A garden can be arranged anywhere and on any soil. But it is better, if there is a choice, for growing vegetables to allocate a well-lit area with loose soil, easily permeable to water and air, and at the same time sufficiently moisture-intensive, i.e. able to reliably retain water in its particles.
A characteristic component of the soil is humus, or humus, which is formed as a result of the decomposition of organic matter. The humus contains all the main plant nutrients, the amount of which determines the degree of soil fertility. The more humus in the soil, the more fertile it is. Soil fertility on the site must be constantly increased by proper agricultural technology, the application of organic and mineral fertilizers.
How to determine the chemical
esky and mechanical composition of the soil?
The ideal option is to take several soil samples in different parts of the site and take them to the laboratory for analysis. But this is not always possible: this service is quite expensive, and the laboratory may be far away or it will take a long time to wait for the results. In this case, the site itself, plants, the experience of our grandparents will help.
The mechanical composition of the soil
The mechanical composition of the soil can practically be determined by rolling wet soil between the palms:
If, when rolling, the soil takes the form of a stick or sausage, which does not crack when rolled into a ring, then clay soil;
If cracks form on the bend or the sample breaks - loamy soil;
From sandy and sandy soils it is impossible to roll a stick and make a ring.
Sandy and sandy loamy soils are called light and warm: they warm up faster and are easy to process. Clay and loamy soils are called cold and heavy.
The best soils for growing garden and horticultural plants are loamy and sandy. They are quite water-intensive and air-intensive, their fertility can be improved by the systematic application of organic and mineral fertilizers.
Sandy and clay soils without prior cultivation cannot provide a high yield of horticultural plants.
sandy soils have a slight water-holding capacity, their moisture capacity is low, soluble nutrients are easily washed out. Due to the high air permeability of sandy soils, organic matter in them quickly decomposes, so that it is impossible to achieve stable fertility on such soils simply by applying even large doses of manure, compost and other organic fertilizers. The applied organic fertilizers quickly (in 1-2 years) are mineralized, and nutrients are washed out by precipitation into groundwater.
Sandy soils can be improved by artificially creating a fertile layer. For these purposes, a special agricultural technique is used - claying. It consists in the fact that on the site where garden crops are supposed to be grown, a layer of clay or clay soil 5-6 cm thick (5-6 buckets per 1 m) is poured, it is carefully leveled, and then a layer of loamy, sandy, peaty or soddy soil taken from the side. The layer of bulk soil should be at least 20-25 cm, so that when digging with a shovel, a layer of clay and sand is not turned out. Gradually, the fertile layer is increased to 30-40 cm. The clay does not decompose and has good water-retaining properties; the applied organic and mineral fertilizers are not washed out.
Clay soils strongly bound, difficult to process. Their aeration is poor, in the spring the surface of such soils coalesces, forming a crust. Clay soils dry out late. Such soils also need to be cultivated, that is, they need to be made looser and less cohesive. For these purposes, a technique called sanding is used. Ordinary quartz sand is added to the soil. It is brought in for plowing or digging the site. Clay soil mixed with sand becomes close to loamy in terms of physical and mechanical properties. The introduction of manure, peat, sawdust makes it more loose and air-intensive, which favorably affects the growth and development of garden and vegetable plants.
The chemical composition of the soil
The chemical composition of the soil can be defined as follows:
Pour a lump of earth with vinegar, if it “makes noise” - alkaline soil;
From the vertical walls of the hole, the depth and width of the bayonet of a shovel, cut off thin layers of earth over the entire depth and mix it well; moisten with rain or distilled water and squeeze it in your hand along with litmus paper. If the paper changes color to red, then the soil is strongly acidic, pink - sour, yellow - subacid, green-blue - close to neutral, blue - neutral, green - alkaline.
Soil acidity can also be identified by weeds that grow on the site. typical plants acidic soils: horsetail, small sorrel, pikulnik, mint, plantain, belous , heather. On the slightly acidic and neutral soils are growing odorless chamomile, garden thistle, creeping couch grass, field bindweed.
