What green manure deoxidize the soil: what is better and when to sow, the mowing period

Acidic soils in garden plots are not uncommon, the soil acidifies over time, more and more weeds appear on the beds, and yields fall. Usually summer residents fix the problem with liming, but there is a way that is no less effective. Some plants are able to reduce the acidity of the soil, make it more crumbly, and saturate it with nitrogen. A detailed story about which siderates deoxidize the soil well will be useful to beginners and experienced gardeners.

How to determine soil acidity

Accurately determine the acidity will help litmus test strips. They can be purchased at flower shops, garden centers, pharmacies. First, soil samples are taken from several beds in different areas of the dacha. Soil with a pH value of 0 to 7 is considered acidic.

A small amount of soil from a depth of 15-20 centimeters should be wrapped in several layers of gauze and lowered into a glass filled with distilled water. Shake the contents thoroughly, and then lower the test strip into the container and leave for 30-60 seconds. The colored strip is compared with the color scale on the packaging of the litmus indicator, and the acidity of the soil is determined from it. After several tests, they get an idea of the pH value over the entire area of the site.

Important: The soil is taken before fertilizing to get accurate values. The result obtained allows you to understand whether it is necessary to deal with high acidity.

Siderates for acidic soil

These are fast-growing annual plants that can affect many factors:

• change soil pH in the area;
• improve its structure;
• protect crops in the beds from diseases and pests;
• saturate the soil with nitrogen and other necessary trace elements;
• get valuable biological fertilizer;
• use leftover green manure as mulch.

Crops that can increase the pH of the soil include: white mustard, various types of legumes, rye, oats, phacelia. Planting sweet clover, alfalfa, fodder peas, clover, spring vetch and other legumes will provide animals in the farmstead with nutritious food. To deoxidize the soil, green manure is sown in autumn, after harvest, or in spring.

What is better to sow

Crops of mustard protect crops on the site from infection, prevent the appearance of wireworm, slugs, codling moth. It can be sown at the end of August or at the end of April (in the southern regions - at the end of March).After 30-40 days, having mowed the crop, the gardener receives valuable fertilizer. It is often sown between rows and around fruit trees. After mustard, cabbage, radish, radish should not be planted. Plants from the same family suffer from the same diseases. After green manure, carrots, potatoes, nightshade (peppers, eggplants, tomatoes) are planted.

Rye is sown in autumn, it protects the soil from freezing, by spring it forms a complete fertilizer. The plant is mowed when a thick mass is formed, until an ear appears. It is suitable for the subsequent planting of cruciferous plants (cabbages, radishes). After it, strawberries bear fruit well. Rye is best combined with mustard to protect the area from wireworms. Green manure is sown 1.5 months before the temperature drops. Spring sowing is carried out after the snow melts, the culture is not afraid of frost.

Beans grow on any type of soil, protect the site from nematodes, saturate the soil with oxygen, making it lighter and more crumbly.Legumes enrich the soil with easily digestible phosphorus, reduce the density and acidity of the soil. Planted in early May, mowed after 6-7 weeks.

Phacelia is an unpretentious honey-bearing green manure that attracts bees to the site. Protects the soil from the spread of fungal infections, prevents the appearance of aphids, codling moth, wireworm on the beds. It is sown after the snow has melted, it is not afraid of drought and frost. Mowing starts 1.5 months after sowing.

When to sow and when to bury green manure

Plants can be sown 3-4 times per season if the gardener allows the site to rest. Autumn planting of green manure allows you to get ready-made organic fertilizer by spring, comparable in value to manure. In this case, they are not mowed, they are left on the vine until the spring digging of the site.

Plants planted in early spring are plowed into the soil 2-3 weeks before planting the main crops, the soil must be given time to receive nutrients from green manure. Replanting should be repeated every 2 years to maintain effectiveness.

Most siderates are unpretentious to the types of soil, weather conditions, do not need care. Sowing such plants increases crop yields, improves soil quality, and reduces the amount of chemicals used on the site. The systematic use of plants will help reduce acidity and make fertile even difficult areas that are poor in organic matter and nutrients.

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