormwood, amaranth upturned, velcro blackberry.

On saline soils, Russian saltwort predominates.

Harm and benefits of field bindweed

Hello dear readers! In almost every garden or vegetable garden, as well as in a flower bed, you can meet a weed enemy. weed plants- This is a harmful and even poisonous vegetation. But it happens and vice versa, useful and curative. Today I will tell you about one of the weeds - the field bindweed. Many met him on their site and are already very familiar with the birch weed. But do you know everything about this plant? Do you know what measures to combat field bindweed exist? Now I will tell you more about all this.

Origin and description of the plant

Field bindweed has several popular names. In different regions, you can find such plant names: bindweed, bindweed, birch, dodder, almond grass and others.

You can meet bindweed on every continent. The homeland (more precisely, the Homelands) of this weed plant are: Asia, America, North Africa and Western Europe.

Field bindweed is a weed that is a beautiful, perennial, climbing plant. Its stem is thin and creeping. It may be naked or slightly covered with hairs. The length of the stem can reach 100-120 centimeters. Less often, but, there are plants with a stem of 1.5 meters. The leaves are triangular on long petioles. They are somewhat reminiscent of the tip of a spear.

The flowers of the field bindweed are quite large, they can be white, pink, less often, purple and blue. The flower itself looks like a funnel or bell. On one peduncle can form from 1 to 3 flower buds. Birch blossoms from April until the onset of cold weather.

The root system is quite powerful. The roots of the plant are able to reach 2.5, sometimes 3, sometimes 6 meters. At about this distance, the main roots of the field bindweed go deep into the soil.

Birch propagates by seeds and root offspring. Many gardeners worry that the plant will produce a large number of seeds (about 100 seeds per 1 gram of mass) after it has faded. But they completely forget that offspring of roots are formed in the depths of the soil. If upper part you find and remove, then the roots remain in the soil, and they also need to be fought. But, more on that later.

Bindweed grows on any soil, but most of all prefers wet sandy loam and loam.

Harmful and beneficial properties of field bindweed

First, let's talk about the good qualities of the plant.

Despite the fact that bindweed is a weed, many use it as medicine. Decoctions from the stems and leaves are used to treat the liver, bronchitis, asthma, bleeding, swelling, lichen and rashes.

Substances that the plant secretes prevent the appearance of mold. Cultivated plants that are adjacent to a birch in the garden are less likely to be affected by fungal diseases.

The plucked stems can be chopped up and used as mulch in the garden. Mulching will not only help maintain soil structure and moisture, but will also, in a sense, disinfect.

Now about the painful - about the dangers of the plant.

Literally immediately after the snow melts, the field bindweed weed begins to grow and cover the entire soil. Thus, it prevents the growth cultivated plants. Birch weed obscures crops, braids still weak plants, stifles their growth and leads to death.

Bindweed can be found in crops of any crop, but most often it is found in fields with cereals.

Weed reduces yield by almost half. The quality of the crop itself is also significantly reduced.

Field bindweed control measures

The main way to deal with bindweed in eco-farming (according to some farmers) is peeling and observing crop rotation. I can’t say anything bad about crop rotation, but it’s not so simple with peeling (although it’s better than watering the field with herbicides).

Peeling carried out in several stages:

the first - by 8-10 centimeters
the second - at 10-12
the third - by 12-15 centimeters.

For your own garden (up to 1 ha), peeling to such a depth will be enough. If you do this procedure after harvesting before the onset of cold weather, then you, simply speaking, “torture” the weed and it will die. But if you are a farmer and have large areas, then you should peel much deeper: 10-12, 12-15, 25-30 centimeters (respectively).

For peeling, you can use cultivators or flat cutters. For weeding, it is better to use a three-pronged chopper, it better clings to the roots of the weed and removes them from the soil.

Many people recommend frequent loosening of the soil with hoes (several times a week), citing the fact that this reduces the number of weeds, but there is one caveat. Firstly, in this way you turn into a slave of the garden and there is almost no free time left. Secondly, when using hoes, we, as it were, stimulate the growth of weeds and once again disturb cultivated plants. To make your life easier, I recommend using mulching.

As for me, the peeling method depletes the land, but farmers believe that this method is good. My opinion is the following (and it will be confirmed by those who have long switched to eco-farming): after you stop digging the garden in the fall and / or spring, organize narrow beds (you can read about them here), sow paths between the beds lawn grass, use mulching, then the bindweed will stop bothering you and you will look at it as another beautiful and useful plant. Perhaps, farmers in large fields have no choice but to carry out peeling against birch, but in private plots it is quite possible to cope without this method.

Crop rotation consists in sowing fodder cereal crops in heavily polluted areas.

