Application of organic and mineral fertilizers to the soil. Such different fertilizers. Rules for the use of liquid organic fertilizers

Nurseries usually use organic, mineral and organic-mineral fertilizers, as well as microbiological and some others.

Organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers include manure, compost, peat, sapropel, green fertilizers, etc. These fertilizers are complete in composition. They, gradually releasing nutrients during their decomposition, serve as a source of plant nutrition for 2-3 and even 5 years. In addition, these fertilizers have a multifaceted effect on the soil, enriching it with organic matter and improving physical and chemical properties, increasing the activity of beneficial microorganisms and gas exchange.

Manure It is recommended to use after 4-5 months of storage. This period is usually sufficient for the initial decomposition of solid organic substances to occur in the manure. Manure transported to fields must be immediately spread and plowed. On heavy clay soils it is plowed to a depth of 10-15 cm, on light sandy soils - to 15-20 cm. The approximate rate of manure application on heavy soils is 30-40 t/ha once every 3-4 years, on light soils 15- 25 t/ha once every 2-3 years. On light soils, manure is applied in the spring, on heavier soils - in the fall, during autumn plowing.

Composts prepared in heaps in areas specially designated for this purpose or directly at the place of their use. To prepare this type of fertilizer, weeded grass (without seeds), fallen leaves, forest litter, turf remains, sawdust, shavings, feces, etc. are used.

Compost heaps lay up to 3 m wide and 1.5-2 m high as follows. On the selected site, first lay a 15-30 cm layer of peat, forest litter or ordinary soil. Various waste 15-30 cm thick are placed on this layer, which should preferably be moistened with water, slurry or feces. Then this layer is covered with peat up to 15 cm thick or earth 3-5 cm thick and the next layer of waste is laid, etc. More valuable compost is obtained when, along with layers of various waste, layers of manure 10-15 cm thick are evenly placed. On acidic soils, slaked lime is added to compost heaps in an amount of 1.5% by weight of the composted material, ground chalk, limestone and other limestone waste (2-3%) and ash (3-4%). The top of the pile is covered with a layer of peat or soil at least 10 cm thick. The compost pile is periodically watered with water and shoveled. Compost is considered ready when it turns into a homogeneous, easily crumbling mass. Composts can be laid by pre-mixing all components.

Lowland peat, especially well decomposed, contains a sufficient amount of minerals and has lower acidity compared to peat of high-moor and transitional bogs. Therefore, lowland peat can be used as a direct fertilizer. Peat is used primarily on heavy soils that require good physical properties, as well as on sandy and sandy loam soils with a low content of organic matter. On sandy soils, apply 15-30 t/ha of aerated peat (with a humus content of more than 4%) to 90 t/ha (with a humus content of less than 2%), on light loamy soils, respectively, from 10-20 to 80-100 t/ha. The use of poorly aerated peat in its pure form does not give the desired results, and therefore it is most often used for preparing composts.

Green (green manure) fertilizers It is recommended to widely use it in areas with sufficient moisture and on irrigated lands, primarily on light sandy and sandy loam soils. As green manure fertilizers, crops of lupine, peas, vetch and other leguminous plants are used, which are applied to the soil by plowing the green mass to a depth of 20-25 cm during the flowering period or the beginning of bud formation. Before plowing, the crops are rolled and crushed with disc harrows across the rolling direction.

Green manure fertilizers enrich the soil with organic matter and improve its structure. The role of legumes is especially important in enriching the soil with nitrogen. The green mass of lupine is equivalent in nitrogen content to manure, but it contains less phosphorus and potassium, therefore, when using green fertilizers, it is recommended to apply phosphorus fertilizers, and on sandy soils also potassium fertilizers.

Sapropel- a very valuable fertilizer containing a large amount of organic matter and almost all substances necessary for plant development (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, lime, trace elements, vitamins, antibiotics, biostimulants, etc.). It forms in lakes that are stagnant or have weak currents. In these lakes, every autumn, a significant part of the plants and animals die and sink to the bottom, where, as a result of a complex and lengthy biochemical process, the most valuable natural concentrate - sapropel - is formed. When sapropel is added, the water-air regime of the soil improves, the moisture capacity and porosity of the soil increases. Externally, sapropel resembles a jelly-like mass and, depending on the conditions of formation and the content of various substances, it can be gray, almost black, dark olive, white, pink and other colors. The dose of sapropel depends on the condition of the soil and its mechanical composition. On very poor sandy soils, 40-60 t/ha of sapropel is applied. Sapropel is often confused with bottom silts, which include everything that is carried into a body of water from the banks and deposited along the course of rivers, streams, and strong-flowing lakes. There are lakes where silt and sapropel are deposited at the bottom. Bottom silts usually contain up to 15% organic substances, while sapropels contain up to 96%. The physical properties are also different. Dried bottom silt crumbles into powder, dried sapropel turns into stone. If wet sapropel is frozen and then dried, it becomes crumbly.

Mineral fertilizers. These include substances that do not contain organic compounds, but contain one or more plant nutrients. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used as mineral fertilizers.

Nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen- one of the main elements of plant nutrition. Lack of nitrogen in the soil leads to slower growth. Nitrogen fertilizers in the form of nitrate or urea are applied in the spring, preferably in two periods: 50-60% before sowing and the remaining 50-40% after 1-1.5 months.

Phosphorus fertilizers. Phosphorus is directly involved in photosynthesis. It is a very important factor in the accumulation of sugars in plants and their conversion into starch, fats and other compounds. The role of phosphorus in initial growth is especially great woody plants. A lack of phosphorus in the nutrient medium negatively affects the development of the root system, and therefore the growth of the entire plant. Phosphorus starvation of seedlings tree species leads to their weakening and the death of some plants. This is one of the reasons for the sometimes observed reduced yield planting material in forest nurseries. A certain lack of nitrogen in the nutrient medium has less impact on seedlings of tree species than a lack of phosphorus. Phosphorus fertilizers are most often applied in the form of simple, double and granular superphosphate and phosphate rock.

Potash fertilizers. They are produced in the form of potassium salts: potassium chloride, sylvinite and potassium sulfate. Potassium plays an important role in plant life. Sufficient supply of potassium to plants increases cell turgor and frost resistance of plants. Potassium promotes the supply of nitrogen to the plant and the synthesis of nitrogenous compounds.

Mineral fertilizers are used not only in the form of simple ones, but also in the form of complex ones (complex), containing two or more nutrients. Complex fertilizers include nitroammophos (contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), diammophos (contains nitrogen and phosphorus), superphosphate (complex phosphorus-potassium fertilizers), etc.

When growing planting material, organomineral fertilizers can be used - a mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers.

