What is better than humus peat soil? Peat fertilizer: composition, types and application. Sawdust, tree bark

What is the difference between chernozem and peat? and got the best answer

Answer from Solovyov(Fedotenko) Albina[guru]
PEAT
Pure peat is of little value as a fertilizer, since the nitrogen it contains is little available to plants. To improve the quality of peat, it must be composted. At proper preparation composts from peat are not only not inferior to manure, but also significantly superior to it. Before composting, the peat must be dried and ventilated by shoveling 2-3 times during the summer. Aerated peat can also be used to mulch crops, especially on heavy, cold soils. Chernozem is a humus-rich, dark-colored type of soil formed on loam. Chernozem contains many microorganisms. As a result, it has a granular-lumpy structure. This determines the main property of chernozem - its high fertility.
Chernozem is very often used to improve sandy soils. Mixing with sand, chernozem forms a layer with an optimal fertile structure. This layer is rich in humus and nutrients; in particular, chernozem contains substances such as nitrogen, iron, phosphorus, and calcium. Chernozem has the necessary permeability, density and granulometric composition. When adding chernozem, the effect of general improvement of the soil is noted. The main advantage of chernozem is that it is absolutely suitable for any type of planting.

Answer from Victoria Kotik[guru]
Peat burns, black soil does not


Answer from Ildar ----[guru]
Chernozem is the fertile land of the Russian south, peat is the remains of rotting plants, usually underground, and often spontaneously ignites


Answer from Dashutka[newbie]
Chernozem is land suitable for planting
and peat... it's bigger useful fertilizer also suitable for planting, but made from the remains of rotted leaves and grass!!


Answer from Yovetlana Ryabinkina[guru]
Ildar answered correctly. By the way, black soil is unlikely to harm your garden, but not all plants respond well to the abundance of peat...


Answer from Anastasia Zhelyabova[guru]
peat is a substance and black soil is soil


Answer from Hedgehog[guru]
Peat acidifies the soil; not all plants can grow in such soil. Chernozem is an excellent rich soil.


Answer from Thin Thing[active]
On my own behalf, as a soil scientist, I will add that the black color of chernozem is given by the high content of humus (a special organic substance that determines soil fertility). Peat, which is black, is grassroots, has high POTENTIAL fertility, there is much more organic matter in it than in chernozem, but it is sterile (there are no microorganisms), therefore it is inaccessible to plants. The benefits of peat as an organic fertilizer appear after a certain time, depending on a number of conditions of its use (composting, the use of bacterial preparations, etc. to accelerate the decomposition of the organic matter of peat).


Rotten remains of flora and fauna have long been used in agriculture. Gardeners use peat as a fertilizer, knowing the values ​​and characteristics of this mineral.

How is peat formed?

In swampy areas, a lot of vegetation and living organisms die; after death, they form compressed biomass. The further process takes place under conditions high humidity and lack of air.

Peat extraction technology

Lying on the surface, it is easily mined. They do this in two ways:

  • milling;
  • lump or excavator method.

Milling

This method involves layer-by-layer extraction of peat in short cycles. That is, using milling drums they mill upper layer depth 6-20 mm. As a result, peat crumbs are formed, the particle size of which is 15-25 mm. After milling, the layer is constantly turned over to dry.

When it dries, they begin to roll and stack it. Then everything is repeated, the number of repetitions reaches 10-50 times.

This extraction method has been used since 1930. The advantages of this method are that it is completely mechanized, that is, the cost of the resulting material is low. Milled peat is used in production and power plants. And in agriculture 15-25% of extracted minerals. The milling method is intensive drying and requires good weather conditions. In addition, it is more in demand, since the cost of human resources is minimal, and production occurs in large quantities.

Lump

It is mined using excavators. Development is carried out to a depth of 400-800 cm. First, peat is extracted using bucket equipment, then bricks are formed from it. They are laid out on fields to dry. Then they are stacked and taken away. Based on the location of extraction and other development costs, the cost of the mineral is determined. The weight of one piece varies from 500 to 1000 g. This extraction method is no more than 90 years old.

