Manure is one of the least nutritious types, so it must be incorporated into infertile soil either in large quantities or in combination with other natural fertilizers.

Horse dung. Compared to cow manure, it is more nutritious and valuable, since it contains a larger amount of useful elements that are used by plants during their growth and development.

Compound: nitrogen (4.7 g), calcium (3.5 g), phosphorus (3.8 g), (2 g).

Looking at the composition, you can notice that the content of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus is an order of magnitude higher than in cow manure, so it needs to be added less than mullein. Horse manure is used to fertilize the following crops: , .

By fertilizing these particular crops, you can significantly increase their productivity without adding any chemicals. Also, due to high heat transfer, this type of manure is embedded in for heating.

Pig manure. Using pig manure to fertilize your property is a big risk because it is the most caustic type of fresh fertilizer. To understand the essence, let's look at the composition, which includes: nitrogen (8.13 g), calcium (7.74 g), phosphorus (7.9), potassium (4.5 g). The nitrogen content in pig manure is almost 2 times higher than the content of this element in horse waste.

Therefore, improper use of pig feces can destroy any vegetation in the area being fertilized. Fresh pig manure can be used as a source of nitrogen, but even then it must be diluted with plenty of water or you will burn the plant roots.

Humus

When talking about what kind of organic fertilizers there are, humus immediately comes to mind, which is the most popular type of natural fertilizer.

Humus is an organic fertilizer into which fresh manure or plant residues are converted after two years of decay. This fertilizer has a minimum amount of moisture and a maximum amount nutrients per unit mass.

That is, all of the above types of manure or any plant residues after 2 years of lying or composting turn into humus, which does not contain pathogens or bacteria, weed seeds or other threats to vegetation and humans.

Humus not only increases fertility, but also changes its structure for the better. It helps retain moisture in sandy soils and makes heavy clay soils flowable.

Positive aspects of humus:

• suitable for any crops;
• non-toxic;
• improves soil consistency;
• can be used at any time of the year;
• increases not only the productivity of fed crops, but also soil fertility;
• not dangerous for people and plants;
• can be used as biofuel.

Negative sides of humus:

• the need to introduce a large volume per unit area;
• impressive price of natural fertilizer;
• the value and composition depend on the diet of the animals from which the humus is obtained (applies to the dung version);
• when buying fresh manure, you need to wait a very long time to get humus;
• need to highlight large area for storing fertilizers.

Thus, it turns out the following: using humus is economically profitable only if you raise livestock and use the waste to fertilize your site. If humus is purchased, then it is more profitable to use it to feed the most valuable crops that have a high cost or nutritional value.

When describing organic fertilizers, their types and characteristics, one cannot fail to mention bird droppings, which even people do not dare to use experienced gardeners or gardeners. We will find out whether this waste can be used for a good cause, or whether it is better to dispose of it as far as possible from the plantings.

To understand the scope and possibility of using bird droppings, let’s evaluate its composition: nitrogen (16 g), phosphorus (15 g), potassium (9 g), calcium (24 g).

As you can see, bird droppings are 2 times higher in nitrogen content than “acidic” pig manure. You will say that if pig manure cannot be used, then the manure is all the more dangerous for plants. However, things are completely different.

Important! The use of fresh, clean chicken manure is strictly prohibited.

In order not to scorch the roots of plants and to properly dispose of bird waste, fresh droppings can be placed on compost or diluted for feeding. You can also use litter from for fertilizer. However, this is only possible in cases where the litter does not contain a large number of feces.

Positive sides:

• accelerates fruit ripening;
• increases productivity;
• improves plant immunity;
• non-toxic;
• universal (can be used for most agricultural crops);
• is valid for three years after application to the soil.

Negative sides:

• improper use leads to the complete destruction of vegetation on the site;
• requires aging or dilution in water;
• an overdose makes the soil unsuitable for planting for one year.

Following the above, we can conclude that it is best to use poultry manure through composting. The nitrogen concentration decreases after several months of storage, which means the fertilizer becomes safe for use. It is economically profitable to use chicken manure from personal farms, since purchased ones may not justify the costs.

Composition of manure: nitrogen (6 g), potassium (6 g), calcium (4 g), magnesium (7 g).

Manure, unlike other types of fresh waste, can be turned into powder, since the amount of moisture is extremely small. The resulting bulk fertilizer is mixed with soil (1/3 tbsp per 1 kg of soil) and used as a substrate for indoor plants. Also, rabbit manure is suitable for fertilizing crops that need a large amount of magnesium, since previous types of manure do not contain this element.

It is worth saying that adding fresh rabbit droppings to the soil will have the same effect on plants as any other manure - it will scorch the roots.

Important!If you give in the litter negative temperatures, then all the nitrogen will evaporate from it and such fertilizer will lose the lion's share of its value. The same applies to steaming with boiling water.

Since rabbit droppings are not used in their pure form, they can be composted or made into a water infusion. This biological fertilizer is very valuable for Agriculture.

Let's list the positive aspects of rabbit droppings:

• convenient to transport;
• high biological value and rich composition;
• versatility of feeding;
• absence of pathogenic organisms and weed seeds.

Negative sides:

• excess fertilizer destroys vegetation on the site;
• the need for pre-treatment (composting, infusion);
• low yield of fertilizer and, accordingly, high cost;
• when it dries out, half of the nutrients are lost;
• fresh use is almost impossible.

It turns out that using rabbit droppings is effective only if you are breeding animals yourself or can purchase fertilizer at competitive prices. As with other fresh manure, rabbit droppings are not suitable for incorporation into the soil without additional curing (composting or infusion).

It is the second most popular fertilizer after humus, and the first in terms of cost and ease of preparation.

Compost is an organic fertilizer, but not everyone can answer the question of what it is.

Organic residues that decomposed over a certain period of time under the influence of the external environment or any devices. To prepare compost, you can use any remains of vegetation (including roots), manure, peat, leaves from trees, plant and animal human waste, unsuitable food, eggshells and even human feces.

Well-rotted compost is not inferior in quality and the presence of useful substances to humus. Therefore, compost is added in the same dosages as humus. You can use compost to fertilize absolutely any plants in your garden or home.

The benefits of compost:

• low investment of time and resources;
• versatility in use;
• absence of harmful organisms and weed seeds;
• low cost of fertilizer;
• any animal or plant residues are suitable as raw materials;

Cons of compost:

• the value of fertilizer depends on the raw material;
• unpleasant odor during decomposition of residues;
• storage of compost requires a lot of space;
• a large volume of fertilizer must be used per unit area;
• purchased compost may have extremely low benefits for plants.

Thus, compost can and should be used to fertilize the site, especially if you accumulate a large amount of various biological waste every day.

Ash

We will also talk about the one that is formed after burning plant residues from the site and manure. What can ash give us and how valuable is it?