The dose of fertilizers applied is determined by the fertility of the nursery soils. And in particular, the provision of their digestible forms of nutrients. Fertilizers contain varying amounts of nutrients. Therefore, the need for fertilizers is usually determined based on the amount of nutrients they contain. To determine the total mass of applied fertilizers per 1 hectare, calculate using the formula

where A is the required amount of fertilizer, kg/ha;

B - rate of application of nutrients (active substance), kg/ha;

The biological and economic effect of mineral fertilizers increases when they are applied in combination with growth regulators and microelements, which contribute to better survival rate, enhanced plant growth and protection of planting material from diseases and plant pests and rodents. The positive effect of growth regulators on physiological processes is realized through the hormonal system of plants, under the control of which all their basic processes are located. A change in the ratio of various phytohormones in a plant organism leads to the induction or inhibition of growth processes. In this regard, when growing planting material in a nursery, it is recommended to apply fertilizers in combination with appropriate growth regulators and, above all, phytohormones with stimulating effects (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins). These substances have high physiological activity, as a result of which the processes of cell division and growth, photosynthesis are enhanced, which leads to more intense absorption of mineral nutrition elements from the soil. The highest effect from the use of growth stimulants is manifested primarily when plants are sufficiently supplied with nutritional elements and explains the need to apply growth stimulants together with fertilizers.

Micro - and bacterial fertilizers. Complete nutrition of plants is impossible without the inclusion of fertilizers containing microelements (manganese, boron, copper, zinc, cobalt, etc.), which affect enzymatic reactions, physicochemical properties of plasma colloids and metabolism. Microfertilizers cannot replace the main types of mineral fertilizers, so they are applied together with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or against their background. Boric acid (17% active ingredient) - 3-7 kg/ha, zinc sulfate (24-25% active ingredient) - 10-20 kg/ha, zinc polymicro fertilizers (PMU-7) are used as microfertilizers. - 20-40 kg/ha (for oak, ash, birch seedlings), copper sulfate (25% active ingredient) - 8-12 kg/ha, manganese sulfate (32% active ingredient) - 20-40 kg /ha (for pine, spruce and larch, maple), cobalt sulphate (28% active ingredient) - 3-10 kg/ha, cobalt sulfate (38% active ingredient) - 1.5-5 kg/ha (for linden, hornbeam, elm).

Bacterial fertilizers (azotobacterin, nitragin, phosphorobacterin, etc.) are applied to enrich the soil with beneficial bacteria, which help improve plant nutrition. To infect the soil with azotobacterin, 1-2 kg of agar or 3-6 kg of peat azotobacterin are added to the arable layer per 1 hectare of nursery. This drug is most effective when combined with organic and mineral fertilizers. It can be added to composts during their preparation. Nitragin is applied to the soil at the rate of 0.5 kg/ha using the same technology as azotobacterin. The effectiveness of nitragine increases when it is added to the background of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. On acidic soils, preliminary liming is necessary. Phosphorobacterin is used in doses of 50-250 g/ha. Phosphorobacterin contains spores of phosphorus bacteria that are capable of converting organic phosphorus compounds inaccessible to plants into digestible mineral compounds. Phosphorobacterin is most effective on warm, moist soils with a high content of organic matter.

New environmentally friendly biological products. In conditions of intensive land use, under the influence of technogenic, chemical and anthropogenic loads, the chemical, physical and biological properties of soils in permanent nurseries deteriorate. This leads to a significant reduction in the species and quantitative composition of beneficial soil microflora. The most sensitive to these loads are microorganisms that take an active part in the formation of humus and nutrients available to plants. Disruption of the ecological balance of soil microbiota entails a sharp decrease in the activity and intensity of biochemical processes in the soil and, consequently, the formation of nutrients. The applied mineral fertilizers are used poorly, because many of them are absorbed by plants only after microbiological transformations. The main reason for the insufficient effectiveness of applied mineral fertilizers is the low biological activity of the soil and the negative direction of biochemical processes in it.

One of the effective and environmentally feasible ways to increase the productivity of forest nurseries and improve soil ecology is the use of new, highly effective biological products based on lactic acid bacteria and beneficial soil microorganisms. Agricultural practices using them ensure a consistently high yield of standard planting material and help reduce the negative consequences of long-term technogenic, chemical and anthropogenic loads on the soils of permanent nurseries.

For practical use The following biological products are recommended in forest nurseries: soil microflora activator (SAM), seed germination activator (SGA), photosynthesis activator (AF), azotovit and bactophosphine. They are used in the form of aqueous solutions at the rate of 0.5-4.0 ml per 1 liter of water, with a consumption of 400 liters of solution per 1 ha.

Liming. Soils with an acidity of the salt extract from it pH of 5-5.5 or lower are subject to liming. First of all, it is necessary to liming soils with strong acidity (pH 4.5) or less. The rate of lime application is determined based on the results of chemical soil analysis.

Reducing soil acidity as a result of liming eliminates the harmful effects of soluble compounds of aluminum and manganese, accelerates the vital activity of microorganisms inhabiting the soil that are beneficial for higher plants, which increases the level of root nutrition of higher plants. Liming improves the water-physical properties and air regime of the soil. Liming significantly increases the calcium level. Lime applied to the soil on podzolic soils exhibits its effect for 10-15 years or more. It is advisable to apply it in the fall with plowing under plowed soil or in a fallow field at the rate of 1.5-4 t/ha on heavy soils and 1-3 t/ha on light soils. Lime can be replaced with calcareous tuff, marl, dolomite dust, etc.

Plastering. The addition of gypsum to the soil improves its properties; gypsum is carried out in nurseries where the soil contains inclusions of solonetzes and solonetzic areas. These areas have poor physical properties and are alkaline.

Gypsum is applied at the rate of 2-10 t/ha in ground form, scattering it evenly over the area and then incorporating it into the soil by plowing or cultivation.

Many trees and shrubs (oak, pine, larch, spruce, hornbeam, etc.) have fungal threads on their roots (fungal mycelium or mycelium), i.e. a symbiosis of fungus and root is formed. In the absence of this symbiosis, these plants grow and develop poorly. Therefore, when establishing a nursery in a new location, it is necessary to add mycorrhizal soil taken from under plantings of the corresponding species.

Preface

The laws of nature cannot be circumvented - if you want to get a big harvest, you need to give the plants all the necessary micro- and macroelements. However, mineral fertilizers can not only bring benefits, but also cause harm - calculating the correct dosage is important. Let's figure out what standards for applying fertilizers (mineral fertilizers) exist and when they are appropriate.

Mineral fertilizers - making a diagnosis

IN open ground contains almost all the substances necessary for the growth and development of plants. The only problem is that they often lie deep enough for the roots to reach, or they are contained in compounds that are too tough for plants to handle. The application of organic fertilizers only partially solves the problem - in organics, again, most micro- and macroelements are in a form inaccessible to nutrition. It takes years for chemical reactions to take place, which are often impossible without special soil microflora.

The application of mineral fertilizers can give plants exactly what they need during a specific period of growth and ripening of fruits, in a form accessible to the root system. Tuki, as farmers call such compounds, make it possible to respond very quickly to plant requests. By observing the appearance of the leaves and shoots, you can certainly determine what is currently missing in the soil in the garden bed.

