The problem of the need for seasonal application of fertilizers in the spring is well known to every gardener or florist. At this time, plants especially need useful substances and elements, because the growing season begins. The question arises: how to properly fertilize and how to fertilize the soil if there is no manure.

When is the best time to fertilize the soil in spring?

What spring is considered best time for applying fertilizers of various types is a fact proven by both science and practice. It is in the spring that active plant growth begins. The rate of green mass gain, the formation of buds and, ultimately, the quantitative and quality characteristics future harvest.

One of the ways to apply fertilizer to the soil is at the time of soil preparation. . For example, manure or compost. If the structure of the soil in the country or personal plot is light, it is recommended to add mineral complexes to it. They are indicated for early application and in areas flooded with meltwater. If you apply mineral fertilizer in the autumn months, then most of the micro- and macroelements will be washed away by the flood. The advantage of this method is the distribution of useful substances over the entire depth of digging or plowing.

Another way to apply any fertilizer in the spring is shortly before planting or immediately before planting. To do this, the products are placed in dug holes or the beds are spilled with the solution after planting the seeds.

Some gardeners do not wait for the snow to melt and the soil to thaw, spreading fertilizer directly onto the snow cover. But at the same time there is a risk that substances will be carried away by meltwater. The exception is fruit trees in the garden with an extensive root system. Even if the fertilizers are transported a couple of meters, most likely, some of them will “get to their intended destination.” To do this, fertilizers are distributed over the snow cover around the tree trunk.

In order not to get confused when and how much fertilizer was applied, you can draw up a plan on paper, noting each fertilizing. This way, each crop will receive the required amount of both mineral and organic substances.

How to fertilize the soil with ash (video)

How to properly fertilize the soil with manure

But if used incorrectly, it does more harm than good. It is dangerous to introduce fresh droppings, especially mixed with straw. It may contain weed seeds and even pathogens in plants. If you feed vegetables - tomatoes or cucumbers - with fresh manure, then for about a month they will experience a nitrogen deficiency, which will negatively affect the growth rate and amount of harvest. Therefore, the fertilizer must be rotted.

Most often, fertilizers are applied at the stage of preparing the soil for planting. In this case, the soil is dug up and fertilizers (for example, manure or compost) are added at the same time. He will highlight needed by plants elements up to several years. But the value of the fertilizer decreases if it is left on the surface of the earth, because most of the substances from the composition will evaporate into the air.

When manure is spread over the surface of the soil using a fork, the fertilizer must be incorporated into the ground as soon as possible. But the depth should not be too great to make it easier for plants to receive nutrition. The optimal embedding distance is the height of the shovel blade. That's why ordinary digging will be enough. Moreover, if you dig up the ground again after 7-10 days, the rate of decomposition of manure will increase, and it will release more useful substances in the coming season.

Another method of using manure is as a slurry. She waters the plantings. For proper preparation, it is necessary for the slurry to ferment for at least 2 weeks. After this, it is diluted half with water. To enhance the effect, you can add superphosphate fertilizer.

What fertilizers do indoor plants need in spring?

Most indoor plants, like garden or garden crops, the growing season begins, that is, active growth. The exception is some species that prefer to develop and bloom in winter: for example, Decembrists and cyclamens. Their feeding, on the contrary, needs to be reduced.

The inhabitants of the windowsill benefit from both organic and mineral substances. Therefore, you can alternate the application of different types of fertilizers, based on the needs of certain types.

Thus, decorative deciduous plants need a large amount of nitrogen, and flowering plants need phosphorus. But, for example, hibiscus does not tolerate phosphorus, because in its homeland this substance is contained in the soil in minimal quantities. Orchids and their closest relatives love minerals diluted in high concentrations. Therefore, before you start feeding, you need to read about the characteristics of the species.

The easiest option is to buy ready-made fertilizer in the store. The assortment allows you to choose a product for each flower.

Many lovers of indoor plants use “folk remedies”, and their experience shows that the result of such fertilizers is no worse than from store-bought ones. chemicals. The use of ground banana peels has become popular. It will be useful to use granulated sugar rich in glucose or crushed eggshells. You can buy succinic acid at the pharmacy, which increases plant resistance to diseases and stimulates growth.

Types of fertilizers for soil (video)

How can you fertilize the land if there is no manure?

It is not always possible to use manure for fertilizer. How can plants get the necessary substances? There are other means that can give the plantings the necessary nutrition.

Alternative types of organic fertilizers

Although manure is the most popular organic animal fertilizer, several other products are equally valuable and can be used in growing plants. For example, This:

1. Compost, which is rotted plant or animal (chicken droppings) remains. In practice, it is most often made from weeds, household waste such as potato peelings, hay, old fruits, etc. The compost is aged for at least 3 months. This time is necessary for microorganisms to be able to process raw materials into nutritious humus. The application of such fertilizer significantly increases soil fertility and improves its structure.
2. Green manure- “green fertilizers”. These are plants that are sown for the purpose of subsequent embedding in the soil. Rotting in the soil, they release substances and elements for further nutrition of the plantings. Green manures include leguminous plants, cereals and cruciferous vegetables. The use of mustard is popular.
3. Adding to Soil peat, ash, sawdust, silt also increases soil fertility.

The basic principle of operation of all these universal types of organic fertilizers is decomposition in the soil into substances suitable for easy absorption by plants. Their undoubted advantage is the absence of chemicals.

What mineral fertilizers to apply to the soil in spring

All mineral fertilizers can be divided into simple, which contain one main element, and complex. It is necessary to choose a product for spring use depending on the crop for which it is used. will be used:

1. Nitrogen fertilizers promote the collection of green mass. They are useful for greens, cabbage, etc. These are urea and ammonium nitrate.
2. Potash fertilizers stimulate the growth of the root system, so they need to fertilize the soil intended for growing root crops. The most effective is potassium chloride (contains 60% of this element).
3. Phosphorus affects the taste, weight, size and quantity of fruits. They need to fertilize berries, tomatoes, legumes, etc. For example, superphosphate is such a fertilizer.

