How to disinfect the ground before planting: disinfection methods, preparations for soil treatment

If the cultivated plants planted on the site began to develop slowly and began to get sick often, the reason lies in pathogenic microorganisms living in the soil. In order not to encounter such a problem, experienced gardeners recommend periodically treating the soil with disinfectants. Before choosing how to disinfect the ground before planting, it is worth figuring out which method is best suited in a particular situation.

What is it for?

Strong and he althy seedlings are the dream of any summer resident who grows fruit crops for their own consumption and subsequent sale on the market.If you do not take preventive measures and do not disinfect the soil on the site from time to time, every year it accumulates more and more pathogenic microorganisms and pests that are dangerous for seedlings. Completely replacing the soil in the garden is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking, so experienced gardeners resort to such a procedure as land disinfection. This allows, if not completely getting rid of fungal diseases of crops, then significantly reduces the likelihood of infection.

Benefits of Periodic Ground Disinfection:

• strong seedlings that develop well, bear fruit and fully absorb top dressing from the soil;
• prevention of infection by fungal and bacterial pathogens;
• destruction of weed seeds, which will subsequently drown out cultivated plants;
• reducing the frequency of crop treatments throughout the growing season in order to prevent diseases.

They disinfect the soil not only of garden soil, but also purchased at a gardening store, since fungi and other pathogens can also be found there. It is much more difficult to cure plants of diseases than to take measures to prevent infection even before planting in the ground.

To disinfect the substrate, both special chemicals and proven folk recipes are used.

When to work

It is recommended to maintain the soil in the garden in a well-groomed condition throughout the year, and not only when plants are planted in it. But it is most convenient to disinfect the soil during those periods when nothing grows in it - that is, either in the spring, before planting seedlings, or in the fall, after harvesting. In this case, you can also use strong chemicals without worrying that their active substances will get into the fruits and harm your he alth.

Experienced gardeners are engaged in soil disinfection on schedule, twice a year (spring and autumn). The rest of the time, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the plants - if symptoms of damage by pests or diseases appear, it is worth additional tillage.

Spring

The first time disinfection of the land in the garden is carried out with the arrival of warm spring days, before planting seedlings and sowing seeds. Not only the open ground soil needs disinfection, but also the soil in the greenhouse. As soon as the snow completely melts, you can start disinfecting. If there are crops on the site that were planted before winter, it is important to have time to carry out all the work before the first shoots appear, and the use of aggressive chemicals in this case is not recommended.

Autumn

After the entire crop is harvested in the garden, they begin to prepare the soil for wintering. The set of autumn activities includes not only soil disinfection, but also other equally important procedures aimed at clearing the land of pathogenic microorganisms:

• first of all, all annual plants are removed from the site, as well as their remains - tops, straw, fallen leaves;
• all utility rooms and greenhouses are treated with a disinfectant solution;
• carry out a complete replacement of the soil or use chemicals to disinfect it.

It must be remembered that it is impossible to arrange a warehouse in the greenhouse for the winter so that pathogens from the tools do not penetrate the soil. Since there is much less land in greenhouses than in a garden, it is recommended to completely change it. If this is not possible, be sure to spill the soil with disinfectant solutions.

Soil disinfection with special substances

To disinfect the soil in the garden and in the greenhouse, chemicals are used that are sold in gardening stores. If the summer resident does not want to use aggressive agents, there are also biological products on the shelves of retail outlets - they are less effective, but do not harm the environment and human he alth.

Chlorine lime

If plants on the site are often affected by pests or diseases, it is worth using one of the most powerful chemicals for soil treatment - bleach. The drug is produced in the form of a powder, which must be distributed over the surface of the soil (200 grams per square meter) and dug with the ground.

When working with bleach, you must remember: this chemical is a hazard to human he alth. It is important to use personal protective equipment - overalls, rubber gloves, a respirator. Since the drug is toxic to cultivated plants, it is used only before winter, so as not to harm the plantings. Despite the high effectiveness of bleach in the fight against pathogenic microorganisms, gardeners have rarely used it in recent years, preferring less aggressive agents.

Copper preparations

The earth in the garden is disinfected with copper-based preparations - copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture. The composition of the Bordeaux liquid includes copper sulfate and lime, the solution has a bluish tint. Such a drug can be prepared independently, following the instructions below:

1. Take 100 grams of quicklime, extinguish with a liter of water and bring the volume to 5 liters, gradually adding liquid.
2. Put 100 grams of copper sulfate in another container and pour it with a small amount of hot water, mix until smooth and add liquid to make 5 liters.
3. The two resulting solutions are poured into one container and mixed thoroughly.

It is necessary to use the prepared preparation during the day, then it loses its working qualities. Bordeaux liquid can be used both in spring and autumn, it is not dangerous for plants.

Copper sulfate not only has fungicidal properties, but also serves as a source of copper for crops. In 10 liters of clean water put a tablespoon of the drug and mix thoroughly. This solution is shed on the ground in spring and autumn.

Fitosporin

Biofungicidal preparation can not only pickle the seeds before sowing seedlings, but also disinfect the land, both in the garden and in the greenhouse. The tool is made on the basis of beneficial soil bacteria Bscillus Subtilis, which improves the quality of the soil and destroys pathogenic microorganisms. In addition to pathogens of fungal and viral diseases, "Fitosporin" is effective against nematodes that spoil the root system of plants and lead to their death.

Since the bacterium remains viable in the soil for no more than a month, it is allowed to disinfect the land in the country not only twice a year, but when signs of plant disease appear. 5 grams of a biofungicide are taken for 10 liters of water and soil is shed with this solution.

