The homogeneity of the structure of the soil profile, as well as similar physical and chemical properties determine the type of soil: chernozem, brown soil, sod-podzolic, gleyed, turf, meadow, floodplain, gley, swamp, peat, solonchak, solonetzic, brown, red soil, podzolic, rendzina, alpine turf, juvenile, anthropogenic and underwater. To get a rich harvest on your plot, it is important to know what main types of soils there are.
Chernozem found in fairly dry and warm latitudes. It results from the accumulation of decomposed plant remains in loose carbonate rocks.
Burozem is formed on hills and in depressions under the canopy of broad-leaved forests with the accumulation of slightly acidic humus and the vertical movement of clay particles in carbonate parent rocks after their neutralization.
Sod- podzolic soil located on elevated terrain, flat watersheds and slopes with deep groundwater. It is formed under the canopy of a broad-leaved forest with the accumulation of acidic humus and pronounced vertical movement of clay particles in loose parent rocks.
Sod soil found in lowlands along the beds of large rivers. It occurs as a result of weak accumulation of humus on sandy rocks and contains many nutrients. It is used as the main type of soil for greenhouses and greenhouses, growing seedlings.
Floodplain soil It is formed in the floodplains of rivers and streams and is the youngest soil. It occurs as a result of the accumulation and deposition of humus.
Gleyed soil is formed under meadow and forest vegetation with surface waterlogging of loose clay rocks.
Gley soil distributed in valleys, slope, foothill and mountain areas. It is formed when low-quality humus accumulates and the soil is over-moistened with groundwater.
swamp soil distributed in constantly wet areas near swamps and lakes. It arises from rocks in which the remains of aquatic plants have accumulated.
Peat soil is formed as a result of peat removal of the remains of marsh plants that accumulate on the gley horizon. Refers to excessively moist soils.
Salt marshes- a rather rare type of soil in Russia. They are characterized by the fact that the aqueous solution at the soil surface contains about 1% soluble salt.
Solontsy are formed in the warmest and driest areas in small areas. The difference from salt marshes is that water-soluble salts are found at depth, and not in the upper layers.
Brown soil belongs to the most common soil types. It occurs in the mountains under the forest canopy, where humus accumulates in a layer of weathered hard rock.
Krasnozem- this soil arose when tropical forests grew on Earth. Its remains are found on limestones and rarely on other rocks.
Podzolic soil located in the lowlands and mountains under coniferous forest. Occurs as a result of the accumulation of acidic humus.
Rendzina- the soil of foothills and uplands, where humus accumulates in weathered hard carbonate rock.
Alpine turf soil not found in gardens.
Juvenile soil- a thin layer of rock fragments containing humus, directly underneath which lies solid non-carbonate rock.
A significant part of the Non-Chernozem Zone is occupied by two main Russian soil type: soddy-podzolic and peat-bog soils.
The main genetic horizons of soddy-podzolic soils are humus, eluvial (podzolic), illuvial layers plus parent rock. The profile of peat-bog soils is composed of the following genetic horizons: sphanine, moss, peat, gley, salt.
Peat-bog soils do not have a humus horizon - the upper part of the soil profile is brown or dark brown in color with a loose structure and visually noticeable traces of the vital activity of soil organisms.
But only this type of soil has a peat horizon located on the soil surface. It is sometimes covered with sphagnum moss, has a loose, sponge-like consistency, and is black or brown in color. This is lowland or highland peat.
The eluvial (podzolic) horizon has gray, white, yellow-gray colors and a plate-like structure. It is located under the humus horizon. The consistency is loose.
The illuvial horizon is usually located below the podzolic horizon and can be hard or loose.
The gley horizon is located in the lower part of the soil profile and is distinguished by the fact that it is always wet or waterlogged. The color of the gley horizon is spotty, greenish or bluish-gray.
The main morphological feature of an anthropogenic horizon is alien impurities (glass, metal and plastic fragments, bricks) in the insufficiently mixed mass of native natural horizons.
Source: https://priusadebka.ru/kakie-byvayut-vidy-pochv/
What are the types of soils?
Soil type is important to plant growth for several reasons. Soil provides plant roots with nutrients, water and air. The soil also serves to hold the plant securely.
The choice of crops, their placement, and ultimately the harvest depends on what type of soil predominates on your site. Depending on the type of soil, it is necessary to plan the application of fertilizers.
Soil composition
Any soil contains three minerals a: sand, silt and clay. The largest particles are sand particles, medium-sized silt particles, and the smallest clay particles. In addition, soil contains organic elements, water and air.
Minerals contained in the soil
The ideal soil consists of 45 percent minerals (sand, silt and clay), five percent organic material(humus, plant residues, soil organisms), 25 percent water and 25 percent air.
The type of soil is determined by the composition of its mineral part. Based on this, four main types are distinguished: loamy, clayey, sandy and silty.
| Are considered better soils, since most plants grow well on them. Loamy soils have an equal proportion of sand, silt and clay, which is considered the ideal ratio. These soils are brown in color and crumbly to the touch. Loams are well-drained, they rarely become waterlogged, and at the same time do not dry out in the summer. Easy to dig up and process. Loams are characterized by a high amount of nutrients. |
| With a predominant amount of sand. Considered coarse and too friable. The color is light brown, they dig up easily. However, such soils do not retain moisture well because they have a high air content. Therefore, they require constant abundant watering. At the same time, with an excess of moisture, sandy soils quickly become saturated with water, and puddles form on them, which is also not good. Because of this, the nutrient content in sandy soils is extremely low, since they are quickly washed out of it. This problem can be partially solved by applying to sandy soil organic fertilizers. Sandy soils warm up quickly in the spring, which makes it possible to sow early. |
| Dense, with a predominance of clay. Sticky to the touch, easy to form into a ball. nutrients are quite high, so plants that are suitable for such conditions grow on clay soils not bad. However, there are a number of problems. In hot summers, clay soils often dry out and their surface becomes covered with a cracked crust, which prevents the flow of moisture and air to the roots of plants. During periods that are too wet, clay soils can accumulate excessive moisture and become waterlogged, because do not allow water to pass through well. Such soils are difficult to cultivate. The quality of clay soils can be improved by adding sand and organic fertilizers - rotted manure, compost, etc. |
| With a predominance of silt. Fine-grained, silky, very crumbly to the touch. When wet, silty soils cannot be molded into a ball, but they can be rolled into a sausage. Silty soils can accumulate moisture well, but do not become waterlogged. air in such soils is higher than in clayey soils, but less than in sandy soils. |
Based on the percentage of substances, there may be options - sandy loam, sandy loam, silty loam, etc.
It happens that the soil contains a large amount of other mineral impurities. Based on this, two additional types of soil are distinguished: peat and calcareous.
conclusions
Most crops prefer fertile, well-drained loamy soils. If the soil on your site is different, remember that the properties of any soil can be improved. Regularly add the missing substances and organic fertilizers in the right quantities, and you will certainly have a good harvest.
