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Tell me what soils are. Types of soils and their characteristics. Cons of lime soil

Surely, all of you have noticed that the amount of labor invested in a personal plot is not always directly proportional to the quality and quantity of the crop. Sometimes, no matter how much attention is paid to care, the plants still do not grow as intensively as expected. It's all about general characteristics soil fertility - in some areas they leave much to be desired. But this does not mean that your garden or vegetable garden, planted on the “wrong” soil, is doomed. It is always possible to ensure the correct regulation of the water-air regime of the soil, reduce its acidity and feed it with the missing substances.

All garden plants grow on the ground. Soil is the solid foundation where plants spread their roots and is the breeding ground for them. Literally all the mineral nutrition of plants is taken from the soil. However, not all soils are the same and equally provide plants with food. There are soils rich and poor in nutrients. This difference depends on many factors, but primarily on the climatic conditions of the zone where they are located.

In this article, you will learn what types of soils are, how they are classified according to their mechanical composition, and how to reduce their acidity.

The territory of Russia extends over many geographical zones. In accordance with this, soil and climatic conditions also differ greatly. So, in central Russia, soddy-podzolic, chernozem and gray forest soils are most common. These types of soils are very different from each other in their characteristics: they have different fertility, acidity of the soil solution, mechanical composition and other indicators. In addition, even within the same soil type, soil groups in home gardens can vary significantly in their fertility, since in some gardens (especially in rural areas) large doses of organic fertilizers are applied annually or once every 3–4 years, and in urban gardens arrays, on summer cottages manure is introduced much less frequently. Thus, in gardens where organic fertilizers are applied, soils are gradually cultivated: their water-air properties are improved, soil microflora is enriched, acidity is improved, and their fertility is increased.

Soddy-podzolic soils among those listed have the least favorable conditions for gardening and vegetable growing. In central Russia, Smolensk, Bryansk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vologda, Perm, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk regions, the Udmurt Republic, Mari El, etc. are located on such soils. These soils are poor in humus, and they have rather low fertility: they have an acid reaction, the average pH is about 4–5. The main characteristic of this soil type is a low humus horizon. Its thickness on soddy-podzolic soil is usually no more than 20–30 cm, and the humus content is about 2.5–3%. However, in heavily cultivated garden plots, where organic fertilizers are used in fairly large doses, these figures can be much higher.

In garden plots located on soddy-podzolic soils, first of all, it is necessary to reduce soil acidity by applying lime at a dose of 0.5-0.9 kg per 1 m 2. It is important to apply organic fertilizers to such soil: rotted manure, composts, lowland peat, 4–12 kg per 1 m 2, depending on the availability of fertilizers and the capabilities of the owner of the site. In soddy-podzolic soils, lime is applied in the indicated doses once every 8–9 years, and organic fertilizers once every 3–4 years. Mineral fertilizers are also used annually.

Chernozem soils are the most favorable for horticulture and horticulture, as these soils are rich in humus. Humus is a substance that is formed as a result of the decomposition of plant residues in the soil. Gardens and orchards of Kursk, Oryol, Voronezh, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Penza, Orenburg and other regions, the Central Black Earth region, the southern part of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, etc. are located on chernozem soils. They are well humus-rich and have high fertility.

A brief description of this type of soil is as follows: The content of humus in chernozems, depending on local conditions, varies from 4 to 12%, and the thickness of the humus horizon is from 0.4 to 1.2 m and even more. Their acidity is close to neutral: pH 5.6–7.5, and, as a rule, they do not need liming. But to obtain high yields, the application of manure at a dose of 4–8 kg per 1 m2 is an indispensable condition for these soils.

Gray forest soils occupy a middle position between the first two, that is, they have more favorable properties than those of soddy-podzolic soils, and they are located south of the zone of soddy-podzolic soils. The humus content in them ranges from 2.5 to 9–10%. The fertility and quality characteristics of this type of soil are much higher than those of soddy-podzolic soils.

Gray forest soils are acidic and slightly acidic - pH 5.5–6.0. Many gray forest soils require liming. The average doses of lime for gray forest soils are 0.3–0.7 kg, manure 4–10 kg per 1 m 2. The frequency of application is the same as on soddy-podzolic soils.

Knowing what soils are, and what kind of soil is on your site, you can try to improve its quality.

Water-air regime of the soil and its regulation

Water-air regime of the soil- this is one of the most accessible factors for the regulation of growth and development of plants.

Water is essential for plants. Many fruits are mostly water. So, cucumbers up to 96–98% consist of water, tomatoes, peppers up to 90–94%. A large amount of moisture is necessary for seed germination. When creating a crop, fruit and vegetable crops pass a huge amount of water through themselves. For example, potatoes, in order to accumulate 1 kg of dry matter, pass 400-500 liters through themselves, cabbage - 500-600 liters of water. This is how plants work to create the crops for which we grow them. Therefore, providing plants with moisture, that is, watering, is one of the main components in obtaining high yields.

However, plants need more than just abundant watering: taking into account the characteristics of the main soil types, it is necessary to supply them with water skillfully - at the right time, in the right amount, the right way watering, and not with icy water from a spring, a well, but with warm water warmed up in the sun. On the other hand, excess moisture also depresses plants, no less than its lack. Plant roots need not only moisture, they also use air from the soil for breathing. Therefore, with an excess of moisture, the roots can rot. Inhibits plants and watering cold water. Irrigation water in the tank should always be heated in the sun.

Moisture requirement different cultures is also very different: Some cultures are very difficult to tolerate the lack of moisture, others are somewhat easier. Carrots, tomatoes, peppers, parsley tolerate drought more easily, beets, onions, and garlic do not suffer very much. And plants such as cucumber, cabbage, radish, turnip, radish, eggplant, as well as some green plants, with a lack of moisture, drastically reduce the yield, and the quality of products deteriorates.