Now you know about the dangers and benefits of field bindweed, as well as about the fight against it on own site. With this information, you have the right to decide what to do with this weed. You can either use field bindweed for mulch, or as a medicinal plant, or get rid of it clean. The main thing to remember is that you should not let the birch tree uncontrollably clog your garden. Do you want to get a good harvest?

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

If you recently purchased a summer cottage, then you still probably don’t know what type of soil prevails on it. How to know - you are lucky and all crops will grow without any extra effort on your part or you will have to replace and fertilize endlessly fertile layer to achieve at least minimum 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 groundwater level. 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 has different density, friability, moisture, stickiness, ability to hold its shape, etc. The composition and "character" of the soil largely depends on the ratio of sand, clay, silt, dust and small stones. 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:

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

Result	soil type	Soil characteristics
The ball does not roll	Sandy loam (sandy soil)	Light in mechanical composition, well passes air and water, but contains few nutrients and dries quickly
The ball rolls, but the "sausage" falls apart when rolling	Light loam (loamy soil with great content sand)	Medium in mechanical composition, characterized by moderate water permeability and is considered the most suitable for growing most crops.
The ball rolls, it turns out to form a stable "sausage", but it breaks up when twisted into a ring	Medium loam (loamy soil with medium addition of sand)
The ball rolls, the "sausage" is formed, but when folded, the ring is cracked	Heavy loam (loamy soil dominated by clay)	Heavy in mechanical composition, moisture accumulates in the upper layer and does not reach deeper layers, a dense crust forms on the surface, which does not allow air to pass through
The ball and "sausage" are easily formed and do not lose shape	Clay

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 need to work on improving them, and we will tell you how to do this.

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, which allows you to grow vegetables of 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 sandy soils prevail on your site, 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 in the autumn;
watering the sandy loam should be frequent and little by little, regularly wetting the root layer;
sandy soils need a huge amount of organic fertilizers - up to 700 kg per 1 weave. Give preference to manure or compost with a high content of peat and manure;
use green manures such as peas, lupins, beans, and sweet peas. 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 tree trunks.

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

What fertilizers are suitable for sandy soils

For growing crops, 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, replenish by adding dolomite flour(200-400 g per 1 sq.m).

A more radical method is the "transformation" of the soil and its transformation into loamy or sandy loam. To do this, the top layer is replaced with clay, black soil or soddy land of 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 coincides with prolonged 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 dressings 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 bulbous and annuals, as well as 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 the appearance of 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 the scorching sun, and then serve as mulch and environmentally friendly fertilizer. In 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 a 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 will 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.

"The good land gives more" - it is difficult to disagree with folk wisdom. 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.

When there is no real heat, as this summer, and everything in the garden grows and ripens slowly, summer residents pay attention to the quality of the soil and all kinds of fertilizers. Maybe if you feed the vegetables in the beds, you will be able to wait for the harvest? We tell you how to turn straw, food waste and manure into fertilizer, how to make an infusion of weeds for plant nutrition, how to determine the acidity of the soil - and what to do with this knowledge.

First, it should be folded into a loose pile and not covered with anything, so that oxygen can easily penetrate into the thickness of the manure. This will cause "burning", the temperature will rise to 60 ° C, which will lead to the death of pest larvae and worms, as well as weed seeds.

Then, after 2-3 weeks, "burning" should be stopped, otherwise the manure will lose a significant part of the nitrogen. To do this, you need to "cut off the oxygen", strongly compacting the pile: the access of air to the thickness will be reduced, and the burnout process will slow down. Now the pile should be covered with a film so that the rains do not wash out the potassium.

In late autumn, a layer of peat or earth with a thickness of at least 10–15 cm should be thrown onto the pile so that the manure does not freeze in winter. In the spring, remove the shelter, and leave the film.

What from natural materials can be used for fertilizer instead of manure?

Instead of manure, use compost, green organics and dry hay, fallen leaves. Dig the green chopped mass together with the soil to a depth of 8–10 cm at any time, as soon as the opportunity presents itself, and hay is best applied in the spring, before planting in trenches, under a layer of soil, 25–30 cm thick. Can be applied to such trenches and food waste (except for bones), tops, vegetable peelings. Leaves are best applied in autumn for shallow digging.

How to improve the soil on the site?

Make crops of winter rye or white mustard at the end of summer, and late autumn dig up the above-ground part of the mustard and rye shoots along with the roots. Rye can be left until spring, but then it will first have to be mowed, and then dug up.

You can "treat" the soil with bacterial fertilizers, which are sold in gardening stores. They are introduced into the holes when planting seedlings in the ground or greenhouse and into the grooves when sowing seeds. These are nitrogen, azotobacterin, phosphorobacterin, AMB, "Bamil", "living earth" from under Californian worms.