But keep in mind that there may be more than one type of soil on the site (which is more likely with a large area, but is not excluded in a small area). Garden and vegetable plants react differently to soil acidity. In relation to the acidity of the soil, they can be divided into 4 groups:
I) plants that do not tolerate acidic soils and require a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction of the soil environment - black, red and white currants, cabbage of all kinds, table beets, etc .;
II) plants that need a slightly acidic and close to neutral reaction - beans, peas, rutabaga, cucumbers, onions, wild roses, etc.;
III) plants that tolerate moderate acidity - raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, turnips, radishes, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, etc.;
IV) plants that tolerate high acidity - sorrel, potatoes, etc.
For most horticultural and horticultural crops, the optimal pH values are 5.5-6.5, i.e. soil should beslightly acidic to nearly neutral .
For neutralization acidic soils spend them liming. To do this, use slaked lime, ground limestone (limestone flour), cement dust, lime tuff (key lime), lake lime (limestone), ground chalk, dolomite flour, defecation (waste from sugar factories), shale and wood ash. Most often, fluff lime is used for liming soils in garden plots, wood and shale (pulverized) ash, spring and lake lime from local lime fertilizers.
Lime is applied in autumn or spring for digging the soil once every 6-8 years, after which the acidity of the soil is again determined and, if necessary, liming is carried out. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that fluff lime cannot be applied along with manure, as this leads to a loss of nitrogen (in the form of ammonia). They are buried in the soil separately. The lime material should be spread evenly over the soil surface.
tillage
tillage is divided into the main (autumn plowing or digging), pre-sowing (spring harrowing or cultivation) and inter-row (plant care).
Required autumn soil digging following the harvesting of a particular crop. At the same time, organic and part of mineral fertilizers are closed up. The best results are obtained by early digging of the soil (August-September), since during this period it is still warm, loosened soil accumulates moisture and nutrients well, weed shoots appear that need to be destroyed. The depth of digging should be consistent with the depth of the fertile soil layer, so as not to turn the infertile subsoil to the surface, which can reduce the yield of the crops grown. The soil is not cut, but left for the winter with a ridged surface to ensure a better accumulation of autumn and winter precipitation. Pupae and eggs of pests located in the lower layers of the soil, when digging, fall into its upper layers and die during the winter.
Spring tillage in developed areas, it consists primarily in loosening the surface layer of soil in order to destroy the soil crust formed during the winter. This is especially important on clay and loamy soils. Loosening prevents excessive evaporation of moisture and rapid drying of the soil.
Character post-processing depends on the mechanical composition of the soil and the crops grown. On sandy and sandy loamy soils, sowing or planting of early cultivated crops is carried out after loosening and leveling the soil, without digging it. Under late sown and planted crops, the soil must be dug up, and before that, emerging weeds are constantly loosened and destroyed.
On clay and loamy soils, sowing and planting of all crops is carried out after the spring digging of the soil, since it becomes very compacted during the winter. Digging should be carried out at 3/4 of the depth of autumn, so as not to turn out the top layers of soil buried in autumn with weed seeds. Following this, the soil is loosened, its surface is leveled, and especially carefully for sowing small seeds of vegetable crops. Sowing them in roughly cut and unleveled soil will give uneven and sparse shoots.
Mulching- one of the most effective methods of caring for plants during their growing season. It is available to every gardener. Its essence lies in the fact that the aisles and rows of plants are covered with humus, composts, non-acidic peat, fallen leaves, unseeding weeds, sawdust, shavings, as well as thick paper (preferably from paper bags, the so-called kraft paper). Do not use newsprint, as vegetables can become contaminated with lead from ink.
It is difficult to enumerate all the benefits that you will receive by applying the mulch: it reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil surface, it does not form a crust under it and there is no need for loosening; the fluctuation of soil temperature during the day and night periods decreases; protects the soil from erosion, inhibits the germination of weeds. If humus, peat and other organic fertilizers are used as mulch, then the plants do not need to be fed, since the nutrients are gradually delivered to the plants with water.
The technique of using mulch is extremely simple. After the rows are marked, mulching materials are scattered in the aisles with a layer of 4-5 cm. As the plants grow, this layer must be increased and can be increased to 5-7 cm. Paper mulch is laid out in the aisles, sprinkled with soil.