Transitional peat

Everyone gets it possible ways, it all depends on where it lies and which method is more profitable. Most often, this species is used for agriculture in order to increase soil fertility.

Peat as a fertilizer: pros and cons

When purchasing peat, young and inexperienced summer residents add it in unlimited quantities to their planting beds. Is this correct and is it harmful to cultivated plants, only a few think about it. Peat consists of 40-60% humus, but pure form It is very harmful for the garden. A plus, many gardeners consider a high percentage of nitrogen content, approximately 25 kg per 1 ton.

But few people know that this nitrogen is not absorbed by plants, as it is poorly absorbed.

It is better not to fertilize the garden with pure peat; it is necessary to mix it with others. The advantage of adding peat to the soil is that it increases the breathability of the soil, making it more airy and loose. It is easier for plants to grow in such soil, but this is not enough for full development root system, green mass and fruits.

High-moor peat is suitable for those plants that thrive in acidic soil. In this case, it is added during transplantation and later the soil around the plants is mulched with it.

Comparison

You can understand the value of this mineral in comparison with organic fertilizers:

  • black soil;
  • chicken droppings.

Humus and manure

The main difference is acidity. Peat wins here, so it is used for depleted land. But in most cases, humus is used, since it contains more nutrients necessary for plant growth.

Chernozem

Chernozem contains a large number of humus, but there are also more pathogenic bacteria and viruses in it. Therefore, the summer resident has to choose independently based on what the soil lacks. If you add peat, it must be diluted with sand and perlite and humus.

Chicken droppings

Chicken droppings benefit from the fact that they are more valuable in terms of the composition of nutrients. Some gardeners prefer to use droppings.

What is peat used for?

A novice gardener wonders about the role of peat fertilizer for the plot. The advantage of its use is that it contains a large amount of humic and amino acids, which contribute to rapid growth plants.

Peat is used to prepare fertile soil for planting seedlings and indoor plants.

The main purpose of using peat in agriculture is to increase soil fertility.

Advantages of using minerals on the site:

  • improvement of soil structure;
  • increasing productivity;
  • increased moisture permeability;
  • improved breathability.

The summer resident will appreciate how useful the fertilizer is for the garden plot after using it. But you should carefully study the composition of the soil, and then apply fertilizing.

Peat properties

There are many properties due to which it is widely used in agriculture, medicine, cosmetology and many other industries. The summer resident is interested in the answer to the question what properties peat has that are useful for a personal plot or cottage:

  1. In combination with other organic substances, it can nourish and enrich the soil.
  2. Makes the soil moisture- and breathable.
  3. Increases soil acidity.
  4. Removes soil from pathogenic microflora.
  5. Can reduce nitrate levels.
  6. Reduces the effects of pesticides.

The properties of peat differ depending on what type it belongs to. There is no need to add minerals to fertile soils. In this case, its properties are neutral.

Peat composition

The composition includes plant residues that have not completely decomposed. Their decomposition products and mineral particles. Under natural conditions it contains 86-95% water. Botanical composition:

  • wood remains;
  • tree bark and roots;
  • various plant remains;
  • hypnum and sphagnum moss.

The chemical composition varies depending on the type, botanical composition and degree of decomposition. That is, the percentage of micro- and macroelements in its composition depends on what type of peat is being studied and whose plant residues it is based on.

Peat acidity

This directly depends on how much calcium it contains. Because of high degree High acidity is practically not used when planting; it is suitable for mulching. Since its pH is 3-5. Summer residents prefer to use lowland peat, since its acidity level is 5-8. All particles in its composition are well decomposed and are suitable for feeding any crop.

The following classification is determined by the degree of acidity:

  1. Strongly acidic, their ash content is 1.5-3%, lime content is 0.15-0.6%, pH 2.5-4.
  2. Medium acidic, ash content 3-6%, lime content 1%, pH 3.5-4.5.
  3. Slightly acidic, ash content 5-12%, lime more than 1%, pH 4.5-5.5.
  4. Neutral, high ash content, neutral pH above 7%.