Of the fruit and berry crops, plums, currants, and raspberries suffer more from a lack of moisture.

In addition to soil moisture, there is such a thing as air humidity. Different plants react differently to the air regime of soils. For example, it is for this reason that it is undesirable to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in the same greenhouse: cucumbers like high humidity of both soil and air, and tomatoes like high soil moisture, but dry air. For the same reason, in the garden, tomatoes are watered only under the root, and cucumbers are best watered by sprinkling: moistening both the soil and the air.

Excessive air humidity, together with high temperatures, can lead to a strong development of diseases such as scab, late blight. Therefore, gardeners use different methods of irrigation for different garden and horticultural crops: sprinkling, root watering, subsoil irrigation, drip irrigation other.

As noted at the beginning, the regulation of the water-air regime of soils in the garden can be carried out in various ways. The most radical measure is, of course, watering in various ways. However, you need to pay attention to the economical use of water by plants. For example, regular surface loosening of beds, on the one hand, is aimed at destroying weeds and improving the air properties of the soil, on the other hand, this is an effective measure to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil.

Reduces evaporation of moisture mulching - covering the surface of the beds various materials, which do not form capillaries: fine humus, peat, sawdust. Must mulch trunk circles after planting and watering fruit and berry crops and holes with seedlings of vegetables.

To accumulate moisture reserves in the soil and ensure an excellent water regime of soils, winter snow retention is a good help. This is an important and easy-to-perform event in the backyard economy. Snow can be delayed by placing tiles cut out of dense snow on the edge, spreading tree branches and pine spruce branches in the garden.

However, in some areas, on the contrary, you have to deal with excess moisture. As a rule, in areas with a close location of groundwater. If in the middle of summer groundwater is 2–2.5 meters from the surface of the earth, then in such areas it is very problematic to grow such fruit crops as apple, pear, plum, tree-like cherries. For example, over the years root system an adult apple tree can reach a depth of up to 4 meters, and, having reached the groundwater horizon, it begins to rot. Rotting roots rise higher and higher, and over the years the tree withers, dies. The higher the groundwater is, the more difficult it is to create an orchard on such a site. And in some cases it is completely impossible. To get rid of excess moisture, drainage ditches have to be dug along the edges of such areas.

Classification of soils by mechanical composition: properties of the main types

Soils also differ in their mechanical composition. The classification of soils according to their mechanical composition is as follows: sandy, sandy, loamy, clayey.

Sandy and sandy soils are called light, and loamy and clayey soils are called heavy. The water-air regime of the soil also strongly depends on its mechanical composition. Although loamy and clay soils richest in nutrients, water-air and physical properties These soils are not very favorable for plants: they have a dense constitution, they are difficult to cultivate, they have few pores, and therefore air for the roots to breathe.

On the surface of heavy soils, after each rain or watering, a soil crust with capillaries is formed, which increases the evaporation of moisture, making it difficult for the roots to breathe. To improve the properties of the soil and its mechanical composition, coarse-grained river sand, sawdust, and buckwheat husks are introduced.

The introduction of organic fertilizers simultaneously with enrichment with nutrients also improves the water-air and physical properties of the soil.

Sandy and sandy soils have favorable water-air properties, but they have few nutrients. Due to their mechanical composition, this type of soil has a low absorption capacity, and the nutrients of the applied fertilizers are easily washed out from the root layer to the underlying layers, the soil quickly becomes depleted again.

To improve these soils, the application of fairly high doses of organic fertilizers is required: up to 6–12 kg per 1 m 2. In the presence of such soils, peat, sapropel - silt of overgrown lakes and ponds are introduced in large quantities.

However, for the thorough cultivation of such soils, a lot of materials and labor have to be spent. The introduction of the above materials-improvers in small doses only for a time, for 2-3 years, will increase the fertility of such soils and improve the water-air properties.

The mechanical indicators of soil composition and their characteristics have a great influence on the conditions for the use of fertilizers, so the gardener must be able to determine it. There is the simplest way to determine the mechanical composition. 50-100 g of soil is moistened, kneaded in the hands and they try to make figures: a tourniquet and a ring. If you manage to roll out the tourniquet, and make a smooth ring out of it completely without cracks, then the soil of your site is heavy loamy. If the ring is obtained with small cracks - loamy, and if it is difficult to make a ring and it turns out with cracks - light loamy. It was possible to roll up the tourniquet, but the ring does not work - the soil is sandy, and if even the tourniquet cannot be rolled up (the soil crumbles), then the soil is sandy.

The above characteristics of soil properties, of course, are averaged; it is impossible to give soil conditions for each garden plot and give a single recommendation on the agricultural technology of its cultivation.

The influence of soil acidity indicators on garden plants

Soils are acidic, alkaline and neutral. Soil acidity is characterized by pH. If the pH is below 4, then the soils are very acidic, 4–5 are acidic, 5–6 are slightly acidic, and at a pH value of 6.5–7.5, they have a reaction close to neutral.

The effect of soil acidity on garden plants is very high: for most crops, neutral soils and soils with a reaction close to neutral are most favorable. The reaction of the soil plays a very important role in their growth and development.

In central Russia, acidic, slightly acidic soils and soils with a reaction close to neutral are most common. Plants on acidic soils are oppressed, the roots branch weakly, grow thin, as a result, the growth and development of plants worsens, and productivity decreases. Acidity binds soil nutrients and makes them insoluble in water and inaccessible to plants. On acidic soils, some trace elements are also inaccessible to plants, and phosphorus is poorly absorbed. On acidic soils, soil microorganisms also develop poorly, which convert organic nutrients to a state available to plants.