There are two ways determining the composition of the soil- impact on the soil with your hands (by touch) and observation of which plants grow on the site. In turn, determining the composition of the soil by touch is divided into dry and wet methods.
There are two ways determining the composition of the soil- impact on the soil with your hands (by touch) and observation of which plants grow on the site. In turn, determining the composition of the soil by touch is divided into dry and wet methods.
Determining the composition of the soil by touch
Clay soils - dry method. If dry clay soil is rubbed between the fingers, it will turn into a uniform fine powder. Dry clay soil is rubbed with great difficulty.
Clay soils - wet method. If the clay soil is slightly moistened with water, then it can easily be rolled into a long cord. The cord is strong enough, you can even make a ring out of it. Also, wet clay soil is very smeared.
Loamy soils - dry method. Dry loamy soil, like clay soil, is ground into a fine powder, but grains of sand can be felt between the fingers.
Loamy soils - wet method. If the loamy soil is moistened, then it can be rolled into a cord, but it will not work to make a ring out of the cord - the ring will break. If the loam is light, then when you try to make a ring out of the cord, it will crack and break into small pieces. A ring of wet heavy loam will work, but it will be cracked.
Sandy soils. Dry sandy loamy soil is very easily ground into powder, and the grains of sand in the powder can be determined even by eye. From moist sandy loamy soil it will not be possible to make not only a ring, but also a cord - it will instantly crumble.
Sandy soils. Sandy soil itself looks like a powder, consists of grains of sand mixed with dust and clay particles. Of course, you can’t blind anything from sandy soil, even wet.
Determination of soil composition by plants
To finally make sure what kind of soil is in your garden, you can observe the plants growing on it. This method is not as reliable as the first, so it should only be used as an addition.
Clay and loamy soils are preferred by plants such as coltsfoot, field thistle, curly sorrel, tenacious bedstraw and field bindweed. Light sandy loamy soils are to the liking of such plants as black Velcro, climbing mountaineer, field blizzard.
If the soil is highly fertile, then rough mountaineer, odorless chamomile, field sow thistle, field bindweed, and creeping wheatgrass will most likely settle on it. A coltsfoot growing on the site indicates that the groundwater under your territory is located quite shallow.
Plants such as horsetail, common chicory, wood lice are most often located on wet soils. Well, the Velcro is black-leaved, the amaranth is thrown back and the wormwood is on the contrary, they prefer dry soils.
If a piece of land is developed for the first time, then the soil on it may have hyperacidity, and in this case, the addition of slaked lime will be required. Soils with high acidity are preferred by such plants as popovnik, medium plantain, caustic and creeping buttercups, horse sorrel, field horsetail, long-leaved and oak speedwell, field toriza, beautiful pikulnik, field mint, Ivan da Marya.
If odorous and odorless chamomile, garden calf, coltsfoot, couch grass, field bindweed, meadow clover and creeping clover grow on the site, then the soil in your area is slightly acidic or neutral.
In order to successfully garden and garden, you need to know what kind of soil is on your site. The quantity and composition, the time of spring sowing and some other points depend on this. Given the above signs, you can accurately determine the composition of the soil in your garden.
The question of soil types for many summer residents, especially beginners, seems to be a “Chinese letter”: it is not clear how to determine this very type, and in general, why such difficulties are needed. Meanwhile, it is here that the answers to many questions that concern us can be hidden.
Many years ago, my first garden was located on a site near peat bogs. And I just could not understand why my beets do not grow. The potatoes come out excellent, strawberries, raspberries feel great, greenery pleases, but beets fail, even cry: miserable, stunted "tails", no matter how you look after. And I was unaware that this vegetable does not like acidic soils (and I had just such a one). I decided then - "not my" plant. And then, already at another dacha, I grew beets without any hassle and worries - just sow and thin out on time, and harvest in the fall.
In general, in short, knowledge about the characteristics of different soils will help us decide on the choice of plants for the garden, and choose the right methods and techniques for cultivating our site. Moreover, there is no need to go into any purely scientific details in this case - for a start, the most general information will be enough for us.
The mechanical composition of the soil
This is one of the most important indicators, and at the same time one of the easiest to understand and determine.Soils according to their mechanical composition are divided into:
- light (sandy and sandy)
- medium-heavy (loamy)
- heavy (clay).