The composition of ash, depending on the raw material burned, includes the following elements: phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, boron, manganese and others. It turns out that ash, like previous types of organic fertilizers, contains all the necessary compounds that help increase productivity and improve soils.

Used for fertilizer absolutely any vegetation on the site, since it does not contain large quantities of any substances that can poison or “burn” plants. However, you should be careful when using ash in areas with high alkalinity, as it can make the situation worse.

Important! It is best to use ash in combination with “acidic” fertilizers that contain nitrogen.

Positive sides:

• simple “preparation” of fertilizer;
• absence of any threats to plants or humans;
• low consumption per unit area;
• convenience in transportation and storage;
• absence of unpleasant odors;
• versatility of fertilizer;
• the product does not require additional processing or aging.

Negative sides:

• the usefulness of ash depends on the raw materials burned;
• ash, in the form of fertilizer, is not suitable for crops that prefer acidic soils.

Ash is somewhat similar to compost in that its value depends on the raw materials used to produce the final product.

If you get the ash yourself by burning unnecessary residues, then such fertilizer has zero cost and is excellent for increasing yields and reducing soil acidity.

Did you know? In industry building materials ash is used to make some types of concrete.

Peat

Peat- a popular fertilizer that is used to increase the yield of agricultural crops and fertilize. Essentially, these are decomposed compressed remains of plants or animals, and in the wild, a huge amount of peat is formed in swamps, in conditions high humidity and lack of oxygen.

Peat contains the following elements:: nitrogen, calcium, iron, fluorine, silicon, aluminum, manganese and others.

Although it consists of more than a third of humus, it cannot be used in its pure form and in large quantities to increase productivity. This is because such fertilizer is poor in nutrients. That is, for example, the presence of nutrients in fertilizer can be compared with the calorie content of food.

Food may contain a huge amount of useful elements, but its nutritional value may be extremely low. The same can be said about peat. Therefore, if you “plant” your crops exclusively on peat, then do not expect a noticeable increase in yield.

The benefits of peat:

• contains a huge amount of micro and macroelements;
• easy to transport and store;
• does not pose a threat to humans or plants;
• You can get peat at home;
• can be used not only as fertilizer, but also as fuel;
• loosens the soil, making it more free-flowing;
• Suitable for most crops and indoor plants.

Disadvantages of peat:

• high price;
• strongly oxidizes the soil (when used in its pure form);
• useless as a fertilizer for fertile soils;
• dried fertilizer is difficult to soak to release the necessary elements;
• peat is used to fertilize plants on the site exclusively in combination with other fertilizers.

It turns out that peat is a situational fertilizer that should be incorporated into the soil in combination with other nutritional supplements. Pure peat is used only to oxidize the soil, which means it requires less acidic additives (for example, ash) that can level the pH level.

Did you know? Treated peat is used to absorb oil from the surface of the ocean or its coast, as well as for cleaning Wastewater.

This video describes how to make peat with your own hands.

Vermicompost

Vermicompost- This is manure that has been processed by worms. That is, it is waste from the activity of earthworms.

Vermicompost is not very popular among “experienced” gardeners and gardeners, since it is more common to use compost and humus, but such fertilizer is simply a storehouse of all kinds of useful elements and minerals.

In addition, vermicompost () contains a large number of beneficial bacteria, which strengthen the plant’s immunity and promote its development.

Fertilizer composition: nitrogen (20 g), phosphorus (20 g), potassium (15 g), calcium (up to 60 g), iron (up to 25 g), magnesium (up to 23 g), organic substances more than ½ of the total mass.

Unlike the fertilizers described above, vermicompost is not only suitable for any soil and plant crops, but is also a “concentrated black soil”, which significantly increases soil fertility.

To understand the value of such fertilizer, let’s give some visual numbers. Application of 1 ton of manure increases grain yield by 11-12 kg per hectare, application of the same mass of vermicompost increases yield by 130-180 kg. It's hard to believe, but that's exactly how it is. Essentially, you are applying fertilizers that have a higher productivity than the best black soil.

Positive sides:

• absence of harmful organisms or weed seeds;
• source of beneficial microorganisms;
• non-toxic;
• satisfies all plant needs;
• does not wash out with water;
• an overdose does not poison the soil (planting cannot be done in pure vermicompost).

Negative sides:

• very high price of purchased vermicompost (about $350 per ton);
• It is impossible to “prepare” fertilizers at home without purchasing special worms;
• The process of vermicompost formation takes a long time.

It turns out that vermicompost - best fertilizer for any crops, if you do not take into account its price. If you have a lot of time and initial capital, it is worth starting a small production of excellent fertilizer.

If you are going to buy vermicompost, then it is more profitable to feed only the most valuable crops that you are going to sell. In any other case, the costs will not pay off, so before purchasing such fertilizer you should think carefully about everything.

Green manures (green manures)

Green manure- these are plants that are grown for further embedding in the ground. Green manure enriches the soil with easily digestible nitrogen and other microelements.

Green manure plants include: all legumes, mustard, “standard”,. In total, about four hundred different crops can act as green manure.

We plant, for example. As soon as it gains the necessary green mass, we embed it in the ground and, after a certain period of time, plant the main crops in this place. Peas decompose and supply our vegetation with useful substances.

Advantages of using green manure:

• no threat to plants or humans;
• no need to allocate space for storing fertilizer;
• versatility of use;
• the presence of basic elements that plants need;
• overdose is impossible, since green manure does not rot “in the moment”;
• disposal of tops and other residues that are thrown away;
• fertilizer does not poison the soil.

Disadvantages of using green manure:

• rotting lasts about two years, so there will be no immediate improvement in the soil;
• the cost of time and money for sowing and growing green manure;
• it is impossible to transport this type of fertilizer over long distances;
• green manure depletes the soil, accumulating useful substances;
• Green manure must be used in combination with other types of fertilizers to get the expected effect.

It turns out that sowing green manure plants, although it gives an increase in yield, requires additional costs from you, which may not be justified.

Depending on the choice of crop that will serve as fertilizer, the usefulness of such fertilizer varies, so it makes sense to embed the vegetation from which the harvest (or at least part of it) was harvested into the soil in order to justify the money spent on seeds and watering.

Bone meal (bone meal)

Bone flour- These are the bones of cattle or fish ground to a powdery state.

Let's talk about animal bone meal. This fertilizer is rich in phosphorus and calcium, therefore it perfectly meets the needs of plants for these elements. Bone meal also contains many microelements and biologically active substances that have a positive effect on the growth and development of crops.

Fish bone meal. The same bulk product that is obtained by grinding and grinding the bones of various fish. This flour has a high nitrogen content, which is practically absent in livestock bone meal. In addition, the amount of phosphorus is an order of magnitude higher than in cattle bone meal.

It is also worth remembering that bone meal reduces the acidity of the soil, so on alkaline soils it should be used with another oxidizing additive that will equalize the pH level.