However, different horticultural plants relate differently to soil acidity characteristics. Some plants are more resistant to soil acidity, while others do not tolerate even a slightly acidic reaction. With a slight acidity of the soil, potatoes, tomatoes, sorrel grow well, and radishes from cabbage. Other crops: cabbage, onion, garlic, carrots, cucumber, etc., and from horticultural crops: currant, apple, raspberry, pear, plum, cherry - prefer soils with acidity close to neutral and neutral soils. Plants are especially sensitive to increased soil acidity at the beginning of growth, immediately after germination.

How to check soil acidity: self-determination

How to determine the acidity of the soil in your garden plot? To do this, you need to look at the plants growing around your garden plot. On acidic and slightly acidic soils, plants such as caustic ranunculus, horsetail, horse sorrel, cinquefoil, mint, belus, marigold, etc. usually grow. If the above plants grow in large numbers near your site, most likely, the soils of the site are acidic. In this case, it is necessary to try to reduce the acidity and bring it to a state close to neutral.

Vegetable crops react differently to soil acidity. Table beets and cabbage suffer more from acidity of the soil; onions, lettuce, cucumbers, legumes (except lupine) also grow poorly. Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and radishes are less sensitive to soil acidity. But there are also horticultural crops that can only grow on acidic soils. These are garden blueberries, cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, etc. As you may have guessed, the development of the above weeds can serve as the first indicator of acidity. If beets and cabbage grow well in the garden, then the acidity of the soil is close to neutral, if it is bad, then it is acidic.

How else can you check the acidity of the soil in the garden? This can be done by the simplest analytical method, using litmus paper. To independently determine the acidity of the soil on the site, it is necessary to dig a hole 30–35 cm deep. From one vertical wall of the site, a soil sample is taken evenly from the entire depth and mixed well. From this sample, you need to take about 20 g of soil, add 50 g of water, shake well and leave for a day to settle. Before analysis, carefully, so as not to shake, pour the transparent sediment into a bowl and lower the purple litmus paper. If the paper does not change color or changes slightly, then the soil has a reaction close to neutral, but if the paper changes color sharply to red, then the soil is acidic.

Of course, such an analysis is not entirely accurate, only in in general terms characterizes acidity and does not show the degree of acidity at all. To more accurately determine the acidity of the soil of your site, you can use the services of the nearest agrochemical laboratory. Under laboratory conditions, such an analysis is simple and, I think, will not be very expensive.

How to reduce soil acidity: ways to reduce pH

Nevertheless, if the soils of your site turned out to be acidic, then the acidity must be reduced by adding lime. On strongly acidic soils, 50–90 kg of lime are applied per one hundred square meters of the plot, 35–50 kg of acidic soils, and 25–30 kg on slightly acidic soils. Lime is applied in autumn, spreading evenly on the soil surface before digging it. For a rapid decrease in acidity, the size of the particles of lime material and the quality of their mixing with the soil are of great importance. The finer the particles and the better they mix with the soil, the faster the acidity of the soil decreases.

Lime has a long-term effect on the soil. When applied in the indicated doses, the need for repeated liming arises only after 7–9 years. Sometimes liming is carried out in smaller doses, but then, naturally, the acidity of the soil decreases more slowly, and the need for repeated liming comes faster.

The decrease in soil acidity is a strong factor in increasing the yield of horticultural crops. On acidic soils, after full rate liming, due to the reduction in acidity, crop yields can increase in the same way as after applying a good dose of full fertilizer. However, it must be borne in mind that when using methods to lower the pH, excessive liming is also unacceptable.

In soil with an alkaline environment (pH above 7), some microelements and phosphorus become inaccessible to plants. On sale there are such lime fertilizers: limestone flour, burnt and slaked lime, lime tuff, dolomite flour. Wood ash also contains a lot of calcium and is good at reducing soil acidity.

Soils, in contrast to acidic, are also alkaline. These are southern carbonate chernozems, chestnut soils, solonetsous soils. Such soils are predominantly found in the southern regions of Russia: in the Volgograd, Kurgan, Stavropol and other regions. The pH of these soils ranges from 7.5–8.5. The alkaline reaction of such soils is reduced by adding gypsum to the soil.

The main gypsum-containing materials used for soil gypsuming are phosphogypsum, clay gypsum and raw ground gypsum. Depending on the alkalinity, from 30 to 80–90 kg of gypsum per 1 hundred square meters are applied to the soil. The conditions and terms for the introduction of gypsum-containing materials are the same as for the introduction of lime on acidic soils.

Factors that affect the growth and development of plants

The moon, naturally, affects both all living organisms and plants, on their growth and development. This is an indisputable fact.

But, therefore, their productivity is influenced by a large number of factors:

characteristics of soil fertility and the quality of its processing,
the right variety,
seed quality,
sowing time,
watering,
fertilizer,
top dressing,
weeding,
protection from diseases and pests,

and many, many other factors, as well as their timely implementation.

The phases of the moon and its passage along different signs zodiac. These are indispensable components of the harvest. The yield depends on all these factors, but not to the same extent. Let's say you planted tomatoes exactly according to the lunar calendar, but you take care of them poorly. Naturally, the harvest will be drastically reduced, despite the fact that you planted plants strictly according to the lunar calendar. Another case. You planted tomatoes in agronomically correct terms: on a cloudy, favorable day (but not according to the lunar calendar), they were well looked after during the summer, and every gardener knows that he will get a good harvest. Second example. They sown the crop with bad seeds, albeit at optimally favorable dates according to the lunar calendar, but the harvest will again be small. Many examples of such comparisons can be given.

Thus, many factors influence the yield. Chief among them are the following:

good grade,
quality seeds,
timely watering,
weed weeding,
correct and complete fertilizer, and on acidic soils and a decrease in acidity.

Agronomic textbooks even provide evidence-based criteria for the influence of each of these (and other) factors on the percentage increase in crop yields. What about the lunar calendar? It also affects the yield, but not to the same extent as these main factors. Think and draw your own conclusions. Of course, the execution of work on the dates indicated in a well-designed lunar calendar has a small effect on crop yields, but this is not a panacea. Timely, competent care of plants has a tenfold greater impact on the yield in the garden.