1. Lack of growth, pale green color of leaves, leaves turn yellow and fall off early - lack of nitrogen.
2. Lack of sulfur - the same symptoms as for nitrogen, only in young leaves.
3. Dark green color of leaves, with a bluish or reddish tint, poor development of shoots, a small number of flowers, ovaries and fruits, late flowering and ripening, the appearance of spots on green fruits - all these are signs of phosphorus deficiency.
4. Wrinkled leaves, curled ends and edges, white spots and yellowness along the edges, rapid death of green mass, uneven ripening of fruits, general lethargy - lack of potassium.
5. Finely curled leaves, upper buds die, stems do not grow - calcium deficiency.
6. With a lack of magnesium between the veins and at the edges, the leaves turn intensely yellow.
7. Similar symptoms occur with iron deficiency, the only difference being that the leaves seem to become discolored.
8. White, shrunken tips indicate a copper deficiency.
9. Flowering does not occur, leaves fall off, shoots stop growing, leaves become brittle - immediately add boron.
10. Changes in leaf size and shape indicate zinc deficiency.
11. Gray or brown edging of foliage, dying of green mass - add molybdenum.

Of course, you should not wait until the plants ask you for help - this way you risk losing most of the possible harvest. It is known that during the active growing season the plant needs nitrogen most of all from mineral fertilizers, and during flowering and fruiting – phosphorus and potassium. These three are the most important fertilizers, but they are designed primarily for feeding open land. If you grow plants in an enclosed space, for example, in pots or large boxes, then you will have to take care of complex feeding, which will include a much larger complex of minerals.

It is important to remember that most mineral fertilizers in one way or another affect the acidity of the soil, its alkalinity, and salinity. Therefore, it is so important to combine microelements in their pure form with the addition of organic components (compost, mullein, bird droppings, infusions of tops) that not only fertilize, but also bring the soil back to normal - making it more airy, deoxidizing, alkalizing.

Matchbox for precise dose

Mineral fertilizers should be applied at different stages of soil cultivation and during plant growth. In autumn and spring, it is best to use granular fertilizers, which have a long shelf life. During the growing season, fertilizers can be applied in diluted form at the root or by spraying - the leaves absorb useful substances just as well as the roots. It is important to remember that at least 10 days should pass between each dose of fertilizer.

Often, ordinary summer residents have problems determining the dose - calculating fertilizers for several square meters is difficult to carry out without high-precision scales. In this case, an ordinary matchbox with a capacity of 20 cm 3 will help you. It can be used to measure doses of the following substances:

• 10–12 g – wood ash, lime;
• 15–17 g – ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate;
• 18–20 g – calcium nitrate, potassium chloride, potassium magnesium;
• 22–24 g – sodium nitrate, superphosphate (granulated), powdered superphosphate;
• 25 g – potassium nitrate;
• 34 g – phosphate rock.

Nitrogen fertilizers - accelerate plant growth

There are a huge variety of nitrogen fertilizers today: ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea, calcium nitrate, ammonium chloride. It should be remembered that ammonium nitrate, ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfate increase the acidity of the soil, and calcium, sodium nitrate and calcium cyanamide, on the contrary, make the soil more alkaline.

Calcium cyanamide also forms quite dangerous toxins in the first stages of decomposition, so it is only suitable for autumn application, after harvesting - by spring it is converted into simpler and safer microelements. Other types of nitrogen fertilizing are suitable for spring fertilizing.

Before applying this or that mineral fertilizer, make adjustments to the current level of soil acidity and plant preferences - some categorically refuse to grow in acidic or alkaline soils.

Ammonium nitrate and urea in dry form are added on average up to 25 grams per square meter, ammonium chloride and potassium cyanamide - up to 30 grams in dry form. If you add urea and saltpeter in the form of a solution, a third of the indicated dose will be enough. Sodium and calcium nitrate are added at the rate of 70 grams per square meter.

Phosphorus for roots - put in reserve in the soil

Phosphorus mineral fertilizers are convenient to use due to the fact that it is quite difficult to oversaturate the soil with phosphorus. However, in order to save resources, calculations are needed here too. The most well-known fertilizers containing phosphorus are simple and double superphosphate, which are often sold in the form of granules. Bone meal also contains phosphorus, although this type of fertilizer is more correctly classified as organic.

For simple superphosphate, the calculation per square meter of soil is from 30 to 50 grams as the main fertilizer and half as much as top dressing. If you use double superphosphate, the numbers should be halved further. In both cases, it is best to add superphosphates to compost or humus, and only then to the soil, since direct interaction with the soil results in the formation of compounds that are difficult for plants to reach.

Bone meal is applied in the fall as the main fertilizer in fairly large doses - 80 g per square. It is expected that it will operate for several years. Flour contains few readily available phosphorus compounds, so it needs time to transform. What is important is that bone meal is perfectly absorbed in acidic soils; for the same reason, it is often combined with acidic potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.

Potassium - preparation for winter

Potassium fertilizers are responsible for preparing fruits and shoots for winter - vegetables and fruits ripen better and are stored longer, and green shoots quickly turn into full-fledged branches. The most important potassium fertilizers include potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium salts, kainite and sylvinite. Sylvinite is the starting material (natural mineral) for most other fertilizers, so in most cases their properties are common.

21-09-2011, 14:24

D. N. Pryanishnikov wrote: “Maximum yields are achieved by a combination of manure and mineral fertilizers, which makes it possible to abundantly supply plants with digestible food in the first stages of development and at the same time provide in the form of manure a reserve of nutrients that gradually come into use.”
The combination of manure with mineral fertilizers in most cases is somewhat superior in its effectiveness to equivalent amounts of nutrients from manure alone or separately applied mineral fertilizers. This additional effect is achieved primarily by enhancing the microbiological activity of the soil (due to its enrichment with microorganisms introduced with manure and the supply of nutrients easily accessible to microorganisms in the form of mineral fertilizers), and, consequently, by more intense decomposition of organic matter of manure and soil. The degree of fixation of phosphorus in mineral fertilizers in the soil decreases. A significant amount of microelements is also introduced into the soil with manure. When manure decomposes, carbon dioxide is released, which enriches the ground layer of air, thereby increasing the productivity of plant photosynthesis.
The combined use of manure and mineral fertilizers is most desirable when cultivating crops that cannot tolerate high concentrations of soil solution, but require a significant amount of nutrients during the growing season to form a crop (cucumbers, onions, corn).
According to experimental data, the separate use of manure and mineral fertilizers in equivalent quantities of nutrients provides, on average, almost the same effect on yield on soils with cohesive mechanical composition and a higher effect from manure on light soils.
It is also appropriate here to consider the influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on one of the most important indicators of soil fertility - humus content. Data from many years of experiments indicate that with long-term cultivation of agricultural crops without applying fertilizers, there is a significant decrease in its amount in the soil. For example, on soddy-podzolic soils it decreases over 30-50 years by 25-50% or even more. On the chernozems of the Mikhailovsky virgin lands (Sumy region), the humus content in the soil layer 0-25 cm decreased from 8 to 5%, or 1.6 times, over 100 years. In the arable layer of soddy-podzolic soils, on average, 1% of humus is mineralized annually, and in chernozems - 0.4-0.5%. In pure steam, the intensity of its annual mineralization is 3-5 times higher. As long-term stationary experiments show, when small amounts of manure or mineral fertilizers are applied, the destruction of soil organic matter occurs more intensely than its creation, and the humus content decreases compared to the original.