Positive aspects of bone meal:

• does not contain harmful impurities, harmful organisms and weed seeds;
• has a very low cost;
• if stored correctly, the “shelf life” is unlimited;
• has a prolonged effect, so plants receive all elements in small doses;
• suitable for any crops whose development depends on phosphorus and calcium;
• can be used to reduce soil acidity;
• easy to transport and store;
• does not have an unpleasant odor.

Negative aspects of bone meal:

• difficult to cook at home;
• is not a complex fertilizer;
• when not correct use you can increase the percentage of phosphorus content in the soil several times and make it unsuitable for planting most crops.

It turns out that it is almost impossible to prepare bone meal at home, so this is an additional expense for the purchase. It makes sense to use such fertilizer only in combination with other organic fertilizers that contain small amounts of phosphorus and calcium. Using it in its pure form will do nothing, and an overdose will leave you completely without a harvest.

Wood sawdust

Wood sawdust, most often used for mulching the soil, relieving plants from severe temperature changes and weeds. Direct embedding of small sawdust into the soil will not only not give a positive result, but will also lead to a deterioration in the quality of the soil, which is worth remembering.

So how to use it as a fertilizer? There are 3 options for using them: , composting, mixing with manure/humus.

Important! It is necessary to mix fresh sawdust with fresh manure, since wood shavings absorb a large amount of nitrogen.

If you mulched the soil with sawdust, then at first they will perform only a protective function. Only after 3 years, when the decay processes have passed, will the sawdust nourish the soil and provide useful elements to the planted plants.

Composting. Sawdust, like other plant residues, can be composted and subsequently obtained good fertilizer. Mixing with humus or manure. This option is recommended for use in greenhouses and hotbeds to quickly warm the soil and make it looser.

The benefits of sawdust:

• perfectly loosen the soil;
• can be obtained at home;
• low cost of production;
• can be used as protection, which over time turns into fertilizer;
• you can reduce the acidity of the soil or increase it by using fresh or rotten sawdust;
• ease of transportation and storage;
• no smell.

Cons of sawdust:

• a colossal period of complete decay (up to 10 years);
• fresh sawdust can draw out all the nitrogen from the soil, and rotted sawdust can oxidize the soil to such a state that only wormwood will grow on it;
• does not have high nutritional value for plants;
• purchased sawdust may contain impurities of varnishes and paints, which are toxic to plants.

Thus, it is better to use sawdust as a “protector”, which will feed crops over time, rather than as a full-fledged fertilizer.

If you have a large tonnage of fresh produce available, then it is better to compost it, in which case you will get full-fledged fertilizer faster.

Did you know? Alcohol suitable for consumption can be synthesized from sawdust.

IL

Silt (sapropel)- plant and animal remains that accumulate at the bottom of rivers and lakes, like peat.

Dry sludge has the following composition: nitrogen (20 g), phosphorus (5 g), potassium (4 g).

As you can see, in terms of the content of basic elements, sludge is not inferior to animal waste. This fertilizer is valuable because it quickly decomposes in the soil, like plant residues.

It is worth remembering that silt is used on sandy soils, retaining moisture in the soil. When using silt on loamy soils, you need to be careful, as it impairs air permeability and retains water. Ideal option sludge will be added in combination with other fertilizers that improve the flowability of the soil.

Positive sides:

• sludge, in terms of the presence of basic elements, is not inferior to animal waste;
• can be used immediately after drying;
• quickly rots in the ground;
• improves the structure of sandy soils;
• does not contain weed seeds;
• rich in biologically active substances.

Negative sides:

• sludge can only be obtained from bodies of water in which there is a weak current;
• “fresh” sludge can seriously harm plants, so it needs to be dried;
• high nitrogen content increases soil acidity, so its use is limited to neutral and alkaline soils;
• silt from a polluted reservoir can destroy vegetation on your site;
• The composition and value of the fertilizer depend on the reservoir from which the sludge was extracted.

It turns out that it only makes sense to use sludge if there is a lake or river with a weak current nearby, since purchased sludge can contain a large amount of harmful substances (sewage is discharged into most reservoirs). If you decide to buy sludge, then compare the recommendations with the actual performance of your soils so as not to aggravate the situation.

Feces

The most unpopular ones complete the niche article fertilizer - human feces. Many gardeners and gardeners specially build outdoor toilets away from their plantings so as not to poison the soil, but even such fertilizer can benefit your plantings.

Let's start with the composition: nitrogen (up to 8 g), phosphorus (up to 4 g), potassium (3 g).

Essentially, human feces contain about the same concentration of essential elements as horse manure, with the exception of nitrogen. To use such fertilizers without harm to plants and humans, they must be composted together with weakly decomposing organic residues (peat, sawdust). The minimum composting period is 3 months. It is strictly prohibited to use feces in their pure form, as they are a source of a huge number of pathogenic organisms that will harm you and the planted crops.

After minimal aging, the fecal mixture must be stored in piles for approximately 18 months to ensure complete disinfection.

Ready-made fertilizer is used in the same way as bedding manure. Rotten feces have greater value for plants than animal waste.

Positive sides:

• emptying cesspools at no additional cost;
• relatively high value of the finished fertilizer;
• there are no costs;
• there is no need to worry about a shortage of raw materials;
• there are no weed seeds.

Negative sides:

• bad smell;
• long period of “preparation” of complete fertilizer;
• it is necessary to allocate a lot of space for rotting feces;
• you need to use additional additives (peat, straw, sawdust), without which complete rotting of feces is impossible;
• raw materials are a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and microorganisms;
• purchasing raw materials is extremely problematic.

Following the above, we can conclude that although human feces can be used as fertilizer, the unpleasant smell and long process of decay will scare away most gardeners and gardeners from such an activity. It is rational to use this type of fertilizer only if the compost heaps can be placed at a great distance from residential buildings and industrial enterprises, since otherwise complaints from neighbors and outbreaks of various infections cannot be avoided.

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Natural organic fertilizers

Natural organic fertilizers come in animal and plant origin, and therefore have different effects on the soil. Thus, fertilizers of animal origin have a greater impact on its chemical composition, while fertilizers of plant origin affect the physical qualities of the soil.

However, regardless of origin, most organic fertilizers have a good effect on both the physical and chemical properties of the soil. In addition, you can combine several types of organic fertilizers, combining them with each other.

Most organic fertilizers are classified as complete fertilizers, i.e. they contain all the necessary nutrients in a form accessible to plants: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, many microelements, vitamins and hormones.

Manure

Manure occupies a leading place among organic fertilizers of animal origin, although due to its low nutrient content, it (especially cow, sheep and rabbit) does not so much fertilize as improve the soil structure. In other words, manure is a soil conditioner that improves the soil's ability to hold nutrients available to plants. Thanks to this property of manure, the benefits of other organic and mineral fertilizers .

Manure that has bedding material as a base is called stall manure. Its composition differs depending on the type of animal and the bedding material (straw, peat, sawdust, wood shavings).

