To obtain a rich harvest of any crop, it is important to timely apply the necessary fertilizers and monitor the acidity. A number of cultivated plants are sensitive to acidity. The introduction of special substances allows you to adjust the pH and create optimal conditions for growth and fruiting.
What is soil acidity
Soil acidity is a chemical indicator that reflects the reaction of soil and rocks. The soil is classified by acidity as follows.
If you have the opportunity to spend chemical analysis in the lab, take advantage of this. Also order a soil analysis for the content of various elements. Knowing the acidity of the soil is necessary for the selection of adaptive varieties of crops and the implementation of measures to adjust the acidity. You can conduct your own analyzes and observations that will allow you to determine what type of land your garden belongs to.
How soil acidity affects tomatoes
Tomatoes are a whimsical crop of soil quality and care. The main activities for caring for them are:
- timely watering;
- loosening;
- feeding.
But if you want to get a rich harvest, you should take into account that tomatoes grow and bear fruit excellently on soils with neutral acidity.
Important!
It is necessary to ensure that the pH value of the soil under the tomatoes is in the range of 5.5 to 6.5.
To determine the type of soil, you should use one of the soil self-assessment methods or take the soil sample to the laboratory.
How to determine acidity
A reliable and reliable way to determine soil acidity is laboratory analysis in a special laboratory. For this, soil should be collected in a clean container. It is advisable to take samples in dry weather. If you plan to assess a large area, you need to excavate the land in several places. The containers are marked with numbers.
To determine acidity with your own hands, there are a number of devices and methods:
- by using special device;
- by the fauna growing on the site;
- using chalk;
- using a litmus indicator.
There are also several folk recipes that will help you analyze which category the soil belongs to in the tomato growing area.
Using a special device
With the development of technology, manufacturers offer to purchase pH meters of various brands that will determine the acidity of the soil in a matter of seconds. These are compact devices with a range of different functions. To carry out the experiment, the pH is immersed in the soil with a special end and indicates the acidity with an accuracy of tenths. Depending on the modification, it can be a scale or a digital display.
A number of devices have memory functions, as well as a built-in hygrometer, with which you can also determine the level of natural soil moisture.
By the appearance of plants on the site
The acidic soils on the site can be inferred from the visual assessment of useful crops that grow in the beds. Plants are deficient in minerals and nutrients, which inevitably affects their appearance.
Pay attention to the ridges with beets. Red streaks on beet leaves signal acidity. The uniform green color of the leaves and red petioles indicate a neutral soil reaction. Coloring beet tops red means acidic soils. The culture itself prefers an alkalized environment.
In beds where garlic, cabbage, onions or beets grow splendidly, neutral soil. A rich harvest of radish, cucumbers, eggplants, peas, zucchini, potatoes means their growth on slightly acidic soils. In acidic areas, parsley, carrots, sorrel grow remarkably.
By the weeds
Having determined which weeds most often grow in your beds, you can draw a conclusion about the nature of the soil in the garden:
- thickets of nettle, wheatgrass, burdock, clover, field bindweed, alfalfa indicate an alkaline reaction;
- Acid soil is preferred by bellflower, daisies, field horsetail, plantain, horse sorrel, cinquefoil, wood lice, creeping buttercup, mint.
Areas where weeds of a certain type grow abundantly should be treated with appropriate fertilizers.
With chalk
Another way to independently determine the acidity of the soil on the site is to use chalk. Take a regular schoolbag and grind it up. Ordinary whitewashing is also suitable without adding any substances to it.
Samples of land about 3 tbsp. l is placed in a glass transparent bottle or jar, filled with warm water 5 tbsp. l and add crushed chalk 1 tsp. A fingertip or rubber glove is pulled on top of the neck. The contents of the jar are mixed by gentle shaking. Filling a glove or fingertip means an intense reaction between ingredients. Gas evolution while mixing earth, chalk and water means an acidic reaction.