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16.03.2016

Even for people far from farming, it is extremely clear that only timely and regular application of fertilizers, along with timely cultivation of the land, can ensure constant improvement of the fertile layer, which will have a positive effect on the yield of most crops.

However, there are many factors to consider when applying fertilizer: physical features soil, its degree of fertility, mechanical composition,"pH" soil reaction, plant age and others.

Organic fertilizers

All fertilizers are usually divided into organic, organo-mineral, bacterial and microfertilizers.

Organic include: manure, humus, bird droppings, compost, sawdust and shavings, peat, ash, green fertilizers (green manure plants).

Organic matter not only improves the physical properties of the fertile layer (humus), but also tidies up the structure of the soil, positively affecting water and air regimes, as well as enriching the soil with substances and elements that are a source of nutrition for plants.

Manure

The most common organic fertilizer is manure, since it contains almost all the necessary elements for proper nutrition of plants. Manure contains large quantities of microorganisms and bacteria, which ensure the decomposition of organic substances into individual elements (for example, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, boron and manganese), which are easily absorbed by all crops.

Humus

A particularly valuable fertilizer, which is obtained after complete decomposition of manure and contains a huge amount of useful organic substances, micro and macro elements.

Compost

An equally popular organic fertilizer is compost, which is an excellent substitute for manure, since it includes a large proportion of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and other components that have a positive effect on the life of microflora.

Compost is usually prepared from tops, sawdust, dry leaves, and food waste, but sometimes manure, peat, bird droppings, and pond sludge are added to it.

Compost is usually prepared over a period of one or two years and requires regular moistening and digging.

Bird droppings

Compared to manure, bird droppings contain a larger amount of nutrients, so it can be compared with a complex mineral fertilizer, which allows it to be used in small quantities.

In addition, this type of fertilizer (poultry droppings are usually used: chickens, geese, ducks, etc.) not only fertilizes, but also disinfects the soil, suppressing various pests and pathogens.

Ash

An excellent organic fertilizer, rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, boron, molybdenum, manganese and other microelements. Excellent alkalization of acidic (pH) soil.

Green fertilizers (sederates)

Sederats are specially grown plants (of the legume family), which are then mowed and buried in the ground, thus enriching the subsoil with nutrients (in particular nitrogen).

Wood sawdust and shavings

An affordable organic fertilizer that is most often used to make the fertile layer loose.

Since wood shavings draw nitrogen and moisture from the soil, before applying it, you should first add urea to the soil and water the surface of the soil with a liquid solution of bird droppings.

It should be remembered that wood shavings can have an oxidizing effect on the soil, so before adding it to soils with high acidity (pH), it is advisable to add additional lime to the soil.

Peat

Peat is also most often used as a soil loosening base or as one of the components for the formation of high-quality compost. In addition, peat increases the humus content in the fertile layer, improving the soil structure.

As a rule, organic fertilizers are applied either in the spring (after the soil warms up) or in the fall, after harvesting is completed. It should be remembered that when applying fertilizers in the spring, all organic matter quickly decomposes and is spent on enhanced nutrition of plants. Autumn application of fertilizers helps improve soil fertility, since the process of decomposition of substances occurs more slowly.

As for the amount of organic fertilizer applied, the model is extremely simple: the poorer the soil, the more organic matter it requires.

Mineral fertilizers

There are two main types of mineral fertilizers:

Simple (containing one nutrient element)

Complex (those containing more than one nutrient)

Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers

As the name suggests, these types of fertilizers are needed by the soil to replenish nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Nitrogen is involved in the regulation of growth and fruiting, so its deficiency leads to the process of stopping the growth of green mass in plants. At the same time, it should be remembered that its excess leads to the accumulation of nitrates and poor quality of fruits.

Phosphorus affects the rate of plant development because phosphate fertilizers strengthen the root system and they enter the reproductive phase earlier. Thanks to phosphorus, crop resistance to unfavorable factors increases.

Potassium is the most important element nutrition of plants, since it ensures their resistance to stress (excess or lack of moisture, increase or decrease in ambient temperature, salt accumulation). Optimal potassium nutrition promotes better ripening, frost resistance, and increases plant resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases.

Types of nitrogenous fertilizers:

· Ammonia

Ammonium (ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride)

· Nitrate (sodium and calcium nitrate)

Ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate)

Amide (urea, calcium cyanamide)

Nitrogen is part of enzymes, proteins, chlorophyll, nucleic acids, vitamins, alkaloids and other compounds. It easily dissolves in water, thanks to which it has quick access to the root system of plants. However, it should be remembered that an excess of nitrogen in the soil can have a negative effect on humans and animals, therefore, when applying this type of fertilizer to the soil, you should strictly adhere to the recommended norm and not exceed it.

The most common nitrogen fertilizer, thanks to its versatility and speed, is ammonium nitrate.

It should be remembered that ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate can acidify the soil, but this deficiency is easily eliminated by additional liming of the soil.

Types of potash fertilizers

· Potassium chloride

· Potassium salt

Potassium sulfate

Potassium fertilizers promote the normal course of photosynthesis, promote the rapid absorption of carbon dioxide and help plants synthesize sugar. Thanks to this, plants' resistance to adverse weather conditions (such as frost or drought) improves and resistance to various diseases increases, including resistance to fungal infections.

Potassium fertilizers are highly soluble in water. It should be remembered that potassium salt contains a large amount of chlorine, which at elevated concentrations can have a negative effect on plants.

Types of phosphate fertilizers

· Superphosphate (quickly absorbed by the horse system of plants and mixes well with organic fertilizers)

· Phosphorus flour (can be used for composting and enriching organic fertilizers with important nutrients)

Phosphorus is part of plant proteins and accelerates the growth and development of crops, having a positive effect on the formation of flowers and, accordingly, fruits. It also increases the resistance of plants in unfavorable weather conditions (frost and drought).

Since phosphorus is inactive and poorly soluble in water, it should be applied as deep into the soil as possible (the older the plant, the deeper).

As a rule, phosphorus fertilizers are applied in the spring, before pre-sowing tillage, or in the fall during fall plowing.

Types of lime fertilizers ( contain Ca )

- Slaked lime

- Chalk

- Defect

It is advisable to mix these lime fertilizers with manure or compost.

Types of bacterial fertilizers

Nitragin (contains a mixture of bacteria that live on the roots of legumes and are able to absorb nitrogen from the air)

· Azotobacterin (contains microorganisms that promote the absorption of nitrogen by plants)

· Phosphorobacterin (contains bacteria that have the ability to release phosphorus from organic compounds)

Biologically active soil AMB (a complex preparation containing a large number of microorganisms that play an important role in root nutrition of plants)

Bacterial fertilizers do not contain nutrients. Their task is to increase the fertility of the earth, since they are a mixture of bacteria and microorganisms that enhance biochemical processes in the soil and are capable of decomposing organic matter, converting it into a form of nutrition that is more easily accessible to plants.

It should be remembered that on acidic soils the effect of bacterial fertilizers is reduced, so it is advisable to pre-apply lime to such soil.

