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Garden layout
The best part of the plot, the most illuminated and protected from cold winds, is reserved for the garden and orchard. Planning the placement of garden crops is not an easy task. No need to rush to start work on the allotted land. The layout, in addition to the specific distribution of places for all types of crops, should also take into account the future. The chaotic arrangement of plants will lead to the fact that after a few years some plants will grow abundantly and begin to inhibit others, which will ultimately lead to the death of the latter. In addition, not all plants get along with each other. In order for the garden and the garden to bring joy, a high-quality and plentiful harvest, it is necessary to determine the place of each culture with extreme accuracy and take care of its neighbors that it prefers.
All soils are divided into types depending on their chemical composition. This separation is based on acid-base (pH) content. The following soil types are distinguished: strongly acidic, acidic, slightly acidic, neutral, alkaline, strongly alkaline. Certain types are characterized by their soil types: acidic - these are sandy, clayey, loamy; slightly acidic - gray forest, sod-podzolic, peat; neutral - chernozems; alkaline - serozem, chestnut, brown; highly alkaline - solonetzes.
In order to grow a beautiful garden, you need to know what soil you have. There are three ways to determine the acid-base soil content in a plot.
The first method is less time-consuming and very effective. It is only necessary to take a small lump of earth and take it to any agrochemical laboratory.
The second method of determination is carried out at home. To do this, you need to purchase an indicator litmus test, dig a small hole 30-40 cm deep, cut the soil layer to the bottom and mix it well. Add a little rain, distilled or boiled water to the ground and squeeze together with a litmus test. Depending on the composition of the soil, the paper will change color. It is necessary to compare the obtained color with the color scale of determination: strongly acidic (pH 3-4), acidic (pH 4-5), slightly acidic (pH 5-6), neutral (pH 6-7), alkaline (pH 7-8), strongly alkaline (pH 8-9).
The acid-alkaline composition is also expressed by the “set” of weeds: horsetail prevails on acidic soils, colorful pikulnik, small sorrel, plantain, wood lice, buttercup, torica, veronica; on weakly acidic and neutral ones - odorless chamomile, quinoa, nettle, gardeny peppermint, creeping wheatgrass, clover, field radish, white field pole; on alkaline - poppy seed, field bindweed, liveliness, white sand, field mustard.
The fertility of the site is directly dependent on the degree of acidity of the soil. In order to change the composition of the soil, i.e. reduce its acidity, apply liming, gypsum, the introduction of ash and eggshell.
Liming is the application of calcareous fertilizers: dolomite flour, slaked lime (lime is quenched with water), bone meal, ground limestone, ground chalk. It is carried out once every 4-5 years. Lime fertilizers are applied before tillage, in spring or autumn. The calcareous material is crushed (the finer the grinding, the more effective its effect) and evenly distributed on the site.
Liming requires all acidic soils, but in different dosages: strongly acidic in large quantities, acidic in moderate, slightly acidic in insignificant. For neutral and alkaline soils, other methods of changing the composition are characteristic.
The introduction of eggshell and ash is used instead of liming on neutral and alkaline soils. Ash contains less lime. Ash of peat and oil shale is introduced into the soil, but not rust-colored ash: it has a detrimental effect on plants.
Egg shell, in addition to lime, contains microadditives of phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium and increases the resistance of plants to diseases. The shell is dried on a battery, chopped with a rolling pin or using a meat grinder. Contribute when digging the soil, loosening and sowing. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the shell is not stored in plastic bags: this leads to the decomposition of protein.
Gypsum is used for highly alkaline soils. Gypsum is well crushed and applied to the soil every 2-3 years.