The acidity of the soil is easily determined using a litmus indicator. In specialized stores, ready-made kits with prepared paper strips are sold, which are impregnated with special reagents.
To determine the acidity index, a scale is provided in the kit, where, according to the color intensity, you can find the correspondence of the color of the experimental litmus paper. The set includes several dozen paper elements (usually 50-80) for determining acidity at home.
To find out what acidity the soil is in your area, follow these steps:
- fence the land in several places;
- make a notch not only from the surface, but also in the recess;
- place the taken samples in containers and mark;
- take each material and place it in a piece of bandage or gauze;
- immerse the wrapped soil in a container of distilled water. The volume of water should be 5 times the volume of the earth sample. That is, if you analyze 1 tbsp. l of soil, then the distillate should be at least 5 tbsp. l .;
- let the sample sit in the liquid for 5 minutes. This is necessary for the reaction of dissolution of substances in soil in water;
- dip the litmus paper from the kit into an experimental container for 2-3 seconds;
- take out the indicator and wait for the reaction in natural conditions.
Litmus paper can be colored pink, orange, yellow or greenish.
It is interesting!
The method for determining the acidity of soils is based on an elementary method of carrying out the reaction, familiar to us from school chemistry lessons. Orange color indicator means acidic reaction, yellow - slightly acidic, greenish color - neutral.
Based on the results obtained, draw a conclusion about what activities need to be carried out in order to achieve the desired acidity. Among gardeners positive reviews received a set of litmus papers "Rottinger". Indicator products of this brand allow for the most accurate experiments.
Folk methods and means
If it is not possible to determine the acidity of the soil in a laboratory way, as well as the impossibility of conducting experiments using litmus papers or a special device, use folk ways:
- visual assessment of soil layers. For the experiment, it is necessary to dig a hole 25 cm deep. For these purposes, an ordinary bayonet shovel is suitable. Examine the walls of the fossa. If there is a layer white, on the analyzed site, acidic soils;
- assessment of waters in drainage. Look for grooves in your area or inspect drainage channels. Rusty water and an iridescent film on the surface of the liquid indicates a strongly acidic reaction;
- using currant or cherry leaves. For your own experience, take 4-5 shrub leaves and pour 200 ml of boiling water. Wait for it to cool. Then dip the soil into the liquid (at least 2 tbsp. L). The color of the infusion will change. Pink color will mean acidic, blue - alkaline, greenish - neutral;
- using vinegar essence. Take regular 70% vinegar and pour it on the ground. Hissing and producing a whitish haze will indicate an alkaline reaction. Bubble formation indicates neutral acidity. Adding water and a pinch of soda to the vinegar, then pouring it onto the soil, where foam forms after absorption, indicates that the soil in this place is acidic.
Simple and affordable reagents that every summer resident has will help determine whether lime application is required for tomatoes to reduce acidity or not.
Chemical methods
It is possible to independently conduct experiments using homemade litmus indicators. To do them:
- take red cabbage leaves;
- chop the leaves or grate on a special grater;
- boil the chopped material in boiling water for 30 minutes;
- cool the contents;
- soak strips of plain white paper in the resulting cabbage broth;
- dry the soaked strips at room temperature.
As a result of the measures taken, you received homemade indicators, with the help of which it is possible to determine the reaction of soils in different parts of the territory. To determine the acidity, place the soil in gauze in a container with a small amount of water, leave it for 5 minutes and, after removing it, immerse your own prepared litmus papers. A pink color indicates an acidic reaction.
Conclusion
Growing tomatoes and other crops that prefer neutral soils in acidic soil is impractical. The root system of tomatoes is poorly developed. The main leads and roots are hardly absorbed from the soil useful material and minerals.
Plants are deficient in nitrogen when grown in acidic soils. In the soil with increased acidity, the concentration of dissolved iron, manganese and aluminum is increased. Protein deficiency is observed. All this together creates unfavorable conditions for the full growth, flowering and fruiting of tomatoes.