Microfertilizers

Microfertilizers contain elements that participate in the synthesis of chlorophyll, activate enzymes that affect the movement of sugar and thus have a stimulating effect on plants, while increasing their immunity.

Microfertilizers contain all the microelements necessary for plants: iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc, boron, molybdenum, copper, cobalt and others.

These elements not only help improve crop yields and help improve the absorption of macroelements, but are also responsible for developing plant resistance to fungal diseases.

In addition, they significantly improve the quality of grain, fruits, berries and other products.

Types of microfertilizers:

· Chelate complexes (the most modern and easily digestible drugs)

Metal salts

Types of complex fertilizers

Nitrogen-phosphorus

Nitrogen-potassium

Nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium

These types of complex fertilizers, as a rule, have a high concentration of basic plant nutrients, so it is advisable to apply them both in spring and summer (during the entire growing season).

Types of organo-mineral fertilizers

Peat - ammonia fertilizers

Peat - mineral fertilizers

· Peat – mineral ammonia fertilizers

This type of fertilizer is obtained through the chemical and physical action of various organic and mineral substances. They are usually produced in the form of bulk mixtures, granules, tablets or liquids (which are used for foliar feeding of plants).

Natural organo-mineral fertilizer is bottom sediments of river or swamp sediments (silt or sapropel), which is based on natural organic remains of plants and animals.

It should be remembered that the best effect, and therefore high yield, can be obtained with the simultaneous use of organic and mineral fertilizers, since organic components are designed to improve the quality of the fertile layer (humus), and mineral ones, in turn, compensate for the lack of the most important nutritional elements.

Fertile soil is the key to healthy cultivated plants, juicy and tasty fruits. To improve the composition of the soil, fertilizers are used - useful substances that enrich and improve its composition and structure. Organic fertilizers are additional nutrition from nature itself, they are safe and help to obtain environmentally friendly harvests. Organic matter naturally transforms the soil structure and stimulates the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms.

Types of organic fertilizers

Among organic fertilizers, there are different types - it all depends on what point of view you look at. We propose to consider this division of organic fertilizers.

1. Natural organic fertilizers

They are also called homemade fertilizers; they include fertilizers that anyone can make with their own hands. Often, of course, you have to spend your time and energy on this, and not every gardener has access to such natural substances as:

• ash,
• vermicompost,
• manure,
• peat,
• bird droppings,
• bone flour,
• sapropel.

But even novice gardeners can use green manure and make vegetable compost. Household organics also include other substances used in everyday life: from ordinary food products (yeast, mustard) to garbage waste (banana peels, eggshells, onion peels).

2. Industrial organic fertilizers

These include natural preparations from plant extracts, preparations of biological origin, EM preparations, organomineral fertilizers. These are natural concentrated fertilizers with a high content of humic acids.

• They are of natural origin.
• They belong to the group of safe and environmentally friendly substances.
• They are easy and effective to use.
• Following the instructions, it is impossible to overdo it with one or another element (unlike home organics, when useful substances are added at random).

Photo: Nutrition system for Lawns - a set of fertilizers and recommendations for their use

3. Liquid and solid organic fertilizers

They can be either natural or industrially produced. They are based on the same substances and nutrients. In liquid form, organic fertilizers are used as fertilizing and foliar spraying. The range of use of solid (dry) fertilizers is wider. They are also effective when fertilizing, and are also applied during digging, during planting and sowing, as mulch.

4. Organic fertilizers for root and foliar feeding

Photo:BIO FLORA – liquid organic fertilizer

5. Organic fertilizers of plant and animal origin

The following is used as plant organic matter:

• grass,
• tree leaves,
• weeds,
• green stems and non-woody shoots,
• seaweed,
• a number of lake plants (for example, duckweed).

Plant organic matter also includes green fertilizers ( green manure) And sawdust. Organic matter of animal origin has long been widely known (manure, droppings and various variations). There are also fertilizers that contain both plant and animal residues - manure (in combination with litter), sapropel, peat, composts.

Solid organic fertilizers

Solid (dry) organic fertilizers most often include manure various types: cow, horse, pig, bird or rabbit droppings. This fertilizer also includes the remains of plant litter (straw, sawdust, shavings). The quality of solid manure will depend on the animal and the bedding material.

Dry organic fertilizers are simply spread over the surface or mixed into the top layer of soil. When fertilizing trees and shrubs, organic matter is applied along the perimeter of the crown, and not in the circle near the trunk (to provide nutrition to young roots). The use of solid organic fertilizers is always accompanied by watering - before and after application, so that dissolved nutrients penetrate better into the soil.

Liquid organic fertilizers

In conditions of small garden plot liquid fertilizers work great to improve soil fertility, especially when it is not possible to carry out crop rotation and green manure. Modern liquid fertilizers help maintain soil fertility long years without harming the ecology of the site and the composition of the soil.

Liquid organic fertilizers are obtained from manure or plant residues - the organic matter is diluted in water in the required ratio and fermented for a certain period.

Liquid organic fertilizers can be processed (these include manure, droppings and bone meal) and natural in the form of plant infusions.

Nutritious herbal infusions can be prepared from weeds collected on the site. Good for nettle infusions, various healing herbs and their flowers. Plant remains are placed in a deep tub, filled with water and left to ferment for several weeks, stirring constantly.

Advantages of using liquid organic fertilizers:

• Liquid fertilizers are especially effective for foliar feeding of fruit and berry trees and shrubs from the moment of bud formation to fruit ripening.
• Fertilizers in liquid form are absorbed by plants faster, but when using them you should be careful and know when to stop so as not to get a crop oversaturated with nitrates and phosphates.

Rules for the use of liquid organic fertilizers:

• It is recommended to fertilize with liquid organic fertilizers no more than once every 10 days.
• It is better to use liquid fertilizers more often, but use weak nutrient solutions.
• Only rooted plants are watered with liquid organic matter, and dry soil is pre-moistened.

Manure as an organic fertilizer

Manure is a well-known natural source of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and microelements (magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, silicon). However, the value of manure is not at all in the richness of its mineral composition. It is difficult and inconvenient to use it as a complete source of mineral components - the composition is precisely unknown and unbalanced, there is a high probability of “overfeeding” the plantings with nitrates or “burning” the plant. However, manure as an organic substance very successfully participates in the formation of the fertile layer, turns into humus over time and creates humus, without which no garden will bear fruit.

Manure can be fresh, half-rotted or rotted.

Excess nitrogen in manure

Experienced summer residents do not recommend getting carried away with manure fertilizers, especially fresh manure. It contains too much nitrogen, and this can lead to unwanted growth of vegetative mass to the detriment of the harvest and, even worse, to poisoning with nitrates, which accumulate in large quantities in vegetables and end up on the table.

Excess nitrogen during seed germination can cause ammonia poisoning in plants. Excess nitrogen leads to delayed ripening of vegetables and increased accumulation of nitrates in food organs. Therefore, late manure feeding of vegetable crops should not be used.

Types of manure

Manure comes in different types and differs in composition, consistency and methods of use:

• cow (considered the least nutritious),
• horse manure (more preferable of all types of manure),
• pork (one of the most caustic, oversaturated with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide),
• rabbit (from which you can make dry powder suitable for feeding indoor plants).