To find out what type of soil predominates on your site, it is best to contact a specialist. They will help you find out not only the type of soil by its mineral content, but also the presence of useful microelements in it - phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and others.
If this is not possible, then you can find out on your own what kind of soil is in your garden - sandy, clay or other. Read more about this here.
We hope the information presented will help you learn more about soil types, which, in turn, will help you get good harvests.
Source: http://siteogorod.ru/tipy.html
Types of soils and their characteristics
Experienced gardeners know very well that most of the planned seasonal work depends on the composition of the soil on their plot. gardening cannot be done without taking into account the soil composition and characteristics of the soil on the farm territory. It is necessary to sow, care for and fertilize the land to obtain an excellent harvest only after a thorough soil analysis.
Soil types
To improve its quality and characteristics in agriculture, they have even been developed special techniques processing and planting of green manure, various plants that fertilize and strengthen existing soils with the products of their vital activity.
In order to effectively apply such agricultural technologies within your own country farm, it is better to use them after careful study existing varieties soils, their typical properties and characteristics.
Types of soil
The territory of Russia is quite diverse and the soil composition can also vary.
When the question arises about adding green manure for processing and improving gardening, selecting garden crops, in order to obtain a high-quality and rich harvest, dividing the site into zones for planting and fertilizing and other work to improve soil quality, it is necessary first of all to study the characteristics of the soil on the site. Such knowledge makes it possible not only to avoid many difficulties with growing plants, but also to qualitatively increase productivity and protect your garden from typical garden diseases and pests.
Clay soil
Clay soil
This variety is very easy to identify. So, when the soil is dug up during spring preparatory work, the clods turn out to be large, stick when moistened, and a long cylinder can be easily rolled out of the soil, which does not crumble when bent.
This type of soil has a very dense structure with poor air ventilation. Saturation of water and warming of the earth are poor, and therefore planting and growing capricious garden crops on clay soils is quite problematic.
But in gardening, this type of soil can become the basis for a good harvest if you resort to tillage on the site. To cultivate clay soils, the addition of green manure is rarely used; in order to lighten the dense structure, they are enriched with sand, peat, ash and lime additives.
An accurate calculation of the amount of various additives can only be made by conducting a laboratory study of soils from the site. But to increase their fertility, it is better to use averaged data.
So, to enrich a square meter of land, you need to add about 40 kg of sand, 300 grams of lime and a bucket of peat and ash. It is better to use organic fertilizers horse manure. And if it is possible to use green manure, you can sow rye, mustard and some oats.
Sandy soil
Sandy soil
It is very easy to identify their variety. The main characteristics of such soils are looseness and flowability. They cannot be compressed into a lump without it falling apart. All the advantages of these soils are also their main disadvantages.
Rapid heating, easy circulation of air, minerals and water leads to rapid cooling, drying out and leaching of useful substances. The substances necessary for plants do not have time to linger in such soil and quickly sink to depth.
Therefore, growing any type of vegetation on sandstones is very not an easy task, even after processing has started. To cultivate the land in such an area, they use the introduction of substances that make the light structure more dense. Such additives include peat, humus, compost and clay flour.
It is necessary to add sealing components to each square meter no less than a bucket. It would not be superfluous to use green manure. For this work, you can sow mustard, rye and various varieties of oats; after such treatment, even the use of fertilizers will become more effective.
Sandy loam priming
Sandy loam soil
This type of soil cover is very similar to sandstones, but due to a higher percentage of clay components, it retains minerals better.
Cultivation of such soils is easier and does not require as much effort as sandy and clayey varieties.
Types of sandy loam soils may differ slightly from each other, but the characteristics always correspond to rapid heating and heat retention a long period, as well as optimal saturation with moisture, oxygen and nutrients.
To determine the sandy loam cover, you can compress earthen lump, which should take the form of a lump, but gradually disintegrate. These types of soil are initially ready for growing any garden and vegetable crops.
But for greater efficiency and in cases of depletion of soil cover, you can use the planting of green manure plants (rye or mustard). It is enough to plant rye and mustard once every 3-4 years; if the choice fell in the direction of oats, then strengthening is carried out more often.
Loamy priming
Loamy soil
These types are optimal for growing a wide variety of plants. Their characteristics make it possible to do without additional processing.
Such soil contains the optimal amount of microelements that are useful and necessary for full growth and development, and also a high level of saturation of the plant root system with water and air makes it possible to achieve not only big harvest potatoes. On such lands you can grow all types of garden and vegetable plants.
It is very easy to distinguish them from other types of soil. You need to squeeze the earth into a ball, and then try to bend it. Loamy soil will easily take shape, but will break if you try to deform it.
Lime priming
A very poor variety of land for gardening work. Plants grown on a lime base often suffer from a lack of iron and manganese.
Calcareous soil can be distinguished by its light brown color and structure with many stone inclusions. Such soil requires frequent cultivation to obtain a harvest.
The lack of basic components and the alkaline environment do not allow moisture and organic composition to receive everything necessary for proper growth and development. To improve the fertile properties of the land, the use of green manure is very effective. A simple solution will sow rye and mustard.
If you grow rye and mustard on a plot for several years, you can increase the yield of other crops several times.
marshy or peat priming
In their original form, these soils are unsuitable for planting a garden or vegetable garden. But after treatment, growing plants is quite possible.
Such soils quickly absorb water, but do not retain it inside.
Also, such land has a fairly high level of acidity, which leads to a lack of minerals and beneficial elements for vegetation.
After the landscaping work carried out in the fall, the next season you can try to grow unpretentious garden crops.
Chernozemny priming
Chernozem
Chernozems are a gardener's dream. But among dacha soils it is rare. A stable, coarse-grained structure, an abundance of humus and calcium, and ideal water and air exchange make chernozems the most desirable soils.
But with active cultivation and use for cultivation fruit trees And vegetable crops Even such soil can become depleted, so it must be promptly recharged and stimulate its fertile properties. For such purposes, growing green manure is ideal.
Rye and mustard are very good to plant after potatoes, which quickly deplete the soil. It is worth repeating the procedure with planting green manure once every 2-3 years.
Rye, mustard and varieties of oats are often used in mass agriculture to restore soil fertility, but in the conditions of a personal plot it can also be achieved excellent results. It is easy to establish that there is indeed chernozem soil in the area; you need to squeeze the earthen lump and a greasy and black spot will remain on the palm of your hand.
Selection of plants based on soil composition
To make the work easier when creating a garden, it is worth selecting garden crops based on the characteristic characteristics and adherence of the plants to soil varieties. Thus, some representatives of the flora will not grow on land that is not suitable for their cultivation, despite all the efforts made, while others, under the same conditions, will actively grow and bear fruit.
Soil for vegetable crops
When choosing garden vegetation, the soil characteristics of the site must be taken into account.