Soils are classified by type. The first scientist to classify soils was. In the territory Russian Federation the following soil types are encountered: Podzolic soils, gley soils, arctic soils, permafrost-taiga soils, gray and brown forest soils, and chestnut soils.

Tundra gley soils are on . Formed without much influence on them. These soils are found in areas where there is (in the Northern Hemisphere). Often, gley soils are places where deer live and feed in summer and winter. An example of tundra soils in Russia can serve, and in the world - this is Alaska in the USA. In areas with such soils, people are engaged in agriculture. Potatoes, vegetables and various herbs grow on such land. To improve the fertility of tundra gley soils, the following types of work are used: the most moisture-saturated lands and the irrigation of arid regions. Also, the methods of improving the fertility of these soils include the introduction of organic and fertilizers into them.

arctic soils obtained by thawing. This soil is quite thin. The maximum layer of humus (fertile layer) is 1-2 cm. This type of soil has a low acidic environment. This soil is not restored due to the harsh. These soils are distributed on the territory of Russia only in (on a number of islands). Due to the harsh climate and a small layer of humus, nothing grows on such soils.

Podzolic soils common in forests. There is only 1-4% humus in the soil. Podzolic soils are obtained through the process of podzol formation. There is a reaction with an acid. That is why this type of soil is also called acidic. Podzolic soils were first described by Dokuchaev. In Russia, podzolic soils are common in Siberia and on. In the world, there are podzolic soils in, and Canada. Such soils must be properly cultivated. They need to be fertilized, organic and mineral fertilizers should be applied to them. Such soils are more useful in logging than in agriculture. After all, trees grow on them better than crops. Soddy-podzolic soils are a subtype of podzolic soils. They are similar in composition to podzolic soils. A characteristic feature of these soils is that they can be more slowly washed out by water, unlike podzolic ones. Soddy-podzolic soils are found mainly in (territory of Siberia). This soil contains up to 10% of the fertile layer on the surface, and at a depth the layer sharply decreases to 0.5%.

Permafrost-taiga soils were formed in forests, under perpetual conditions. They are found only in continental climates. The greatest depths of these soils do not exceed 1 meter. This is caused by proximity to the permafrost surface. The humus content is only 3-10%. As a subspecies, there are mountain permafrost-taiga soils. They form in the taiga on, which are covered with ice only in winter. These soils exist. They meet on. More often, mountain permafrost-taiga soils are found next to small reservoirs. Outside of Russia, such soils exist in and in Alaska.

gray forest soils formed in forest areas. An indispensable condition for the formation of such soils is the presence of a continental climate. Deciduous forests and herbal vegetation. Places of formation contain the element necessary for such soil - calcium. Thanks to this element, water does not penetrate deep into the soil and does not erode them. These soils gray color. The content of humus in gray forest soils is 2-8 percent, that is, soil fertility is average. Gray forest soils are divided into gray, light gray, and dark gray. These soils prevail in Russia on the territory from to. Fruit and grain crops are grown on soils.

Brown forest soils distributed in forests: mixed, coniferous and broad-leaved. These soils are only in conditions. Soil color brown. Usually brown soils look like this: on the surface of the earth there is a layer of fallen leaves, about 5 cm high. Next comes the fertile layer, which is 20, and sometimes 30 cm. Even lower is a clay layer of 15-40 cm. There are several subtypes of brown soils. The subtypes vary with temperatures. There are: typical, podzolized, gley (surface gley and pseudopodzolic). On the territory of the Russian Federation, soils are common in the Far East and near the foothills. Undemanding crops such as tea, grapes and tobacco are grown on these soils. It grows well on such soils.

chestnut soils common in and . The fertile layer of such soils is 1.5-4.5%. That says the average fertility of the soil. This soil has a chestnut, light chestnut and dark chestnut color. Accordingly, there are three subtypes of chestnut soil, differing in color. On light chestnut soils, agriculture is possible only with abundant watering. The main purpose of this land is pasture. On dark chestnut soils, the following crops grow well without irrigation: wheat, barley, oats, sunflower, millet. There are slight differences in the soil and in the chemical composition of the chestnut soil. Its division into clay, sandy, sandy loamy, light loamy, medium loamy and heavy loamy. Each of them has a slightly different chemical composition. Chemical composition chestnut soil is varied. The soil contains magnesium, calcium, water-soluble salts. Chestnut soil tends to recover quickly. Its thickness is supported by annually falling grass and leaves of rare trees in the steppe. On it you can get good yields, provided that there is a lot of moisture. After all, the steppes are usually dry. Chestnut soils in Russia are common in the Caucasus, on

Color, mechanical composition, structure, neoplasms are the main characteristics of soil horizons.

It happens in different colors due to the fact that it seems to mix the colors of its main components. From dark gray and dark brown to black - this is the main color of soil organic matter. Brown and red colors are oxides of ferric iron. Gray, bluish and greenish tones are characteristic of minerals containing ferrous forms of ferrous iron. The white color of the soil is given by grains of quartz and some other minerals, as well as lime, gypsum and easily soluble salts - carbonates, chlorides and sulfates of sodium and potassium.

The mechanical composition of the soil is the content of sand and clay particles of different sizes in it. If there are many large sandy particles, then the soil is sandy, and if there are many small clay particles, clayey. There are also sandy loamy soils, in which there are fewer large particles than in sands. AT loamy soils there are already more small particles, and the soil is closer to clay. Sandy and clay particles are fastened together into lumps, grains or nuts, forming, respectively, lumpy, granular and nutty soil structure. Their organic matter is “glued together” by special physical and chemical forces that arise on the surface of thin particles. Finally, neoplasms are special secretions in the soil substance, which are formed as a result of precipitation from solutions of various salts and compounds. So, the soil solution penetrating along the root then evaporates, and lime falls out of it - around the root, like its cover, a calcareous thin tube is formed. Soil neoplasms are akin to kidney stones in a sick person.