Liming should be carried out to reduce the acidity of the soil. This procedure is best done in spring or autumn. Lime must be thoroughly crushed. The powder is applied to beds with pre-harvested crops and pulled out weeds. Then digging is carried out. The soil must be dug to a depth of at least 20 cm. This will ensure the penetration of lime to a depth. Tomatoes and other crops that prefer neutral soil will respond gratefully to full-fledged growth and a rich harvest of juicy and environmentally friendly fruits.
Fertile soil can be considered structural, moisture-proof, enriched with useful elements. Plants grow well in it, their roots have good protection and proper nutrition... You should know that any soil on the site can always be improved by raising the level of its fertility. But for this you need to understand how to determine the composition of the soil at home.
Soil composition, its properties and structural structure
At the heart of any soil area there are sand, clay and silt, which determine the structure and properties of the soil by their proportions. The structure of the soil has good air and water permeability, is able to retain heat, water and nutrients for a long time.
Sandy areas perfectly absorb water, warm up much earlier in spring, freeze quickly in winter. Based on the characteristics of their structure, such soils are considered poor, since they are practically unable to retain moisture and substances useful for plant growth.
Clay soils create stagnant water, react rather slowly to the change of seasons. Such a structure enables them to retain well the fertilizing components and nutrients, thereby ensuring good fertility on the site. Quite often, such soils have neutral acidity.
Silty soil options in such a pure form come across quite rarely. As a rule, they can be found on former riverbeds. In terms of their characteristic characteristics, muddy areas are similar to sandy ones, but at the same time they have a sufficiently large supply of nutrients.
The elements listed above are found in loamy soils. Such plots are considered easy to handle and fertile enough.
Stony soil have good natural drainage, but are considered the most exposed to the sun during dry periods.
Lime earth resembles sandy, but has a difference in high rates lime, has an alkaline reaction.
Peat plots consist of the remains of vegetation, have an acid reaction. They are well saturated with moisture, but are considered depleted in nutrients. They can usually be found in former swamps.
How to determine the composition of the soil yourself at home
At the site, you can determine the composition of the soil yourself. To do this, you need to water the ground from a hand watering can with water. If moisture penetrates deep from the surface in a split second, then your soil is sandy or stony. It is possible that it is also peat. But if the water lingers in the form of puddles, it means that the clay composition of the soil prevails on the site.
Now you need to take a handful of damp earth, squeeze it in your fist. After that, you should look at its appearance. Sandy or stony soil will quickly fall apart into grains and seep through your fingers. Soil with a high percentage of clay will create a slippery feel, stick together and stay in a lump shape. Silty soils and loams will feel like soapy to the touch, but they will not stick together into a lump as quickly as clayey. Peat soil when compressed will remind you of the roughness of a sponge.
At home, you can even do some research yourself. You need to take a tablespoon of soil from the site, add it to a glass of clean water, stir and leave for several hours. If it is loamy soil, then the water will remain clear, and the earth will settle to the bottom. Sandy or rocky soil will also leave the water in its pure form, covering the bottom of the glass with sediment in the form of pebbles or sand. Lime soil will make the water unclear, giving it a gray tint. Fragments will float from the peat sample to the surface of the water. Clay and silt will make the water cloudy, there will be little sediment.
Neutral soil... Another way to determine the quality and composition of soil is by the presence of earthworms. The most favorable habitat for worms is neutral soil. The humid environment and the presence of fresh organic matter contribute to the active reproduction and activity of earthworms. Worms are real orderlies of the soil, they process plant residues, tree bark, manure and other organic matter, which contributes to the formation of humus.
Humus is part of the soil most nutrient-rich. At the same time, harmful microorganisms are removed from the soil. Recycling waste and manure, worms disinfect, turn them into valuable fertilizers, which contain a large amount of enzymes useful for soil and plants, nutrients, beneficial microorganisms, and organic acids. Humus is excellent for keeping moisture in the soil.
