Humus: what is it and its role in nature, how to apply and cook with your own hands

Soil fertility depends on many factors, but is largely expressed in the thickness and condition of the humus layer. Consider the role of humus, how it is formed, how it differs from humus. How to apply on the site and prepare it yourself, can it deteriorate, how to store it correctly, what precautions exist for working with humus on the garden plot.

What is humus and how is it formed

This organic matter is a complex device, it is formed from the remnants of plant and animal origin processed by insects, worms and microorganisms.Bacteria and insects live in the top layer of the soil, and it is there that humus is formed. The more it is in the soil, the thicker the layer, the more fertile it is.

Humus contains humic acids (substances containing nitrogen) that give the soil a dark color. There are also s alts of these acids, which include nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The following humus compounds - fulvic acids - are organic substances with a nitrogen content, unlike humic acids, they have a light color.

In different types of soils, the content of s alts and acids is not the same. Soils with a predominance of humic acids have a dark color, yellowish - with a predominance of fulvic acids.

Classification of soils by humus content

The thickness of the humus layer is not the same on all soils. You can even tell by their color. The thickest layer of humus is in chernozems (0.4-0.8 m), which are formed by steppe and forest-steppe vegetation.

Chestnut soils are formed by the vegetation of dry steppes, the thickness of the 3-4% humus layer is 0.15-0.25 m. The formation of humus is slower due to the smaller amount of vegetation and its residues falling into the soil.

The fertile layer of brown soils does not exceed 0.1-0.15 m, the humus capacity is only 2%. Gray forest soils contain 3-8% humus and are considered more fertile than soddy-podzolic and podzolic soils formed under mixed and coniferous forests. Taiga soils contain 5% humus at a depth of half a meter and 2-3% at a depth of 1 m.

Role in nature

Humic substances are involved in the formation of the soil profile. The most favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants are created in the layer, substances glue the soil particles into lumps, thereby improving the soil structure and its physical properties. This layer is the most nutritious, macro- and microelements are concentrated in it, due to the mineralization of the plant mass, they become available to plants.The amount of humus affects the intensity of chemical and biological processes that cause the accumulation of nutrients in the soil.

The dark color of the layer absorbs the sun's rays better, causing the soil to warm up faster in spring. Soils rich in humus are characterized by structure, good absorption of heat, water and air, microelements are retained in them longer, under the influence of rains and melted snow they are more slowly washed out into the lower layers.

Can it be ruined

The formation of humus mass and its accumulation is a slow process, it takes a lot of time. But there are also factors that contribute to its destruction: digging the soil or plowing, a small amount of plants left to rot, and irregular moisture.

Differences from humus

Humus and humus are not the same thing. Humus and compost are obtained from rotted plant residues and manure.Often, vegetable growers themselves make them for their site. Humus can be obtained from a heap of manure or tops, grass, stumps, and carrion removed from the garden. Well-rotted humus in appearance resembles black soil, light, homogeneous, has an earthy smell. Humus is used as fertilizer, plants respond well to it. Only over time can it be converted into humus, when it is processed by bacteria and earthworms.

How and when to apply humus

To restore soil fertility after growing plants, regular application of maintenance nutrition is required. Under natural conditions, the renewal and accumulation of the humus layer occur constantly and naturally. Dry stems and leaves remain on the soil, fruits that gradually rot. In the garden, this process is slowed down even more, as it is customary to remove all plant debris in the fall.

Therefore, in the garden and in the garden, it is necessary to make humus every year, at least once a season. Gradually it will be processed into humus. Only organic matter is converted into it, mineral fertilizers are not suitable for improving the humus layer.

Self-cooking

Cooking humus is within the power of any vegetable grower. It is necessary to collect tops from the garden, any plant debris, carrion, weeds and put them in a pile. Any vegetable and kitchen waste (except meat and fish) will fit into the compost heap. The manure of agricultural herbivorous animals is also laid in a pile: rabbits, goats, pigs, cows, horses.

Plant residues should not contain pathogens and pests, weeds - seeds. Do not use manure from diseased individuals.

All material quickly rots, the resulting mass contains all the useful elements necessary for plants. The humus obtained over time is harmless, does not contain toxic substances, does not harm plants, soil, insects, animals.

The compost heap should be located in partial shade or shade, and not in an open place where the sun's rays will dry it out.In the first season, especially in summer, in the heat, it needs to be moistened so that the fermentation process does not stop. The humus will be completely ready in 2-3 seasons. It can be sprinkled under plants during the season or in spring.

According to the level of decay, humus prepared in the garden can be divided into 4 types. How to identify them:

1. Fresh, only a few months old, hardly used for fertilizer. The process of mineralization has not yet ended in it, there may be spores of fungi, pathogens, pest larvae, weed seeds.
2. Half-decomposed, lying in a heap for at least a year. It can be used for top dressing in dry or liquid form, in appearance it is a dark brown mass, interspersed with undecayed plant residues. It is applied for vegetables, trees, shrubs, flowers in spring, summer and autumn, for digging.
3. Decomposed humus is dark in color, light and loose.In this mass, all residues are completely decomposed, even those containing a large amount of cellulose, such as sawdust and branches. They can feed any crops, including root crops, as it contains less nitrogen than in a non-rotted mass.
4. Must, which is at least 3 years old, can be used as a fertilizer, mulch, additive to the substrate. In appearance, it does not differ from the earth, has the same color, friability and smell.

Humus older than 3 years old begins to lose nutrients and, accordingly, benefits for crops. Therefore, it is not worth keeping it in the heap longer than this period.

Storage and precautions

The compost heap needs to be covered from drying out on hot days. Use film, pieces of roofing material, slate. If evaporation is excessive, the pile should be watered from time to time and turned over with a fork to let air in.

After wetting, make sure that molds do not multiply on the surface.Good conditions for their appearance and reproduction are high humidity, insufficient ventilation and condensation on the surface of the material covering the pile. Moldy compost is not suitable for bedding.

If the humus is not all used up during the season, it must be prepared for winter storage. A pile or composter must be covered with a dense film, leaves, spruce branches so that it does not freeze in winter. As soon as it gets warm, open again.

Humus or humus is completely non-toxic to humans, you can work with it without protective clothing and other means. It is enough to wear ordinary gardening gloves so as not to get your hands dirty. Wash them with soap and water after work.

Any soil has a humus layer, but its thickness and percentage of humus are different. Layer formation is a natural phenomenon, it occurs slowly but constantly. To speed up this process, you need to take care of the soil in your own garden, fertilize it, water it, and carefully loosen it.Apply manure or humus, which you can cook yourself from everything that is in the garden. Ready-made compost can be added to the beds, mixed into the substrate for seeds and seedlings, for rooting cuttings.

Artificially prepared humus is the most popular and affordable fertilizer for vegetable growers. It saturates the soil with nutrients, improves its structure, makes it air and moisture permeable. The earth becomes softer, more airy, does not compact and crack so quickly, which is important in those regions where loamy and clayey soils predominate. If you apply humus to the beds from year to year, after a few seasons you will notice how the yield of plants will rise, because they develop correctly in fertile and well-groomed soil.

Caring for beds will become easier. Due to the structure of the soil, it is possible to reduce the number of loosening, digging, watering, and time will be freed up that can be spent on other work on the farm.And most importantly, by adding humus, you can maintain soil fertility at a high level.

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