Soil horizons also differ in moisture content, composition of soil solution, soil air, and living organisms. For the full growth of plants, a uniform ratio of soil solid matter, soil pores (small voids between solid particles) filled with water, and pores filled with air is necessary. Such a uniform ratio can be observed in garden soils or in the upper chernozems after a summer rain. The ability to store water in its thin pores due to surface tension and capillary rise is a very important property of the soil. Even during drought, the soil supplies this capillary moisture to plant roots. The soil solution is the "blood" of the soil. It carries substances from one place to another, creating horizons of washing out and washing out of substances. However, through thin pores - capillaries - easily soluble salts harmful to plants get to the soil surface from groundwater along with the solution. If the soil is filled with water for a long time and there are few voids with air in it, then it is waterlogged, which is bad for plants. The fact is that in this case the composition of soil air is very different from the air (which contains 21% oxygen and 0.03% carbon dioxide) and approaches Venus (it can contain 1 - 2% oxygen and 5 - 10% carbon dioxide). ). Under such conditions, the development of roots and plants as a whole slows down. As a result of the decomposition of organic matter, light swamp gas methane (CH4) appears. It is his secretions that are accompanied by sounds that terrified the heroes of A. Conan Doyle's story "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The pores of ordinary, not waterlogged soil contain 20% oxygen and 0.2 - 0.5% carbon dioxide. Their content is regulated by a myriad of soil organisms that consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Only microorganisms in the upper horizons of soils - hundreds of millions and billions in the first year. Among them are many bacteria, microscopic fungi and algae. There are many small invertebrates in the soil - earthworms, larvae and adult arthropods, as well as other animals - roundworms and tardigrades. In addition to microorganisms, thousands of larger and millions of small soil animals, invisible to the naked eye, live on 1 m2 of soil. The total mass of soil organisms is hundreds of times greater than the mass of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds living on the soil.

Soil organisms - for each soil its own. For example, there are a lot of microscopic fungi in forest soils, while in steppe soils they are few and bacteria predominate, therefore, plant residues falling on the surface in the forest and steppe decompose differently, which is why different soil horizons are formed. The soil is a real film of life. Under the cover of the forest, a litter is formed - opal of leaves, needles, twigs, grasses and mosses, partly processed by soil organisms. If such litter occurs in conditions of waterlogged soil, where there are much fewer soil animals that process plant remains, then a peat horizon is formed here. In the steppe, where there are no trees, the remains of grasses form the horizon of the steppe felt. All these horizons are composed of organic matter and contain almost no mineral particles.

Part of the organic residues as a result of the death of the roots falls directly into the soil, and part of the organic matter is dragged there by worms and other animals. Here, organic substances interact with mineral substances, organomineral compounds are formed. Such chemical compounds and organic residues inside the soil are called humus, and a dark-colored soil horizon with a high content of it is called a humus horizon. This is the main horizon of chernozems, the thickness of which is more than 1 m. The abundance of organisms “glues” soil particles into strong grains, therefore, a granular structure is formed near these horizons, which provides the roots with excellent air access. If the conditions for soil formation are not as ideal as for chernozems, then leaching horizons can form under the litter, i.e., soil layers from which mineral compounds are removed and washed out. In this case, only the most stable minerals such as quartz remain, due to which the horizons acquire a whitish color. Washout horizons are characteristic of widespread podzols and podzolic soils. But if something is washed away, where does it go? Some of the mineral compounds are carried away from the soil and eventually end up in rivers and seas, but some of the less soluble substances remain in the deeper layers of the soil. This is how washout horizons are formed. Depending on what substance accumulates in them - iron compounds, humus or various salts, the horizons are brown, black or white. Brown infiltration horizons are found in podzolic soils, and light lime infiltration horizons are found in chernozems. If the soil is waterlogged, then it lacks oxygen, so part of the iron goes into a divalent state, and the soil horizons, in this regard, acquire gray, bluish and greenish tones, and, in addition, they are structureless and sticky. Such horizons are called gley. They are most often found under peatlands. It is from such horizons: litter, peat, humus, gley, leaching and washing out that most of the soils of the world consist.

Under water and in caves there are no soils in their classical sense. Under water, there is practically no air in the bottom sediments, and organic matter accumulates there not so much due to local underwater plants, but as a result of the “rain of corpses” of marine organisms that feed in the water. Underwater silt is not a source of food for organisms (they live off substances dissolved in water), but rather their graveyard. Only benthic organisms live there, making up a small percentage of the total number of inhabitants of the underwater world. Bottom sediments are an excellent example of a bioinert body, according to V. I. Vernadsky, but not soil.

Experienced gardeners are well aware that most of the planned seasonal work depends on the composition of the soil in the garden. The maintenance of the garden and vegetable garden is not complete without taking into account the soil composition and characteristics of the soil on the farm. Sowing, caring for and fertilizing the land for an excellent harvest is necessary only after a thorough analysis of the soil.

To improve its quality and characteristics in agriculture, even special methods have been developed for processing and touching green manure, various plants that fertilize and strengthen existing soils with the products of their vital activity. In order to effectively apply such agricultural technologies within your own suburban economy, it is better to use them after a careful study of the existing varieties of soils, their typical properties and characteristics.

The territory of Russia is quite diverse and the soil composition can also vary. When the question arises of introducing green manure for processing and improving gardening, selecting horticultural crops to obtain a high-quality and rich harvest, dividing the site into planting and fertilizing zones, and other work to improve soil quality, it is necessary first of all to study the characteristics of the soil on the site. Such knowledge makes it possible not only to avoid many difficulties with growing plants, but also to qualitatively increase productivity, protect your garden from typical garden diseases and pests.