Straw-bed manure has good structure and is distinguished high quality, since the straw, by rotting, enriches it with additional nutrients.

Manure with peat litter is less common, but peat absorbs animal feces well and retains ammonia, preserving the nitrogen part of this organic fertilizer.

Sawdust and wood shavings are used quite often as bedding, but they are not very effective.

Based on the type of animal, manure is divided into horse, goat, sheep, pig, rabbit (litter) and cattle.

Horse dung

Horse manure has a porous structure and high airiness, and is widely used as the main component of a mixture for growing champignons. It decomposes quickly, releasing more heat than other types, so it warms the soil well. This property makes horse manure an optimal means for heating greenhouses.

Cow dung

Cattle manure, and more often cow dung, or mullein, has a denser structure compared to horseweed. It decomposes more slowly and produces less heat, making it a universal fertilizer for any soil.

❧ The essence of the heat transfer process of manure is as follows: under the influence of rapidly developing microflora, the manure in the heap heats up and decomposes. At the same time, it releases a lot of carbon and a large amount of nitrogen.

Cow dung is rich in essential nutrients, including nitrogen, which is contained in a plant-friendly form.

Sheep and goat manure

The processes that occur in sheep and goat manure are similar to those that occur in horse manure. These two types of manure also decompose quickly, generating heat that can harm plants under certain conditions.

Pig manure

Pig manure and other hazardous organic fertilizers (excrements from all carnivorous animals (including cats and dogs), as well as human feces) should not be used in gardens and gardens because they can cause serious infections.

Additionally, pig manure is considered the least beneficial of all types. Firstly, it is characterized by an unsaturated watery structure and a slow, long-term decomposition process. Secondly, despite the fact that it contains quite a lot of valuable substances, they are in a form unfavorable for plants. Thirdly, pig manure is considered “cold” because the heat transfer from its decomposition is small.

Liquid manure

Liquid manure without bedding, or slurry, is excellent nitrogen-potassium fertilizer, which is valued for its speed and ability to be used almost constantly. As needed, it is diluted in water and applied as root fertilizer.

Rules for the use of manure

Any type of manure can be used, following certain rules. Thus, fresh manure should never be applied under plant crops, since during its decomposition gases are formed in the soil that are toxic to the root system. In addition, this process also results in the release of a significant amount of heat, which can lead to the “burning” of the plant.

Another reason for the ban is that undecomposed organic matter in manure contains a large number of germinating weed seeds. In addition, the very form of nutrients from undecomposed organic substances is inaccessible to plants. Thus, only manure that has reached a certain stage of decomposition can be used.

Humus

According to the degree of decomposition, manure can be semi-rotted or rotted, and also represent humus itself. Semi-rotted manure is dark brown in color, and its weight decreases by 20-30% during primary decomposition.

Rotted manure is a valuable natural organic fertilizer that has the form homogeneous mass black in color, the composition of which cannot be distinguished individual parts litter, and the decomposed nutrients acquired a form digestible for plants.

Humus is the most valuable soft natural organic fertilizer, which is formed as a result of long-term decomposition of manure, leaves, grass, straw and other plant debris. Humus can be incorporated into the soil, mixed into the soil for seedlings, sprinkled under crops and used in a mixture with mulching materials.

Humus and rotted manure, after being added to the soil, immediately begin to be absorbed by plants, so they are best used in the garden or garden.

Compost

Composts are various natural organic fertilizers that can be produced on the territory of your garden by arranging a compost heap. All weeds after weeding the garden, mowed lawn grass and organic kitchen waste, mainly of plant origin, are usually placed in it.

The materials used to prepare compost have different composition and value and differ in terms of decomposition. In addition, fresh cow manure can be added to the compost heap, which will significantly improve the quality of the resulting compost.

The entire mass of waste must be sprinkled with several layers of ordinary garden or garden soil. After 3 years, the organic mass completely rots, turning into a homogeneous brown crumbly mass - a valuable organic fertilizer and an excellent mulching material. Perhaps the only drawback of this wonderful fertilizer is that almost always a small amount is obtained, which is barely enough for fertilizing and mulching.

Peat

Peat is an excellent natural organic fertilizer that improves and lightens the structure of the soil so much that it is quite suitable for improving the quality clay soil or heavy loam. However, not every type of peat can be used to fertilize the soil in its pure form. For example, peat that has a neutral reaction and contains a lot of calcium in the ash is quite suitable for this purpose, while peat with an acidic reaction and a large amount of iron and aluminum in the ash is not.

Peat can be raised, lowland and transitional. High-moor or sphagnum peat (the most acidic) is a poorly decomposed product and is therefore unsuitable for direct use as a fertilizer. However, it can be composted after treatment with ground carbonic lime, and then used as a ready-made fertilizer for various types soils, if you need to improve them physical properties and enrich with humus.

After primary processing, high-moor and transitional peat can be added to composts or used to mulch the soil. In the case of composting, lime, phosphate rock and other mineral fertilizers, as well as manure, bird droppings and other types of organic matter are added to high-moor peat.

Lowland peat is a completely processed product that can be used for fertilization and composting without pre-treatment. It can have a slightly acidic and sometimes neutral reaction, which is explained by its high calcium content. In its pure form, such peat can be used for liming, and only well-weathered lowland peat with a high degree of decomposition, containing over 5% calcium or over 2% phosphorus, is suitable for fertilizing garden plots.

Bird droppings

Poultry manure is a complete organic fertilizer that contains more nutrients than all other types of manure. In this case, the most useful is considered to be the droppings of chickens and pigeons.

Bird droppings quickly decompose and act, but they usually do not apply them fresh to plants. However, unprocessed droppings can be embedded in the soil for autumn digging at the rate of 200-300 g per 1 m2.

Fresh bat and seabird droppings are expensive, fast-acting, high-nitrogen fertilizers that are mostly used to feed potted plants. The dry version of the same fertilizers has a high phosphorus content and is also used mainly for fertilizing indoor plants. They are used sparingly in dry form or as an infusion.

More often, bird droppings are used to prepare composts or brought to a semi-rotted state. In combination with peat, it can be used as the main fertilizer. It also serves as a basis for cooking liquid fertilizer or sourdough.

Rabbit droppings

Rabbit droppings contain more active and nutritious substances than all previously listed types of manure, but are inferior in nutritional value to bird droppings. However, it is rarely used in its pure form; it is usually used to prepare composts and as a liquid fertilizer.

Wood ash

Wood ash is high in nutrients. Thus, it contains phosphorus, potassium, calcium (up to 40%), magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and various sulfur compounds in a form easily accessible to plants. However, it contains almost no chlorine. The highest nutrient content is observed in the form of easily soluble and fast-acting potash (potassium carbonate).

The addition of 70 g of ash per 1 m2 fully meets the boron needs of most plants.