It is worth remembering that when it comes to composition, it is impossible to say unambiguously about all types. Therefore, general characteristics are given.

Decomposition rate

The presence of humus in it depends on how much the peat has decomposed. That is, the greater the degree of decomposition, the higher percentage structureless particles. This characteristic is the main one when describing qualities and useful properties.

This indicator is determined as a percentage, “by eye” or under a microscope. In the first case, only fresh peat is taken, which has its own natural humidity. Signs by which the degree of decomposition is determined:

  • plastic;
  • quantity and preservation of plant fragments;
  • quantity and color of squeezed water.

The decomposition is divided into 3 groups:

  • 30% - highly decomposed. It is pressed through the fingers, leaving individual, large fragments of plant residues in the hands. After squeezing out the water, which is either very little or not at all, it remains plastic. The water is dark Brown.
  • 20% - moderately decomposed. It is difficult to press through your fingers; there is a lot of plant residue left in your hands. The water that is squeezed out is light brown or brown in color. Pressed peat springs weakly.
  • Less than 20% - slightly decomposed. It's impossible to push through your fingers. Plant remains are easily distinguishable. The water is easily squeezed out, its color is yellowish or colorless. Pressed peat is springy and rough on the surface.

More detailed information is provided by the macroscopic method; it was proposed by P.D. Varlygin.

IN field conditions When it is not possible to conduct laboratory tests, the smear method is used. The disadvantage of the method for determining the degree of decomposition is that traces of slightly decomposed soil are difficult to discern. A plus is the quick determination of results.

Types of peat

According to research by the Institute for the European part Soviet Union there are 38 species. But all these types are combined into 3 types, which are divided based on the properties of the peat and the nature of the waters that feed the swamps.

  1. Lowland.
  2. Horse.
  3. Transition.

Lowland peat

Fed by groundwater. Its pH is neutral or slightly acidic. In total, it contains 70% organic residues; in addition, it contains a large amount of minerals.

Lowland peat is often used to improve the soil composition of the soil that was used for a long time without applying any fertilizers.

High peat

Of all types, it is the most infertile, therefore it is only suitable for mulching or plants that require high soil acidity for growth and development.

Transitional peat

The middle formation is between low-lying and high-moor peat, that is, the layer is transitional. With fewer microelements and low soil acidity. The plant remains that make up this species are almost constant, differing slightly, depending on the type of peat deposits.

Neutralized peat

Subspecies of the riding species. It is used for the preparation of substrates; for this, raw materials with a low degree of decomposition are taken. In this case, limestone flour is used to neutralize acidity.

It is used to make greenhouse soil, or soil for plants grown in pots. For open ground, used when planting trees and shrubs.

Peat use

The scope of its application in agriculture is very extensive. The mineral is used in garden beds, indoors, in the garden and when growing flowers.

For the garden

Pure peat is not used to fertilize beds. Basically, it is mixed with humus and other organic substances. Moreover, it is introduced wet 50-60%. Otherwise it will be mulching.

Peat compost is a common phenomenon in summer cottages. In addition, summer residents call this method of application the most effective.

For the greenhouse

The ability of a mineral to absorb moisture and at the same time retain it is indispensable when arranging a greenhouse. With these properties, it maintains optimal performance for a long time temperature regime soil, in a greenhouse. In combination, the mineral is an antiseptic. Therefore, greenhouses are filled with peat to 50-90%.

For garden

For use in the garden it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation mineral. It is recommended to keep it thoroughly fluffed for 2 weeks. If possible, sift through a sieve.

When using peat in the garden, constant watering is required. Proper Use will provide plant roots with nutrients and oxygen necessary for active plant growth.

For plants

Peat is used for many types of crops. Apply as fertilizer in spring or autumn for digging. This helps to improve the composition of the soil and increase the nutrients that the plant takes for proper development and growth.

For flowers

Lovers of growing flowers, garden and indoor, also note the positive effect of peat on plants. Using minerals as fertilizer helps plants recover faster after transplantation.