This variety is very easy to identify. So when during the spring preparatory work, the soil is dug up, the clods are large, they stick when wet, and you can easily roll a long cylinder out of the ground that does not crumble when bent. This type of soil has a very dense structure with poor air ventilation. Saturation with water and warming up of the earth is going poorly, and therefore planting and growing capricious horticultural crops on clay soils is quite problematic.
But in gardening, this type of soil can become the basis for a good harvest if you resort to tillage on the site. For the cultivation of clay soils, green manures are rarely used to facilitate their dense structure, they are enriched with sandy, peat, ash and lime additives. An accurate calculation of the amount of various additives can be made only by conducting a laboratory study of soils from the site. But to increase their fertility, it is better to use averaged data. So, to enrich a square meter of land, you need to add about 40 kg of sand, 300 grams of lime and a bucket of peat and ash. From organic fertilizers, it is better to use horse manure. And if it is possible to use green manure, you can sow rye, mustard and some oats.

Recognizing them is very easy. The main characteristics of such soils are friability and flowability. They cannot be compressed into a lump so that it does not crumble. All the advantages of these soils are also their main disadvantages. Rapid heating, easy circulation of air, minerals and water leads to rapid cooling, drying and washing out of nutrients. The substances necessary for plants do not have time to linger in such soil and quickly go to the depth.
Therefore, growing any kind of vegetation on sandstones is a very difficult task, even after the start of processing. For cultivating the land in such a plot, the introduction of substances is used that makes the light structure more dense. Such additives include peat, humus, compost and clay flour. It is necessary to make sealing components for each square meter at least a bucket. It will not be superfluous to use green manure. For this work, you can sow mustard, rye and various varieties of oats, after such processing, even the use of fertilizers will become more effective.

sandy loam priming

This type of soil cover is very similar to sandstones, but due to the greater percentage of clay components, it retains minerals better.
The cultivation of such soils is easier and does not require as much effort as sandy and clay varieties. The types of sandy loamy soils may differ slightly from each other, but the characteristic always corresponds to rapid heating and heat retention for a long period, as well as optimal saturation with moisture, oxygen and beneficial substances. To determine the sandy loam cover, you can compress an earthen lump, which should take the form of a lump, but gradually disintegrate. These types of soil in the original version are ready for growing any horticultural and horticultural crops. But for greater efficiency and in cases of depletion of the soil cover, you can use the planting of plants of the green manure group rye or mustard. It is enough to plant rye and mustard once every 3-4 years, if the choice fell in the direction of oats, then strengthening is carried out more often.

Loamy priming

Such species are optimal for growing a wide variety of plants. Their characteristic allows to do without additional processing. Such soil contains the optimal amount of microelements useful and necessary for full growth and development, as well as a high level of saturation of the root system of plants with water and air, which makes it possible to achieve not only a large potato yield. On such lands, you can grow all kinds of garden and garden plants. It is very easy to distinguish them from other types of soils. It is necessary to compress the earth into a lump, and then try to bend it. Loamy soil will easily take shape, but break apart when trying to deform it.

Lime priming

Very poor variety of land for gardening. Plants grown on calcareous substrates often suffer from iron and manganese deficiencies.
Lime soil can be distinguished by its light brown color and structure with many stone inclusions. Such soil requires frequent processing to obtain a crop. The lack of basic components and the alkaline environment do not allow moisture and organic composition to receive everything necessary for proper growth and development. To improve the fertile properties of the land, the use of green manure is very effective. A simple solution will sow rye and mustard. If you grow rye and mustard on the site for several years, you can increase the yield of other crops by several times.

swampy or peat priming

In the original version, these soils are unsuitable for setting up a garden or vegetable garden. But after processing, growing plants is quite possible.
Such soils quickly absorb water, but do not retain it inside. Also, such land has a rather high level of acidity, which leads to a lack of minerals and useful elements for vegetation. After the beautification work, arranged in the fall, you can try to grow unpretentious garden crops in the next season.

Chernozemny priming

Chernozems are a gardener's dream. But among country soils, it is found infrequently. A stable coarse-grained structure, an abundance of humus and calcium, ideal water and air exchange make chernozems the most desirable soils.
But with active cultivation and use for cultivation fruit trees and vegetable crops, even such soil can be depleted, so it must be nourished in a timely manner and stimulate fertile properties. For such purposes, the cultivation of green manure is ideal. Rye and mustard are very good to plant after potatoes, which quickly deplete the earth. It is worth repeating the procedure with planting green manure once every 2-3 years. Rye, mustard and varieties of oats are often used in mass agriculture to restore soil fertility, but also in conditions personal plot excellent results can be achieved. It is easy to establish that there is really chernozem soil on the site, it is necessary to compress the earthen ball and a greasy and black spot will remain in the palm of your hand.

Plant selection by soil composition

To facilitate the work when creating a garden and vegetable garden, it is worth choosing garden crops based on the characteristic features and adherence of plants to soil varieties. So, some representatives of the flora will not grow on land that is not suitable for their cultivation, despite all the efforts made, while others, in the same conditions, will actively grow and bear fruit.

When choosing the vegetation of the garden, the characteristics of the soil of the site must be taken into account.

clayey Earth

The density of the soil does not allow the root system to be fully saturated with air, moisture and heat. Therefore, the yield of vegetable crops in such areas is very small, the only exception can be the cultivation of potatoes, beets, peas and Jerusalem artichoke. But shrubs and trees with a strong root system on a site with clay soil feel quite acceptable.