Wood or straw ash is suitable as an alkaline fertilizer for acidic sod-podzolic, gray forest, bog-podzolic and swampy soils. In other words, it is good for all soils poor in potassium, phosphorus and microelements. Just do not use it on saline soils.

❧ If, to improve the structure of the soil, it is necessary to embed straw and chopped tree bark into it, then at the same time it is necessary to add nitrogen, since it is actively consumed during their decomposition.

Green organic fertilizers

Green organic fertilizers have become increasingly popular over the years due to their exceptional environmental friendliness. In addition, the plants themselves, used as fertilizer, are part of a living plant complex that goes through its life cycle development are very close to the nature of fertilized crops.

Plants can be used as fertilizers in two ways. Firstly, herbal teas and infusions are prepared from them. Secondly, you can grow the necessary green mass and then plow it into the ground.

Herbal infusions can be applied under the roots or sprayed with them aboveground part plants for pest control. The main value of herbal infusions as liquid fertilizer lies in their mild strengthening effect on plants, which results in increased resistance to diseases and resistance to adverse natural phenomena.

Silt and silt deposits

Silt and silt deposits, also called fresh water sludge, are very valuable nitrogen fertilizers that naturally accumulate at the bottom. fresh water bodies: some rivers, lakes and ponds.

Fresh water silt is rich in organic matter: 10-30% organic matter, 0.3-2% nitrogen, 0.2-0.5% phosphorus, 0.3-0.5% potassium.

To use it in its pure form, the sludge is dried and ventilated, which makes it possible to reduce its moisture content and achieve complete oxidation of protoxide compounds. Without this, acid compounds can have a depressing effect on plant growth.

Industrial organic fertilizers of animal origin

Such fertilizers are produced from waste obtained from the slaughter and industrial processing of cattle and poultry.

Bone flour

Bone meal is a slow-release fertilizer that is valuable because of its high calcium and phosphorus content. It can feed plants with phosphorus for a whole year.

Bone meal strengthens root system, accelerates its growth and improves flowering. It is widely used to fertilize bulbous plants (when planting, it is applied under the bulb), as well as when transplanting plants, mixing it with soil in the planting hole.

Fertilizer decomposes slowly in its natural form, but it can be finely ground or dissolved in water, which will speed up the process. Bone meal can also be added to composts, since in their composition it goes through the primary stage of decomposition better.

The main disadvantage of bone meal is that it alkalizes the soil and also attracts foxes and dogs. In addition, the high calcium content makes it unsuitable for acidophilic plants (plants growing in acidic soils).

Blood meal

Blood meal is a fast-acting nitrogen fertilizer. It is an excellent source of nitrogen, promoting the rapid growth of green mass.

If used incorrectly, blood meal can “burn” the plant, and a characteristic sign of a chemical burn is dark spots along the edge of the leaves.

Meal from horns, hooves or feathers

Meal from horns, hoofs or feathers is a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen compounds in in this case are formed during the slow decomposition (2-5 months) of the keratin protein, which forms the basis of such tissues.

The positive quality of these fertilizers is that they do not burn the plants even when applied in excess.

Fish bone meal

Fish bone meal has an effect similar to that of bone meal, so the rates for its application are the same. The advantage of this fertilizer is that, compared to bone meal, it alkalizes the soil less. However, it attracts cats with its smell.

Fish flour

Fishmeal is made from soft waste from the fishing industry. It contains a large amount of nitrogen and decomposes in the soil in 6-8 months.

Fish emulsion.

Fish emulsion is also produced from fish processing waste. Moreover, depending on the manufacturing technology, the nitrogen content in it may vary. A minor drawback of this fertilizer is the unpleasant smell, which, among other things, cats really like.

Crab and shrimp shell meal

Meal from crab and shrimp shells is characterized by a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus, and also contains calcium (23%), magnesium (5%) and trace elements.

Crab shell flour

Flour from crab shells is an excellent means of combating soil pests - microscopic nematode worms.

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Organic fertilizers known from the earliest periods of agricultural history.

Three thousand years ago, Chinese and Japanese farmers used organic fertilizers. In the countries of Western and Eastern Europe in the 14th-15th centuries AD, manure began to be used.

IN modern world 3 billion tons of various organic fertilizers are used annually.

Types of organic fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are fertilizing organic substances of animal, plant, plant-animal and industrial-household origin of varying degrees of decomposition. Organic fertilizers contain large amounts of moisture and a wide range of different nutrients, some in small quantities, so they are classified as complete fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, as a rule, are poorly transportable; they are used locally or close to production and are called local fertilizers.

Organic fertilizers include manure (litter, non-litter, slurry), peat, bird droppings, sapropel, composts, household waste, industrial waste (lignin), sewage residues, green fertilizers, etc.

Manure has a complex multilateral effect on the soil and is a source of ash and. Manure in any form replenishes the supply of mobile nutrients in the soil, improves the circulation of various nutrients in the soil-plant system.

Bird droppings are fast-acting organic. There are:

• litter, formed when poultry are kept on deep, permanent litter;
• litterless droppings, formed during cage keeping of poultry;
• dry droppings- a bulk fertilizer substance formed during the thermal drying of bedding-free liquid manure.

The chemical composition of droppings depends on the type of bird, type of feeding and keeping of the bird.

Bird droppings are used as pre-sowing fertilizer (see). Effective in various crops. It is recommended to use bird droppings when growing plants indoors.

In the year of application, on average, up to 50%, 20% and 70% are absorbed from the litter. The degree of use of nutrients depends on the doses, the granulometric composition of the soil and biological features plants.

In plant growing, peat is used in the preparation of peat humus pots and cubes, as a substrate for greenhouses and as a mulching material.

Sapropel is an organic fertilizer, bottom sediments of freshwater reservoirs. Natural color - from pink to dark brown. When exposed to air, the natural color disappears. The chemical composition of the substance varies even within the same body of water. Sapropel is used on various types of soil as a base and fertilizer.

Hydrolysis (technical) lignin

Hydrolysis lignin is the main waste of the hydrolysis industry. It contains few nutrients, has an acidic reaction and is very poor in microflora, has high moisture capacity and absorption capacity. When it is composted with other organic fertilizers (liquid manure, liquid bird droppings, slurry), fertilizers enriched with basic nutrients with good physical and mechanical properties and high biological activity are obtained. Nitrogen losses are minimal.

Tree bark and sawdust

Wood bark and sawdust can be used as organic fertilizer after composting with manure, slurry and other nitrogen-containing substances (photo). Such composts must meet the following requirements: organic matter content per dry weight of at least 80% with a humidity of no more than 60%, the proportion of humic substances is 10-15% of the total amount of organic matter, pH is at least 5.5, C: N ratio - no more than 30, percentage of content per dry weight - 3.0, - 0.1, - 0.1.

The ratio of composted materials and manure is 1: 1, 2: 1 or 3: 2. Phosphate rock and potassium chloride can be added to the compost.