The mechanical composition of the soil is easy to determine
To find out what kind of soil is on the site, we take a handful of earth, evenly moisten it so that it resembles a thick paste in consistency, and roll up a “sausage” about 3 mm thick. Then we try to roll it into a ring and evaluate what came of it:
- the soil rolls well, is plastic, the ring folds easily and keeps its shape - clay, heavy;
- the soil rolls into a "sausage", but cracks when you try to fold it into a ring - loamy;
- the soil crumbles, it is not possible to roll something whole out of it, it is impossible to fold the ring - sandy or sandy, light.
Why is it important to understand this? The mechanical composition of the soil determines its density, water and air permeability, moisture capacity. Different types of soils are differently provided with nutrients necessary for plants and require a different approach.
So, heavy soils richer in nutrition than the lungs. But they quickly compacted, after rain, their surface seizes with a crust. Water often stagnates on them, and plant roots suffer due to waterlogging. Beneficial microorganisms do not work well in such soils, organic matter slowly decomposes, and therefore nutritional deficiencies may occur. In spring, areas with similar soil warm up longer, and melt water leaves them later, so planting has to be started with some delay.
How to fix the situation? The main method is the introduction of loosening materials (usually sawdust or sand). Sand can be applied both in spring and autumn, but sawdust is preferably in autumn, and it is useful to moisten them with a solution of nitrogen fertilizer before use. Volumes and proportions are selected in each case, depending on the requirements of the crops that are planned to be planted, and the characteristics of the soil.
Sowing green manure also has a good effect; for sowing on heavy soils, it is desirable to choose crops with a strong root system that penetrates deep into the ground (for example, cereals).
Light soils do not retain water well, and along with water, they lose nutrients. But they provide good air exchange and quickly warm up in the spring. "Weighten" the soil, increase its moisture capacity by adding clay or pond silt (sapropel). The latter, however, requires pre-treatment: after extraction, it must be aired and frozen in order to get rid of chemical compounds harmful to plants.
Useful on light soils is the introduction of large doses of organic matter (rotted manure or compost). But peat should be used with caution: it has good moisture capacity, but it can increase the acidity of the soil, and is not of particular value in terms of nutrient content.
Soil acidity: how to determine and what affects
Another important parameter for us is the reaction of the soil. Why is he important? At the very beginning, I already gave an example with beets, which will not grow in acidic soil. And there are many such plants. In general, there are 4 groups of cultures, depending on their relationship to this factor:- first group- plants that prefer neutral and slightly alkaline soils (pH 6.0 or more): beets, pumpkins, zucchini, white cabbage, onions and garlic, peas, beans, celery, cherries, plums and currants, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, asters, cloves and others;
- second group- plants that require a neutral or slightly acidic soil reaction (pH 5.6-6.0): carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, cauliflower and kohlrabi, apple, pear, begonias, gladioli, roses and others;
- third group- plants for which a slightly acidic soil reaction (pH 5.1-5.5) will be favorable: potatoes, corn, tomatoes, radishes, raspberries and blackberries, gooseberries, hazel, western thuja, irises, primroses, lilies, pelargonium and others;
- fourth group- Plants that prefer acidic soils (pH 4.0-4.5): sorrel, Scotch pine, azaleas and rhododendrons, heathers, lily of the valley, lingonberries and cranberries, blueberries.
However, most crops adapt quite easily to fluctuating pH levels, and in the specialized literature you can find conflicting information about the preferences of one or another species. Typical calcephobes(lovers of acidic soils) and calciphils(those that prefer alkaline soils) are relatively few. And yet, if the requirements of the plant are not taken into account when planting, this will most likely lead to its disease, starvation, poor development or death.
In soils with an increased level of acidity, nitrogen nutrition is disturbed; plants also do not receive sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, since their content is low or these substances are in a form inaccessible to plants. But there are other compounds that are toxic to the root system. The increased acidity of the soil provokes diseases, because the pathogenic microflora develops faster in such conditions.
However, the alkaline reaction is no better: here the plants are deficient in magnesium and iron, their leaves turn yellow and fall off. Cultures unadapted to such conditions get sick, form deformed fruits, and often die.