The worms loosen the soil and create passages, which increases the penetration of oxygen and water along these passages, into its deeper layers. Where the plants have the largest mass of roots, about 20 centimeters deep. When moving in the soil, the worms carry fertilizers, lime, organic material.
Thus, it is quite possible to experiment with soil at home. The results will give you the opportunity to decide which plants are preferable to grow, how to fertilize the land, and take care of it.
The question of soil types to many summer residents, especially to beginners, seems like a "Chinese letter": it is not clear how to define this very type, and in general, why such difficulties are needed. Meanwhile, it is here that the answers to many questions that worry us may be hidden.
Many years ago, my first vegetable garden was located on an area near peat bogs. And I just could not understand why my beets are not growing. The potatoes are excellent, the strawberries, raspberries feel great, the greens please, but the beets fail, even cry: pitiful, stunted "tails", no matter how you look after. And I had no idea that this vegetable does not like acidic soils (and I had just one). I decided then - "not my" plant. And then, at another dacha, my beets grew without any hassle and worries - just sow and thin out in time, and harvest in the fall.
In general, in a nutshell, knowledge about the characteristics of different soils will help us to decide on the choice of plants for a garden, and to choose the right methods and techniques for processing our site. Moreover, to go into some purely scientific details in in this case there is no need - for a start, the most general information.
The mechanical composition of the soil
This is one of critical indicators, and at the same time - one of the easiest to understand and define.Soils are subdivided according to their mechanical composition into:
- light (sandy and sandy loam)
- medium-heavy (loamy)
- heavy (clayey).
The mechanical composition of the soil is easy to determine
To find out what kind of soil is on the site, we take a handful of earth, moisten it evenly so that it looks like a thick paste in consistency, and roll a "sausage" about 3 mm thick. Then we try to roll it into a ring and evaluate what came of it:
- the soil rolls well, is flexible, the ring rolls up easily and keeps its shape - clayey, heavy;
- the soil rolls into a "sausage", but cracks when you try to fold it in a ring - loamy;
- the soil crumbles, it is impossible to roll something whole from it, it is impossible to fold the ring - sandy or sandy loam, light.
Why is it important to understand this? The mechanical composition of the soil determines its density, water and air permeability, moisture capacity. Various types soils are provided differently essential plants batteries and require a different approach.
So, heavy soils richer in nutrition than the lungs. But they quickly compact, after rain their surface is seized by a crust. Water often stagnates on them, and plant roots suffer from waterlogging. In such soils, beneficial microorganisms do not work well, organic matter slowly decomposes, and therefore nutritional deficiencies may occur. In spring, areas with a similar soil warm up longer, and melt water leaves them later, so you have to start planting with some delay.
How to fix the situation? The main method is the introduction of loosening materials (usually sawdust or sand). Sand can be applied both in spring and in autumn, but sawdust - preferably in autumn, and it is useful to moisten them with a solution of nitrogen fertilizer before use. The volumes and proportions are selected in each specific case, depending on the requirements of the crops that are planned to be planted, and the characteristics of the soil.
Sowing green manure also has a good effect; for sowing on heavy soils, it is advisable to choose crops with a strong root system that penetrates deep into the ground (for example, cereals).
Light soils do not retain water well, and together with water they also lose nutrients. But they provide good air exchange and quickly warm up in the spring. It is possible to "make the soil heavier", to increase its moisture capacity by introducing clay or pond silt (sapropel). The latter, however, requires preprocessing: after extraction, it must be ventilated and frozen to get rid of chemical compounds harmful to plants.
It is useful on light soils to introduce large doses of organic matter (rotted manure or compost). But peat should be used with caution: it has good moisture capacity, but it can increase the acidity of the soil, and is not of particular value in terms of nutrient content.