Other drugs

In addition to the above chemicals, formalin is used to disinfect the land in the garden. Care must be taken when working with it, as the product is toxic. 100 grams of 40% formalin are dissolved in 10 liters of water, 2 buckets of solution are consumed per square meter of the plot. Shallow grooves (8-12 cm) are made and the resulting liquid is poured into them. When using a chemical in a greenhouse, it is necessary to keep the door open so as not to be poisoned by the fumes of the substance. You can apply formalin both in spring and autumn, the main thing is that at least 2 weeks pass before planting.

The drug "Iprodion" in a 2% concentration effectively destroys pathogens of gray rot and Fusarium. It is scattered over the site and dug up along with the soil, both in spring and autumn.

Tablets "Gliocladin" are biological fungicides, they are used both for the treatment of plants and for soil disinfection. The advantage of the drug is that it can be applied immediately when plants are planted; it does not pose a danger to crops.

Another biological fungicide that does not harm plants is TMTD. It is produced in the form of a suspension, in a dry form it is distributed around the garden and dug up along with the soil.

Also, drugs such as Trichodermin, Baikal EM-1, Alirin-B are also used to destroy pathogenic microorganisms.

Use of folk remedies

You can also neutralize pathogens with the help of folk remedies, they are effective if the soil is regularly looked after. Unlike aggressive chemicals, they do not have a negative impact on the environment and do not accumulate in cultivated plants.

Use one of the proven folk recipes:

1. Garlic tincture. One medium head of garlic is crushed and steamed with a liter of boiling water. Cleaned in a dark place for a week and let it brew.Before use, 50 ml of the resulting tincture is poured into 10 liters of water and the soil is watered. Such a tool effectively destroys pathogens of late blight, spotting and rust, as well as the larvae of small insect pests. The same tincture can be made from onion, which has a bactericidal property.
2. Potassium permanganate. Pour 5 grams of a disinfectant into a 10-liter bucket of water and stir until the crystals are completely dissolved. About 50 ml of the resulting solution is used per square meter of the garden. Such a tool is suitable for the disinfection of chernozems and woody-podzolic soils.
3. Infusion of nettles. 700 grams of fresh nettles are crushed and poured into 5 liters of boiling water. The container is covered with a lid and placed in a warm place to start the fermentation process. After the product has fermented, it is kept for another 5 days, after which it is used for its intended purpose. A liter of filtered infusion is poured into 10 liters of water and soil is spilled on it.You can also use the product during the growing season of plants, pouring it under each bush. Other medicinal herbs have the same properties - marigolds, celandine, calendula.
4. Ash solution. Half a kilogram of wood ash is poured with water (5 liters) and put on a big fire. With constant stirring, bring to a boil, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the top layer of the solution and use it to disinfect the soil, diluting it with water in a ratio of 1 to 2.

Plants that disinfect the soil

Green manure plants are able to treat the soil and destroy certain pathogens. They are planted either before winter or before the main crops, after which they are mowed and plowed into the soil.

Experienced gardeners recommend planting mustard or radish as a disinfecting plant. Clover and rye are also characterized by disinfectant properties.

Heat treatment options

Heat tillage is only useful if you need to disinfect a small amount of land, for example, for planting seedlings or sowing seeds in a greenhouse.

There are three ways to decontaminate the earth:

1. Freezing. This method is used in winter, the required amount of soil is placed in a canvas bag and taken out to the street or balcony, while the air temperature should not be higher than -15. The earth is kept in the cold for a week, after which it is brought into heat for a day and again placed outside for 7-10 days.
2. Ignition. In order to disinfect the soil using high temperatures, use an oven or microwave. The earth is laid out on a baking sheet with a layer of 5 cm and kept at a temperature of at least 70 degrees for half an hour.During this time, all harmful microorganisms will die.
3. Steaming. In this case, the soil is also affected by high temperatures, only by pouring hot water. After that, the earth will have to be dried, spreading out in a thin layer. You can also place it in a bag and steam it for 30-40 minutes.

Soil disinfection in the greenhouse

To disinfect soil in a greenhouse, all the same methods are used as for open ground. The only difference is that it is necessary to disinfect not only the earth, but the entire structure. The fact is that during the season, dust and dirt accumulate on the walls and windows, which may contain pathogens. With the advent of heat, they penetrate the soil and begin to infect plants. To disinfect greenhouses, bleach or copper sulfate is used, and they are treated not only inside, but also outside.

Tillage after

After harvesting, before preparing the soil for winter, it is worth disinfecting the soil, as pathogens have accumulated in it over the summer, which will begin to develop with the advent of spring. It is not worth hoping that pathogens will die under the influence of cold, since they are at a considerable depth, and they are not afraid of frost.

Since there are no more crops in the garden, it is allowed to use more aggressive chemicals in autumn than in spring or summer. During the winter period, they will disappear and will not harm crops and human he alth. But folk recipes based on medicinal crops will not bring any benefit in the cold season, so it is better to postpone their use until spring.

Common mistakes

Beginner gardeners, while decontaminating the soil, make several common mistakes that nullify the result of the procedure and can lead to the death of cultivated plants:

• use disinfectants immediately before planting seedlings or sowing seeds;
• do not adhere to the dosages indicated in the instructions;
• do not take into account that some drugs increase or decrease the acidity of the soil;
• do not follow the recipe for folk remedies;
• cultivate only the land in the greenhouse, ignoring the structure itself.

Soil disinfection is not a simple procedure, however, if performed regularly and in compliance with the rules, it will be possible to increase the volume of harvested crops. Before the start of the event, be sure to read the instructions attached to the chemicals, and in no case increase the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.

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