We are accustomed to accept soil, without which plants and people could not exist, for granted. But it took nature millions of years to create the familiar to us priming. Initially, there was only rock on the earth, which over time was eroded and crushed by the effects of rain and minerals. The remains of emerging plants were gradually added to it, which were introduced into soil humus (organic matter). Dead wood, dying plants and fallen leaves for millions of years have increased the soil layer (top fertile soil layer) and improved its composition and structure. The mechanical and chemical composition of the soil is not the same on the surface of the earth, which is also due to geological reasons.
Soil: composition, properties, structure
The basis of any soil is sand, clay and silt, and soil structure and properties for agriculture determines the proportion in which these three components are presented. structural soil has better air and water permeability, retains heat, moisture and nutrients longer.
sandy soils they pass water well, warm up faster in spring and freeze through in winter. Thanks to its sandy soil structure almost do not retain moisture and nutrients and are considered poor.
Clay soils can contribute to stagnant water and react slowly to the change of seasons (they warm up longer in the spring and do not freeze longer with the onset of cold weather). The structure of clay soils allows them, however, to retain fertilizers and nutrients, ensuring high fertility. Often clay soils are strictly acid neutral.
Silty soils in its pure form are quite rare, for example, where there used to be a riverbed. By their own muddy soil properties similar to sand, but contain a fairly high percentage of nutrients.
Loam contains all three elements (sand, clay and silt) in more or less equal proportions. Loam considered the most harmonious, easy to process and fertile soil.
rocky soils provide excellent drainage, which, however, makes them most vulnerable during dry periods.
calcareous soils are distinguished by a high content of calcium salts (lime) and have an alkaline reaction. By properties of calcareous soils similar to sandy and very poor in useful substances.
Peaty soils consist of plant residues and have an acid reaction. Peat it is able to absorb water like a sponge, and retains moisture well at the roots of plants, but is poor in useful substances. Meet peaty soils where there used to be swamps. high acidity of peaty soil may contribute to magnesium deficiency and fungal diseases (eg, keels of cruciferous).
Soil composition: how to determine
Location on. Moisturize the area soil with the help of a watering can. See how quickly water disappears from the surface soil. In almost a second, water seeps through rocky or sandy soil. Wet peaty soil also willingly accepts additional water. On the surface clay soil water will stay longer.
Now take a handful of soaked soil, squeeze it in a fist, and then see how it looks. Sandy or rocky ground disintegrate into grains and wake up through your fingers. clay soil leaves a feeling of slipperiness, sticks together and remains in the hand in the form of a lump. Silty and loamy soils slightly soapy and silky to the touch, however, they do not stick together as easily as clay soil. Peaty soil when clenched into a fist, it feels like a sponge.
Houses. Add a heaping tablespoon soil from the site in a glass of clean water, stir and leave alone for a couple of hours. Now let's look at the result. loamy soil will leave almost pure water in a glass with layered sediment at the bottom (see photo above). Sandy and rocky soils leave clean water in a glass with a sediment of sand or pebbles. lime soil will leave cloudy grayish water in the glass and a residue in the form of whitish grains. Peaty soil will leave somewhat cloudy water with little sediment at the bottom and a thick layer of light thin fragments floating on the surface. Clay and silty soils leave cloudy water with a fine sediment.
Soil acidity
In terms of acidity (pH level), soils are (weakly) acidic, neutral or (weakly) alkaline. The neutral level is soil pH 6.5 - 7.0, most garden plants (including vegetables) prefer it for successful growth and development. Level soil pH between 4.0 and 6.5 indicates acidic soil, and between 7.0 and 9.0 - on alkaline soil(the scale, in fact, also has extreme values, from 1 to 14, but they are not actually found by European gardeners). Knowledge soil acidity necessary for the correct selection of plants.
Reducing soil acidity achieved by adding lime to the soil. For increasing soil acidity organic conditioners are used, see below. Oxidation alkaline soil- the process is quite expensive, therefore, in areas with alkaline soil grow acidophilus in tubs and containers filled with acid soil in bags from the garden center.
How to determine the acidity of the soil (soil) on the site
Method 1. Get a special simple soil acidity tester (pH tester) at the garden center and take measurements. See photo above.