Household waste (city waste)

Household waste is human waste. On average, one resident of Russia accounts for 0.15-0.25 tons of solid household waste per year.

The main share of municipal solid waste in cities is paper and organic components. The composition of garbage varies with the seasons. Biological waste is characterized by a high degree of biological contamination, can be dangerous from an epidemiological point of view and requires disinfection.

Solid household waste (city garbage) is comparable in nutrient content and fertilizing qualities to litter manure. The rate of mineralization of household waste depends on the presence of food waste in it. If there is a large amount of it, the garbage decomposes quickly and can be used as fertilizer, bypassing composting. If non-food waste predominates (paper, rags, etc.), it decomposes slowly and is used after composting.

Urban waste contains on average, based on dry weight, 0.6-0.7%, - 0.5-0.6%, - 0.6-0.8%.

Urban waste is used as pre-sowing fertilizer, for basic tillage, and in protected greenhouses.

Sewage sludge (SWS)

Sewage sludge accumulates in large cities at treatment plants in the amount of 1.5 to 1% of the volume of all treated water (photo) . The WWS humidity is high - 92-95%. Before use as a fertilizer, WWS is subjected to a variety of processing methods, namely:

Average composition of WWS,% on dry weight
From primary settling tanks
Activated sludge
Digested sludge
After thermal drying

Along with nutrients, WWS may contain heavy metals, petroleum products, and detergents. Constant monitoring of the composition of WWS is necessary, since their use sharply increases the risk of contamination of agricultural products and environment hazardous substances. All other things being equal, it is safer to use WWS on heavy, more humus-rich soils than on light, low-humus soils.

WWS is recommended for fertilizing parks, tree nurseries, lawns, and bast crops. For other crops, WWS is used only with the permission of sanitary and epidemiological stations under the control of the agricultural chemical service. WWS is not used for vegetable crops.

Composts

Compost (from the Latin compositus - “composite”) is an organic fertilizer. It is a decomposed mixture of manure with peat, soil, plant residues, phosphate rock, formed under the influence of microorganisms.

High-quality compost is a homogeneous, dark, crumbly mass with a moisture content of no more than 75%, with a reaction close to neutral, and nutrients in a form easily accessible to plants. (photo)

To prepare composts, various combinations of organic substances are used (manure, bird droppings, sewage sludge, industrial and household waste containing organic matter). Mineral components can be added to the compost mixture: phosphate rock, potash fertilizers, etc.

Composts have good physical and mechanical properties. They are free-flowing, easily transportable, and do not stick to the working parts of agricultural machines and implements.

Composting requires a positive ambient temperature. Optimal humidity conditions and high degree of aeration at the beginning of the process. To accelerate the decomposition of organic matter and reduce the loss of ammonia nitrogen and increase the concentration of nutrients, phosphate rock is added to the compost, and in case of high acidity, lime.

Properly prepared composts have the same fertilizing properties as manure.

Depending on the components, composts are divided into:

• peat manure;
• peat litter;
• peat-liquid;
• peat fecal;
• manure-olignin;
• composts from household waste and prefabricated ones.

Vermicompost (vermicompost)

Vermicompost (vermicompost) is a product of processing manure and various organic wastes by the red Californian worm Eusenia foetieda (photo) .

Vermicompost contains macro- and microelements, is biologically active, contains hormones that regulate plant growth (auxin, gibberellin), important enzymes: catalases, phosphatases, etc. During processing, the number of viruses and salmonella decreases. The red Californian worm can withstand temperatures from 4 to 28 ºC. The preferred acidity of the habitat is 6.5-7.5. The lifespan of a worm is 800-900 days. They reproduce by cocoons; on average, 3.5 individuals hatch from each cocoon.

A normal individual produces up to 200 offspring per year. Worms feed on all organic matter, consisting of 20% cellulose. Some organic substances require preliminary preparation. Thus, cattle manure must first undergo a fermentation process for 6-7 months to achieve the desired pH level; pork manure needs 10-12 months for this. At least 25% sawdust (by weight) is added to bedding-free manure. Every year, the number of worms can increase 4-10 times.

The product produced by worms is a balanced granular organic fertilizer containing (on an absolutely dry basis) 30% humus, 0.8-3.0% nitrogen, 0.8-5% phosphorus, 1.2% potassium, 2-5% calcium.

Verlicompost is used as a base and fertilizer. Recommended as highly effective for closed ground.

Green fertilizers (green manures)

Green fertilizers are fresh plant matter plowed into the soil to enrich it with organic matter and improve the nutrition of subsequent crops. Plants grown using green fertilizers are green manures; the method of enriching soils with them is green manure.

How green manure is commonly used leguminous plants(lupine, seradella, sweet clover, vetch, china, asiragao, etc.), a little less often, mixtures of legumes with cereals (vegetable-oat mixture) or intermediate non-legume crops (mustard, rapeseed, rapeseed, etc.).

The ability of legumes to symbiotically fix atmospheric nitrogen, which contributes to additional enrichment of soils with nitrogen, makes them valuable green manures.

Green fertilizers have the same multifaceted positive effect on soil fertility as well-prepared bedding manure.

1 ton of wet weight contains different amounts of nutrients. Data on the nutrient content in different types of green manure fertilizers and mixed manure are presented in the table “Average data on the nutrient content in 1 ton of wet weight of legume green manure and 1 ton of densely stored mixed manure.”

Average Nutrient Data in 1 ton of wet weight of legume green manure and 1 ton of densely stored mixed manure, according to:
Type of fertilizer	Dry matter, kg	Grain straw Straw of cereal crops, used as a fertilizer, helps improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, enhances the activity of microorganisms, their nitrogen-fixing ability, reduces nitrogen losses, increases the availability of phosphates, and increases the humus content in the soil at the level of manure application. Straw at a moisture content of 16% contains on average 0.5% nitrogen, 0.25% phosphorus, 1.0% potassium and 35-40% carbon, as well as small amounts of calcium, magnesium, sulfur and trace elements. The C:N ratio is from 60 to 100, so microorganisms that decompose straw organic matter require additional nitrogen nutrition. To do this, when plowing straw, an additional 0.5-1.5% of nitrogen by its mass is added, i.e. 5-15 kg of nitrogen per 1 ton in the form of mineral or organic fertilizers. Plowing straw with the addition of nitrogen brings the greatest effect in the fall, since the harmful phenolic compounds formed during its decomposition have time to decompose or be washed out of the root layer of the soil during the autumn-winter-spring period. The application of straw with the addition of nitrogen to row crops with a long growing season is especially effective. The systematic use of straw as a fertilizer in crop rotations significantly increases its effectiveness. (photo) Bacterial (microbiological) fertilizers Bacterial fertilizers are preparations of highly active microorganisms that improve the nutritional conditions of crops. The most common preparations are those containing nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. Humic preparations (fertilizers based on humic acids) Humic preparations are a group of physiologically active substances that activate the vital activity of soil microorganisms and plants. Their introduction into the soil helps accelerate humification processes, improve water-physical properties and thermal regime soil, stimulates the growth and development of plants. Humic preparations are obtained by alkaline, acid or electroimulsion processing of natural raw materials (peat, coal, caustobioliths, etc.). The preparative forms of humic preparations are diverse - from liquid ballast-free to granular organomineral complex fertilizers. Humic preparations are widely used in the cultivation of flowers, seedlings, potted crops, in the creation and operation of sports lawns, in greenhouse vegetable farms and in the cultivation of field crops. They do not contain toxic components (with the exception of humates from brown coals and sapropels). During certification and registration, humates are tested for safety. The importance of organic fertilizers in intensive farming In conditions of intensive farming, the most important task is to reproduce soil fertility and create a positive, deficient balance of nutrients and humus in the soil. The successful solution of this problem depends on the systematic scientifically based use of organic and mineral fertilizers in crop rotation. That is why the importance of organic fertilizers in agriculture will not decrease even if agriculture is completely satisfied with mineral fertilizers. The experience of world agriculture shows that the higher the farming culture, the more attention is paid to the use of various organic fertilizers.