It is important to remember that an excess of elements is also harmful to plants. Therefore, you need to follow the dosages indicated on the fertilizer packaging.

Complex fertilizers for spring feeding of garden and vegetable crops

Complex fertilizers include nitroammophos, diammophos, potassium nitrate and others. They contain several elements at once in different percentages in their composition. They need to be selected individually. Thus, in potassium nitrate, potassium predominates - 46%, and nitrogen - only 13%. This fertilizer is ideal for potatoes or root vegetables.

The use of complex mineral fertilizers has important advantages. Firstly, there is no need to independently calculate the percentage of individual elements for feeding. Secondly, their use in practice is not difficult. And the yield increases noticeably. But when working with mineral fertilizers, you need to take safety precautions: many of them are toxic and even explosive.

A good harvest can only be obtained on good soil, and for the land to be good, it must be fertilized. When is the best time to fertilize the soil?- in spring or autumn? The timing of applying fertilizer to the soil is of great importance. Many agronomists believe that those who fertilize the land with manure removed in winter make a big mistake. The benefit is minimal. The soil should be fertilized in the spring, leaving the manure to lie for a month and a half before plowing. In this case, the efficiency of the fertilizer will almost double. The varieties, timing of application to the soil and the effectiveness of various types of fertilizers will be discussed in this article.

All fertilizers are divided into 3 main groups: organic, mineral and organo-mineral fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers

They, in turn, are also divided into 2 groups: animal origin and plant origin. Plant fertilizers include composts and peat, and animal fertilizers include manure and poultry droppings. When fertilized with organic substances, the structure of the soil significantly improves and this promotes the reproduction of living organisms, which benefit both the soil itself and the plants. There are also some disadvantages - an imbalance may occur nutrients, such fertilizer may contain weed seeds, and organic matter can cause plant diseases and attract toxic substances.

If you decide to use organic fertilizers, it is better to use compost. It is prepared quite simply: on an area of ​​about 10 square meters. meters, straw is laid out 15 cm thick, then a layer of manure - 20 cm, a layer of peat - 15-20 cm. Phosphate rock and lime, mixed in a 1:1 ratio, are poured on top. For 1 sq. meter you need to sprinkle 50-60 grams of the mixture. A layer of manure 15-20 thick is once again poured on top. All layers are covered with a thin layer of soil and kept for 7-8 months.

As for fertilizing with manure, in our time the number of cattle has decreased significantly, and therefore we have to look for an alternative. As products plant origin For fertilizer, you can use everything that grows and rots: mown grass, fallen leaves, tops and weeds, etc.

You cannot fertilize the soil with fresh manure.. Once in warm and moist soil, such fertilizer begins to actively decompose and release heat and gases, so the crop can simply “burn.” Fresh manure is used only for feeding mature plants, diluting it with water and watering the rows. You can also use dried manure, spreading it in a thin layer between the rows.

It is better to use manure if it has been sitting for at least a year - during this time it decomposes and turns into humus. It is worth remembering that in their pure form, manure and chicken droppings rot worse, so it is better to dilute these animal waste products with straw, leaves, sawdust and even shredded waste paper (it is better to take paper without printing ink).
IN organic fertilizer As is known, a smaller part of nitrogen is in soluble form, and a large part is part of insoluble organic compounds. When compost falls into the soil, myriads of soil creatures attack it, eating, decomposing and transforming it. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, insoluble nitrogen gradually turns into a soluble form, which is what analyzes have shown: immediately after adding compost to the soil, the content of soluble nitrogen begins to steadily increase. And then everything depends on the growth rate of the above-ground parts of the plants. In potatoes, this process is so intense that it “eats up” all the nitrogen prepared for it by soil organisms, therefore, under potatoes, the content of available nitrogen in the soil remains low until the beginning of August and begins to increase only when the potato tops stop their vigorous growth. On carrots, where top growth is slow at first, the nitrogen content was quite high until mid-July, and then decreased in accordance with the increased growth of foliage.

When fertilizing in autumn plant nutritional elements are part of the soil organomineral complex, and the plant lives throughout the next season due to the gradual disintegration of this complex and the release of available nutritional elements. The speed of this process depends on the activity of the microflora, which is determined by external conditions: soil moisture, temperature, looseness, and so on.

In addition, organic fertilizer serves as a source of substances for soil microorganisms necessary for the formation of humus. When applied in autumn, organic fertilizer decomposes more slowly, and the process of incorporating it into humus is more intense and contributes to a greater extent to increasing soil fertility. If you regularly add compost or manure to the soil in the fall, you can create real black soil in your garden. When applied in spring, organic fertilizer decomposes faster and better supplies plants with soluble nutrients. This is important for plants, since spring and early summer are their period active growth, requiring abundant nutrition. Thus, autumn organic fertilizer makes a greater contribution to soil fertility, and spring organic fertilizer makes a greater contribution to plant nutrition. Both are important.

The following solution naturally suggests itself: add compost or manure in the fall, and in spring and summer we feed the plants with liquid fertilizers, which are easy to make: mullein infusion, fermented infusion of nettle or any weed. To enrich these nitrogen-rich infusions with phosphorus and potassium, bone or phosphate meal and ash are added. Another option is to add most or even half of the compost in the fall and the rest in the spring.

You can use green fertilizers. Main raw materials – common grass, weeds. The green mass is finely chopped, placed in a large container and poured warm water(10 liters of water per 2 kilograms of grass). All this should be fermented for 2 - 3 days, after which you need to stir and strain the solution. Then the plants are fed with it at the rate of 3 - 4 liters per 1 square meter. The procedure must be performed 2–3 times at intervals of a week. This solution is useful for vegetable and berry crops, it not only nourishes them, but also protects them from pests and diseases.

Mineral fertilizers

These chemicals should be used carefully and strictly according to the norm. Typically, gardeners and gardeners use nitrogen, potassium, manganese, lime and other types of such fertilizers. The most common nitrogen fertilizers include nitrate, urea, ammonia water and ammonia. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied twice a year - the first time around mid-April, and the second time in mid-November. The method of applying them is the same in both seasons - fertilizers are scattered by hand, and then the soil is cultivated. It is better if the ground is damp.
Potash fertilizers also significantly increase yields. Typically, potassium in the soil is in a form that is difficult to access, so the need of plants for it is great. Bring in potash fertilizers It is better in the autumn period together with manure before the main cultivation of the land.

Phosphorus fertilizers are also important for plants. Without this element, the formation of chlorophyll in plants is impossible, so the application of such fertilizers not only increases productivity, but also improves the quality of plant products. Phosphorus fertilizers are scattered on the surface of the soil, and then dug up to a depth of about 20 centimeters.

WITH mineral fertilizer we get the following picture. Immediately after application, a sharp jump in the content of soluble nitrogen was observed: it increased 5-6 times compared to the initial level and remained at a high level until approximately mid-July. Analyzes showed that at some point there was three times more soluble nitrogen in the soil than was added with mineral fertilizer. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that mineral fertilizer stimulates the decomposition of soil organic matter and accelerates the release of soluble nitrogen from it. The decomposition of humus under the influence of mineral fertilizers is a phenomenon that has even received a special name: the priming effect. But in mid-summer the peak gives way to a sharp drop, and the content of soluble nitrogen in both cases - with organic and mineral fertilizer - becomes the same.

It is not difficult to guess what consequences this has for plants. On mineral fertilizers they grow more intensively, develop abundant leaf mass and give a correspondingly higher yield, although different cultures This applies to varying degrees: spinach and potatoes produced significantly higher yields with mineral fertilizers than with compost, and beans and carrots turned out to be less dependent on nitrogen.

However, when studying the quality of the crop, the advantage turned out to be on the side organic fertilizer. This manifested itself in a lower nitrate content, and most importantly, in a significant reduction in storage losses. Both potatoes and carrots grown on organic fertilizers were less affected by fungal diseases.

Mineral fertilizers do not increase soil fertility, but rather destroy it. They can be used for fertilizing, but only in very moderate doses, so as not to cause excessive leaf growth and not to disrupt the activity of soil microflora. Moreover, it is worth applying mineral fertilizers only if organic fertilizers are applied in the fall, since soil with a high organic content partially removes the negative effects of mineral fertilizers.

Organo-mineral fertilizers

They are humic compositions of mineral and organic substances. Each drug is used according to individual scheme, but there is also general rules. For open soil, spraying is used, and for closed soil, surface watering, drip irrigation, sprinkling and manual spraying on the leaves are used. For seed treatment, 300-700 ml of fertilizers per ton of seeds are used, for foliar feeding - 200-400 mm per 1 hectare of crops, for spraying - 5-10 ml per 10 liters of water, and for drip irrigation– 20-40 ml per 1000 liters of water for irrigation.

Separately, it is worth mentioning plants that improve the soil. These include rapeseed, oilseed radish, rapeseed, turnip and others. Until recently, only lupine was used to improve the soil, which enriched the soil with nitrogenous mineral fertilizers, but recently other equally useful and effective plants have become known.

For example, after harvesting, you can sow the area with rapeseed, which will have time to sprout before the onset of frost and grow to a plant with 6-8 leaves in a rosette. In early spring, after the snow melts, it will begin to grow intensively and should be plowed into the soil before the beginning of May. After this, the earth will be enriched with mineral and organic substances and improve its structure. In addition, rapeseed contains a large number of phytoncides, which destroy pathogens in the soil.

If there is a possibility of non-use land plot whole year, then you can sow it with oilseed radish. In this case, the soil will receive the necessary amount of nutrients, and there will be much less weeds. Approximately 70 grams of radish seeds per hectare of land. For uniform sowing, it is better to mix the seeds with river sand.

And a little more about how to properly prepare and fertilize the soil with manure.

We have already looked in detail at how to properly fertilize with chicken manure, now we will learn more about manure. Good quality manure is obtained where it is stored in stalls under livestock, trampled down daily, and covered with a new layer of straw. During daily removal of manure, it is stored in large manure storages, where it must be transferred to better preservation by peat or soil. It is also useful in cases of daily removal of manure to add about 1.5 kg of peat to the bedding or put in the gutters of the stables for each head of livestock, which, on the one hand, achieves air purification, and on the other hand, preserves slurry, containing the main nutrients for plants. When covering the manure and layering it with soil and peat, all the nitrogen. When stored in this way, manure usually acts strongly and quickly. Re-layering of manure with earth is done every 60-90 cm, and a layer of earth of 7-9 cm is applied. The richer the earth in humus, the better. A 60-90 cm layer of manure is again applied to this soil, which is again covered with soil in the same way. The manure is always trampled down. The bottom of the manure storage facility is usually lined with straw, a layer 60 cm thick. The straw must be trampled down. The manure storage facility itself is usually selected in a high place so that by-product water does not flow into it. The liquid water flowing out of the manure storage must be collected in special reservoirs, and the same liquid must be watered on top of the manure. Manure heaps should not be made higher than 2.5 m, because the lower layers of manure become too compacted and heat up. A big mistake is made by those who fertilize with manure , digging too deep into the soil. The more superficially the fertilizer is applied, the better, the faster and more accurate its action. The best thing is to fertilize with manure to the depth of one shovel. If the fertilizer is applied into the soil to a depth of 40 to 50 cm or more, as is unfortunately very often done when planting trees, then oxygen does not have sufficient access and therefore the fertilizer cannot decompose properly and produce the proper effect on the tree . Practice has often shown us that fertilizer applied too deeply was found in the soil after several years in the same form as when applied to the soil, and, therefore, absolutely no benefit came from it.