Manure as a fertilizer is used in 3 main forms:

1. fresh manure,
2. humus (rotted manure),
3. slurry.

Fresh manure

How to use fresh manure:

• preparing a liquid infusion for feeding in the evening;
• when digging the soil in autumn, the average consumption is 3-5 kg ​​per 1 sq. m with a depth of embedding on the bayonet of a shovel;
• soil fertilization in winter: fresh manure is scattered directly over the surface of the snow cover, using 1-2 buckets per 1 square meter. m;
• when constructing warm beds (they are made about 1 m in height).

Rotted manure

Rotted manure contains a minimal amount of ammonia and contains no harmful microorganisms. Humus, unlike manure, is usually used in the spring as a pre-sowing fertilizer - applied to the holes when planting seedlings.

How to use rotted manure (humus)

• scatter 0.5-1 kg per 1 square. m along the surface of the earth during spring plowing;
• add during autumn digging, 3-5 kg ​​per 1 sq. m;
• as mulch (for example, for garden strawberries);
• When planting vegetables and fruit and berry crops, humus is placed in the planting holes.

Liquid manure

To prepare the infusion (slurry):

• manure is mixed with water in equal parts and left for a week;
• the prepared concentrated solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and used for irrigation;
• According to another recipe, fresh manure must be diluted in warm water in a ratio of 1:4.

Bird droppings as organic fertilizer

Bird droppings act quickly, and their chemical composition is several times richer than manure. Nutrients are freely soluble in water, so they are easily absorbed and retain their effect for 2-3 years. Moreover, chicken droppings are much more nutritious than duck and geese droppings.

When applying manure, an overdose must not be allowed, otherwise the accumulation of nitrates in vegetables cannot be avoided. To neutralize the possible harm of the fertilizer, bird droppings are applied together with straw, peat or sawdust in a 3:1 ratio.

How to use bird droppings:

• in liquid form for feeding fruit and berry crops;
• To prepare the solution, the droppings are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:7 and the solution is kept for two days. Then the mixture is thoroughly shaken and before adding to the soil, diluted again with water in a 1:1 ratio. Consumption of nutrient solution – half a bucket per 1 sq. m
• when digging a plot in autumn: 250-300 g per 1 sq. m.

Vermicompost as an organic fertilizer

Preparation vermicompost(aka biocompost And vermicompost) is widely used in organic farming, when nutrients in the soil are restored naturally without the use of mineral fertilizers. When vermicomposting they are used earthworms, which are actively involved in the processing of soil, manure, and compost.

Vermicompost– a universal fertilizer that is formed after life activity earthworms. Vermicompost is saturated not only with all the necessary chemical nutrients, but also with rich microflora. This composition not only nourishes the plants, but also gives them health and immunity to resist diseases and pests. You can buy vermicompost, prepare it yourself (a rather troublesome task) and purchase a concentrate in liquid form.

Adding vermicompost makes the soil looser and helps get rid of weeds. Vermicompost works especially well on heavy clay soils. Biocompost is applied both before planting and during the entire growing season.

How to use vermicompost:

• 200 g per hole when planting potatoes,
• 150 g for a strawberry bush when transplanting;
• 700 g per 1 m² mixed with the top layer of soil during continuous fertilization in the fall;
• 500 g per 1 m² before planting in spring;
• 5-10 kg per planting hole when planting fruit seedlings;
• as mulch for any plants, it improves fruiting.

Application of liquid vermicompost

An aqueous solution of vermicompost is also called vermicompost tea and is used for watering, root and foliar feeding. To prepare the solution with your own hands, you need to dilute a glass of biocompost in a bucket warm water and insist on room temperature throughout the day, stirring occasionally. Industrial liquid vermicompost is diluted according to the instructions.

The resulting “tea” is used for direct feeding at the roots, along the leaves and for watering young seedlings. The use of liquid vermicompost to fertilize apple, pear and plum trees, and many vegetable crops makes their fruits tastier and larger; the starch content in potatoes increases.

Ash as an organic fertilizer

Ash itself is a mineral fertilizer (consists of inorganic = mineral substances), but it is natural. Wood ash is suitable for feeding most vegetables, fruits and flowers. Wood ash, which is obtained by burning young shoots of deciduous trees and shrubs, is considered the most useful.

Application of ash:

• Cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, grapes, roses and indoor plants will approve its application.
• Ash should be added for digging at 100-120 g per 1 m².
• Ash can also be applied throughout the growing season.
• Ash helps cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and cabbage grow.
• Treatment with ash saves vegetable seedlings from root rot (the so-called “black leg”).
• Ash water (ash infusion) can serve as a liquid fertilizer and solution for spraying fruit and berry crops.

There is no nitrogen in the ash, but there is calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium and other substances that are useful for the full growth and development of plants and help fight various diseases. The value of wood ash is in its calcium content. It is necessary for the growth of green mass and provides balanced nutrition during the growing season. Vegetables such as tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, etc. especially need calcium. The use of ash for flowers (buds are larger and more luxuriant) and seedlings is effective.

How to use wood ash

• in case of shortage calcium in plants (green shoots of indoor plants begin to turn white, the tips of the leaves bend upward and the edges curl, flower stalks of tomatoes fall off, and dark spots and etc.);
• in case of shortage potassium when the leaves of fruit trees wither prematurely but do not fall off, roses lose their scent, the leaves of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants begin to dry along the edges and curl into a tube;
• in case of shortage magnesium when identical symptoms appear as with potassium deficiency;
• ash is also used for reducing soil acidity– 1-2 kg per 1 m²;
• Ash infusion can be used effectively during flowering And fruiting. Dilute 3 tbsp. l. ash in 1 liter of water and leave for at least a week.

Important! You cannot use ash on soils with high alkalinity, where calcium and potassium are already in excess. For example, if there is too much calcium, leaves of flowers fall, shoots of tomatoes die, and leaves turn white. If there is an excessive presence of potassium, the pulp of apples and pears becomes brown, pits appear on the fruits, and the leaves of indoor plants fall off prematurely.

Bone meal as an organic fertilizer

Bone meal as a fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. These are the main nutrients for plant growth and development. When purchasing bone meal, you need to ensure that it is dry and thoroughly evaporated.

Application of bone meal:

• for fertilizing nightshade and pumpkin crops,
• to reduce soil acidity,
• after applying nitrogen-containing fertilizers (organic ones include manure, bird droppings, compost and green manure),
• for preparing composts;
• for digging soil for any plants;
• to improve the taste of fruits (apply two weeks before harvest).

A type of bone meal is fish flour, which contains more nitrogen - it can be applied as a pre-sowing fertilizer and as a top dressing.

How to use bone meal:

• 200 g per 1 sq. m under fruit trees every 3 years (especially beneficial effect on the restoration of the root system)
• 60-90 g per planting hole when transplanting berry bushes in spring and autumn (more in autumn);
• 100 g per 1 sq. m when digging a plot for potatoes;
• 15-20 g per tomato bush.

Sapropel as an organic fertilizer

Sapropel (lake silt) contains rotted remains of vegetation and aquatic organisms. Its composition is a complex organic fertilizer and a powerful growth stimulator. Due to the high content of humus and organic matter, sapropel can increase soil fertility by 30-50%.