Clayey Earth
The density of the soil does not allow the root system to be fully saturated with air, moisture and heat. Therefore, the yield of vegetable crops in such areas is very small, the only exception being the cultivation of potatoes, beets, peas and Jerusalem artichoke. But shrubs and trees with a strong root system feel quite acceptable in an area with clay soil.
Even before adding compacting components, you can increase the yield level of the site if you sow carrots, melons, various varieties of onions, currants and strawberries. If you fertilize the soil regularly throughout the season, you can get a good harvest of potatoes, cabbage and beets. The use of fast-acting fertilizers can increase the fruiting of fruit trees.
Sandy loam and loamy Earth
Any plants are suitable for these types of soil. The only limitation can be considered the selection of garden crops, taking into account the area, zoning and climatic conditions.
Sandy and loamy soil
Limestone Earth
Growing plants in such soil is quite problematic. It is not suitable for growing potatoes; you should also avoid tomatoes, sorrel, carrots, pumpkins, cucumbers and salads.
marshy or peat Earth
Without cultivation, only gooseberry and currant bushes can be grown on peat bogs. For other garden crops, cultivation work is required. Growing fruit plants, especially potatoes, in peat bog conditions is impossible.
Chernozemnaya Earth
The best option for a summer residence and homestead. It is ideal for all garden crops, even the most finicky ones.
For each type of soil, professional agronomists have developed special techniques and methods that ensure optimal survival of new plants and full growth of existing ones.
Horticultural crops
To increase your yield, you can use the following simple recommendations.
Clay
For clay soils recommended:- high position beds; - it is better to sow seeds at a shallower depth; - seedlings are planted at an angle for optimal heating of the root system; - after planting, it is necessary to regularly apply loosening and mulching;
In the fall, after harvesting, it is necessary to dig up the soil.
Sand
For sandstones There is a technology where a clay base, about 5 cm thick, is created on sandy soil. On this basis, a bed is created from imported fertile soil and the plants are already planted on it.
Sandy loam soils
Such soils respond well to the application of a wide variety of organic fertilizers. It is also recommended to periodically mulch, especially in the fall after harvesting.
Loam
Loams do not require additional processing. It is enough to maintain them with the help of mineral fertilizers, and in the fall, when digging, it is very good to add a small amount of manure.
Limestone
For limestones it is necessary to regularly carry out the following work: - saturation of the soil with organic fertilizers; - mulching with the introduction of organic impurities; - it is necessary to often sow plants of the green manure group: rye, mustard, varieties of oats; - it is necessary to sow seeds with frequent watering and loosening;
The use of potassium fertilizers and additives with an acidic environment gives good results.
Natural limestone
Peat
For peat bogs it is necessary to carry out quite a lot of gardening work: - you need to strengthen the soil with sand or clay flour, for this you can carry out in-depth digging of the area; - if the soil is found to have increased acidity, then it is necessary to carry out liming; - you can increase the fertility of the land by applying large quantity organic matter; - the addition of potassium and phosphorus levels increases productivity well; - fruit trees require planting in deep holes with the addition of fertile soil or planting on artificially created earthen hills;
As with sandstones, for a vegetable garden it is necessary to create beds on a clay bed.
Chernozem
For black soil no special processing required. Additional work can only be related to the characteristics of specific groups of plants. It is also necessary to regularly carry out work to prevent soil depletion. It is enough to plant a few green manure plants: rye, mustard and oat varieties, and the soil will be strengthened and saturated with useful elements for several more years.
T. Rozanova
Source: https://rozarii.ru/sad-i-ogorod/vidy-pochv.html
Soil types and their characteristics - the most important information + video
Preface
Many gardeners thoughtlessly plant plants on the site, forgetting that there are different types of soil, the quality and composition of which determine survival rate and productivity. In order not to make mistakes when planting, you need to become familiar with what types of soils exist and which of them characterize the territory of Russia.
There are several types of soils that differ in their content of sand, clay and other elements. Knowing their main characteristics and features, it will be easier for you to organize planting, since you can improve their properties by treating the soil and adding the required substances and fertilizers to it.
Characteristic:
- Clayey, characterized high level fertility and at the same time difficulties in processing. Such soil will retain water, compacting over time. In the spring, planting in an area with clay soil must be carried out later than planned, since it takes a long time to heat up and dry out - because of this, it also needs to be watered frequently in the summer. In order for the planting of roses in the ground, like other crops, to proceed efficiently, it is best to add peat, coarse sand, and leaf humus when digging, and lime the soil once every three years. If you cultivate the land efficiently, it will develop well and produce rich harvests. fruit trees And fast growing shrubs, many garden crops(potatoes) and flowers (knotweed and hosta).
- Sandy ones, which are easy to process. However, due to the fact that they are accessible to water, problems may arise when applying fertilizers - they will simply be washed out of the soil. To avoid this, it is necessary to add nutrients and organic matter in small doses twice a year: in autumn and spring. In an area where sandy soil predominates, it is best to grow grapes, pears, and strawberries.
- Loamy soils that are best suited for gardening. Among their main characteristics, it is worth noting good moisture capacity, air capacity and ease of processing, due to which they do not need to be constantly dug up and improved by applying fertilizers. Any crop can be grown on such land.
- Peat, characterized by a low content of phosphorus, potassium and calcium. If treatment is not carried out, trees and bushes, flowers and other crops will develop poorly. Soil properties can be improved by draining and liming.
- Calcareous, which warms up quickly and is well processed. True, they are also distinguished by poor moisture absorption, and therefore, with infrequent watering, your plants will not have enough water. However, crops such as grapes, berry bushes, walnuts, and maples grow well on them.
Breakdown of soils by zones and regions
Zonal soil types are a new concept; they imply soil characteristics depending on the region. Each zone has its own characteristics, which gardeners should also be aware of.
After all, 80% of success in the garden depends not on fertilizers and plant care, but directly on the quality of the soil.
The main zones of our country include:
- Tundra, which is located along the coast of the Arctic Ocean and occupies a fairly large area. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to grow crops on such land, since it is very swampy and has a small amount of nutrients. However, you can also grow potatoes and oats here.
- Taiga forest, located in an area that occupies approximately 70% of the entire area of the country. Alas, without applying mineral and organic fertilizers in such a region, it will not be possible to achieve productivity. The high level of acidity is also not pleasing, due to which the owners summer cottages you will have to add limestone. But if the processing is carried out correctly, you can expect good results when planting vegetables, grains and perennial herbs.
- Swamp, which is most often used to create hayfields.
- Forest-steppe, found in Omsk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk regions. With proper cultivation and care of plants on the soils located in this zone, it is possible to grow corn, potatoes, and various winter crops. The most important thing is protection from erosion (destruction), which requires deepening the topsoil, applying liming and fertilizers.
- Chernozem-steppe - such soils are considered the most fertile, since the land within the boundaries of this zone is distinguished by a large amount of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus).