Sandstones

Even before the application of compacting components, you can increase the level of productivity of the site if you sow carrots, melons, various varieties of onions, currants and strawberries. If the soil is regularly fertilized during the season, then you can get a good harvest of potatoes, cabbage and beets. The use of fast-acting fertilizers can increase the fruiting of fruit trees.

sandy and loamy Earth

Any plant is suitable for these types of soil. The only limitation can be considered the selection of horticultural crops, taking into account the terrain, zoning and climatic conditions.

lime Earth

Growing plants on such soil is quite problematic. It is not suitable for growing potatoes, it is also worth abandoning tomatoes, sorrel, carrots, pumpkins, cucumbers and salads.

swampy or peaty Earth

Without processing on peatlands, only gooseberry and currant bushes can be grown. For other horticultural crops, cultivation work is needed. Growing fruit plants, especially potatoes, in a peat bog is impossible.

Chernozemnaya Earth

Most the best way for summer cottages and household plots. It is ideal for all garden crops, even the most demanding ones.

For each type of soil, professional agronomists have developed special techniques and methods that ensure the optimal survival of new plants and the full growth of existing ones.

To increase the level of productivity, you can use the following simple recommendations.

Clay

For clay soils recommended:
- high position of the beds;
- it is better to sow seeds at a shallower depth;
- seedlings are planted at an angle for optimal heating of the root system;
- after planting, it is necessary to regularly apply loosening and mulching;
- in the fall, after harvesting, it is necessary to dig up the earth.

Sand

For sandstones there is a technology when a clay base is created on sandy soil, about 5 cm thick. On this basis, a bed is created from imported fertile soil and plants are planted already on it.

Sandy soils

Such soils respond well to the introduction of a variety of organic fertilizers. It is also recommended to periodically mulch, especially in the fall after the end of the harvest.

Loam

loams do not require additional processing. It is enough to support them with the help of mineral fertilizers, and in the fall, when digging, it is very good to introduce a small amount of manure.

Limestone

For limestone the following should be carried out regularly:
- saturation of the earth organic fertilizers;
- mulching with the introduction of organic impurities;
- it is often necessary to sow plants of the green manure group: rye, mustard, varieties of oats;
- it is necessary to sow seeds with frequent watering and loosening;
- a good result is the use of potash fertilizers and additives with an acidic environment.

Peat

For peatlands quite a lot of garden work is required:
- you need to strengthen the soil with sand or clay flour, for this you can carry out in-depth digging of the site;
- if the soil is found to have increased acidity, then it is necessary to carry out liming;
- to increase the fertility of the land, you can use a large number organics;
- the introduction of potash and phosphorus equations well increases the yield;
- for fruit trees, planting in deep pits with the introduction of fertile soil or planting on artificially created earthen hills is necessary;
- as for sandstones, under the garden it is necessary to create beds on a clay pillow.

For chernozem no special processing required. Additional work can be associated only with the characteristics of specific groups of plants. It is also necessary to regularly carry out work to prevent soil depletion. It is enough to plant a few green manure plants: rye, mustard and oat varieties, and the soil will be strengthened and saturated with useful elements for a few more years.

When purchasing a suburban area, the summer resident, first of all, must learn about the type of soil of the future garden. If the site is intended for growing fruit trees, berry bushes and vegetables, this is an important factor for obtaining good yields.

Knowing the qualitative composition of the soil, the gardener can easily select varieties for open or greenhouse sowing, the type of fertilizer for any cultivated crop, calculate required amount watering. All this will save money, time and your own labor.

All types of soil include:

maternal part or mineral;
humus or organic (the main determinant of fertility);
water permeability and ability to retain moisture;
the ability to pass air;
living organisms that process plant waste;
other neoplasms.

Each of the components is of no small importance, but the humus part is responsible for fertility. It is the high content of humus that makes soils the most fertile, providing plants with nutrients and moisture, which enables them to grow, develop and bear fruit.

Of course, in order to obtain a good harvest, the climatic zone, the timing of planting crops, and competent agricultural technology are important. But highest value has the composition of the soil mixture.

Knowing the constituents of the soil, fertilizers and appropriate care for planted plants are easily selected. Russian summer residents most often encounter such types of soils as: sandy, sandy loam, clayey, loamy, peat-marshy, calcareous and black soil.

AT pure form they are quite rare, but knowing about the main component, we can conclude what this or that type needs.

Sandy

The easiest to handle. Loose and free-flowing, they pass water remarkably well, warm up quickly, and pass air well to the roots.
But all the positive qualities are at the same time negative. The soil quickly cools and dries up. Nutrients are washed out during rains and during irrigation, go into deep soil layers, the earth becomes empty and infertile.

To increase fertility, several methods are used:

the introduction of compost, humus, peat chips (1-2 buckets for spring-autumn digging per 1 sq. M of the site) mixed with clay flour;
sowing green manure (mustard, vetch, alfalfa), followed by the incorporation of green mass into the soil during digging. Its structure improves, saturation with microorganisms and minerals occurs;
creation of a man-made "clay castle". The method is laborious, but gives a quick and good result. A layer of ordinary clay, 5-6 cm thick, is scattered in place of future beds. A mixture of compost, sandy soil, black soil, peat chips is placed on top and ridges are formed. Clay will retain moisture, plants will be comfortable.

But already at the initial stage of cultivating sandy soils, it is possible to plant strawberries on them, pouring humus or compost under each bush. Onions, carrots and pumpkins feel great in such lands. Fruit trees and berry bushes grow without problems on sandstones. In this case, proper fertilization in the planting hole is necessary.

sandy loam

Sandy loams are just as easy to work as sandy soils. But they have a much higher content of humus and binding components. Clay constituents retain nutrients better.

The composition of sandy loamy soils differs slightly, depending on the location of the site, but the main characteristics correspond to the name. They warm up quickly, but cool down more slowly than sandy ones. They retain moisture, minerals and organic matter well.

This species is best suited for growing horticultural crops. But still, do not forget about the application of mineral fertilizers, compost and humus, which provide plants with everything necessary for normal growth, development and fruiting.