Peonies respond especially well. They grow faster, bloom better and have a very strong smell. It is used as mulch and top dressing. In the second case, it is necessary to combine with mineral fertilizers.

Application in winter

IN winter period the mineral is used for compost. During the winter it rots and turns into the most nutritious fertilizer. Applying it in winter causes early snow melting. Consequently, the soil begins to warm up earlier.

Fertilization of individual crops

The mineral is used differently for some crops; it is important to know how to fertilize correctly so as not to harm either the plant or the soil.

Potato

Growing potatoes is a labor-intensive process. To get a harvest, a summer resident makes fertile soil in the garden bed, adding sand and clay. But by themselves, these components do not perform the necessary function, so peat is added to them. This soil composition is the most suitable for the crop.

Strawberry

Applying fertilizer to strawberry beds, gardeners note the early ripening of the berries, the harvest becomes richer, and the taste of the strawberries is richer. Apply in spring or autumn, mixing with sawdust and drying well. Add it to the row spacing 30 kg per 1 m2. Or directly into each hole.

Tomatoes

For this crop, peat is used as foliar and root feeding once every 2 weeks. Or apply 4 kg per 1 m2, scattering it evenly over the bed.

For better effect, the mineral is added when planting seeds.

cucumbers

Thanks to the addition of peat to the soil, a rich crop harvest is obtained. It is important to observe the dosage and correctly produce or reduce the acidity of the soil. Maintaining the proportions will help you get the maximum possible yield from cucumber bushes.

Cabbage

For this crop, which is very picky about acidity, peat is used to lower the pH. Then the effect of its use will become noticeable almost immediately.

Fertilizing the soil with peat

To increase soil fertility, summer residents use this mineral. But many people don’t even think about the fact that it also causes harm. Therefore, before fertilizing the soil, it is necessary to determine what exactly the soil needs.

When introducing it into fertile soil, you should not expect improvements, as there will be no result. But if the soil is severely depleted, then it increases its fertility.

Peat preparation

Before use, it is necessary to properly prepare the mineral. To do this you need to fulfill simple requirements:

  1. Ventilate thoroughly before use. So that the toxic substances contained in its composition evaporate.
  2. The humidity of the raw materials used is not less than 50%.
  3. The effects on the plant are not immediate, sometimes they are noticeable only after 2-3 years.
  4. Regardless of the season, applying fertilizer is always appropriate.
  5. The best way to use it is through compost.

When to deposit

There are no specific dates, it is applied at any time, in spring and autumn before plowing. During plant growth, between rows and under roots.

Dosage

There are no regulations on the use of minerals. They only note that it is necessary to apply it for several years in a row, gradually bringing the soil to the required degree of fertility.

Mulching with peat

This process also requires compliance with the rules; this leads to a positive result from the work done. Mulch during the growing season or before winter. In the summer, peat is used for this, which is applied in a layer of 1 to 2 cm. In the spring, protecting the plantings, up to 5 cm; in winter, the layer is not limited.

Soil feeding

To enrich the fertile soil layer, peat mixed with any organic additives is used. Since it alone does not provide proper enrichment with minerals. The mineral, in its pure form, is used only for mulching.

They use high-moor peat for mulch, lowland and transitional peat, to enrich the soil.

Organizing peat compost

Pure fertilizer provides few nutrients to the soil. Therefore, summer residents recommend making compost. To prepare it, you need foliage, food waste, cut weeds and other plant debris. Compost is prepared within 1-1.5 years. The degree of readiness is determined visually. The entire mass should be homogeneous and loose.

Methods

There are 2 ways to organize compost, which of them is preferred by the summer resident himself.

Local composting

A layer of peat 50-60 cm is laid out at the selected location. Then manure 70-80 cm is laid out in a continuous layer or in heaps. Moreover, the width is made 1-1.5 m less than peat, then the top is covered with a layer of peat, 50-60 cm. Covering the manure from all sides. This method is preferable in winter.

Layer-by-layer

The peat is distributed over a width of 4-5 m, the length of the area as possible, the layer thickness is 50 cm, then a layer of manure is laid, then peat again, and so on several times, the height of the finished compost heap is 2 m. Last layer definitely peaty.