As you can see, it is quite important to know these types, their locations and gardening capabilities. This will allow you to properly treat the soil and spend less time caring for the plants.
Determining soil fertility
The main factor in determining soil fertility is soil acidity, which reflects the presence of nutrients in it. Knowing this indicator, you can quickly take measures to improve soil characteristics.
Thus, an acidity level of 7 pH is considered a normal indicator: in such soil fertilizers are quickly absorbed.
To determine acidity, it is best to use a special indicator or contact a laboratory specialist.
However, if you do not have the financial means, you can carry out this work yourself. In this case, all you need is observation.
For example, if woodlice and buttercups reproduce abundantly in your area, and azaleas and hydrangeas grow well, then the acidity level is quite high.
To combat this factor, use flour, lime or wood ash, which should be added to the soil along with fertilizers.
- Mikhail Malofeev
For a novice gardener, it would be useful to find out what type of soil and its composition is on his site. After all, the soil largely determines what kind of harvest you will have.
Podzolic soil is formed under the canopy of a coniferous forest, on which there is insignificant herbaceous vegetation. The soil contains a small supply of humus (0.7 - 1.5%). The upper layer (humus) has a thickness of 2 to 15 cm. The deeper layer is structureless, podzolic, whitish, infertile, and has a thickness of 2 to 30 cm.
Sod-podzolic soil. It is a more fertile species.
This soil has a humus layer of 15–18 cm, under which another layer is infertile. Humus content is 1.5 - 1.8%. It has a dusty and easily destroyed lumpy structure. The soil solution has an acidic reaction.
Peat (marsh) soil.Formed on waterlogged soil. Peat soils have two types: highland and lowland, which differ greatly from each other. High peat bogs are formed in elevated areas that are waterlogged with soft groundwater and precipitation. Wild rosemary, cranberries, blueberries, and moss grow on it.
Floodplain soils.Located near rivers, they are considered the best for vegetable growing. They contain a small amount of humus, but have powerful humus capacity and a strong granular structure. Its disadvantage is that cold air stagnates in low areas; this is especially harmful in the spring. Floodplain soil has different acidity levels. According to its composition, the soil is divided into clayey, loamy, sandy and sandy loam.
Clay soil consists of clayey, small particles, the permeability of air and water is very poor. After rains, rapid compaction occurs by forming a crust on the surface.
Loamy soil consists of large sand and small clay particles. Such soil is more fertile than clay soil; it retains moisture accumulated in winter and spring well. In years with insufficient rainfall, it suffers less from drought.
sandy soil consists of larger particles. It causes rapid leaching of nutrients. Such soil easily allows water to pass through. Sandy soil has low fertility, but dries out and warms up quickly in the spring. Planting and sowing are carried out at great depths.
Sandy loam soil consists predominantly of large particles, the content of clay substances is about 20%. Compared to sandy soil, this soil retains water slightly better. A distinctive feature is low fertility. In sandy loam soil, little humus accumulates and the process of decomposition of organic matter occurs quickly.
See also:Surely, you have all noticed that the amount of labor invested in a personal plot is not always directly proportional to the quality and quantity of the harvest obtained. Sometimes, no matter how much you pay attention to care, plants still do not grow as intensively as expected. It's all about the general characteristics of soil fertility - in some areas they leave much to be desired. But this does not mean that your garden or vegetable garden, laid out on the “wrong” soil, is doomed. It is always possible to ensure proper regulation of the water-air regime of the soil, reduce its acidity and feed it with missing substances.
All garden plants grow on the ground. Soil is the solid base where plants grow their roots and the growing medium for them. Plants take literally all their mineral nutrition from the soil. However, the soils are not the same everywhere and provide the plants with nutrition in the same way. There are soils rich and poor in nutrients. This difference depends on many factors, but primarily on the climatic conditions of the zone where they are located.
In this article you will learn what types of soils there are, how they are classified according to their mechanical composition, and how to reduce their acidity.
The territory of Russia extends over many geographical zones. In accordance with this, soil and climatic conditions also vary greatly. Thus, in central Russia the most common are sod-podzolic, chernozem and gray forest soils. These types of soils are very different from each other in their characteristics: they have different fertility, acidity of the soil solution, mechanical composition and other indicators. In addition, even within one soil type, soil groups in home gardens can vary significantly in their fertility, since in some gardens (especially in rural areas) large doses of organic fertilizers are applied annually or once every 3-4 years, and in urban gardening areas and in summer cottages, manure is applied much less frequently. Thus, in gardens where organic fertilizers are applied, the soils are gradually cultivated: their water-air properties improve, soil microflora is enriched, acidity improves, and their fertility increases.
Among the listed soils, soddy-podzolic soils have the least favorable conditions for gardening and vegetable growing. In central Russia, on such soils there are Smolensk, Bryansk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vologda, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk region, Udmurt republic, Mari El, etc. These soils are poor in humus, and they have rather low fertility: they have an acidic reaction, with an average pH of about 4–5. The main characteristic of this type of soil is a low humus horizon. Its thickness on sod-podzolic soil is usually no more than 20–30 cm, and the humus content is about 2.5–3%. However, in highly cultivated garden plots, where organic fertilizers are used in fairly large doses, these figures can be significantly higher.
In garden plots located on soddy-podzolic soils, first of all, it is necessary to reduce soil acidity by adding lime at a dose of 0.5-0.9 kg per 1 m2. It is important to add organic fertilizers to such soil: rotted manure, composts, lowland peat 4–12 kg per 1 m2, depending on the availability of fertilizers and the capabilities of the owner of the site. In soddy-podzolic soils, lime is applied in the indicated doses once every 8–9 years, and organic fertilizers once every 3–4 years. Apply annually and mineral fertilizers.
Chernozem soils are the most favorable for gardening and gardening, as these soils are rich in humus. Humus is a substance that is formed as a result of the decomposition of plant residues in the soil. On chernozem soils there are gardens and vegetable gardens in Kursk, Oryol, Voronezh, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Penza, Orenburg and other regions, the Central Black Earth region, the southern part of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, etc. They are well humified and have high fertility.
A brief description of this type of soil is as follows: The humus content in chernozems, depending on local conditions, ranges from 4 to 12%, and the thickness of the humus horizon from 0.4 to 1.2 m or even more. Their acidity is close to neutral: pH 5.6–7.5, and, as a rule, they do not need liming. But to obtain high yields, the application of manure in a dose of 4–8 kg per 1 m2 is an indispensable condition for these soils.
Gray forest soils occupy an intermediate position between the first two, that is, they have more favorable properties than soddy-podzolic soils, and they are located south of the soddy-podzolic soil zone. The humus content in them ranges from 2.5 to 9–10%. The fertility and quality characteristics of this type of soil are significantly higher than those of soddy-podzolic soils.