If you fertilize with manure in the summer, the fertilizer is always piled up in small heaps, broken up and plowed up as quickly as possible. The heavier the soil, the finer the incorporation of manure. The decomposition of manure is accelerated if, on the fifth or sixth day after plowing, it is plowed back to the surface and mixed well with the soil. In most cases, it is also beneficial to roll the soil with a heavy roller after fertilizing with manure, since in this case the manure is pressed to the ground, which ensures its uniform decomposition and causes the rapid germination of weeds, which must be immediately destroyed.
When growing cabbage, strawberries and other plants, it is best to use humus from greenhouses or completely decomposed manure, because fresh manure contains a lot of weed seeds and insects are easily infested. Under the cover of humus, moisture is retained in the ridges; in addition, rain and water during irrigation wash out all the nutritious juices from the humus into the soil, thus, in one step, both fertilizing the ridges and moistening them is achieved. The humus should be placed in a layer about 5 cm thick, and the plants themselves should not touch the manure, otherwise they may rot. Strawberries should be fertilized with manure especially carefully so that the manure does not get into the core of the bush. Instead of humus, other substances are often used, such as chopped straw, chaff, moss, sawdust, etc.

When buried in the soil, straw and the other materials listed here can also serve as fertilizer, but they rot too slowly and, compared to humus, are too poor in nutrients. On calcareous and sandy soils that are too light in color, covering the ridges with humus is necessary to change their color so that the soil is heated more evenly. On dense clay soils and light sandy soils, crushed peat can be used for surface fertilization with complete success. In the fall, worn-out and completely weathered peat is dug into the soil when hoeing and in the first case loosens dense, heavy soil, and in the second it makes light, sandy soil more cohesive.

Green manure

Natural organic matter (manure, droppings) is not available to everyone, and it costs a lot of money. In the fight against weeds, just like a thousand years ago, you have to swing a hoe and crawl on your knees. If the summer is wet, potatoes prevail various diseases, and as a result, in the autumn and winter period there is a need for repeated harvesting to remove diseased tubers.

Indeed, a lot of labor and money goes into dacha farming. Is it possible to ease the financial and physical burden that falls on a person who maintains a garden or dacha?

Yes, you can. Let's start with the fact that in the old days they avoided using fresh manure for potatoes. It was believed that it made the tubers tasteless and watery. Diseases accumulated in the soil were freed by applying fruit change. Of course, having several acres of land (each with an area of ​​1.1 hectares), it was possible to organize a three- or seven-field crop rotation. Nowadays, on six hundred square meters, this is a rather difficult task. But still the people do not despair - one sows barley, the second winter rye, and the third dreams of growing peas together with potatoes.

CRUCIFULAR CROPS
The best option is to sow cruciferous crops as a green fertilizer, consisting of a mixture oilseed radish, white mustard, rapeseed. These plants have been known in world agricultural practice since time immemorial, being close relatives of cabbage plants. They came to us from the ancient farmers of East Asia and the Mediterranean. Cruciferous crops today are widely cultivated in economically developed countries (France, Germany, Holland, Sweden, etc.) as phytosanitary crops and as crops that increase soil fertility.

Oilseed radish- a powerful, highly branched and spreading plant 1.5-2.0 m high; with flower corollas from white to purple color. Not found in wild flora, wild ones are found field species. Cold-resistant plant, growth does not stop until late autumn, it grows back after mowing. Compared to white mustard, it is more moisture-loving, shade-tolerant and productive. The seeds and pods taste like radishes. Blooms 35-45 days after sowing.

White mustard- was one of the magical plants of the ancient Greeks. Even today, having unique properties, serves as a classic object of study for science. The height of its shoots is slightly lower than that of oilseed radish, and the flowers on the clusters are yellow. Mustard is the fastest ripening annual plant. It reacts strongly to day length and photo period, so the highest yields are obtained during summer sowing dates - after June 22. Convenient for its early ripening and undemanding soil type.

Rape- about 1.2-1.5 m high, light yellow flowers. It is somewhat more demanding of heat than oilseed radish and white mustard. There are spring and winter forms, which can transform into each other. The pods of spring rapeseed can open after the seeds ripen, then the sowing itself occurs and after overwintering in the spring, some of the young plants grow back in the form of a winter form. Sometimes another type is practiced - rapeseed. This is a more “wild” form, inferior to rapeseed in yield, tastes bitter and is less easily eaten by animals, but is better adapted to different types of soil. Exist hybrid forms rapeseed with fodder cabbage, turnips (for example, Typhon), which are comparatively more productive and stable in different climatic conditions.

USEFUL PROPERTIES OF GREEN FERTILIZER
What are the benefits of cruciferous crops?

Here are 7 of their most distinctive properties:
1. To sow one hundred square meters of land, only 180-220 g of seeds are required. More dense sowing is used if the biomass will additionally be used for animal feed. Cultures have very high speed development, so you can sow at a variety of times, from May to September. Best timing to obtain a high harvest are June-July. In practice, it is re-sown 2-3 times per season. Flowering occurs 30-40 days after germination and lasts until the end of autumn. Flowering plants can withstand frosts down to - 6...8° and even - 12° C.

2. The green mass of plants contains the same amount of nutrients as cow manure: nitrogen - 0.5%; phosphorus - 0.25%; potassium - 0.6%. The mass of plant residues grown on an area of ​​100 m2 contains the following amount of mineral fertilizers (in terms of chemical composition): 3-5 kg ammonium nitrate; 2.5-3.5 kg of superphosphate; 3.5-5.0 kg of potassium salt. In addition, green mass, when incorporated into the soil, deoxidizes it, acting similarly to the addition of lime, since it has an alkaline content of cell sap.

3. The underground part of plants has the ability to absorb nitrogen from the air, like clover and lupine. Root secretions dissolve mineral inclusions in the soil and convert microelements, phosphorus and potassium into a form accessible to subsequent crops.