How to use sapropel

• in its pure form, when the sludge is first aerated, shoveled and frozen. Application dose – approximately 3-6 kg per 1 sq. m;
• in the form of composts with the addition of other organic substances;
• sapropel is useful for use on acidic and light sandy and sandy loam soils.

Peat as an organic fertilizer

Peat is often found in wetlands and is used to create a highly nutritious environment for plants. Wherein different types peat have different purposes.

High peat, which has not undergone the process of decay, can be used for mulching. It is especially good as mulch where it is necessary to additionally warm the soil or protect plants from the cold - for winter shelter, for example.

The so-called fertilizer is used as fertilizer. transitional and lowland peat, in which the process of decay has already begun to varying degrees.

Rules for applying peat:

• The basic rule for using peat as a fertilizer is to combine it with other organic substances. Fertilizing the land with peat in combination with other organic fertilizers promotes abundant fruiting of crops in closed ground.
• The use of peat is especially recommended in greenhouses where high air humidity is maintained. And peat has moisture-absorbing ability. In this case, excess moisture is retained in the peat and used by plant roots when it is insufficient. In addition, peat reduces the development of pathogens in protected soil.
• Peat needs to be renewed annually.

Benefits of peat

1. Makes the soil lighter, more porous, improves the penetration of oxygen and moisture to the roots of plants.
2. In combination with other organic matter, it nourishes poor, infertile, depleted soils. Peat has a particularly beneficial effect on loamy and sandy soils.
3. It has natural antiseptic properties that help fight pathogens in the soil, harmful bacteria and fungi.
4. Can be used to acidify (increase acidity) the soil.

Disadvantages of peat

1. If used incorrectly, peat can suppress and slow down the growth of plants, leading to their death.
2. It is necessary to monitor acidity levels when using organic peat-based fertilizers. If the pH is below 4.8, then peat-based fertilizer with such a reaction cannot be used, it will harm the plants.

How to use peat

• do not fertilize the soil with peat using the continuous application method;
• use peat only together with other organic fertilizers;
• high-moor peat is not used as fertilizer;
• do not use peat on light loamy, sandy loam and fertile soils.

For the greenhouse, you can prepare special soil containing peat and organic fertilizers. Garden soil and peat are mixed in equal proportions (4 parts each), cow manure is added 1 part, ash and sawdust are added in equal quantities (0.5 parts each).

Organic fertilizer compost

Compost has long been a widely used and widespread organic fertilizer. It is obtained as a result of the decomposition of a mixture of various organic substances. Therefore, there are quite a lot of types of compost and “recipes” for its preparation.

Many summer residents consider mature peat manure compost the best option organic fertilizer. Ideally, it should “mature” (lie) for three to four months, after which it should be thoroughly mixed – “shoveled”. Compost is recommended to be added in warm weather.

Compost with peat

1. Sawdust is poured onto the ground in a layer of 20 cm.
2. On top you need to lay layers of earth and peat in equal proportions.
3. Then the chopped tops are laid - you can put more of them.
4. The final layers will again be soil and peat.
5. The entire compost heap is sprinkled with mullein infusion or bird droppings.

The total height of the compost heap should be 1.5-2 m so that decomposition processes occur evenly in it. In a year and a half, the compost will be ready. The readiness of the compost can be determined by the state of the heap - it should turn into a homogeneous crumbly mass.

Manure compost

1. Last year's manure substrate is placed at the base of the compost heap.
2. Layers of any plant residues are placed on top.
3. Plant layers alternate with manure until the “layer cake” reaches 1-1.5 m in height.
4. Finally, the pile is spilled and left to rot for several months, optimally a year.

Biological products in organic farming

A biological preparation is a live fertilizer that affects plants and soil at the microbiological level. Biological products are produced from microorganisms that, when released into the soil, contribute to the development of a healthy and natural microenvironment in depleted soil. During biological disinfection of the soil, beneficial flora is additionally introduced into it, which contributes to the formation of a fertile nutrient layer.

Features of biological products:

• The drugs have growth regulating properties and improve plant adaptation to factors external environment and increase stress resistance and develop the immune system.
• For the most part, biological products also help in the fight against diseases, pests, and weeds.
• It is very beneficial to use solutions of biological products. For example, if you soaked seeds in a solution, then the same solution can be used to water indoor plants and seedlings.

Organic and biological products are especially useful in adverse weather conditions. In plants, the absorption of nutrients decreases, and the development of pathogenic organisms, the dominance of pests and weeds, on the contrary, increases. Natural and biological products are created in such a way as to help plants grow and bear fruit.

EM drugs

The group of biological products includes EM drugs - drugs containing “effective microorganisms” (hence the name). They are useful for preparing the soil and producing healthy seedlings. If you use soil from your own garden to prepare soil, it must be disinfected and disinfected.

Composition of EM preparations:

The EM preparation is a real healthy food for plants in the garden. They contain:

• lactic acid,
• nitrogen-fixing,
• photosynthetic bacteria,
• yeast.

This composition helps cleanse the earth of harmful chemicals, helps fight weeds, prevents the spread of diseases and pests, and rejuvenates the plant by restoring plant cells and tissues.

The presence of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the preparation is interesting. In their natural form, they are present on the nodules of the root system of many legumes - beans, cowpeas, beans, which are used as green manure fertilizers. These nitrogen-fixing nodule bacteria retain nitrogen in the soil layer at required quantity and have a positive effect on plant development at all stages.

How to use EM preparations

• To improve the characteristics of the drug, gardeners use special preparation recipes. EM drugs act more effectively in a sweet glucose environment. Therefore, when preparing a nutrient solution, you need to dilute the em-preparation in boiled or clean filtered water and add honey, sugar or molasses.
• the use of em-preparations is effective on warm soil heated to 12-15 °C - this is a comfortable temperature for the life of beneficial bacteria.
• as a root dressing and for foliar spraying “on the leaf” - this feeding will work especially well on trees, shrubs and vines.
• To restore the natural fertility of the soil, the beds are treated with em-preparations. When preparing the site in the fall, the ridges are sprinkled with sawdust and spilled with a nutrient solution. In the spring, treatment with anaerobic bacteria should be repeated.
• to speed up composting time.

Advantages of em-drugs:

1. improve seed germination and rooting after planting;
2. accelerate plant growth and fruit ripening;
3. improve flowering, taste of fruits and vegetables;
4. neutralize unpleasant odors that appear during the decomposition of organic matter - composts, herbal infusions, in cesspools;
5. restore natural soil fertility;
6. lower the level of nitrates, neutralizes salts of heavy metals;
7. increase the shelf life of gardening products;
8. disinfect and disinfect the soil.

Natural preparations as fertilizers

Natural preparations are created on the basis of plant extracts. Their use stimulates plant growth and helps them protect themselves from pests (aphids, copperheads, moths, codling moths, cruciferous flea beetle, weevils, caterpillars, etc.). Often natural preparations act as repellents - they simply repel unwanted insects without harming either plants or insects.