Peat based fertilizer

Fertilizer manufacturers create fertilizers for plants. They make it for those who cannot make a compost heap on their own. Made in the form of granules, which are added directly to the wells. And liquid fertilizer, which is absorbed much better. It is watered on plants and used as a growth stimulator for seeds.

Peat oxidate

Economical plant nutrition, which is much cheaper than imported analogues. Helps plants accumulate nutrients, improves soil structure, and prevents toxins from entering the plant.

It contains amino acids, monosaccharides, proteins, humic acids, minerals and sulfic acids. When using, be sure to dilute with water.

Peat extract

For manufacturing, a low-lying type is used; using electro-hydraulic processing, a hood is obtained. The fertilizer is very convenient to use. Contains many useful substances. Recommended for areas where there is no need to fertilize the soil.

Alternative to peat fertilizers

If it is not possible to purchase a mineral, it is replaced with organic matter with a similar nutrient composition. These include:

  • manure;
  • humus;
  • humus;
  • bird droppings;
  • feces;
  • sawdust, tree bark;
  • green manure;
  • compost pits.

The choice of alternative is up to the vegetable grower.

Manure

The best replacement for peat. Its composition is rich in minerals that plants need for growth and development. All of them are in an easily digestible form.

The only negative for the site is that you cannot use fresh manure.

Humus

Rich in nutrients that increase overall soil fertility. Injected before digging or directly into the holes.

Humus

It is used as an alternative to peat in most cases, as it is rich in useful substances that enrich the soil.

Bird droppings

IL

Rich in humus, potassium and nitrogen, sludge is used on plots to increase soil fertility.

Feces

They are not used in their pure form; special preparation of the fertilizer for their use is required. Made from a compost heap.

Sawdust, tree bark

Cheap and affordable organic fertilizer, which becomes an excellent substitute for minerals. Apply to areas only when they are rotted. Mix with other fertilizers and layer with soil.

Compost is prepared from the bark, mixed with mineral fertilizers and moistened. The fertilizer will be ready within 6 months.

Green manure

In the fall, the area is sown with perennial or annual crops, plowed in the spring. Useful material pass into the soil, enriching the soil.

Compost pits

A harmless organic fertilizer that significantly increases soil fertility. The disadvantage of feeding is that it takes 1 to 2 years to prepare. But do not forget that it is in this form that minerals are better absorbed by plants.

Peat as a fertilizer is indispensable on the site. But you shouldn’t add it thoughtlessly, everything is good in moderation.

Which is better: humus or black soil? This question is asked by many gardeners who are forced to bring soil to their plot due to the unsuitability of the natural option. Both of these substances have different origins and differ in purpose. This article examines these two concepts and lists how to apply them.

Chernozem is one of the types of soil, rightfully considered the most fertile and versatile. In Russia, the Black Earth Zone occupies a huge area. This is natural wealth, which cannot be created artificially. Chernozem is not a fertilizer, but contains all the necessary substances that allow you to grow plants without adding fertilizers.

Humus is an organic fertilizer, it is prepared from animal waste products (manure), or from green manure plants by collecting them and laying them down to rot. This is the difference between the concepts under consideration: humus is a fertilizer, and chernozem is a type of soil.

To others popular view organic fertilizers Peat is a substance of natural origin. It is obtained from plant residues that have rotted in swamps and along river banks. The addition of rock improves the structure of the soil and saturates it with nutrients.

Pros and cons of humus

The key to obtaining a harvest is fertile soil, but often under summer cottages allocate places with poor soil composition. Even rich lands become depleted over time and require fertilization. The most common and beneficial organic substance is humus. Main advantages of the product:

  • accessibility - it can be purchased at a fairly low price, and in rural areas it is easy to make it yourself;
  • versatility (suitable for application to any type of soil);
  • ease of use.
  1. Obtaining humus requires a lot of time.
  2. Weed seeds and pest larvae are introduced with manure.
  3. There is a danger of overdose.