4. The decomposing biomass of cruciferous vegetables releases substances into the soil that inhibit and suppress the growth and development of weeds. On a substrate rich in organic matter, saprophytic microflora rapidly develops, which displaces pathogens of agricultural crops from the soil.

5. After harvesting the green mass, together with the rotted residues, stimulants of plant growth and development from the class of brassinosteroids remain in the soil, increasing the yield and improving the quality of marketable products of subsequent crops.

6. Green mass is an excellent food for all types of animals and birds; it contains up to 30-35% crude protein based on dry matter. This is 2 times more than in clover and 3 times more than in barley grain. It is rich in vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and various nutrients. Regular feeding, even in the form of a small supplement, strengthens the immune system of young animals, giving it resistance against viral and bacterial aggression. Young, not hardened shoots, having a sweet-burning taste of radish, are a delicacy for children. Radish pods are canned like vegetables. Mustard powder and medicinal ointment are prepared from ripened mustard seeds and used for various diseases and ailments.

7.The honey-bearing qualities of cruciferous crops are also generally recognized. Their main advantage is the release of nectar on days even with cold nights. Nectar contains an average of 120-180 kg/ha of sugars. Cruciferous crops provide honey collection in early spring (winter species) and in the second half of summer (spring species), when other honey plants have already faded. Honey crystallizes, so it is removed from the hives for the winter.

AGROTECHNIQUES OF CULTIVATION

Cruciferous crops can be sown as green fertilizer at any time - from early spring to late autumn. For sowing, a small (required) amount of seeds is mixed with sand in a ratio of 1:50, scattered over the site and covered with soil. The optimal seeding depth is 2-3 cm. Cruciferous plants are not picky about the type of soil, but are responsive to fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers (if the soil is poor).

To some extent, shoots early dates crops can be damaged by pests; the likelihood of this fact is low in June and July crops. With sparse seedlings, there is no need to worry too much, since the yield size is capable of auto-compensation, that is, it depends little on the density (standing density) of plants per unit area.

When used as a green fertilizer, plant biomass during the flowering phase is mowed, crushed and embedded in the soil. This is the cheapest type of fertilizer, which cannot be compared with any other type in terms of early maturity and economic efficiency. In the northern regions, it is possible to “fertilize” the soil in this way twice per season. In the middle lane, this can be done three times.

If the plot is half a hectare or more in size, part of the area can be taken out of cultivation for 3-4 years by sowing pink clover (on waterlogged and swampy soils), pink clover and lupine (on heavy soils). clay soils), blue alfalfa and oriental goat's rue (on medium and light loams), horned sweet grass and yellow alfalfa (on light and sandy loam soils).

One of the basic rules of organic farming is to never leave the soil bare. Green manures that grow before, after or in between main crops create dense leaf cover. It protects the soil from weathering and mineralization of organic matter, reduces the leaching of nutrients into deep layers and retains them in the upper fertile horizon. This leaf cover plays the role of living leaf mulch, which is especially important for light sandy soils, which especially suffer from leaching of nutrients from the top horizon. Therefore, it is recommended, whenever possible, to sow green fertilizer on light soils in the fall and leave it for the winter, and in the spring to embed living or dead plants into the soil.

Green manure also plays an important sanitary role. First, it suppresses the growth of weeds, and in order to prevent it from becoming a weed itself, it must be mowed or covered before seeds form. This applies to rapidly growing and abundantly seeded rapeseed or mustard plants. Secondly, some types green fertilizer help cleanse the soil from pests and diseases. For example, dense sowing of mustard significantly reduces the number of wireworms.
Green manure produces green mass that can be used as mulch or composting material.

Take care of the land on time and correctly and you will always have a rich harvest!

Cherry tomatoes differ from their larger counterparts not only in the small size of their berries. Many cherry varieties are characterized by a unique sweet taste, which is very different from the classic tomato taste. Anyone who has never tried such cherry tomatoes with their eyes closed may well decide that they are tasting some unusual Exotic fruits. In this article I will talk about five different cherry tomatoes that have the sweetest fruits with unusual colors.

I started growing annual flowers in the garden and on the balcony more than 20 years ago, but I will never forget my first petunia, which I planted in the country along the path. Only a couple of decades have passed, but you’re amazed at how different the petunias of the past are from the many-sided hybrids of today! In this article, I propose to trace the history of the transformation of this flower from a simpleton into a real queen of annuals, as well as consider modern varieties of unusual colors.

Salad with spicy chicken, mushrooms, cheese and grapes - aromatic and satisfying. This dish can be served as a main dish if you are preparing a cold dinner. Cheese, nuts, mayonnaise are high-calorie foods; in combination with spicy fried chicken and mushrooms, you get a very nutritious snack, which is refreshed by sweet and sour grapes. The chicken in this recipe is marinated in a spicy mixture of ground cinnamon, turmeric and chili powder. If you like food with fire, use hot chili.

The question is how to grow healthy seedlings, all summer residents are concerned in early spring. It seems that there are no secrets here - the main thing for fast and strong seedlings is to provide them with warmth, moisture and light. But in practice, in a city apartment or private house, this is not so easy to do. Of course, every experienced gardener has his own proven method of growing seedlings. But today we will talk about a relatively new assistant in this matter - the propagator.

The task of indoor plants in the house is to decorate the home with their appearance and create a special atmosphere of comfort. For this reason, we are ready to take care of them regularly. Care is not only about watering on time, although this is important. It is also necessary to create other conditions: suitable lighting, humidity and air temperature, and make a correct and timely transplant. For experienced flower growers there is nothing supernatural about this. But beginners often face certain difficulties.

Tender cutlets from chicken breast It’s easy to prepare with champignons according to this recipe with step by step photos. There is an opinion that it is difficult to make juicy and tender cutlets from chicken breast, but this is not so! Chicken meat contains virtually no fat, which is why it is a bit dry. But if you add cream, white bread and mushrooms with onions to the chicken fillet, it will turn out amazing delicious cutlets, which will appeal to both children and adults. IN mushroom season try adding wild mushrooms to the minced meat.