Organic for all of us cultivated plants is the main and best nutrition. What types of organic fertilizers there are, all their characteristics are very useful to know for amateur flower growers, summer residents and gardeners.

With development chemical industry Many fertilizers, minerals, and growth stimulants have become available to us. But still, the majority prefer organic matter; most likely, it is more accessible and does not accumulate in the plants we eat.

With proper use of organic fertilizers, you can provide plants with all the necessary microelements, because they also contain nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Only, thanks to its natural origin, organic matter does not harm the soil or the microorganisms found in it, and allows plants to develop well at all stages of the growing season.

Organic fertilizers, their types and characteristics

There are actually more types of organic fertilizers than the ones we most often use. These are all fertilizers that are created by nature in one way or another, only humans have to participate a little in the preparation of some.

• Compost
• Humus
• Manure
• Bird droppings
• Sawdust, tree bark
• Bone flour
• Wood ash
• Green manure crops
• Complex organic fertilizers
• Organic household waste
• Straw

Now let's look at each type in more detail so that when used it will bring more benefits to plants.

Compost

There are several types of compost, depending on the content:

1. Peat-manure
2. Sheet
3. Herbal
4. Made

Compost is made by mixing components, grass, manure, peat, waste, without the introduction of infected plants or harmful substances, for example, household chemicals.

To obtain this valuable type of organic matter, compost pits and boxes are used. They simply make piles where they put components in layers; these can be leftover food, paper, cardboard, weeds from the garden, fallen leaves in the fall, animal manure and bird droppings.

The selected components are laid in layers, moistened in case of drought, so that the composting process takes place. To “ennoble” it is sometimes added wood ash, superphosphate, potassium fertilizers, to speed up the process, some spill the components with the drug Baikal-EM.

1. To make herbal compost, take two parts of weeds, branches, tops, fallen leaves, add one part of garden soil and add one part of the total mass of manure. Everything is compacted into a hole or box; to complete the process, you need to spill everything with water, you can cover it with film on top and leave it for a year. An excellent fertilizer is ready for the next season.
2. Manure compost is made from manure, garden soil and peat, respectively. Manure is taken five times more than other components. Everything is placed in a hole or just a pile. You need to pour water over everything and from time to time lift it with a pitchfork and move the layers. Such compost will be ready in six months.
3. Collected compost can consist of food scraps, grass, leaves, manure, mandatory addition land. No trash, such as plastic bags or glass, is allowed. You can fold cardboard or paper, it will quickly rot.

Compost pits for the winter require shelter from frost; at first it can be spruce branches, and then snow. Compost is usually added before digging in the spring or autumn. You can also use it as mulch, and at the same time there is additional fertilizing.

The compost is ready for use when all components are well rotted, there are no large inclusions, and the substance becomes uniform and crumbly. Apply from five to ten kg per meter of area.

Humus

This valuable fertilizer is obtained by rotting plants with the addition of decomposition of waste products of animals and microorganisms. You can also obtain humus from manure yourself by folding it in a dense layer and covering it from air. All plants love humus; it allows you to quickly grow green mass, so it is recommended to use it when growing seedlings.

Humus is applied under the plants in the spring or in the fall to prepare the beds for the new harvest. Upon landing garden trees and shrubs, it is introduced directly into the hole and mixed with the soil.

Peat

It is used more often to loosen the soil. Peat is decomposed particles of marsh plants and moss; it is rich in nitrogen, conducts moisture well and retains heat. There are several types:

• Lowest, most nutritious. It contains a large amount of nitrogen, as well as phosphorus and potassium.
• Transitional, intermediate between lowland and highland. It serves primarily as an additive for making compost. It can also be refined by adding wood ash, chicken droppings or manure.
• High-moor peat contains fragments of vegetation that are not completely decomposed. It is used as mulch, as insulation for houses or as a covering material.

Peat is added for digging, depending on needs, in quantities from 4 to 8 kg per square area, or mixed with humus, compost, garden soil for growing seedlings. For some types of seedlings or rooting cuttings, you can use peat in its pure form.

Manure

The most common type of organic fertilizer, especially for those who breed farm animals. The most common are cow and horse manure.

Cowgrass is one of the most sought after by gardeners. It is easier to purchase in large quantities. It has a good effect on plant growth; when applied, productivity increases noticeably. When rotting, it gives off a lot of heat. Therefore, it is brought into greenhouses as natural heating, or arranged warm beds for planting heat-loving plants in open ground.

Which is becoming increasingly rare. It has a long-lasting effect, and application to the soil enriches it for several years. Rich in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus. It is applied in the fall under digging or in liquid form, like cow's milk, diluted 1 to 10 and used as a top dressing.

Sheep manure is much drier and contains less nitrogen. Therefore, it is often filled with water and added in liquid form. It is not as common as cow's. They also use goat manure, which is similar in composition to sheep manure.

Rabbit manure is also quite rare, but those who keep rabbits are happy to use it for fertilizer, scattering it around the site in the fall or placing it in warm beds.

There is also bedding manure when it is mixed with straw, which was used as winter bedding for animals.

Manure is added to compost heaps to speed up fermentation and enrich the compost structure. There are disadvantages when using it fresh, it contains weed seeds and helminths. Therefore, dried manure from last year is brought in. The application rate for digging is from 5 to 10 kg, depending on the soil.

Bird (chicken) droppings

Not only poultry droppings are used, but also wild ones, for example, pigeons. But when using it, there is a high probability of introducing some kind of infection into the area.

Bird droppings are a nitrogen supplier. In terms of the amount of phosphorus and potassium, it is in no way inferior to mineral fertilizers. It is used both to increase fertility and to create soil looseness.

In dry form, it is applied in the fall under digging. When fresh, it must be dissolved in water, 1 to 15 or 20, and applied directly under the plants as a top dressing.