Humus soil is not; it must be mixed with soil, observing the required proportions.

Chernozem: features and advantages

The formation of soil occurs continuously over centuries, and the darker it is, the higher the humus content in it.

Signs of black soil:

  1. black color;
  2. lumpy structure;
  3. high concentration of nutrients;
  4. resistance to washing and weathering.


Chernozem contains chemical elements, essential for normal height plants:

  • calcium – 70%;
  • magnesium – up to 20%;
  • nitrogen, iron, phosphorus and others.

Real black soil has no disadvantages, but its acquisition is not an easy task in view:

  • the fact that it is easy to run into a counterfeit;
  • high price.

Often, instead of high-quality soil, they sell soil from greenhouses, which has already given up all its nutrients and may be infected with fungi. Sometimes, under the guise of black soil, they offer the top layer with construction sites, which contains garbage and harmful impurities. Some suppliers themselves produce a soil mixture of unclear composition, which may be contaminated with pest larvae, dangerous viruses and fungi. It is impossible to determine this visually; only laboratory analysis can distinguish a counterfeit from a counterfeit.

Advantages and disadvantages of peat

This unique natural substance contains all the basic nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. The addition of peat will make sandy and sandy loam soil in the garden plot fertile; adding it to loam will improve the structure, make the soil breathable and light.

When wondering what is better - peat or humus, you should take into account the type of soil and the possibility of purchasing one or another fertilizer. Humus is richer in composition than peat, but the latter can be used in almost unlimited quantities without fear of harming the plants. These materials differ in that the manure product is usually recommended to be applied in the fall for digging, and the use of peat for the garden is done without prior preparation.

The disadvantages of the marsh substrate include its ability to increase the acidity of the soil, so it is recommended to add chalk or dolomite flour along with it.

Comparative analysis of chernozem, peat and humus on composition, properties and cost

The table shows that 1 m3 of humus is more expensive than the same amount of chernozem, but based on the fact that the first substance is fertilizer, it is required significantly less than chernozem.

Conclusions: in what cases is it more profitable to use chernozem, peat, humus?

If you need to fill new areas with infertile soil with earth, raise the surface level in the lowlands where it stagnates. rainwater, build a high flower bed or replace the soil in a greenhouse, then it would be right to bring in black soil. This will make it possible to grow plants for several years without worrying about fertilizing.

If you need to increase soil fertility in developed garden plots, it is more advisable to choose humus or peat. The use of these substrates is more profitable because a lot of black soil is required, and humus and peat are fertilizers that are mixed with the soil available in the beds, i.e. Their difference from chernozem is the volume of application.

What is preferable for the garden, humus or black soil? It all depends on what task the materials will perform.

IN last years It has become fashionable to set up gardens personal plots. However, not everyone is able to choose the right earth mixtures, necessary for active development and creation of favorable conditions for plant life. So how is it right? SELECT SOIL for your site?

All owners suburban areas They are trying to acquire land that is blacker and richer. Growing demand creates supply: dozens of companies are engaged in the delivery of soil, black soil, compost, peat and simply fertile soil. Unfortunately, many suppliers do not even know what exactly they are transporting to the customer’s site. Sometimes, instead of milled (mixed) fertile peat-sand mixture for the lawn, they bring pure lowland peat with blocks of gray clay and rotten logs, which certainly will not bring any benefit to your site. Therefore, when purchasing plant soil, you should not completely rely on the supplier; it is advisable to understand the differences between Tula and Voronezh chernozem, humus and compost, what types of peat exist and what to use as a guide when choosing soil mixtures.