Beautiful garden, blooming throughout the season, it is impossible to imagine without perennials. These flowers do not require as much attention as annuals, they are frost-resistant, and only sometimes need a little shelter for the winter. Different types perennials do not bloom at the same time, and the duration of their flowering can vary from one week to 1.5–2 months. In this article we suggest recalling the most beautiful and unpretentious perennial flowers.

Seeds with poor germination are a common occurrence on the Russian market. Normally, cabbage germination should be at least 60%. It is often written on seed bags that the germination rate is almost 100%, although in practice it is good if at least 30% of the seeds germinate from such a package. This is why it is so important to choose the right supplier. In this article we will look at varieties and hybrids white cabbage, who deservedly received the love of gardeners.

All gardeners strive to obtain fresh, environmentally friendly and aromatic vegetables from their gardens. Relatives happily accept home-cooked meals from their own potatoes, tomatoes and salads. But there is a way to show off your culinary skills to even greater effect. To do this, it’s worth trying to grow several aromatic plants, which will give your dishes new tastes and aromas. What greens in the garden can be considered the best from a culinary point of view?

Radish salad with egg and mayonnaise, which I made from Chinese radish. This radish is often called Loba radish in our stores. The outside of the vegetable is covered with a light green peel, and when cut open there is pink flesh that looks exotic. When preparing, it was decided to focus on the smell and taste of the vegetable and make a traditional salad. It turned out very tasty, we didn’t detect any “nutty” notes, but it was nice to eat a light spring salad in winter.

The graceful perfection of shining white flowers on tall stalks and huge shiny dark leaves of Eucharis give it the appearance of a classic star. IN indoor culture This is one of the most famous bulbous plants. Few plants cause so much controversy. Some eucharis bloom and delight with absolutely no effort, while others do not produce more than two leaves for many years and seem stunted. It is very difficult to classify the Amazon lily as an unpretentious plant.

Kefir pizza pancakes - delicious pancakes with mushrooms, olives and mortadella that are easy to prepare in less than half an hour. You don't always have time to cook yeast dough and turn on the oven, and sometimes you want to eat a slice of pizza without leaving home. In order not to go to the nearest pizzeria, wise housewives came up with this recipe. Pancakes like pizza - great idea for a quick dinner or breakfast. We use sausage, cheese, olives, tomatoes, and mushrooms as filling.

Growing vegetables at home is quite a feasible task. The main thing is desire and a little patience. Most greens and vegetables can be successfully grown on a city balcony or kitchen windowsill. There are advantages here compared to growing in open ground: in such conditions, your plants are protected from low temperatures, many diseases and pests. And if your loggia or balcony is glazed and insulated, then you can practically grow vegetables all year round

We grow many vegetable and flower crops seedling method, which allows you to get an earlier harvest. But creating ideal conditions is very difficult: lack of sunlight for plants, dry air, drafts, untimely watering, soil and seeds may initially contain pathogenic microorganisms. These and other reasons often lead to depletion and sometimes to the death of young seedlings, because they are the most sensitive to adverse factors

Even in the summer, vigilant summer residents begin to think about what fertilizers to apply to the soil in the fall. From proper feeding soil directly affects the harvest of the next season. If you know exactly what additives your garden needs and, most importantly, when to add them, the garden soil will be optimally prepared, and vegetables, fruits, and berries will delight you with their quality and abundance. It is necessary to take into account many factors: the level of soil acidity, lack or, conversely, excess of certain elements.

Fertilizing the land in autumn, the effect of fertilizing

Adding additives in the spring helps stimulate plant growth and activate their internal functions. Autumn fertilizing saturates the soil itself, helping to restore its fertile resources wasted during the spring-summer period. If this is not done, the land will inevitably become scarce. The harvest or condition of green crops will speak volumes about this.

Autumn feeding, photo:

Fertilizer in the fall for digging is usually applied from the second half of September to the 15-17th of October. During digging, fertilizers are mixed with the soil, and all stages of splitting go through over the winter. If you have any crops left over the winter, they should definitely be fed with phosphorus or potassium supplements. They have a beneficial effect on the condition of the root system, activate its growth, have a positive effect on the future vegetation of shoots, and strengthen the immune system. perennial plants before the coming cold weather. The autumn application of organic matter is also very important, because... During its decomposition, the soil will absorb useful elements that increase fertility.

Fertilizing the land in the fall is done in two ways:

1. The traditional “scattering” of useful components throughout the site after harvesting. The additives are scattered evenly and then the soil is dug up.
2. When replanting trees or bushes in the autumn, the diameter of the hole is made slightly larger than required by the size of the root system. Stacked on the bottom necessary fertilizing, mixed with soil (layer 15-20 cm). After this, the roots of the plant are placed inside the hole and covered with soil. Sometimes the soil is mixed with rotted manure to cover the roots.

Fertilizers for digging in the fall

Organic

Substances of natural origin are simply irreplaceable. Often, thrifty summer residents and gardeners always have them, because the fame of their beneficial properties has never been exaggerated. What fertilizers are applied to the soil in the fall, if we consider organic matter?