Method 2. Observe which plants grow especially well in your yard, garden, and vegetable garden. For example, heathers (erica heather, Scottish heather, garden blueberries, cranberries and other "marsh" berry crops), rhododendrons, violets, witch hazel, camellia, mountaineer (polygonum) and other acidophiles indicate acidic soil. Smolevki, henbane, full-time color (anagallis), lamb, saxifrage, sour, nightshade, carnation, as well as flourishing lilac, weigela and jasmine indicate elevated levels of lime in the soil.
Method 3. Put a little soil into a container of vinegar. If foam appears on the surface (you can also hear the typical foaming sound), then soil contains lime in significant quantity.
How to improve the soil Improving soil fertility
Improve the structure and properties of the soil on the site You can use coarse organic materials that should be applied (digged) into the soil or simply laid out on the surface of the soil in a 10-cm layer as mulch at least twice a year. To improving soil fertility substances include organic fertilizers and so-called. soil conditioners. Oorganic fertilizers and soil conditioners glue structureless particles into small lumps, creating a free space between them.
To improve soil structure and fertility, apply :
- Well-rotted manure (better horse than cow) with straw. Manure is good for poor soils (stony, sandy), enriching them and contributing to the retention of moisture and nutrients at the roots of plants. Never apply fresh manure!
- garden compost. Like manure, garden compost better suited for enriching and improving the structure of poor soils.
- mushroom compost. It usually contains rotted horse manure, peat and lime. Mushroom compost is good to use where neutral soils need to be given a slightly alkaline reaction, such as under tomatoes.
- leaf humus. Excellent for conditioning, mulching and acidifying the soil in which moisture-loving acidophiles are grown (plants for acidic soils).
- Peat. In fact, it does not contain useful substances, quickly decomposes and has an acidic reaction.
- Wood shavings and sawdust. The same as leaf humus. See above.
- bird feathers. Rich in phosphorus, therefore well suited for application to ground for winter, as well as where they will grow root crops (potatoes,
- Chopped tree bark well suited for clay soils, improving their water permeability and making them more structured, lighter. The bark is also often used as mulch due to its beautiful appearance and valuable qualities.
Apply soil conditioners at the same time as (or instead of) applying organic fertilizer. Empty areas of soil that are being prepared for planting should be dug up with the application of conditioners and fertilizers a couple of months before planting. The soil areas occupied by plants are enriched with a layer of mulch from conditioning organic materials with fertilizers at the very beginning of the season and at the end of the season.
Before planning plantings on your site, especially if this site is new, or you notice that the yield has decreased and the plants have begun to grow worse, you need to know the properties of the soil. At home, it is easy to determine the mechanical composition and density of the soil. To do this, we have compiled special tables that will help you accurately measure the indicators and choose a convenient way to improve soil properties on your site.
How to determine the composition of the soil at home
To find out the mechanical composition of your soil yourself, we offer a very simple way.
- Prepare a soil sample.
- Dial from it 2 tsp. and pour into a test tube (or 5 teaspoons into a thin glass) with distilled water.
- Shake for 5 minutes. and put the container on the table. Record the time.
- Now take a ruler and determine how many cm the water is clarified in 1 minute.
- Evaluate the results according to the table for determining the mechanical composition of the soil at home.
Table 1. Determination of soil composition at home
| № | The mechanical composition of the soil | Content of physical clay, % | Soil rolling in a pasty state | Clarification of water in a test tube (for 1 min) |
| 1 | Sand | 0-5 | Doesn't roll into cord | Lightens up completely |
| 2 | sandy loam | 10-20 | Does not roll, shrinks into fragile shreds | Lightens up by 5-7 cm |
| 3 | light loam | 20-30 | Does not roll into a cord, breaks into slices | Lightens up by 2-5 cm |
| 4 | Medium loam | 30-40 | The cord is solid, the ring breaks | Lightens up by 1-2 cm |
| 5 | heavy loam | 40-50 | Solid cord, cracked ring | Lightens up by 1-3 cm |
| 6 | clay light | 50-65 | The ring is solid, no cracks | Lightens up to 1 mm or does not lighten at all |
The most favorable for the cultivation of vegetables and potatoes:
- light and medium loams,
- with a content of physical clay from 20 to 40%,
- does not roll into a cord when doughy,
- quickly clarified by 2-5 and 1-2 cm, respectively, in contrast to heavy loam and light clay.