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CHERNOZEM

For education black soil it takes 5 - 10 thousand years. Chernozem soil is one of the most fertile on the planet. Such high fertility is explained by a unique combination of factors influencing the formation of chernozems. Among them are climatic, geological and biological. In the chernozem zone, high summer temperatures prevail, stimulating intensive metabolism between plants, soil and microorganisms. If there is less precipitation than moisture evaporates from the surface of the earth (the deficit is replenished by groundwater), this also helps to increase fertility. With this amount of precipitation, nutrients are not washed out of the soil in groundwater(as in the Moscow region), but, on the contrary, they are taken up by roots herbaceous plants from rich soil-forming rock and accumulate in plant tissues. Root system crops have a significant impact on soil structure. Penetrating it, small roots break the soil into lumps (aggregates); Thanks to the gaps between the units, the optimal ratio of water and air for plants is maintained. Chernozem soil is home to a huge number of microbes, worms and mites, which also loosen it and transform plant residues, ensuring the cycle of nutrients.
When purchasing chernozem to prepare a soil mixture on your site, you need to keep in mind that you will not be able to solve the problem of creating a fertile top layer once and for all. After 10 - 20 years, a significant part of the nutrients will be washed out of it due to exposure low temperatures the number of representatives of soil fauna will decrease, the microbiological composition will change, and due to the lack of steppe vegetation, the supply of nutrients will decrease and soil aggregates will collapse. As a result, only a clay substrate will remain, which cracks when it dries, and after rain turns into impassable mud.
Of course, when doing landscaping work, you shouldn’t completely abandon black soil. You just need to use it in small quantities - to optimize water permeability, density, particle size distribution (particle ratio different sizes) soil. In this case, the greatest effect is achieved on the lungs sandy soils. On more clayey soils, peat and compost should be used.
Despite the vast territory of chernozem distribution, there are two main “deposits” - Tula and Voronezh. Chernozems in the south of Tula, west of Ryazan and north Lipetsk region belong to the poorest (leached), in terms of fertility they occupy intermediate position between the soils of Moscow (soddy-podzolic) and the best black soils Kursk and Voronezh regions. As a rule, leached chernozems are slightly acidic (pH = A.5 - 6.5) and are characterized by a low content of magnesium and phosphorus. Delivery of such soils is cheaper than chernozems from Voronezh. Kursk, Voronezh and Tambov chernozems are rich in nutrients and therefore preferable. Unfortunately, there are few companies on the market that supply from these areas.

HUMUS AND COMPOST
Except for black soil, they have a black color lowland peat, compost and humus. Usually, those who like to dig around on a site call all the dark-colored soil black soil, so confusion often arises. In fact, humus and composts are anthropogenic soils created specifically to increase soil fertility. Humus is a black, homogeneous earthy mass formed from rotted manure, in which plant remains are indistinguishable. This fertilizer is rich in nutrients, so it should be used when planting as an additive to soil mixtures. However, if the humus content in the planting mixture is too high, plant immunity may decrease.
Compost is a rotted, homogeneous, dark-colored organic fertilizer. Compost consists of two main components - peat or turf soil, as well as horse manure, slurry, etc. (a source of nutrients and microorganisms). The aging period of industrial compost, supplied by specialized companies, is at least two years. When purchasing it, you need to pay attention to sanitary certificates. You can also make compost yourself. compost heap with a size of at least 1.5 x 2 m, they are arranged on level ground, near the utility block. To suit its size, a small depression is made in the soil with an earthen ridge at the border so that liquid waste does not spread. Any waste of plant and animal origin is suitable for preparing composts. You just can’t plant infected plants, weeds with formed seeds and resistant weeds - wheatgrass, duckweed, nettle, coltsfoot. Composts are used not only as fertilizers, but also added to planting mixtures.