Gray forest soils have an acidic and slightly acidic reaction - pH 5.5–6.0. Many gray forest soils require liming. Average doses of lime for gray forest soils are 0.3–0.7 kg, manure 4–10 kg per 1 m2. The frequency of application is the same as on soddy-podzolic soils.
Knowing what types of soils there are, and what kind of soil is on your site, you can try to improve its quality.
Soil water-air regime and its regulation
Water-air regime of soil- this is one of the most accessible factors for regulating plant growth and development.
Water is essential for plants. Many fruits are mostly water. Thus, cucumbers consist of up to 96–98% water, tomatoes, peppers up to 90–94%. A large amount of moisture is needed during seed germination. When creating a harvest, fruit and vegetable crops pass a huge amount of water through themselves. For example, potatoes, in order to accumulate 1 kg of dry matter, pass through 400-500 liters of water, cabbage - 500-600 liters of water. This is how difficult it is for plants to create the harvest for which we grow them. Therefore, providing plants with moisture, that is, watering, is one of the main components in obtaining high yields.
However, plants need more than just abundant watering: Taking into account the characteristics of the main types of soil, it is necessary to supply them with water skillfully - at the right time, in the right quantity, using the right irrigation methods, and not with cold water from a spring or well, but with warm water heated in the sun. On the other hand, excess moisture also depresses plants, no less than its lack. Plant roots not only need moisture, they also use air from the soil for breathing. Therefore, if there is excess moisture, the roots can rot. Watering with cold water also inhibits plants. Irrigation water in the container should always be heated in the sun.
Moisture requirement different cultures also varies greatly: Some crops are very difficult to tolerate lack of moisture, others are somewhat easier. Carrots, tomatoes, peppers, and parsley tolerate drought more easily; beets, onions, and garlic do not suffer very much. And such plants as cucumber, cabbage, radish, turnip, radish, eggplant, as well as some green plants, with a lack of moisture, sharply reduce the yield, and the quality of the product deteriorates.
From fruit and berry crops Plums, currants, and raspberries suffer more from lack of moisture.
In addition to soil moisture, there is such a thing as air humidity. Different plants react differently to soil air conditions. For example, it is for this reason that it is undesirable to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in the same greenhouse: cucumbers like high humidity in both soil and air, and tomatoes like high soil moisture but dry air. For the same reason, in the garden, tomatoes are watered only at the root, and it is better to water cucumbers by sprinkling: moistening both the soil and the air.
Excessive air humidity, together with high temperature, can lead to the strong development of diseases such as scab and late blight. Therefore, gardeners use different watering methods for different garden and vegetable crops: sprinkling, root watering, subsurface irrigation, drip irrigation and others.
As noted at the beginning, regulation of the water-air regime of soils in the garden can be carried out different ways. The most radical measure is, of course, watering in various ways. However, you need to pay attention to the economical use of water by plants. For example, regular surface loosening of beds, on the one hand, is aimed at destroying weeds and improving the air properties of the soil, on the other hand, it is an effective measure to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil.
Reduces moisture evaporation by mulching - covering the surface of the bed various materials that do not form capillaries: fine humus, peat, sawdust. It is imperative to mulch the tree trunk circles after planting and watering fruit and berry crops and holes with vegetable seedlings.
To accumulate moisture reserves in the soil and ensure excellent soil water regime good help is winter snow retention. This is an important and easy-to-do activity in homestead farming. Snow can be retained by placing tiles cut from dense snow on edge, by placing tree branches and pine spruce branches in the garden.
However, in some areas, on the contrary, you have to deal with excess moisture. As a rule, in areas with close groundwater. If in the middle of summer groundwater are located 2–2.5 meters from the surface of the earth, then in such areas it is very problematic to grow fruit crops such as apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees. For example, over the years the root system mature apple tree can reach a depth of up to 4 meters, and, upon reaching the groundwater horizon, it begins to rot. The rotting of the roots rises higher and higher, and over the years the tree withers and dies. The higher the groundwater is, the more difficult it is to create an orchard in such an area. And in some cases this is completely impossible. To get rid of excess moisture, drainage ditches have to be dug along the edges of such areas.
Classification of soils by mechanical composition: properties of the main types
Soils also differ in their mechanical composition. The classification of soils according to their mechanical composition is as follows: sandy, sandy loam, loamy, clayey.
Sandy and sandy loam soils are called light, and loamy and clayey soils are called heavy. The water-air regime of the soil also strongly depends on its mechanical composition. Although both loamy and clayey soils are the richest in nutrients, the water-air and physical properties of these soils are not very favorable for plants: they have a dense structure, are difficult to cultivate, and have few pores and, therefore, air for the roots to breathe.
On a surface heavy soils After each rain or watering, a soil crust with capillaries is formed, which increases the evaporation of moisture, making it difficult for the roots to breathe. To improve the properties of the soil and its mechanical composition, coarse river sand, sawdust, and buckwheat husks are added.
The application of organic fertilizers simultaneously with the enrichment of nutrients also improves the water-air and physical properties of the soil.
Sandy loam and sandy soils have favorable water-air properties, but they are low in nutrients. This type of soil, due to its mechanical composition, has a low absorption capacity, and the nutrients of the applied fertilizers are easily washed out from the root layer into the underlying layers, and the soil quickly becomes depleted again.
To improve these soils, quite a lot of high doses organic fertilizers: up to 6–12 kg per 1 m2. If available, peat, sapropel - silt of overgrown lakes and ponds - are added to such soils in large quantities.
However, to thoroughly cultivate such soils one has to spend a lot of materials and labor. The introduction of the above-mentioned improving materials in small doses only for a period of time, for 2–3 years, will increase the fertility of such soils and improve water-air properties.
The mechanical indicators of soil composition and their characteristics have a great influence on the conditions for applying fertilizers, so the gardener must be able to determine it. There is the simplest way to determine the mechanical composition. Moisten 50–100 g of soil, knead it in your hands and try to make figures: a rope and a ring. If you can roll out a rope and make a smooth ring out of it, completely free of cracks, then the soil in your area is heavy loamy. If the ring is obtained with small cracks, it is loamy, and if it is difficult to make a ring and it turns out with cracks, it is light loamy. We managed to roll a rope, but the ring doesn’t work out - the soil is sandy loam, and if you can’t even roll a rope (the soil crumbles), then the soil is sandy.
The above characteristics of soil properties are, naturally, averaged; It is impossible to give soil conditions for each garden plot and give a single recommendation on agricultural technology for its cultivation.
The influence of soil acidity indicators on garden plants
Soils are acidic, alkaline and neutral. Soil acidity is characterized by pH. If the pH is below 4, then the soils are very acidic, 4–5 are acidic, 5–6 are slightly acidic, and at a pH of 6.5–7.5 they have a reaction close to neutral.
The influence of soil acidity on garden plants is very high: For most crops, the most favorable are neutral soils and soils with a reaction close to neutral. Soil reaction plays a big role important role for their growth and development.