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How to determine soil density at home
The next very important physical indicator of fertility is bulk density, or soil density .
Soil density values vary from 0.4 to 1.8 g/cm³ and depend on:
- mechanical composition,
- the amount of organic matter
- soil structures.
These density values create:
- the most favorable water, thermal, air and nutrient regimes in the fertile soil layer,
- the most optimal conditions for the root system.
The example of potatoes clearly shows how an increase in soil density reduces the yield and quality of this crop (Table 2).
Table 2. Yield and quality of potatoes depending on soil density
The decrease in yield is explained by the fact that negative processes occur in compacted up to 1.35 g / cm³ and above:
- air exchange between soil and atmospheric air is hindered,
- the root system develops poorly,
- more resistance to tuber formation,
- deterioration of microbial activity.
To assess the air condition of the soil, consider Table 3.
Table 3. Composition of atmospheric and soil air (in % of volume)
If the composition of atmospheric air is generally constant, then the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the soil air can vary greatly depending on the type of soil, its mechanical composition, moisture content, and other parameters.
It has been established that favorable physical conditions develop for vegetables and potatoes during the growing season if:
- The concentration of carbon dioxide CO² in the soil air exceeds 1-2%, the content of O² is at least 18%.
- With such an oxygen supply, aerobic processes develop in the soil and favorable conditions are created for plant growth.
- And this is achieved only if there is an optimal soil density of 0.9-1.2 g / cm².
Self-determination of soil density looks like this.
Take a glass jar with a capacity of 250 or 500 ml and weigh it on a balance with an accuracy of at least 1 g.
- Pour into it without disturbing the structure of the soil from the arable layer (tightly, but without destroying lumps).
- Put the filled container in the oven with a temperature of 80-100 ° C for 5-6 hours.
- Then cool and weigh.
Compare your result with the data in the table for determining soil density. The table will help you take the right measures to improve the soil with its non-optimal density.
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Table 2. Determination of soil density and ways to improve it
| № | soil density, g/cm³ | Soil assessment | Ways to reduce density |
| 1 | Less than 1.0 | Optimal for vegetables and potatoes | Usual norms of organic matter: 2.5-3 kg/m², minimum treatments |
| 2 | 1,0-1,2 | Suitable for vegetables and optimal for root crops | Typical organic rates: 2.5-3 kg/m², typical number of treatments |
| 3 | 1,2-1,4 | Not suitable for vegetables, root crops and potatoes | Loosening materials every 5 years: straw up to 0.5 + peat up to 10-15 kg / m², twice the number of treatments |
| 4 | 1,4-1,6 | Not suitable for most crops | Loosening materials every 3 years: straw 0.5 + sawdust 0.7 + peat up to 10-15 kg / m², triple the number of treatments |
| 5 | Over 1.6 | Critical for most cultures | The same measures as with a density of 1.4-1.6 kg / m² |
How to improve the composition and density of the soil
To improve soil fertility, reduce density and achieve its optimal level, it is recommended to introduce organic matter, loosening materials in the form of straw, peat, as well as an increased number of treatments on your site.
Rippers to reduce soil density
1. Manure application
- More than 7 kg/m² of non-rotted and semi-rotted manure must not be applied as a loosener.
- Excess manure can lead to increased nitrate levels in soils and crops.
2. Straw and sawdust application
- When introducing straw and sawdust as a ripper, add an additional amount of nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 2 kg of active ingredient per 100 kg of ripper.
- If this is not done, nitrogen starvation may occur in plants.
3. Sowing green manure
- In the absence of the above organic rippers or in addition to them, the cultivation of green manure crops in crop rotation is very effective.
- They have a multilateral positive effect on all components of soil fertility and the yield of vegetable crops and potatoes.
Oats, soybeans and cruciferous crops are suitable as green manure. It is advisable to cultivate green manure crops independently, allocating a separate plot or field for this, as well as after harvesting early crops - cabbage, potatoes, onions, etc.