Soil acidity: how to determine and what it affects
Another important parameter for us is the reaction of the soil. Why is it important? At the very beginning, I already gave an example with beets, which will not grow in acidic soil. And there are many such plants. In general, there are 4 groups of cultures, depending on their attitude to this factor:- first group- plants that prefer neutral and slightly alkaline soils (pH 6.0 or more): beets, pumpkin, zucchini, cabbage, onions and garlic, peas, beans, celery, cherries, plums and currants, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, asters, carnations and others;
- second group- plants that require a neutral or slightly acidic soil reaction (pH 5.6-6.0): carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, cauliflower and kohlrabi, apple, pear, begonias, gladioli, roses and others;
- third group- plants for which a slightly acidic soil reaction (pH 5.1-5.5) will be favorable: potatoes, corn, tomatoes, radishes, raspberries and blackberries, gooseberries, hazel, thuja western, irises, primroses, lilies, pelargonium and others;
- fourth group- Plants that prefer acidic soils (pH 4.0-4.5): sorrel, Scots pine, azaleas and rhododendrons, heathers, lily of the valley, lingonberries and cranberries, blueberries.
However, most crops are quite easy to adapt to fluctuations in pH levels, and in the special literature you can find contradictory information about the preferences of one or another species. Typical calcephobes(lovers of acidic soils) and calcephiles(those that prefer alkaline soils) are relatively few. And yet, if the requirements of the plant are not taken into account when planting, this will most likely lead to its diseases, starvation, poor development or death.
In soils with increased level acidity disturbed nitrogen nutrition; plants do not get in enough also phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, since their content is low or these substances are in a form inaccessible to plants. But there are other compounds that are toxic to the root system. The increased acidity of the soil provokes diseases, because the pathogenic microflora develops faster in such conditions.
However, the alkaline reaction is no better: here the plants are deficient in magnesium and iron, their leaves turn yellow and fall off. Cultures that are not adapted to such conditions get sick, form deformed fruits, and often die.
What vegetables and on what types of soil are best to grow?
Loamy soils, especially loess-like and chernozem soils, are better suited for growing vegetables.
Characterization of soil types
The mechanical composition of the soil has a significant impact on the growth and development of vegetable crops. Any soil contains water, air and solid particles in the form of organic and mineral substances... The best soils are those in which the main constituent parts are proportionally balanced. Water carries the nutrients dissolved in it to the plants. Soil oxygen for the root system of plants is the main supplier of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The organic part of the soil is half decomposed plant residues, more or less evenly distributed in some types of soil. They are quite strongly associated with the mineral composition of the earth.
❧ When placing together certain crops, one should take into account the climatic zones of the country: always the set of crops and sowing patterns differ significantly in the southern and northern regions.
The mechanical composition of the soil can be determined dry and wet way rolling it between the fingers while wet.
Dry clay soil when ground, it is a homogeneous fine powder that is difficult to grind between the fingers. Wet clay soil is easily smeared, you can roll a long cord out of it, then roll it into a ring that does not crack. Too dense and heavy clay soils are considered cold: they dry out very slowly and warm up in spring. After rain, a soil crust quickly forms on them, retarding the access of air inside. Poor air exchange in such soils makes it difficult for the roots of plants to breathe underground, due to which their root system suffers from a lack of oxygen. Atmospheric precipitation hardly seeps into the lower horizons of such soils. Stagnant water on the surface of heavy soils provokes the formation of methane, hydrogen sulfide and other gases that poison plants. Heavy clay soils are difficult to cultivate, and organic matter is difficult to decompose. On heavy soils, rutabaga, cabbage, rhubarb, radish and turnip grow well.
Dry loamy soil when rubbed, it turns into a fine powder, in which sandy particles are clearly felt. In a wet state, a cord can be rolled out of such soil, but it cannot be rolled into a ring. If the cord rolled from the soil begins to crack slightly when rolled up, it is a heavy loamy soil, mainly consisting of clay, but containing some amount of sand. If the cord rolled out of the soil cracks strongly, it is medium - loamy soil, in which the amount of sand is greater. If the cord crumbles and crumbles at the moment, it is a light loamy soil with a fairly high sand content. Loamy soils are quite fertile due to the significant presence of humus in them, they are favorable for growing vegetables. These soils retain moisture well, so the vegetables growing on them are less affected by drought.