In central Russia, acidic, slightly acidic soils and soils with a reaction close to neutral are most common. Plants on acidic soils they are suppressed, the roots branch weakly and grow thin, as a result of which the growth and development of plants deteriorates and the yield decreases. Acidity binds soil nutrients and makes them insoluble in water and unavailable to plants. In acidic soils, some microelements are also unavailable to plants, and phosphorus is poorly absorbed. In acidic soils, soil microorganisms, which convert organic nutrients to a state accessible to plants, do not develop well.
However, different gardening plants have different attitudes towards the characteristics of soil acidity. Some plants are more resistant to soil acidity, while others cannot tolerate even a slightly acidic reaction. When the soil is slightly acidic, potatoes, tomatoes, sorrel grow well, and cabbage plants grow well - radishes. Other crops: cabbage, onions, garlic, carrots, cucumber, etc., and garden crops: currants, apple trees, raspberries, pears, plums, cherries - prefer soils with acidity close to neutral, and neutral soils. Plants are especially sensitive to increased acidity soil at the beginning of growth, immediately after germination.
How to test soil acidity: self-determination
How to determine the acidity of the soil in your garden plot? To do this, you need to take a closer look at the plants growing around your garden plot. On acidic and slightly acidic soils, plants such as buttercup, horsetail, horse sorrel, cinquefoil, mint, white beetle, marsh marigold, etc. usually grow. If the above plants grow in large numbers near your site, most likely the soil of the site is acidic. In this case, it is necessary to try to reduce the acidity and bring it to a state close to neutral.
Vegetable crops react differently to soil acidity. Beetroot and cabbage suffer more from soil acidity; onions, lettuce, cucumbers, and legumes (except lupine) also grow poorly. Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and radishes are less sensitive to soil acidity. But there are also garden crops that can only grow in acidic soils. These are garden blueberries, cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, etc. As you may have guessed, the first indicator of acidity can be the development of the above-mentioned weeds. If beets and cabbage grow well in the garden, then the acidity of the soil is close to neutral; if it is bad, then it is acidic.
How else can you check the acidity of the soil in the garden? This can be done using the simplest analytical method, using litmus paper. To independently determine the acidity of the soil in a plot, you need to dig a hole 30–35 cm deep. From one vertical wall of the plot, take a soil sample evenly from the entire depth and mix well. From this sample you need to take approximately 20 g of soil, add 50 g of water, shake well and leave for a day to settle. Before analysis, carefully so as not to shake, pour the clear sediment into a container and lower the violet litmus paper. If the paper does not change color or changes slightly, then the soil has a reaction close to neutral, but if the paper sharply changes color to red, then the soil is acidic.
Of course, such an analysis is not entirely accurate, only in general outline characterizes acidity and does not indicate the degree of acidity at all. To more accurately determine the acidity of the soil in your area, you can use the services of the nearest agrochemical laboratory. In laboratory conditions, such an analysis is simple and, I think, will not be very expensive.
How to reduce soil acidity: ways to lower pH
However, if the soil in your area turns out to be acidic, then the acidity must be reduced by adding lime. On strongly acidic soils, 50–90 kg of lime are applied per one hundred square meters of land, on acidic soils - 35–50, and on slightly acidic soils - 25–30 kg. Lime is applied in the fall, evenly scattered on the surface of the soil before digging. To quickly reduce acidity great importance have the size of the particles of calcareous material and the quality of their mixing with the soil. The smaller the particles and the better they mix with the soil, the faster the acidity of the soil decreases.
Lime has a long-lasting effect on the soil. When applied in the indicated doses, the need for re-liming arises only after 7–9 years. Sometimes liming is carried out in smaller doses, but then, naturally, the acidity of the soil decreases more slowly, and the need for repeated liming occurs faster.
Reducing soil acidity is a strong factor in increasing the yield of garden crops. On acidic soils, after liming with a full rate, due to the decrease in acidity, crop yields can increase in the same way as after applying a good dose of complete fertilizer. However, it must be borne in mind that when using methods to reduce pH, excessive liming is also unacceptable.
In soil with an alkaline environment (pH above 7), some microelements and phosphorus become unavailable to plants. The following lime fertilizers are available for sale: limestone flour, burnt and slaked lime, calcareous tuff, dolomite flour. Wood ash also contains a lot of calcium and reduces soil acidity well.
Soils, in contrast to acidic, can also be alkaline. These are southern carbonate chernozems, chestnut soils, and saline soils. Such soils are predominantly found in the southern regions of Russia: in the Volgograd, Kurgan, Stavropol and other regions. The pH of these soils ranges from 7.5–8.5. The alkaline reaction of such soils is reduced by adding gypsum to the soil.
The main gypsum-containing materials used for gypsuming soils are phosphogypsum, clay gypsum and raw-ground gypsum. Depending on the alkalinity, from 30 to 80–90 kg of gypsum per 1 hectare are added to the soil. The conditions and timing of applying gypsum-containing materials are the same as when applying lime on acidic soils.
Factors that influence plant growth and development
The moon, naturally, influences both all living organisms and plants, their growth and development. This is an indisputable fact.
But, therefore, their productivity is influenced by a large number of factors:
- characteristics of soil fertility and the quality of its cultivation,
- the right variety,
- seed quality,
- sowing dates,
- watering,
- fertilizer,
- feeding,
- weeding,
- protection from diseases and pests,
and many, many other factors, as well as their timely implementation.
The phases of the moon and its passage along the different signs zodiac These are the essential components of the harvest. The harvest depends on all these factors, but not to the same extent. Let's say you planted tomatoes exactly according to the lunar calendar, but you don't care for them well. Naturally, the harvest will be sharply reduced, despite the fact that you planted the plants strictly according to the lunar calendar. Another case. Have you planted tomatoes in an agronomic way? correct timing: on a cloudy, favorable day (but not according to the lunar calendar), they were well looked after during the summer, and every gardener knows that they will get a good harvest. Second example. They sown the crop with bad seeds, even at the optimally favorable time according to the lunar calendar, but the harvest will again be small. Many such comparison examples can be given.
Thus, the size of the yield is influenced by many factors. Chief among them are the following:
- good variety
- quality seeds,
- timely watering,
- weeding,
- correct and complete fertilizer, and on acidic soils, a decrease in acidity.
Agronomic textbooks even provide scientifically based criteria for the influence of each of these (and other) factors on the percentage increase in crop yield. What about the lunar calendar? It also affects the harvest, but not to the same extent as these main factors. Think and draw your own conclusions. Of course, the completion of work within the time limits specified in a well-drafted lunar calendar, has a small effect on crop yields, but it is not a panacea. Timely, competent care of plants has a tenfold greater impact on the yield in the garden.
It is no coincidence that clayey soils are called heavy. Their main distinctive properties are increased density and viscosity. When moistened, they clump excessively and become almost unsuitable for processing and growing plants.