For example, natural preparations may contain pine needle extract, wormwood extract, and tobacco. The contained resins, glycosides, essential oils, organic acids, phytoestrogens, a wide range of vitamins, macro- and microelements have a complex effect on plant flora, stimulate plant development, and inhibit insects. Plant extracts have high biological activity. They often contain powerful natural stimulants of growth, root formation and disease resistance.

In addition to their protective properties, natural preparations stimulate plant growth, accelerate the development of seedlings, make them strong and healthy, improve flowering and ripening, increase the yield of vegetables, and increase the number of flower stalks. Natural preparations have stimulating and disinfecting properties.

Benefits of natural medicines

1. safe - do not have a toxic effect, do not accumulate in the soil (unlike aggressive insecticides and fungicides);
2. there is no harmful effect on the stems, leaves and roots of plants;
3. have a complex stimulating effect on plants, enhances growth processes;
4. They begin to act quickly (after 10 hours) and maintain protection for a long period (for a month);
5. increase the yield, quality and taste of fruits;
6. reduce ripening time
7. fight most diseases of seeds and seedlings, including blackleg;
8. increase resistance to diseases;
9. have a beneficial effect on the quality of seedlings, prevents stretching;
10. stimulate root formation.

How to use natural remedies

• used as root feeding and foliar spraying during seed germination;
• can be used during any growing season.

Application of organic fertilizers

Garden crops grow well in soils amended with organic matter - this is a necessary element of fertile soil on any summer cottage. However, even when preparing simple fertilizers with your own hands, you need to have sufficient experience and minimum qualifications.

An inexperienced summer resident risks burning the plant or spoiling the harvest by using homemade nutrient mixtures. Therefore, beginning gardeners need to know the basic recommendations for adding organic matter and use ready-made organic solutions, biological and natural industrial preparations.

Basic rules for applying organic fertilizers:

• The best time to apply organic fertilizers is considered to be autumn, when the soil is dug up and future beds and planting sites are prepared.
• The exception is sandy soils in areas with high humidity - there is a high probability of leaching of nutrients from the soil.
• Before applying organic fertilizers, it is necessary to know the structure, chemical composition, and acidity of the soil.
• The timing and rates of applying organic fertilizers will depend on the level of soil fertility, crop and method of application.

Methods of applying organic fertilizers

1. Main, or pre-sowing

Apply organic fertilizers before planting in spring or fall. Such fertilizer is necessary to provide plants with the necessary basic nutrition for the entire period of growth and development.

In this case, in the fall they fertilize the soil, make beds, prepare places for planting and at the same time add organic matter. Consumption: 5-9 kg of organic fertilizers per 1 sq. m. Organic fertilizers on heavy and clayey soils need to be embedded to a depth of 14-15 cm. On chernozems and loess-like loams, on light sandy and sandy loam soils, the depth of organic matter in the soil is even greater - up to 25 cm. If you add at least 2 kg of organic fertilizers annually fertilizers per 1 sq. m of plot, the soil structure improves noticeably, humus is retained in the soil

Moreover, for different types soils, it is necessary to select appropriate fertilizers. Thus, high-moor peat or compost are suitable for fertilizing sandy soils - they will help accumulate moisture in the soil and structure the soil. To enrich it with useful substances, additional manure or bird droppings are added. Alumina plants love manure, and on heavy soils it is better to apply fertilizers in liquid form so that the nutrition is distributed evenly. Vermicompost will also help clay soils - it will lighten them and make them looser. To prevent black soil from losing its nutritional properties, it is useful to “feed” it with manure, compost and bird droppings, and every 5 years to give the soil a rest without making any plantings.

2. Pre-sowing

Application of organic fertilizers during sowing and planting in rows, nests, holes and planting holes. Fertilizing during planting gives young plants the necessary nutrition during the initial growth period. The dose of pre-sowing fertilizers should not be large, because plants use nutrients from the planting hole only at first. Pre-sowing fertilizer promotes the formation of a powerful root system in plants, rapid development and resistance to adverse environmental factors - weeds, pests, weather conditions.

3. Post-sowing or fertilizing

Application of organic fertilizers during the growing season. Fertilizers are designed to provide plants with useful substances during the period of their intensive growth and consumption of nutrients. Here everything depends on the garden crop being fertilized - each plant has its own needs.

Composition of organic fertilizers

The composition of organic fertilizers is quite diverse and depends on the specific type and conditions of its production. The most important thing is that any organic matter saturates the soil with the necessary material for the life of beneficial microorganisms, stimulates the formation of humus, improves air permeability and moisture capacity, and increases the carbon dioxide content in the soil.

Organic fertilizers contain a full range of nutrients, macro and microelements, growth stimulants.

The main part of the fertilizer is organic matter(from 60 to 80%). It also contains all the necessary macronutrients in approximately equal proportions ( nitrogen, phosphorus, And potassium). In different doses, organics also contain useful microelements such as:

• calcium,
• iron,
• magnesium,
• manganese,
• copper,
• cobalt,
• molybdenum,
• zinc.

The acidity level of organic substances is usually increased - pH about 8.

Nutrient content of organic fertilizers

If we compare the nutrient content in the main types of organic fertilizers (manure, slurry, compost, peat, bird droppings and straw), we get the following picture:

• Each of them contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium in different proportions.
• At the same time, in bird's eye ( chicken droppings) and in lowland peat most of all nitrogen.
• Phosphorus is equally rich in lowland peat, straw And compost.
• IN straw more potassium, and in lowland peat And compost– calcium.
• Wherein bird droppings is the most nutritious in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content. However, it contains no calcium at all.

Moreover, the composition of each specific type of organic fertilizer can also vary significantly. Compound manure depends on the type of animal, what it was fed and what kind of bedding was placed. The storage methods and degree of decomposition of manure also matter. Sheep And horse dung contains more nitrogen in the same way as manure on a peat bed.

Irrational use of organic (homemade) fertilizers can deteriorate the quality of the soil and change its acidity level. In addition, organic fertilizers cannot be considered a complete source of nitrogen. On the other hand, an excess of organic fertilizers (like any other) can lead to negative consequences, if you don’t know how to use them correctly in what doses. Therefore, in order not to harm the plants in the garden, it is better to know the approximate composition of organic fertilizers, recommendations and contraindications for their use.

All organic fertilizers have a long-term effect, having a beneficial effect on cultivated plants and on the composition of the soil. Vegetables grow better, ripen faster, produce rich harvests and tasty fruits. After applying organic fertilizer, soil fertility and the ecosystem of the site are restored. The ratio of beneficial microorganisms and components that ensure the healthy state of the soil as a habitat for living organisms is restored in the soil. Organic fertilizers are great for depleted soils that lack organic matter.

The growth and development of most vegetables, flowers, trees and shrubs cannot be ensured solely from soil reserves. The soil at the dacha is depleted, the plants take away the most valuable nutrients necessary for vegetation, and pathogens and pests, on the contrary, remain in the soil, making it unsuitable for growing subsequent crops.

The task of any responsible summer resident is not only to supply garden crops with the necessary nutrition, but also to restore the fertile layer of soil without disturbing the natural environment, and to maintain the healthy ecology of their site.