By growing zoned varieties on sandy loamy soil and observing agricultural practices that correspond to the climatic zone, it is possible to get excellent yields from a summer cottage.

clayey

Considered heavy soils, poorly cultivated. In the spring they dry for a long time and warm up, hardly passing air to the roots of plants. In rainy weather, they do not pass moisture well, in the dry period the earth resembles a stone, it is difficult to loosen it, as it dries up.

When purchasing such a plot, it is necessary to cultivate it for several seasons, introducing:

compost (humus) - 1-2 buckets per sq. meter beds annually, to increase fertility;
sand to improve the passage of moisture into the soil, up to 40 kg per sq. plot meter;
peat chips to improve soil looseness and reduce clay density;
lime and ash are added without restriction;
once every 3-4 years, green manure is sown on free plots, followed by incorporation of green mass during digging.

Fruit trees and berry bushes, with their powerful and branched roots, tolerate clay soils well, provided proper preparation landing pits.

During the cultivation of the site, you can plant potatoes, beets, Jerusalem artichoke, peas on it. The remaining vegetables are planted on highly dug-up ridges or in ridges. So the roots will warm up well, and the earth dries out faster after spring stagnation of moisture.

All planted plants are periodically loosened and mulched. Loosening is best done after rain or watering, until the ground is covered with a hard crust. Mulch with chopped straw, old sawdust or peat chips.

loamy

Loams are ideal for growing all horticultural crops. Due to the optimally balanced composition (60-80% impurities and 40-20% clay) it is easy to process. The advantage is that loams have a balanced content of minerals and nutrients, which allows them to maintain normal soil acidity.

The fine-grained structure after digging remains loose for a long time, passes air well to the roots of plants, quickly warms up and retains heat. Clay components retain water for a long time, without stagnation, and maintain soil moisture.

Due to the fact that it is not required to cultivate loams, all garden crops feel good on them. But do not forget about the introduction of organic matter for autumn digging and mineral dressings of plants planted in spring. To preserve moisture, all plantings are mulched with old sawdust, peat chips or chopped straw.

Peaty swampy

The plots cut in peat swampy places require cultivation. First of all, it is necessary to carry out reclamation work. The allotment must be drained to drain moisture, otherwise, over time, the gardening partnership will turn into a swamp.

The soils in such areas are acidic, and therefore require annual liming. In terms of composition, the soil is sufficiently saturated with nitrogen and phosphorus, but it is not suitable for growing cultivated plants, since it is not absorbed in this form.

To improve the fertility of the site, he needs sand, fresh slurry, a large amount of humus or compost, for rapid development microorganisms that improve the condition and structure of peat-marshy soil.

To lay out a garden is required special training landing pits. They provide a pillow of a properly formulated nutrient mixture. Another option is to plant trees and bushes on mounds. The height is not less than 0.8-1 m.

The method is used, as with sandstones, when the ridges are arranged on a "clay castle", and peat-marshy soil mixed with sand, humus or old sawdust, lime is poured on top.

Bushes of currant, gooseberry, chokeberry are planted on uncultivated soils. Garden strawberries bear fruit well. With minimal care, consisting of watering and weeding, you can get a good harvest of berries.

Other garden plants can be planted on next year after cultivation.

Lime

The most unsuitable soil for gardening. It is poor in humus components, plants lack iron and manganese.

A distinctive feature is the light brown color of the soil, which includes many poorly broken lumps. If acidic soils require liming, then calcareous soils require leaching with the help of organic matter. This structure can be improved with the help of fresh sawdust, which also acidifies lime soil well.

The earth heats up quickly, without giving nutrients to plants. As a result, young seedlings turn yellow, develop and grow poorly.
Potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, sorrel, salad greens, radish, cucumbers suffer from a lack of nutrients and a high alkaline environment. Of course, they can be grown with abundant watering, frequent loosening, mineral and organic fertilizing, but the yield will be significantly lower than on other types.

To improve the fertility and structure of the soil, humus is used, the introduction of a large amount of manure for winter digging. Sowing green manure with the subsequent incorporation of green mass into the soil will save the situation and cultivate the area with limestone.

Fertility will be improved by the application of potash fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizing plants with urea or ammonium sulfate, mulching after watering and fertilizing will increase the acidity.

Chernozem

Standard garden soil. In the central zone of the country, areas with black earth soils are extremely rare.

The granular-lumpy structure is easily processed. It warms up well and retains heat, high water-absorbing and water-retaining properties make it possible for plants not to feel drought.

A balanced content of humus and mineral nutrients requires constant maintenance. Timely application of humus, compost, mineral fertilizers will enable long-term use of the site with black soil. To reduce the density, sand and peat chips are scattered on the site.

The acidity of chernozems is different, therefore, in order to comply with acceptable indicators, a special analysis is carried out or they are guided by weeds growing on the site.

How to determine the type of soil

To determine the type of soil in their suburban area, they use in a simple way. You need to collect a handful of earth, moisten it to a doughy state with water and try to roll a ball out of it. As a result, we can conclude:

clayey - the ball not only turned out, but a sausage rolled out of it, which is easy to put in a bagel;
loamy - the sausage rolls out of the ground well, but the bagel is not always obtained;
sandstones - even a ball does not always work out, the earth will simply crumble in your hands;
from sandy loam, it may be possible to form a ball, but it will be with a rough surface and nothing will work out further. The soil is not formed into a sausage, but crumbles;
the alleged chernozems are clenched in a fist, after which a dark greasy spot should remain in the palm of your hand;
calcareous, depending on the structure, can be soaked and a bagel made from sausage, but they are easily identified by color and lumpy components in the soil;
peat-marshy soils are determined by the location of the site.

Using your own methods of cultivating each type of soil, a good harvest can be obtained on any type of soil. The main thing is to observe the agricultural technology of growing and caring for plants, timely weeding, fertilizing and watering.