Priming of this type easy to recognize. In the process of digging it up, lumps of considerable size with a dense structure are formed. If you leave a dug-up area with clay soil for some time, the clods will quickly stick together, and then the digging will need to be repeated. Peculiarities clay soils(high density, adhesion and swimming) are due to the structure and small size of its constituent particles, as well as the small amount of space - pores - between them.
In addition, the increased density of clay soils is associated with their low air permeability, which makes successfully growing plants on them almost impossible. The fact is that in this case, sufficient oxygen does not reach the roots. This, in turn, leads to inhibition of growth and development plant species. The lack of oxygen also has a detrimental effect on microorganisms that live in the soil and are an important component of the soil formation process.
Lack of air causes the decomposition of organic soil components to slow down. As a result, the soil becomes poor, and plants do not receive the nutrients they require for normal development. It is known that in some areas with clay soils it is impossible to detect microorganisms. These are the so-called dead zones, in need of artificial cultivation.
Clay soils are characterized not only by air impermeability, but also by structural compaction (high degree of density). She also provides Negative influence on soil formation and soil characteristics. Such soils usually practically do not allow moisture to pass through, which makes it impossible to develop an internal capillary system, which is an important condition creating an optimal environment for plant growth.
When moistened, water is retained in the surface layers of clay soils, accumulating in large quantities in the root zone of planted plants, which rot and die due to excess moisture.
Among the disadvantages of clay soils is their ability to float when excessively moistened (natural or artificial). The fact is that drops of water affecting such soils destroy large clods. As a result, tiny fractions are formed, some of which dissolve in water. The remaining part combines, forming a slurry, which, after drying for some time, is transformed into soil, characterized by high density.
Subsequent drying leads to the formation of a hard crust on the surface of such soil, preventing the penetration of heat and moisture into deeper horizons. This type of soil is called concrete. This is due to the fact that after drying it becomes especially dense.
It should be noted that most clay soils are characterized by a sufficient content of minerals. However, the root system of plants, due to the compaction of this type of soil, is not able to use them fully. Roots absorb nutritional components only in dissolved form or in the form of products obtained as a result of processing by microorganisms. Clay soils with low biological properties and water permeability do not have the opportunity to create such conditions for plants.
Clay soils are unsuitable for cultivation not only because of air tightness, increased density and tendency to float. Another significant drawback is their insufficient heating by the sun's rays. Such soil is considered cold.
Cultural activities. In order to make clay soils suitable for growing plants, it is recommended to enrich and lighten them by periodically adding substances such as coarse sand, ash, peat and lime. And you can increase biological qualities with the help of manure and compost.
Adding sand to clay soil (no more than 40 kg per 1 m2) allows you to reduce moisture capacity and thus increase its thermal conductivity. After sanding, it becomes suitable for processing. In addition, its ability to warm up and water permeability increases.
Loamy soils
Loamy soils are considered the most suitable for cultivating various garden and vegetable crops. Such soils are intermediate between sandy and clayey, and therefore have the advantages of both, and also have almost no disadvantages. Their main properties are considered optimal for successful cultivation plants.
Loamy soils have a granular-lumpy structure. They consist of dust particles and solid fractions of relatively large size. It is thanks to this that such soil is quite easy to process. Heavy and dense lumps do not form in its thickness.
The advantages of loamy soils include the high content of components of mineral origin and nutrients, the amount of which is constantly increasing due to the vital activity of microorganisms inhabiting such soil and its fairly high biological qualities.
The advantage of loamy soils is a high level of water conductivity and breathability. They have the ability to retain moisture, distributing it evenly throughout the entire thickness of the horizon, and retain heat. This, in turn, determines the balanced water and thermal regimes of the soil. specified type.
Cultural activities. To maintain the normal condition of loamy soils, it is necessary to regularly apply organic fertilizers (compost, manure). This is best done when digging up the site in the fall.
Sandy soils
Most of the composition of sandy soils is, as the name suggests, sand. Their other components are fractions of mineral origin and a small amount of humus. These are the so-called light soils, which are characterized by a loose, friable and granular structure.
Sandy soil is easy to work. It is not able to resist erosion. Among its main qualities are increased water permeability and breathability. However, sandy soils do not retain moisture. In addition, they quickly and strongly overheat during the day, and at night they cool down just as quickly, losing the resulting thermal energy.
One of the main disadvantages of such soil is considered to be low biological qualities and a poor population of microorganisms that lack nutritional components and moisture. As a result, uncultivated sandy soils are unsuitable for cultivating garden and vegetable crops. Even regular application of organic fertilizers often does not lead to a significant increase in fertility, since such substances quickly decompose and are then washed away, passing into the underlying layers. As a result, the plant root system does not receive enough nutrients.
Before cultivating an area with sandy soil, you should take into account the balance between its constituent clay inclusions and the sand itself. There are varieties of sandy soils on which plants can be successfully grown, provided they are regularly enriched with fertilizers.
Cultural activities. In order to improve the physical and chemical characteristics of sandy soils, it is necessary to regularly add substances with binding and compacting properties. These include peat, drill and clay flour, silty masses, compost and humus. As a result, it will be possible to normalize the microflora of soil horizons and create the most favorable conditions for soil formation and normal plant growth.
As mentioned above, one of the features of sandy soils is the rapid leaching of nutritional components. To prevent this process, it is recommended to apply fertilizers that have a rapid effect. However, they should be used in small dosages and regularly - with short breaks.
Sandy loam soils
Such soils have most of the qualities of sandy soils. However, they are more suitable for processing and growing cultural species plants. The main advantages of sandstones are breathability, water permeability and the ability to absorb and retain moisture. They retain nutrients well, which are so necessary for the life support of plants and microorganisms.
Sandy loam soils can rightly be called a favorable environment for the growth and development of the root system of garden and vegetable crops. They conduct oxygen well and have a powerful capillary system through which moisture, air and minerals are transported to the underground parts of plants.
When moistened, water is quickly absorbed by the soil. After drying, a crust does not form on its surface, preventing the penetration of the necessary nutritional components into the underlying horizons. Sandy loam soils are distinguished by their ability to retain thermal energy and retain it for quite a long time.
Cultural activities. To increase the fertility of sandy loam soils, peat should be regularly added, which helps bind solid particles that make up soil of this quality. The addition of manure, minerals and compost during spring or autumn digging of the site will allow the microflora to be normalized. To achieve the expected effect, mineral fertilizers must be used in small quantities and quite often.
Rocky soils
Areas with rocky soil can usually be found on the slopes of mountains and high hills. Their mechanical composition contains significant amount stones and rocky rocks characterized by high density. The fertility level of this type of soil is extremely low.
Among the advantages of rocky soils are good warming up by the sun's rays and the ability to retain thermal energy for quite a long time. However, they are poor in microorganisms and nutrients, which are easily weathered and washed away. Among other things, rocky soil, like sandstone, is characterized by high water permeability.