Sandy loam soil, although there is a certain amount of clay in it, it will not be possible to roll it into a cord: both to the touch and visually, particles of sand are clearly felt in it different sizes... Such soil is easily rubbed between the fingers.
Sandy soils, in addition to grains of sand, contain an admixture of dust and clay particles. It is generally impossible to mold anything from such soil.
Sandy soil low fertility, water too easily penetrates through them to a depth, carrying nutrients with it. Sandy soils with small bonds of their particles are best cultivated in a wet state. Sandy and sandy loam soils are called warm because they dry out quickly and warm up in spring. However, they cool down just as quickly, creating sharp temperature fluctuations that are dangerous to plants. Sandy and sandy loamy soils have a good air regime due to the presence in them a large number pores, which facilitate the exchange between soil and atmospheric air. Water easily penetrates through them into the deeper layers.
These soils are easy to cultivate, but poor in humus. In them, the decomposition of organic substances occurs rather quickly, during which nitrogen and other nutrients necessary for plants are released. But they are rapidly washed out of the soil, without lingering in its upper fertile layer.
On light sandy and sandy loam soils, if they are rich in humus and are located on a clay subsoil with high level groundwater, many vegetable crops grow well. These include green vegetables, kohlrabi, onions, carrots, asparagus, beets and tomatoes.
The fertility of any soil depends on the presence of humic compounds in it, which decompose very slowly and are a reserve of nutrients. Humic acids give the soil a dark color: the darker the soil, the more fertile it is.
Fertile soil has 2 important characteristics: it contains many nutrients and is low in acidity. It is recommended to check the acidity level annually. At pH = 3-4, the soil is considered to be strongly acidic, at 4-5 - acidic, at 5-6 - slightly acidic. The indicator pH = 6-7 indicates the neutral acidity of the soil; pH = 7-8 indicates that the soil is alkaline; and pH = 8-9 indicates that the soil is strongly alkaline.
How to determine the acidity level of the soil?
The acidity level of the soil can be determined by what plants grow on the site. Horsetail, horse and passerine sorrel, knotweed, tricolor violet, field chamomile, plantain average, ivan da Marya, veronica oak, field mint, popovnik, caustic and creeping buttercups grow only on acidic soils.
The high acidity of the soil, when the plants lack calcium, is indicated by the type of leaves of garden plants. The edges of the leaves turn pale, dry out and curl upward. Root crops begin to grow overgrown with a large number of lateral roots, which reduces their productivity.
❧ When compacting crops, crops such as maize and pumpkin or maize and beans should be used. For livestock, if available in the courtyard, fodder beets can be grown on the site.
Acidic soils cause the development of many diseases of garden plants, including: powdery potato scab, "black leg" on seedlings, cabbage keel, carrot and beet root eater.
On slightly acidic and neutral soils, thistle, field bindweed, coltsfoot, wheatgrass, odorless chamomile grow. Clover only grows on soils with a low acidity. Nettle prefers fatty fertile soil with a degree of acidity close to neutral indicators.
You can more accurately determine the acidity level using indicator (litmus) paper, which is sold in stores selling chemical reagents. For research, it is necessary to take soil samples in several places on the site for the entire depth of the arable layer. A small part (20 g) must be separated from each sample, thoroughly mixed on film, and moistened with distilled or rain water (50 ml). Then attach litmus paper to it. Red color on it will mean that the soil on the site in the place where the sample was taken is strongly acidic. Pink color will inform about medium acidity, yellow - about weak acidity. A greenish-blue color will indicate a degree of acidity close to neutral, and blue color- its neutrality.
It is not difficult to more accurately determine the acidity of the soil using the Alyamovsky device, which is sold in stores and is equipped with instructions for its use.