Manure + compost as fertilizer, photo:

The most important of them:

1. Farm animal manure or poultry droppings are excellent for increasing soil fertility. This traditional fertilizer cannot be added fresh to plants, but in the fall it is an ideal fertilizer. Fresh food vital activity, when it enters the ground, begins to decompose and release heat, therefore root system trees or shrubs may simply “burn out.” With the arrival of autumn, it is recommended to evenly spread manure (or droppings) over the area and immediately dig it up. At the same time, make sure that during the application process the organic matter is not too deep (10-15 cm will be enough). If you bury it much deeper, then all the useful components will “go” deep into the soil, and the plants will get only a little. You should know that this method of fertilizing the soil is used once every few years (4-5 years); for 1 square meter, 1 bucket of organic matter is enough.
2. Compost or humus is a storehouse of useful elements for root vegetables, nightshade crops, onions, and all types of cabbage. Compost reaches its “mature” state in about a couple of years. Unripe compost is not to the liking of a wide range of garden plants, however, adding raw compost in the fall is quite appropriate, even encouraged. It is spread evenly over the area (the ground should be free of weeds or any plant debris), then dug up. The compost should be buried approximately no deeper than 10-15 cm, at the rate of 3-4 kg/1 square meter. You can also successfully use humus as mulch - cover wintering crops with a layer of 5-7 cm.

Rotted compost in the fall for digging is used in a similar way, especially since most gardeners are inclined towards this method. Fruit trees also respond well to mulching with compost. With the arrival of autumn, organic matter is laid out in a fairly thick layer, covering the entire area of ​​the tree trunk circle. As soon as the first spring rays of the sun warm up, the soil with humus should be carefully loosened, slightly deepening it.

1. Ash is a natural source of microelements that have a beneficial effect on the growth of all green crops. The “richest” ash is obtained from burning potato tops or fruit tree branches. Even weed ash is used successfully. As manure, it is applied in the fall for digging approximately once every 4 years. Potatoes, beets, strawberries, raspberries, cabbage crops, shrubs - everyone likes ash fertilizer. For 1 square meter of land, 1 kg of ash is usually used.
2. Green manure is an excellent, environmentally friendly product that will saturate the soil with nitrogen. By the end of summer experienced summer residents They sow clover, mustard, rye, lupins, and legumes on the vacant land - these are considered the best green manures. When autumn comes, the soil is plowed up along with them, this is how green manure grows deeper. They are also useful for trees and bushes. The tree trunk circle is sown with these crops and then dug up in the same way. Mustard is generally one of the most useful green manures, but we will talk about it a little later.
3. Sawdust by itself has no significant value and is not a fertilizer. But their application makes the soil looser and helps subsequently retain moisture better. When sawdust rots, it becomes compost and also a source of food for earthworms and soil fungi. Sawdust is very good for autumn incorporation into the ground, but it should be added approximately once every 3 years.

It is also worth mentioning such organic fertilizer as peat. It is not applied in its pure form, but it is very effective as an additive to other fertilizers. It is usually added to humus. High peat has high level pH, retains moisture well, but has a rather poor composition nutrients. Lowland peat, on the contrary, contains many useful components and has a slightly acidic reaction.

Green oats, photo:

Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus

Fertilizing the soil in the fall with superphosphate allows the substance to fully dissolve by the new summer season. The main element disintegrates in about six months, so by the time of sowing, vegetable planting, fruit crops the ground will be prepared properly. If you take regular superphosphate (mono), then 50 g of the substance/1 m2 will be quite enough, double superphosphate - approximately 30 g/1 m2, granular substance - 40 g/1 m2. Along with superphosphates, it is strongly recommended to use potassium - it will contribute to better absorption of phosphorus by the soil.

Such a fertilizer for digging in the fall, like phosphate rock, is also an excellent additive for enriching sod-podzolic soils, poor soils, and leached chernozems. It works best together with manure - they complement each other, the soil absorbs phosphorus faster. This is a safe feeding because... it is of natural origin. Please note that some types of plants do not like calcium, and phosphate rock contains it.

Phosphorite flour, photo:

Answering the question: what fertilizers are applied to the soil in the fall, it is also worth mentioning urea (urea). This is a nitrogen fertilizer, and nitrogen is contained in amide form - that is, it has the ability to linger in the soil and not be washed out of it during the spring melting of snow. It is useless to apply regular nitrogen in the fall, because it erodes and is removed from the soil.

Experienced gardeners recommend mixing urea with a phosphorus additive. The recipe is as follows: mix 100 g of limestone, 1 kg of ordinary superphosphate, take one part of the resulting mixture, add two of the same parts of urea to it. The resulting mixture should be scattered over the area (approximately 150 g/1 m²) and dug up.

For fruit trees, it is better to mix urea with manure (or bird droppings). Manure is rich in nitrogen in itself, so the percentage of urea is recommended to be reduced to 35-40 g/1 m². To understand what this looks like, let’s take a medium-sized apple tree and add 4 buckets of manure, 50 g of urea, 30 g of simple superphosphate to the area around its trunk circle.

Potassium sulfate is one of the most important potassium additives, which manifests itself in interaction with nitrogenous and phosphorus fertilizers. This is an excellent fertilizer for raspberries in the fall, as well as strawberries, currants, and gooseberries (30 g/1 m²). If you add potassium sulfate to the soil, the berry bushes will be able to comfortably survive even severe frosts.

Calcium chloride is well preserved in the soil, but it is calcium, since during the winter months the chlorine will erode and be washed away by melt water. Therefore it can be used as autumn feeding even where plants that cannot tolerate chlorine are supposed to be planted. Typically, approximately 20 g of substance/1 m² of area is used.

Fertilizing the soil in the fall with ammonium sulfate helps it release the nitrogen it needs green crops. This fertilizer is especially suitable for heavy soils.

Combined

You can take a simpler route - consider ready-made, combined supplements. They are sold in relevant stores, gardening departments of supermarkets. Humic fertilizers, which contain humic acid as the main active ingredient, have a positive effect on soil fertility.

Excellent fertilizers for strawberries in the fall are “Berry”, “Tulip”, which are scattered over the area before digging. They are also relevant for raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and other berries. A product such as “Biohumus” is very similar in its characteristics to chernozem humus. But it is obtained with the help of red Californian worms: they process manure and all kinds of natural waste.