How to prepare an infusion of weeds for feeding?

Fill the container with weeds to 3/4 of its volume and fill with water to the same level so that there is room for fermentation, otherwise the slurry will overflow during fermentation. Cover with foil and tie so that nitrogen does not escape from the container, and oxygen does not get into it - it has been noticed that the best result is obtained with methane fermentation, that is, without oxygen.

After about two weeks, the fermentation will be completed and the smell of the stable will appear - the infusion is ready. Dilute it with water 1:2 for top dressing under the root and 1:5 for foliar top dressing. At the same time, feeding with infusion of weeds disorientate pests with their smell, and they do not touch their host plants, flying around the beds treated with infusion of fermented weeds.

The remaining thick can be put in compost, you can mulch raspberries with it or cucurbits, covering the top with weeds, so as not to spoil the air with the smell of the stable. The smell can be greatly reduced by adding valerian along with the root to the weed container.

You can put wheatgrass with roots, coltsfoot flowers, dandelion, and all other weeds in the infusion. Do not put diseased plants in the infusion, it is better to burn them.

Where to put the thick fermented weeds?

In order not to mess with the thick, weeds, you can tightly stuff old tights and lower them into a barrel, hooking on the edge. Then the infusion will not clog the strainer at the watering can, and the pantyhose, along with the thick, should simply be buried under the apple trees along the perimeter of the crown. In a couple of years, only empty tights will remain, and all the filling will be used by the roots of the apple tree. A barrel with a capacity of 200 liters will require 10 tights.

How to determine the acidity of the soil?

To do this, there is a special litmus paper, it is sold in stores for gardeners. But there is also an old-fashioned way: pour 3–4 leaves of blackcurrant or bird cherry with a glass of boiling water and, when the water has cooled, throw a piece of soil into it. If a reddish halo appears above the ground, then the soil is acidic.

How to determine what kind of soil is on the site, by the weeds growing on it?

On soils whose acidity is below pH 4.5, a green velvet coating - moss - usually appears. These are highly acidic soils; in order to deoxidize them, it will be necessary to add 3–4 cups of lime for each digging in the fall. square meter.

To deoxidize acidic soils (pH 4.6–5), you need at least 2–2.5 cups of lime per square meter. Horse sorrel usually grows on acidic soils, horsetail, tricolor violet, wild mint.

On slightly acidic soils (pH 5.1-5.5), 1 cup of lime per square meter is enough. Coltsfoot, chamomile, wheatgrass, dandelion, gout, clover, ferns grow on such soil.

On soils with a neutral reaction (pH 5.5–6), shepherd's purse, quinoa, nettle, and wood lice grow.

On weakly alkaline soils (pH 6.1–7), poppy, bindweed, and white drowsiness grow.

Alkaline soils with a pH above 7 are just as unsuitable for agriculture as highly acidic ones. They will have to be acidified, for example, by watering with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Dandelion and coltsfoot, by the way, grow in moist soils. Where dandelions grow, there is enough moisture in the soil, you can not water it.

Soils cannot be deoxidized once and for all. This should be done annually. In addition, the soil in one suburban area may have different acidity in different places. Look closely at the weeds, and they will tell you exactly where and what kind of soil you have. You probably noticed for yourself that as the site was developed, the composition of the weeds on it changed.

Can lime be replaced with ash?

Of course. It is only necessary to increase the dose of ash application by about one and a half times compared to the dose of lime.

Lime (as well as the calcium component of ash) dissolves in water all at once, therefore, when applied in large doses, it can greatly alkalize the soil, which will lead to plant starvation, since large doses of calcium in the soil will block phosphorus and potassium.

In addition, in soils where there is little humus, calcium is not retained and is washed out by rains into the deeper layers of the soil, that is, it goes straight into the wells with groundwater.

Dolomite does not dissolve in water, but only in an acidic environment. While the soil is acidic, the process of deoxidation is underway. As soon as the soil becomes neutral, the deoxidation process stops, and dolomite continues to lie in the soil without being washed out by rains, that is, it constantly maintains a pH of 5–6 in the soil, which is suitable for most crops.

Dolomite also contains magnesium, which is necessary for plants to form chlorophyll.

By the way, old cement behaves in soils in much the same way as dolomite.

author Galina Kizima Enthusiast gardener with 50 years of experience, author of original methods

Discussion

Well, I don’t know, I like sour nettles. And I poison her with ashes, and it helps.

Comment on the article "How to determine the acidity of the soil by weeds and 7 more questions about fertilizing the garden"

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