Most garden plants prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.5-7. However, various vegetable crops need different level acidity of the soil.
Cabbage, onions, parsnips, peppers, beets prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 6.5-7.5. Peas, squash, carrots, radishes, radishes, turnips and pumpkin tolerate acidic soils well.
Leeks, cucumbers, lettuce and cauliflower grow well on soil that is slightly acidic and close to neutral, with a pH of 5-6. For cucumbers and lettuce, the pH should be 6-7, and for tomatoes, a pH of 5.5-7 is desirable. Potatoes, rhubarb, tomatoes, sorrel tolerate increased acidity without damage.
In acidic soils, soil organisms develop poorly, and part of the phosphorus fertilizers turns into compounds indigestible by plants. Excessive acidity of the soil, which is poorly tolerated by some vegetable crops, should be eliminated by liming.
When growing vegetables, an indicator such as the degree of soil salinity is important. It depends on the content of various salts in the soil. Vegetable crops are divided into 3 groups according to the degree of sensitivity to this indicator. Eggplants, cabbage, beets, celery are relatively resistant to this indicator. They are able to withstand the degree of soil salinity up to 1%.
Rutabaga, onion, turnip, tomatoes have an average degree of resistance - they tolerate soil salinity up to 0.4-0.6%. Carrots, sweet corn, cucumbers, radishes are very poorly tolerated by soil salinity, especially at seedling age.
The balance of the mineral parts of the soil determines its composition, therefore soils are able to be structural and structureless. A soil with a good structure has favorable water-air qualities.
Heavy loamy, clayey and uncultivated soils have an imperfect structure. Some disadvantages of both sandy and heavy uncultivated soils can be eliminated by special agrotechnical measures.
We went into detail on what types of soil you may encounter on your site. We have written how these soils differ from each other, and how they can affect the yield of your crops.
Let us briefly repeat the above.
The best soil for agriculture is loam, it has an equal ratio three mineral substances: clay, sand and silt. The rest of the soils are determined by the increased content of any one substance. Accordingly, they are clayey, sandy and silty. All of them have their drawbacks either in excessive density and poor permeability of moisture and air (clayey), or, conversely, in excessive looseness and inability to retain moisture and nutrients (sandy). Accordingly, each type of soil requires a special approach when growing garden crops on it.
That is why it is imperative to know what characteristics the soil has in your garden or vegetable garden.
If you do not have the opportunity to conduct a laboratory analysis of the soil from your site, you can do your own research.
A simple test that we bring to your attention will help you determine your soil type based on the percentage of sand, clay and silt in it. To conduct it, you will need the following:
- clean liter glass jar with a lid;
- small scoop;
- water;
- dishwashing liquid;
- ruler;
- well, your soil itself.
So, first, dig a hole in the ground 20 centimeters deep and 10 centimeters wide.
Fill a third of the jar with soil, taking it equally from all levels.
Add water to the jar, leaving 4-5 centimeters up to the top.
Add one tablespoon of dish soap to soften the water.
Close the lid and shake the mixture well. Now you have to wait 24 hours. However, preliminary results will be visible sooner.
So, the first, as the heaviest fraction, will settle down the sand. This can happen literally in five minutes. Sludge will settle in the second layer. This layer will subside in two hours. The last will be clay. It will take most of the time to settle it - up to 24 hours.
Organic impurities will remain floating on the surface of the water.
Now we take a ruler and measure the thickness of our layers (except for water). The layer of sand is the lightest, it is below. The silt layer is the darkest, it is in the center. The clay layer is something in between in color, it is at the top.
We take the total amount as 100 percent, and calculate the proportions of sand, silt and clay based on the results obtained.
How it will look approximately can be seen in the figures.
As you can see, based on the ratio of substances, it can be different type soil. It can be 95% clay or sandy. And there may be options such as sandy loam, silty loam, etc.
Remember that any type of soil