The “Biud” product is created from purified poultry droppings, as well as horse or cow manure. It contains a complex of amino acids, beneficial bacteria, and natural growth stimulants. In a short time, “Biud” is able to enrich poor soil. Concentrated preparation "Record" (sludge base) - complex fertilizer, consisting of organic, mineral elements, “Record-3” is recommended for berry crops. Complex fertilizing not only increases soil fertility, but also has a positive effect on the quality of vegetables, berries, and fruits.

Bioorganic supercompost “Pixa Lux” or “Pixa Premium” is applied to the soil once every 4-5 years, they are very concentrated and effective (20 kg of additives are equivalent in usefulness to 1 ton of manure). "Agrovitaqua" contains all the necessary components, such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium. They feed the soil in the fall, once every 3 years.

Multicomponent autumn additive “Agricol”, photo:

What fertilizers should be applied to fruit trees in the fall?

For young trees, fertilizing is applied by spreading it around the tree trunk area, then digging up this area. The depth of application of the fertilizer should be approximately 11-18 cm. For older trees, dig a hole not far from the trunk, its depth should be about 40-50 cm. This replenishment helps the trees survive the winter more comfortably and please us with a generous harvest.

What fertilizers are applied to the apple tree in the fall? The answer can be predicted - mineral and/or organic origin. Nitrogen supplements are not recommended because they can reduce the tree's immunity before the upcoming cold weather. Organics are popular among gardeners and gardeners, this effective method, however, fresh manure, mullein, and poultry droppings cannot be used to feed fruit trees. Waste products of birds or animals can only be used if they are rotted, dry or diluted with water! The soil is diluted with manure (1 bucket/1 m²), mullein or droppings are diluted with water 1/10 or 1/20. You can also use peat, compost, ash - all additives are scattered over the area of ​​the tree trunk circle.

If we consider mineral fertilizing in the fall for fruit trees, then the most effective of them will be potassium supplements (since nitrogen supplements are applied only in the spring). Over the winter, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride or potassium salt will have time to be processed and release all the useful components to the soil. Potash fertilizer is especially useful for young trees. Phosphorus fertilizers are also important - they have a strengthening effect on the roots, promote the active development of all parts of the tree, work on the formation of fruits (quantity, size of the fruit, its taste), and prevent early loss of leaves.

Fertilizer for berry crops in autumn

As for the common berry crops, which every summer resident probably grows, they are introduced between the rows by digging.

Fertilizer for raspberries in autumn

If the raspberries begin to turn yellow and curl up lower leaves, it can be fed with phosphorus, potassium or magnesium supplements. They will prepare the crop for wintering and increase its immunity. Pay attention to “Kalimag” (calimanesia), applying it under the root gives excellent results. You can also use green manure (lupins, oats, mustard), which are sown between the rows by mid-summer and dug up with soil in the fall. Fertilizer depth: rows - approximately 8-10 cm, row spacing - 15 cm. Once in a few years, you can feed the raspberries with manure (3-4 kg/1m² of land).

Fertilizers for strawberries in autumn

The best fertilizers for strawberries in the fall are mullein diluted with water or poultry droppings (1:10). When watering, try not to get it on the above-ground part of the plant. Rotted cow manure also makes an excellent mulch for strawberries. Wood ash is also relevant (150 g/1m²), it is scattered near the bushes, along the rows. You can dilute it with water and water the bushes (half a liter of solution for each). Ash is quite capable of replacing additives such as potassium salt or superphosphate. The main mineral fertilizers for strawberries in the fall are potassium and phosphorus. They are pre-diluted with water or scattered dry.

Zola, photo:

Gooseberries and currants are also fed with superphosphate, but it is better to make a mixture consisting of potassium sulfate (30 g), 4 kg of manure (not pork!), superphosphate (30 g). If you have sandy loam soil, then this fertilizing can be applied every year with the onset of autumn.

Planting mustard in the fall as fertilizer

Mustard is an excellent green manure, inexpensive, and convenient because it grows immediately at the site where it is supposed to be buried, that is, it does not need to be delivered. It saturates the earth with phosphorus, nitrogen, fights late blight, slugs, putrefactive fungi, and scab. Mustard gives the earth useful elements, saturates plants with vital forces necessary for growth and development. It grows quickly, suppresses other weeds, has a positive effect on the soil structure, and stops the processes of soil leaching (retains nitrogen). It can be planted next to any crops; it has a beneficial effect on potatoes, grapes, fruit trees, and legumes.

Mustard can also be safely used as a mulch covering that prevents freezing and helps preserve soil moisture.

Green manure mustard, photo:

To improve the soil composition in the fall, it is better to sow mustard in rows, keeping a distance of approximately 10 cm between the seeds (and not deepening them too deeply). It is better to place the rows 20 cm apart from each other - this way the mustard will grow more spreading and have more green mass. The culture sprouts quickly - after 4-5 days you will already be able to observe sprouts. This method, of course, is good, but most gardeners do not bother planting mustard in a separate area, cutting off the above-ground part, and transferring it to the crops to be fertilized. It is much more convenient to sow it immediately where vegetables, fruits, and berries grow or will grow.

Thus, you can simply scatter the seeds where needed and slightly deepen them with a rake (5 g/1m²).

Mustard should be cut before it begins to bloom, so that the stems do not have time to harden properly (coarse fibers are processed more slowly). After 5-6 weeks after sowing, it needs to be cut off; if desired, you can pre-water it with “Baikal EM-1” biofertilizer, it will speed up the subsequent process of breakdown of organic green mass in the soil.

Mustard is not afraid of frost, does not require special care, in other words, you can sow it and forget about it for a couple of weeks.

Autumn is the most comfortable time to fertilize the soil. The harvest has been harvested, the earth is already preparing for rest, the microorganisms present can actively process the applied fertilizers. Autumn feeding improves the soil for the next season, saving time and energy for gardeners with the onset of spring. The main thing is not to forget about the correct ratio and dosage of nutrients.

Now you know what fertilizers are applied in the fall: some additives need to be selected taking into account the composition of the soil, but universal ones organic fertilizers will be appropriate always and everywhere.