Cultural activities. Before cultivating an area with rocky soil, it is recommended to remove large stones and then cover it with a layer of fertile soil. Such soils are suitable for the construction of decorative terraces and rock gardens, on which heat-loving garden crops can be successfully cultivated.
Peaty-boggy soils
The composition of peat-boggy soils consists mainly of components of organic origin. In addition, they contain a significant amount of nitrogen, presented in a form unsuitable for plant absorption.
Peaty-boggy soils are poor in potassium and phosphorus. However, the latter is the main element of the so-called peat-vivianite soils. The phosphorus compounds they contain are inaccessible to the root system of garden and vegetable crops.
This type of soil is characterized by a high level of water permeability and air permeability. However, it is characterized by excessive humidity and does not warm up well. The structure of such soils is similar to foam rubber, which quickly absorbs moisture but also releases it easily.
Cultural activities. Actions aimed at improving the physicochemical qualities of peat-boggy soils should be carried out as follows. First of all, it is necessary to normalize the process of decomposition of organic elements, as a result of which nitrogen is released and transformed into a form available for absorption by plants. In this case, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for the development of soil microflora. To achieve this goal, it is recommended to regularly feed the soil with microbiological substances, compost, sawdust, slurry and manure. In addition, when carrying out cultivation activities, peat-boggy soils must be improved by introducing potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. When processing peat-vivianite soils, the amount of phosphorus fertilizers must be reduced by 2 times.
You can increase the level of porosity in peaty swampy soils by adding clay flour, compost or coarse sand.
It is better to grow trees, shrubs, vegetables and fruits.
Soil types and suitable crops
A rich harvest depends on many factors, but the quality of the soil is perhaps the determining factor. Soil fertility is its ability to provide plants with nutrients, moisture and air.
Of course, any land can be improved, but for this you need to have an idea about the subject of our conversation.
Soil is a layer of earth containing nutrients, the amount of which decreases as you go deeper. For this reason, when selecting garden crops, it is necessary to take into account the depth of the soil layer, its mechanical composition, the amount of humus it contains, and much more.
There are five main types of soil: clay, loam, sand, calcareous and peat. But they are practically never found in their pure form. Mixed combinations often occur various types, one of which is predominant.
Clay soils. Characteristic
Clay soils, although fertile, are characterized as the most difficult to cultivate. They retain water, cake and compact. In the spring, plants are planted on them later, since the soil does not dry out for a long time and is poorly heated by the sun. And in summer, moisture evaporates from it very quickly.
With appropriate cultivation of such soil, you can get a good harvest, since it contains significantly more nutrients than other soils. The composition of clay soil can be improved by digging in spring and autumn, as well as by adding leaf humus, manure, garden compost, ash, coarse sand and peat. Once every 3 years it should be limed.
It is recommended to add crushed bricks or weed ash when digging. It is also advisable to sow legumes on clay soil and then bury the tops. If there is severe waterlogging, drainage must be used. Transforming clay soils will take time and patience.
With appropriate processing clay soils Fruit trees and shrubs will grow and develop well, in particular barberry and chokeberry; garden crops such as peas, beans, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, etc.; flowers - snakeweed, hosta, crayfish.
Sandy soil. Characteristic
Sandy soils, consisting of sand and silt, are easily accessible to water, warm up well in the spring, and are easy to cultivate. But they retain moisture and nutrients poorly, are quickly washed out, are also susceptible to erosion, and have little potassium and magnesium. To improve the quality of sandy soils it is necessary to apply the following types treatments: applying fertilizers in small doses in the spring and autumn seasons, mulching with organic matter - fallen leaves, compost and rotted bark. The effect will be given by adding Turf Land. A year before planting trees, you can apply green fertilizer, for example, lupine. Grapes grow well on sandy soils; with good cultivation, raspberries can be planted; on sandy loam - pear, chokeberry, strawberry, blackberry, honeysuckle, dahlia. Plants native to arid areas thrive on them.
Loamy soil. Characteristic
Loamy soils are most suitable for gardening. They have good air and moisture capacity and are easily crushed. Wet loam is grainy and smears a little. Such soil does not need to be dug up frequently, as this leads to the formation of a hard layer shallow from the surface, which interferes with the development of roots. After rain, a crust also forms on it, preventing water from seeping through. Improving measures include changing the depth of tillage and applying fertilizers. Loams are suitable for all types of plants.
Peat soils. Characteristic
Peat soils are poor in phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Plant residues decompose poorly in them. Their quality can be improved by draining, liming, and adding fertilizers and sand. The latter needs to be evenly scattered over the surface and dug up several times for better mixing. Enriched peat soil becomes suitable for cultivation fruit and berry crops When planting plum, apple and cherry trees, you need to dig a deep and wide hole, pour sand into it and 1 part each of imported soil containing loamy soil and lime. For a pear, the ratio of soil and sand is 70 and 30%, respectively. On such soil, chokeberry, bird cherry, and lilac (except for hybrid varieties) take root well; strawberries grow remarkably and produce good yields.
Calcareous soils. Characteristic
In calcareous soils, lime itself makes up at least half the volume, the rest is sand or clay. She belongs to the category loose soils, easy to process, heats up quickly. At the same time, it is dry and does not provide the plants with enough water. After rain, a crust forms on it, preventing the penetration of air. A special type of calcareous soil is chalk soil, in which chalk is mixed with loam or clay. They are characterized by a high level of acidity. If there is a large amount of clay in calcareous soils, walnuts, berry bushes, grapes, beech, maple, ash, elm, serviceberry, and gorodina grow well on them.
How to determine soil fertility?
An important factor for determining soil fertility is its acidity (alkalinity). It reflects the amount of nutrients present in the soil. Knowing the acidity level of the soil, you can determine measures to improve its condition and choose the most suitable plants. An acidity level (pH) of 7 is typical for neutral soil and is considered normal. Such soil absorbs nutrients well, ignoring harmful ones. Values below 7 are indicators of increased acidity; values above indicate the predominance of alkalis in the soil. For sandy soils this figure is 5-5.5, for loamy soils improved by cultivation - 6.5-7.
The simplest and available method determination of acidity - using a special indicator. True, often, as experience shows, the results of a pH tester are not accurate. To obtain reliable indicators, it is necessary to take soil from different places on the site and submit it to a laboratory for analysis.
You can determine the type of soil in your garden yourself. To do this you need to be observant. For example, an abundance of horsetail, plantain, wood sorrel, wood lice and buttercup in the garden is a sign of acidic soils. They are also preferred by camellia, azalea and hydrangea. Plum and cherry trees do not like acidic soils.
Quinoa, wheatgrass, coltsfoot, clover, and chamomile grow well in slightly acidic and neutral soils. They are most suitable for roses, gillyflowers, asters, ornamental cabbage and chrysanthemums.