Place it in compost, perhaps along with cow or any other manure. Just like cow manure, it has good heat transfer when rotting, so it can also be used as biofuel.

When breeding, the litter must be used immediately, since nitrogen evaporates very quickly. You can apply it fresh into the rows of the beds, but never fertilize the plants with fresh droppings, it causes burns. In gardening stores you can buy bird droppings in granules, they are scattered dry for embedding in the soil or diluted with water.

Sawdust

To improve soil fertility and looseness, residues from the wood processing industry are used. Bark and large tree fragments can be added to the compost. The bark is also used as mulch. But sawdust is more often used. They are introduced moistened, with the addition of mineral fertilizers (urea), into greenhouses and open beds.

Sawdust is used as a substance for rooting cuttings of some garden crops. It is also good to use them for growing seedlings. Sawdust also makes high-quality mulch.

Silt (sapropel)

Bottom sediments from freshwater bodies are rarely used by our gardeners, although sapropel is very valuable natural fertilizer. It contains large amounts of nitrogen, lime, phosphorus, and potassium. Bottom sludge is rich in vitamins and biologically active substances, which have a very good effect on plant growth.

This type of fertilizer is obtained from shallows, when lakes and rivers are shallowed. It is used as an additive for compost or applied in its pure form, more often on acidic and heavy soils.

Bone flour

The most valuable source of calcium and phosphorus. Its application accelerates plant growth almost twice. It is used in its pure form and applied as a solution under plants. The solution is made in a ratio of 1 to 20, this aqueous mixture is infused for a week, then before application it is diluted again 1 to 10.

Bone meal can be added to enrich compost; it is applied to heavy soils, giving them looseness.

Wood ash

It is more often used to deoxidize the soil because it is alkaline. Contains many useful microelements, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, boron, depending on what was burned to obtain it. There is no nitrogen in it, but this can be easily corrected by adding nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

When adding, ash can be mixed with humus, compost, superphosphate, but this must be done immediately before application. Do not mix it with fresh manure, as all its beneficial properties for plants will disappear.

Ash must be added carefully so as not to burn the plants. You can make an ash solution for watering or add it when planting; for example, strawberries really like this kind of fertilizer.

Ash is used to save seedlings from blackleg by simply scattering it on the surface of the soil. And the ash solution with laundry soap will save you from many pests.

Green manure plants

Green manure crops, those plants that gain a large amount of green mass in a short period of time, are sown on any soil. They enrich the soil no worse than manure, in addition, they make it loose and choke out weeds.

The following are used as green manure:

• Lupine
• Sunflower
• Clover
• Oilseed radish
• Legumes

Depending on the plant, they will supply the soil with potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Green manure is sown immediately after harvest or in the spring, before sowing. vegetable crops. The green mass is mowed and embedded in the soil or left before winter. The main thing is not to let the seeds of green manure plants ripen.

Organic household waste

Food, paper, cardboard, and chemical bases can be used for fertilizer. Before use, the waste must undergo decomposition; for this, manure or bird droppings are added to it.

Straw

Dry stems of cereals and legumes are a source of many micro and macroelements beneficial for plants. Straw is often used as an additive to compost, which is enriched with fluorine, magnesium, cobalt, phosphorus and many other compounds. This type of organic matter is also used as mulch.

Organic fertilizers necessary for every vegetable and green crop. After all, they not only serve as an important source of nutrients, but also provide plants with carbon dioxide and create optimal conditions for the development of roots and the vital activity of beneficial soil fauna. But are all types of organics equally effective and safe to use? Let's try to figure it out together.

According to modern calculations, for summer season vegetable plants absorb approximately 200 g/sq.m. from the soil. humus. To make up for such colossal losses, at least 500 grams of dry organic matter must be returned to the beds.

So it makes no sense to try to restore soil fertility with just one application. And not only because organic fertilizers contain all the main macro- and microelements in ideally balanced proportions for plants, mostly in the form of alkaline compounds (let me remind you that organics, unlike minerals, do not have the property of acidifying the soil ).

Vermicompost

The process of decomposition of organic matter is accompanied by the release into the atmosphere carbon dioxide, which is essentially one of the main nutrients of plants and is vital for them to carry out full photosynthesis. And most importantly, it is as a result of the processing of organic matter by microorganisms that the soil is enriched with humus and other biologically active substances, restoring its structure and promoting normal development cultivated plants.

However, it is important to know that different types organic fertilizers are unequal in their effectiveness. The following varieties of organic matter are considered to be the safest from an environmental and phytosanitary point of view: benign compost on a straw bedding, well-rotted compost, green mass of lupine, rye, vetch-oat and vetch-pea mixture.

At the same time, failure to comply with the rules for using the fertilizers listed above can turn them from a friend of soil fertility into its enemy.

For example, fresh manure is contraindicated for all vegetable and green crops, with the possible exception of cucumbers. Firstly, it may contain plant-pathogenic microbes, helminth eggs, infectious agents, residual products of antibiotics, vaccines, etc.; secondly, seeds of perennial weeds are always present in manure; thirdly, it happens that the content of highly toxic heavy metals in such organic matter is tens of times higher than the maximum acceptable standards. In addition, manure fertilizer has a high concentration of nitrogen compounds, so the use of fresh manure can cause fattening or burns of plants.

In this regard, fresh manure of appropriate quality is applied to vegetables only a year before planting. It is quite acceptable to add well-decomposed manure to the garden soil in the fall and mature compost in the spring.

Ready-made store-bought vermicomposts and biocomposts enriched with mineral elements nutrition, including microelements. Although, it must be said, purchasing them for a standard garden of six acres can hit the budget hard.

Among the most popular universal fertilizers The following brands can be distinguished of organic origin:

• Universale is an organo-mineral fertilizer in granules, which contains humic compounds, macro- and microelements.
• Pixa supercompost is essentially manure and litter disinfected using biothermal technology.
• Vermicompost "Flora" is an organic fertilizer based on purified chicken manure.
• “Giant” for potatoes and “Giant” for vegetable crops are a series of granular fertilizers, the production of which uses a variety of food waste and waste products.

These and similar fertilizers are used strictly in accordance with the dosages recommended by the manufacturer. To obtain a pronounced effect, it is often enough to add from 5 to 10 kilograms of store-bought bio- or vermi-compost per hundred square meters of garden area during autumn digging plot. However, it is more economical and rational to add it in rows of 25-50 grams (about half a glass) per linear meter or directly into the hole at 10-15 grams (about a tablespoon).

Other common ones - straw and are also not without drawbacks. Peat is no less than 75% organic, but contains very few beneficial microorganisms (almost sterile) and has acidifying properties. Straw and sawdust contain a lot of organic matter in dry form, but they are deprived of nitrogen. So, when large volumes of these fertilizers are incorporated into the soil without parallel application of nitrogen fertilizing, plants may experience acute nitrogen starvation.