PEAT
Currently, peat has become the most popular fertile soil in landscaping and landscaping; planting mixtures for lawns consist of almost 70% of it. Lowland peat is a black soil, loose, fertile and relatively cheap. Although peat- organic fertilizer, it also contains a mineral component. The most important characteristic peat is the ash content determined during its combustion, indicating the percentage of mineral components. These inorganic compounds were formed as a result of metabolism in plants or were brought by water flows from elevated parts of the relief. The higher their content, the more fertile the peat. In other soils, fertility increases with increasing organic matter content. Ash content can vary from 1% in high-moor peat to 50% in low-lying peat.
When using peat mixtures for lawns, it is necessary to take into account the changing living conditions for peat. In household plots, groundwater is lower than in peat mines, and with good aeration, the delivered peat is quickly decomposed by microorganisms. In a few years, a significant part of the imported organic matter will go into carbon dioxide and will evaporate, and the lawn will sag. Therefore, peat should not be allowed to predominate in soil mixtures; fertile soil with a higher ash content should be chosen. Some suppliers extract peat in advance and store it in heaps (piles), there is not enough sand, and the soil is poorly processed. It is preferable to prepare such a mixture yourself, at the rate of one car of sand for two cars of peat. In the future, the peat-sand mixture must be thoroughly mixed with the natural soil of the site.
So, to summarize: when preparing soil mixtures for lawns, the proportion of peat should not exceed 25 - 30%; when choosing it, first of all you need to pay attention to ash content and acidity; It is advisable to prepare the soil mixture yourself; For most crops, a soil mixture with low-lying peat is suitable, and high-moor peat is suitable only for plants that prefer acidic soil. Also, soil based on peat-sand (TPS) or peat-soil mixture (TSM) must necessarily have a certificate from the Moscow Environmental Register (MED), which guarantees its quality, purity and safety. At the Stroy Nerud company you can buy soil with a Ministry of Economic Development certificate at an attractive price with delivery to your site.

FERTILE LAND
In addition to black soils, the market offers fertile garden soil from greenhouses, topsoil (fertile soil) and floodplain soil. Greenhouse soil, as a rule, is severely depleted and contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, so it should be decisively abandoned. Floodplain soils are among the most fertile, and besides, they are not transported several hundred kilometers, being transferred to other climatic conditions, which means that their structure and properties are not disturbed as much as those of chernozems. The only problem is that the customer can be delivered not only soil, but also underlying rock, which is often clay and not so fertile.

In conclusion one more advice: when ordering fertile soils, please specify them chemical composition. Many people are interested in how much protein, fat and carbohydrates are contained in food products; in the same way, you should know about the content of humus, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the soil.

For guaranteed collection big harvest The soil on the site must be suitable. It is a mistake to believe that absolutely everything will melt on black soil and bear fruit several times a year. Each plant puts forward its own conditions for the soil, which the gardener/gardener must fulfill. Of course, chernozem is present in almost every type of soil. It is only important to ensure the correct combination with others components soil.

One of the main problems when buying black soil is fraud. Visually, black soil is not yet black soil. Summer residents without great experience in gardening, they often do not have the ability to distinguish between truly natural chernozem and its “cheap substitutes”. Naturally, buying ordinary soil at the price of black soil is idiotic. On the website http://ekogrunty.ru/chernozem/ you can be guaranteed to buy chernozem of the highest quality. Logistics problems can also be solved.

In order to reliably distinguish chernozem from peat, it is necessary to have a detailed understanding of their specificity. Chernozem is a type of soil that is formed naturally as a result of rotting huge amount root material.

In addition, we should not forget that chernozem is a participant in the natural ecosystem. In fact, chernozem cannot arise if living organisms do not live in it: earthworms, marmots, moles, etc.

Peat is formed exclusively in swampy, wet areas. It occurs as a result of decay of animal and plant remains. Moreover, for peat to form, a natural lack of air is necessary.

Chernozem can be used on the site immediately. It is enough to scatter it over the surface of the soil and dig it up for enrichment. It is strictly forbidden to introduce peat into the soil unprepared. It must first be composted.

By and large, today there are two methods for identifying these differences:

  • squeezing a ball of soil in your hand;
  • filling a lump of soil with water and waiting for it to dry.

Indeed, it is enough to squeeze a lump of black soil to understand whether the seller is deceiving you or not. After you release the compressed lump from your hand, a greasy and dark mark will remain on the skin. This will never happen after peat.

The second method is even simpler. The lump of chernozem and the lump of peat are saturated with moisture to the limit. After this, they are left in the sun - you need to wait until dry. Chernozem retains moisture very well and for a long time.

Peat dries out literally before our eyes (after all, peat in the overwhelming majority is used to ensure soil looseness).

The video explains how to use peat in gardening: