High yields can be obtained by growing cucumbers on peat alone; To do this, it is necessary to properly produce it and apply the necessary doses of fertilizers during the plant growing season. Of course, growing plants on pure peat is expensive pleasure Therefore, this article is intended primarily to learn how to determine the type of peat, how to properly produce it and fill it with fertilizers. Peat is mainly used as a component for seedling mixtures and potting soils.

Peat is formed from plants as a result of their incomplete decomposition under conditions excess humidity and lack of air (peat formation in water bodies and swamping of land). There are high-moor, low-lying and transitional peats. High peat (moss sphagnum, fuchsum peat, cotton grass, pine-sphagnum, etc.) is the most acidic (pH salt 2.8-3.5), characterized by the lowest ash content and virtually no nutrients. Lowland peat (moss, grass, wood) has low acidity (pH salt 4.8-5.8), high ash content and increased (compared to other types of peat) content of nutrients. Transitional peat (pH salt 3.6-4.8) occupies an intermediate position in its properties.

Different peat deposits differ in physical and chemical properties. Therefore, an agrochemical analysis must be carried out for each batch of peat.

Peat contains little potassium and phosphorus and more nitrogen, but it is in the form of complex organic compounds and is inaccessible to plants. Peat is characterized by high moisture capacity and low thermal conductivity. Thanks to the low volumetric mass, high absorption capacity and good porosity, peat is widely used in greenhouse vegetable growing. One of the best substrates is light high-moor sphagnum peat with a low degree of decomposition.

There are peats with low (up to 20%), medium (20-45%) and high (more than 45%) degrees of decomposition (Table 1). The degree of decomposition of various deposits of lowland peat varies within 26-51%, high peat - within 18-46%, transitional - within 29-30%. In greenhouses, it is not recommended to use peat with a degree of decomposition of more than 40% and an ash content of more than 12-20%, containing calcium carbonates (pH salt more than 6.0) and more than 5% of gross iron, because such peat will worsen the physicochemical parameters of the root environment. Peat with a high degree of decomposition can only be used as a component of greenhouse soil, adding loosening materials (sawdust, straw, etc.) to it.

Table 1

Visual determination of the degree of peat decomposition (Efimov, Donskikh, Kuznetsova et al., 1987)

Decomposition degree, %	Main features
< 15, неразложившийся	The peat mass is not pressed between the fingers. The surface of compressed peat is rough with plant remains that are clearly visible. The water is squeezed out in a stream, as if from a sponge, transparent, light.
15-20, very slightly decomposed	The water is squeezed out in frequent drops, almost forming a stream, faintly yellow.
20-25, slightly decomposed	Water is squeezed out in large quantities, yellow color. Plant remains are less noticeable.
25-35, medium decomposed	The mass of peat is almost not pressed between the fingers. Remains of vegetation are noticeable. The water is squeezed out in frequent drops of light brown color. Peat slightly stains your hand.
35-45, well decomposed	The mass of peat is pressed weakly between the fingers. The water is released in rare drops of brown color.
45-55, badly decomposed	A mass of peat is pressed between the fingers, staining the hand. Only some plant remains are visible in the peat. The water is squeezed out only in small quantities, dark brown in color.
>55, very badly decomposed	The peat is pressed between the fingers in the form of a mud-like black mass. The water is not wrung out. Plant remains are completely indistinguishable.

When growing cucumber on peat, the reaction of the medium should be slightly acidic (pH salt 5.0-6.0). If the peat is not limed in advance, limestone or dolomite flour and ground chalk are used to neutralize the excess acidity of the peat. Fluff lime, burnt ground lime, and dolomite flour from burnt or semi-burnt dolomites are of little use for neutralization.

Large batches of peat are limed 1.5 months before planting on special areas with a hard surface that is not flooded. surface runoff water while thoroughly mixing the substrate using concrete mixers or peat-humus mixers. Liming must be completed 20 days before planting (sowing) the cucumber to avoid the simultaneous application of lime and nitrogen fertilizers, as well as determine the acidity of the peat in advance, and, if necessary, carry out repeated liming correction. During the liming period, the peat temperature should not be lower than +15°C. With significant volumes of peat, you can first carry out a trial liming of a small amount of peat, and only then - the entire batch.

To ensure a better neutralization reaction, peat is first mixed with limestone material in a finely ground state, mixed and then poured with water. Neutralization begins within the first 30 minutes after the mixture is formed. Depending on the ambient temperature, the resulting acidity is determined 8-12 days after liming. Required amount calcareous material introduced into peat is presented in tables 2 and 3:

table 2

Approximate doses of lime (CaCO 3) for peat neutralization, kg/t peat

Table 3

Approximate norms of limestone flour (at least 85% CaCO 3) for neutralizing peat, kg/t (Efimov, Donskikh, Kuznetsova et al., 1987)

pH of salt extract	Lime rate at mass fraction of moisture in peat, %

In the tables, the doses of lime materials vary depending on the moisture content of the peat: the higher the humidity, the less dry matter per unit mass and, therefore, the less dose of lime. To achieve the same pH value, dolomite flour salt requires 1.5-1.6 times more than chalk or limestone flour.

When liming red high-moor (sphagnum) peat, use Table 4, which shows how much lime needs to be added to shift the pH of the salt by 0.5. For example, we have dry high-moor peat with a density of 80 g/l with an acidity pH of sol 3.5. It is necessary to reduce the acidity to pH 6.0, i.e. change the acidity by 2.5 pH units. Using the table, we find the 6th row from the top (80 g/l) and see that for such a shift in the pH of the salt, it is necessary to add 6.0 kg of lime per 1 m 3 of high-moor peat (6th column of the table).

Table 4

Norms of lime material (CaCO 3) to neutralize excess acidity of high-moor peat, kg/m 3 (according to O.B. Olsen, 1968)

Bulk density of dry peat, kg/m3 or g/l	Norm CaCO 3, kg/m 3, at pH intervals sol - pH shift

On average, to neutralize 1 m 3 of high-moor sphagnum peat with a degree of decomposition of 10%, 6-8 kg of limestone flour or 4-5 kg ​​of well-ground chalk are needed. Cucumbers are grown on high peat with a degree of decomposition of no higher than 15-20%, with an ash content of 3-5%.

In addition to calcium, dolomite flour contains a significant amount of magnesium (up to 42% MgCO 3), which is an antagonist of calcium and potassium, and in increased doses will block the entry of these elements into the plant. Therefore, it is recommended to use dolomite flour together with chalk or lime for neutralization and take into account the amount of magnesium added with dolomite flour, reducing the dose of subsequently applied magnesium fertilizers by an equivalent amount.

After liming, fertilizers are added to the peat. As a rule, fertilizers are applied to peat in fractions: in the form of the main dressing before the start of the crop, and in additional fertilizing during the growing season. For high-moor peat, the doses of the main fertilizer are presented in Table 5:

Table 5

Norms for introducing high-moor peat into the main filling of mineral macro- and microfertilizers for cucumber crops, mg/l of peat (according to Nollendorf, 1979, as amended)

Fertilizer	For growing seedlings	Before planting seedlings in the greenhouse
Simple superphosphate
Ammonium nitrate
Potassium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate
Iron sulfate
Manganese sulfate
Copper sulfate
Zinc sulfate
Boric acid
Ammonium molybdate

Macrofertilizers are applied in dry form, microfertilizers - in liquid form. Boric acid is dissolved in hot water.

Subsequently, a systematic agrochemical analysis of the peat is carried out (starting 3-4 weeks after planting the seedlings and then at least 2 times a month), bringing the nutrient content to normal with fertilizing (Table 6):

Table 6

Optimal content of basic nutrients in high-moor peat, mg/l (according to: Vendilo, Mikanaev, Petrichenko, Skarzhinsky, 1986)

Season						Specific electrical conductivity of the hood, mS/cm

Less commonly, another mode of mineral nutrition is used when growing cucumbers on high-moor peat: a partial main filling of peat is carried out and then periodically it is spilled with one of nutrient solutions(Table 7) 1-2 times every 7-10 days. Here it is also advisable to carry out an agrochemical examination of peat 1-2 times a month for the content of basic macroelements, acidity and total salt content (electrical conductivity). According to N.V. Borisov (TSKhA), the following is added to the main dressing (g/m2 of bed): ammonium nitrate 40-45, potassium nitrate 150-170, simple superphosphate 100-120, magnesium sulfate 40-45, borax 13.8, copper sulfate 25, 2, iron sulfate 41.4, manganese sulfate 16.8, zinc sulfate 16.8, sodium molybdate 2.8, iron chelate 41.4. A mixture of microelements is added in liquid form, or mixed dry with river sand in a ratio of 1:10 and evenly scattered over the surface of the peat.

Table 7

Nutrient solutions for feeding cucumbers in greenhouses, mg/l of water

	Ammonium nitrate NH 4 NO 3	Potassium nitrate KNO 3	Magnesium sulfate MgSO 4 7H 2 O	Simple superphosphate	Phosphoric acid H 3 PO 4
1. Chesnokov, Bazyrina
2. Reingold, Geisler
Growing seedlings: After planting the seedlings: Period of increased growth:
Growing seedlings: After planting the seedlings: Beginning of fruiting: Period of intensive fruiting: End of fruiting:

If, when adding dry peat, you do not have the necessary mineral salts, you can take a complex fertilizer, if necessary adding magnesium sulfate, iron sulfate, microelements, and wood ash. For example, you chose the main filling of high-moor peat according to Nollendorf - the minimum amount of fertilizer before planting seedlings (see Table 5, right column). You have available a nitroammophoska containing 17% N, 17% P 2 O 5 and 17% K 2 O. Using the table for converting fertilizers into oxides and vice versa (see appendices), we draw up an auxiliary table for calculating the replacement of an equivalent amount of ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate and simple superphosphate for nitroammophoska (Table 8).

Table 8

An example of replacing simple mineral fertilizers with complex mineral fertilizers

Replaceable fertilizers				Replacement fertilizer		Amount of nitroammophosphate equivalent to the fertilizers being replaced, mg/l peat
A - calculation based on a dose of ammonium nitrate 680 mg/l of peat (according to Nollendorff)
Ammonium nitrate				Nitroammofoska		1382 (for nitrogen)
Potassium sulfate						2712 (potassium)
Simple superphosphate						2353 (phosphorus)
B - calculation based on the dose of ammonium nitrate 950 mg/l of peat (according to Nollendorf)
Ammonium nitrate				Nitroammofoska		1923 (for nitrogen)
Potassium sulfate						2712 (potassium)
Simple superphosphate						2353 (phosphorus)
				When applying 1923 mg/l of nitroammophoska, it is also necessary to add potassium contained in 789 mg of fertilizer (2712 mg - 1923 mg), and phosphorus contained in 430 mg of fertilizer (2353 mg - 1923 mg)

As we can see, to replace ammonium nitrate you will need 1382 mg of nitroammophoska per 1 liter of peat, to replace potassium sulfate - 2712 mg of nitroammophoska, and to replace simple superphosphate - 2352 mg of nitroammophoska per 1 liter of peat. Fertilizers are always replaced according to the minimum required nutrient - in this case, nitrogen (ammonium nitrate: 1382 mg), otherwise an excess amount of the minimum required nutrient will be added. The dose of applied nitroammophoska can be increased by calculating it according to the maximum permissible amount of ammonium nitrate according to Nollendorf’s recommendations (950 mg/l - see Table 5). In this case, 1923 mg of nitroammophoska will be required; in addition, you will need to add another 134 mg of K 2 O and 73 mg of P 2 O 5 (789 mg of nitroammophoska contains 134 mg of K 2 O and 430 mg - 73 mg of P 2 O 5). Add ash (depending on the origin, the ash contains 2-7% P 2 O 5 and 4-35% K 2 O). Let's say we have wood ash containing on average 3% P 2 O 5 and 8% K 2 O. This means that we need to add 2433 mg of ash per 1 liter of peat in terms of phosphorus, or 1675 mg of ash per 1 liter peat in terms of potassium. We add 1675 mg of ash per 1 liter, and add the missing amount of phosphorus as top dressing 2 weeks after planting the seedlings. Calculation when replacing simple fertilizers with complex ones is greatly simplified if you use complex fertilizers with the required ratio between nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

In fertilizing, in the absence of simple fertilizers for the recommended nutrient solutions, you can also use complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, in a concentration of 2-3 g/l of water. Magnesium is added to fertilizing once a month. It is advisable to combine root feeding with non-root feeding (containing, first of all, microelements). The concentration of solutions for foliar feeding should not exceed 0.25-0.3%. Let us emphasize once again that it is easier to adjust the ratio between nutrients in fertilizers with simple fertilizers compared to complex fertilizers.

Peat is actively used in greenhouses for 2-3 years. Subsequently, its physical properties deteriorate as a result of mineralization (decomposition), which leads to the need for annual addition of loosening materials: sawdust (7-10 kg/m2), sand or straw cutting (7-8 kg/m2), straw manure (10-12 kg/m2) or fresh, undecomposed peat. The mineralization of peat is significantly enhanced by steam disinfection. With the constant use of steam disinfection, it is necessary to annually add 15-20% of peat from its original volume. To slow down the mineralization processes, it is recommended to add pine bark crushed to a powdery state (1% of dry matter) into the peat.

As a rule, peat soils in greenhouses are used for no more than 5-6 years, then it is advisable to completely replace them. Spent peat is used as fertilizer.

Peat soils, their improvement

There is a popular opinion that such soils seem unsuitable for growing vegetables and berry bushes, but after two to three years of development, most garden crops can already be grown on them.

But the approach to the development of each type of peat bog must be individual- depending on what type of swamp was previously in this place.

Peaty soils are very diverse in their physical properties. They have a loose, permeable structure that does not require special improvement. But they all contain little phosphorus, magnesium and especially potassium; they lack many trace elements, primarily copper.

Depending on their origin and the thickness of the peat layer that forms them, peaty soils are divided into lowland, transitional and highland.

Low-lying peatlands, often located in wide hollows with a slight slope, are most suitable for growing garden and vegetable plants. These soils have good vegetation cover. The peat on such peatlands is well decomposed, so it is almost black or dark brown, lumpy. The acidity of the peat layer in such areas is weak or even close to neutral.

Lowland peatlands have a fairly high supply of nutrients compared to transitional and especially high-moor peatlands. They contain a lot of nitrogen and humus, since plant residues are well decomposed, the acidity of the soil is weaker, and they contain enough water that must be drained into ditches.

But, unfortunately, this nitrogen is found in low-lying peatlands in a form almost inaccessible to plants and can only become available to plants after aeration. Only 2-3% of the total nitrogen is in the form of nitrate and ammonia compounds available to plants.

The transition of nitrogen to a state available to plants can be accelerated by draining the peat soil and enhancing the activity of microorganisms that contribute to the decomposition of organic matter by adding a small amount of manure, ripe compost or humus to the soil.

High-moor peatlands are usually overly moistened, since they have a rather limited runoff of rain and melt water. They are highly fibrous because they do not provide conditions for greater decomposition of plant residues. This leads to severe acidification of the peat, which explains its very high acidity. Such peatlands are light brown in color.

The nutritional elements in high-moor peat, which are already scarce in any peat soil, are in a state inaccessible to plants. And soil microorganisms that help maintain soil fertility are often simply absent from them.

When planting gardens and vegetable gardens on such soils, their cultivation requires large expenses. In order for such soils to become suitable for growing garden plants, they must be supplemented with lime, river sand, clay, rotted manure, and mineral fertilizers.

Lime will reduce acidity, sand will improve the structure, clay will increase viscosity and add nutrients, and mineral fertilizers will enrich the soil with additional nutrients. As a result, the decomposition of peat plant residues will accelerate and create conditions for growing cultivated plants.

And in pure form High-moor peat can practically only be used as bedding for livestock, since it absorbs slurry well.

All types of peaty soils are characterized by low thermal conductivity, so they slowly thaw and warm up in the spring, and are much more often exposed to return frosts, which delays the start of spring work.

It is believed that the temperature of such soils on average during the growing season is 2-3 degrees lower compared to the temperature of mineral soils. On peat soils, frosts end later in the spring and begin earlier in the fall. Create a more favorable temperature regime on such soils there is only one way- by draining excess water and creating loose structural soil.

Peat soils in their natural state are almost unsuitable for growing garden and vegetable plants. But due to the presence of a large amount of organic matter in them, they have significant “hidden” fertility potential, all four “keys” to which are in your hands.

These keys are lowering the groundwater level, liming the soil, adding mineral supplements and using organic fertilizers. Now let’s try to get to know these “keys” in a little more detail.

REDUCTION OF GROUNDWATER LEVEL

For removing excess moisture on the site and improving the air regime, peat soils very often have to be drained, especially in new areas. It is, of course, easier to do this throughout the entire garden area at once, but much more often you have to do this only on your own site, trying to create your own local simple drainage system.

The most reliable way to arrange simple drainage You can lay drainage pipes in grooves as wide and as deep as two shovels, pour sand on top of them, and then soil.

Much more often, instead of pipes, branches, cut stems of raspberries, sunflowers, etc. are placed in drainage ditches. They are covered first with crushed stone, then with sand, and then with earth. Some craftsmen use for this purpose plastic bottles. To do this, they cut off the bottom, screw off the plug, make holes in the side with a hot nail, insert them into each other and lay them in place of the drainage pipe.

And if you are very unlucky and you have an area where the groundwater level is very high and it is quite difficult to lower it, then there will be even more worries.

In order to prevent tree roots from coming into contact with these very groundwaters in the future, you will have to solve not one, but two “strategic” problems at once- reduce the groundwater level in the area as a whole and at the same time raise the soil level in the area where trees are planted by creating artificial mounds from imported soil. As the trees grow, the diameter of these mounds will need to be increased annually.

SOIL DEACIDIFICATION

Peat soils come in different acidities- from slightly acidic and even close to neutral (in peat bog lowland soils) to strongly acidic (in peat bog high soils).

Deoxidation of acidic soil means adding lime or other alkaline materials to it to reduce its acidity. In this case, the most common thing happens chemical reaction neutralization. Lime is most often used for these purposes.

But, in addition to this, liming of peat soils also enhances the activity of various microorganisms that assimilate nitrogen or decompose plant residues contained in peat. In this case, brown fibrous peat turns into an almost black earthy mass.

At the same time, hard-to-reach forms of nutrients contained in peat are converted into compounds that are easily digestible by plants. And phosphorus and potassium fertilizers applied to the soil are fixed in the upper layers of the soil, are not washed out of it by groundwater, remaining available to plants for a long time.

Knowing the acidity of the soil on your site, add alkaline materials in the fall. The dose of their application depends on the level of soil acidity and for acidic peat soils averages approximately 60 kg of ground limestone per 100 sq. m. meters of area, for medium acidic peat soils- on average about 30 kg, on slightly acidic- about 10 kg. On peat soils with acidity close to neutral, limestone may not be added at all.

But all these average doses of lime fluctuate greatly depending on the level of acidity, especially on acidic peatlands. Therefore, before adding lime, its specific amount must be clarified again depending on the exact acidity of the peat bog.

A wide variety of alkaline materials are used for liming peat soils: ground limestone, slaked lime, dolomite flour, chalk, marl, cement dust, wood and peat ash, etc.

APPLICATION OF MINERAL ADDITIVES

An important element in improving the physical properties of peaty soils is their enrichment with minerals- sand and clay,- which increase the thermal conductivity of the soil, accelerate its thawing and enhance warming. Moreover, if they are acidic, you will have to add an additional dose of lime to neutralize their acidity.

In this case, clay must be added only in dry powder form so that it mixes better with peat soil. Adding clay in the form of large lumps to peat soil gives little result.

The lower the degree of peat decomposition, the greater the need for mineral additives. On heavily decomposed peat bogs, you need to add 2-3 buckets of sand and 1.5 buckets of dry powdery clay per 1 square meter. meter, and on weakly decomposed peatlands these doses should be increased by a quarter.

It is clear that such an amount of sand cannot be added in one or two years. Therefore, sanding is carried out gradually, from year to year (in autumn or spring), until it improves physical properties soil. You will notice this yourself by the plants you grow. The sand scattered on the surface is dug up with a shovel to a depth of 12-18 cm.

APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AND MINERAL FERTILIZERS

Manure, peat manure or peat-fecal composts, bird droppings, humus and other biologically active organic fertilizers are applied in quantities of up to 0.5-1 bucket per 1 square meter. meter for shallow digging to quickly activate microbiological processes in peat soil, promoting the decomposition of the organic matter in it.

To create conditions favorable for plant growth, it is necessary to add mineral fertilizers to peat soils: for basic tillage - 1 tbsp. spoon of double granulated superphosphate and 2.5 tbsp. spoons of potash fertilizers per 1 sq. meter of area, and in the spring additionally- 1 teaspoon of urea.

Most peat soils have a low copper content, and it is in a form that is difficult for plants to reach. Therefore, adding fertilizers containing copper to peat soil, especially on acidic peat soils, has a significant effect. Most often used for this purpose copper sulfate at the rate of 2-2.5 g/m2, first dissolving it in water and watering the soil from a watering can.

The application of boron microfertilizers gives good results. Most often, for foliar feeding of seedlings or adult plants, take 2-3 g of boric acid per 10 liters of water (1 liter of this solution is sprayed on plants over an area of ​​10 sq. m).

Then peat soil along with mineral soil, manure, organic and mineral fertilizers and lime must be carefully dug to a depth of no more than 12-15 cm, and then lightly compacted. It is best to do this in late summer or early autumn, when the soil has dried out significantly.

If it is not possible to cultivate your entire plot at once, then develop it in parts, but by adding to them all the above-mentioned amounts of mineral additives and organic fertilizers at once, or by first filling the planting holes with loose, fertile soil, and in subsequent years carrying out work on cultivating the soil in between the rows. But this is already the worst option, because it is better to do it all at once.

On already developed peat soils, there is a gradual decrease in the thickness of the peat layer by about 2 cm per year due to its compaction and mineralization of organic matter. This happens especially quickly in areas where the same vegetables have been grown for a long time without observing crop rotation, requiring frequent loosening of the soil.

To prevent this from happening, cultivated peat soil in gardens, and especially in vegetable plots, requires annual additional application of organic fertilizers.

If this is not done, then every year on your site there will be a gradual irreversible destruction of peat (its mineralization), and after 15-20 years the soil level on your site may be 20-25 cm lower than it was before the development of the site began, and the soil will become swampy.

In this case, the soil on your site will no longer be fertile peat, but low-fertile soddy-podzolic, and its physical properties will greatly change for the worse.

To prevent this from happening, in addition to everything else that was mentioned above, a well-thought-out crop rotation system rich in perennial herbs must be constantly operating on your site.

In the future, you will have to annually import and apply either a sufficient amount of organic fertilizer (10-15 buckets per 100 sq. meters) or other soil.

And if there is no manure or compost, then green fertilizer can help out. Sow and bury lupine, peas, beans, vetch, sweet clover, and clover.

V. G. Shafransky

have high potential fertility, but nutrients are mainly in inaccessible form. In addition, peat bogs freeze deeply and thaw slowly.

A simple way to improve such an area is to add sand and (or) clay to the peat; bacterial and microfertilizers are desirable. Adding high-moor peat for acidification (low-lying peat has a slightly acidic reaction) will help create a unique shrub composition: a depleted version of a heather garden. No neon brightness rhododendrons and colorful arrays heathers And Eric will be replaced by the shape of the foliage, the grace of the details of the crown of the bushes.

Erika

The largest and fastest growing component of this garden may be low birch (Betula humilis) - a marsh shrub up to 2 m tall: it resembles an ordinary birch, but “in miniature”. But another birch - dwarf (B. nana) - doesn't remind her at all. This inhabitant of the tundra is slightly taller than a meter, but very wide, with a loose crown and remarkable round leaves the size of a ruble coin.

Approximately the same height ive woolly (Salix lanata) And Lapland (S. lapponum). Their fluffy bluish leaves (the first one has them wider) contrast sharply with the green shine of the birch trees. Usually on sale there are male specimens of willows that bloom more brightly.

Voskovnitsy (Myrica) - cute neat plants up to 1.5 m tall (usually lower), unfortunately, are rarely found on our market, although European common (M. gale) And Far Eastern felt (M. tomentosa) - residents of Russia. These are upward-growing shrubs with thin branches and dense, pubescent oval leaves. The pleasant smell gave it its second name - swamp myrtles. Male inflorescences (cones) bloom in early spring on still bare branches. Women's ones become noticeable in the fall and look similar. Pennsylvanian voskovnitsa (M. pensylvanica) is popular in foreign gardening due to its original fruits, which look like blue balls with a bluish waxy coating, which last all winter.

Narrow light leaves and bunches of greenish flowers will highlight the dwarf variety buckthorn brittle (Rhamnus frangula, or Frangula alnus) Asplenifolia, which may someday grow to the promised 2 m, but not soon.

If desired bright flowers, it is better to turn to plants such as rosemary (Ledum), underbelly (Andromeda), Hamedaphna vulgaris (Chamaedaphne calyculata). All of these are potentially evergreen shrubs no higher than 1 m. In addition to wild wild rosemary(L. palustre), found somewhere on the edge of an old raised bog, can be purchased in a civilized manner at a garden center wild rosemary (L.groenlandicum) with wider leaves. Its variety Compactum in mid-summer it looks like a pillow, completely covered with white flowers. Podbel varieties Alba, Blue Ice, Blue Lagoon, Compacta are numerous, but generally similar - compact and rich in pearlescent, inverted urn-shaped flowers that go well with the blue or gray foliage. Hamedafnu , or another bog myrtle, in early spring garlands of white flowers cover it, but then its sloppy, loose bushes become unattractive.

Heather after the first frost

And of course, we should not forget such non-traditional berry crops as blueberry And cowberry , united by botanists into a single genus Vaccinium. Their varietal diversity will allow you to fill a fairly large area. Early and semi-tall, up to 1.5 m, hybrid varieties of blueberries are preferred, since not all of them have good winter hardiness. This Northcountry, Northblue, Northsky, slightly higher Bluecrop. For their abundant fruiting, an acidic substrate (pH 4.0) is especially important. As for the well-known lingonberry, both the wild form and all varieties produced from it ( Koralle, Aalshorst, not blooming Minus) Dont Have individual characteristics from the point of view of agricultural technology. Among the wild representatives of the genus, you may be interested in exotic Klopovka (V. praestans) With Far East, although it is more of a shrub, spreading with a rhizome. It will be useful as a lower tier of the composition, and it blooms attractively. It will be completely replaced by the regular American one on sale. prostrate (Gaultheria procumbens). Their wide leaves look like moss, highlighting them crowberry , or shiksha (Empetrum nigrum). Especially if you use the yellow-leaved variety Bernstein.

wintergreen prostrate (Gaultheria procumbens)

Herbaceous perennials, which will help preserve the originality of such a flower garden, should be discreet, for example, densely turfed sedges .

Rotten remains of flora and fauna have long been used in agriculture. Gardeners use peat as a fertilizer, knowing the values ​​and characteristics of this mineral.

How is peat formed?

In swampy areas, a lot of vegetation and living organisms die; after death, they form compressed biomass. The further process takes place under conditions high humidity and lack of air.

Peat extraction technology

Lying on the surface, it is easily mined. They do this in two ways:

• milling;
• lump or excavator method.

Milling

This method involves layer-by-layer extraction of peat in short cycles. That is, using milling drums they mill upper layer depth 6-20 mm. As a result, peat crumbs are formed, the particle size of which is 15-25 mm. After milling, the layer is constantly turned over to dry.

When it dries, they begin to roll and stack it. Then everything is repeated, the number of repetitions reaches 10-50 times.

This extraction method has been used since 1930. The advantages of this method are that it is completely mechanized, that is, the cost of the resulting material is low. Milled peat is used in production and power plants. And in agriculture 15-25% of extracted minerals. The milling method is intensive drying and requires good weather conditions. In addition, it is more in demand, since the cost of human resources is minimal, and production occurs in large quantities.

Lump

It is mined using excavators. Development is carried out to a depth of 400-800 cm. First, peat is extracted using bucket equipment, then bricks are formed from it. They are laid out on fields to dry. Then they are stacked and taken away. Based on the location of extraction and other development costs, the cost of the mineral is determined. The weight of one piece varies from 500 to 1000 g. This extraction method is no more than 90 years old.

Transitional peat

It is mined in all possible ways, it all depends on where it lies and which method is more profitable. Most often, this species is used for agriculture in order to increase soil fertility.

Peat as a fertilizer: pros and cons

When purchasing peat, young and inexperienced summer residents add it in unlimited quantities to their planting beds. Only a few people think about whether this is correct and whether it is harmful to cultivated plants. Peat consists of 40-60% humus, but in its pure form it is very harmful for the garden. A plus, many gardeners consider a high percentage of nitrogen content, approximately 25 kg per 1 ton.

But few people know that this nitrogen is not absorbed by plants, as it is poorly absorbed.

It is better not to fertilize the garden with pure peat; it is necessary to mix it with others. The advantage of adding peat to the soil is that it increases the breathability of the soil, making it more airy and loose. It is easier for plants to grow in such soil, but this is not enough for the full development of the root system, green mass and fruits.

High-moor peat is suitable for those plants that thrive in acidic soil. In this case, it is added during transplantation and later the soil around the plants is mulched with it.

Comparison

You can understand the value of this mineral in comparison with organic fertilizers:

• black soil;
• chicken droppings.

Humus and manure

The main difference is acidity. Peat wins here, so it is used for depleted land. But in most cases, humus is used, since it contains more nutrients necessary for plant growth.

Chernozem

Chernozem contains a large number of humus, but there are also more pathogenic bacteria and viruses in it. Therefore, the summer resident has to choose independently based on what the soil lacks. If you add peat, it must be diluted with sand and perlite and humus.

Chicken droppings

Chicken droppings benefit from the fact that they are more valuable in terms of the composition of nutrients. Some gardeners prefer to use droppings.

What is peat used for?

A novice gardener wonders about the role peat fertilizer for the site. The advantage of using it is that it contains a large amount of humic and amino acids, which contribute to the rapid growth of plants.

Peat is used to prepare fertile soil for planting seedlings and indoor plants.

The main purpose of using peat in agriculture is to increase soil fertility.

Advantages of using minerals on the site:

• improvement of soil structure;
• increasing productivity;
• increased moisture permeability;
• improved breathability.

How useful is fertilizer for personal plot, the summer resident will appreciate it after using it. But you should carefully study the composition of the soil, and then apply fertilizing.

Peat properties

There are many properties due to which it is widely used in agriculture, medicine, cosmetology and many other industries. The summer resident is interested in the answer to the question what properties peat has that are useful for a personal plot or cottage:

1. In combination with other organic substances, it can nourish and enrich the soil.
2. Makes the soil moisture- and breathable.
3. Increases soil acidity.
4. Removes soil from pathogenic microflora.
5. Can reduce nitrate levels.
6. Reduces the effects of pesticides.

The properties of peat differ depending on what type it belongs to. There is no need to add minerals to fertile soils. In this case, its properties are neutral.

Peat composition

The composition includes plant residues that have not completely decomposed. Their decomposition products and mineral particles. IN natural conditions it contains 86-95% water. Botanical composition:

• wood remains;
• tree bark and roots;
• various plant remains;
• hypnum and sphagnum moss.

The chemical composition varies depending on the type, botanical composition and degree of decomposition. That is, the percentage of micro- and macroelements in its composition depends on what type of peat is being studied and whose plant residues it is based on.

Peat acidity

This directly depends on how much calcium it contains. Due to the high degree of acidity, horse grass is practically not used for planting; it is suitable for mulching. Since its pH is 3-5. Summer residents prefer to use lowland peat, since its acidity level is 5-8. All particles in its composition are well decomposed and are suitable for feeding any crop.

The following classification is determined by the degree of acidity:

1. Strongly acidic, their ash content is 1.5-3%, lime content is 0.15-0.6%, pH 2.5-4.
2. Medium acidic, ash content 3-6%, lime content 1%, pH 3.5-4.5.
3. Slightly acidic, ash content 5-12%, lime more than 1%, pH 4.5-5.5.
4. Neutral, high ash content, neutral pH above 7%.

It is worth remembering that when it comes to composition, it is impossible to say unambiguously about all types. Therefore, general characteristics are given.

Decomposition rate

The presence of humus in it depends on how much the peat has decomposed. That is, the greater the degree of decomposition, the higher the percentage of structureless particles. This characteristic is the main one when describing qualities and useful properties.

This indicator is determined as a percentage, “by eye” or under a microscope. In the first case, only fresh peat is taken, which has its own natural humidity. Signs by which the degree of decomposition is determined:

• plastic;
• quantity and preservation of plant fragments;
• quantity and color of squeezed water.

The decomposition is divided into 3 groups:

• 30% - highly decomposed. It is pressed through the fingers, leaving individual, large fragments of plant residues in the hands. After squeezing out the water, which is either very little or not at all, it remains plastic. The water is dark brown.
• 20% - moderately decomposed. It is difficult to press through your fingers; there is a lot of plant residue left in your hands. The water that is squeezed out is light brown or brown in color. Pressed peat springs weakly.
• Less than 20% - slightly decomposed. It's impossible to push through your fingers. Plant remains are easily distinguishable. The water is easily squeezed out, its color is yellowish or colorless. Pressed peat is springy and rough on the surface.

More detailed information gives a macroscopic method, it was proposed by P.D. Varlygin.

In field conditions, when it is not possible to conduct laboratory tests, the smear method is used. The disadvantage of the method for determining the degree of decomposition is that traces of slightly decomposed soil are difficult to discern. A plus is the quick determination of results.

Types of peat

According to the institute's research in the European part of the Soviet Union, there are 38 species. But all these types are combined into 3 types, which are divided based on the properties of the peat and the nature of the waters that feed the swamps.

1. Lowland.
2. Horse.
3. Transition.

Lowland peat

Fed by groundwater. Its pH is neutral or slightly acidic. In total, it contains 70% organic residues; in addition, it contains a large amount of minerals.

Lowland peat is often used to improve the soil composition of soil that has been used for a long time without applying any fertilizers.

High peat

Of all types, it is the most infertile, therefore it is only suitable for mulching or plants that require high soil acidity for growth and development.

Transitional peat

The middle formation is between low-lying and high-moor peat, that is, the layer is transitional. With fewer microelements and low soil acidity. The plant remains that make up this species are almost constant, differing slightly, depending on the type of peat deposits.

Neutralized peat

Subspecies of the riding species. It is used for the preparation of substrates; for this, raw materials with a low degree of decomposition are taken. In this case, limestone flour is used to neutralize acidity.

It is used to make greenhouse soil, or soil for plants grown in pots. For open ground, used when planting trees and shrubs.

Peat use

The scope of its application in agriculture is very extensive. The mineral is used in garden beds, indoors, in the garden and when growing flowers.

For the garden

Pure peat is not used to fertilize beds. Basically, it is mixed with humus and other organic substances. Moreover, it is introduced wet 50-60%. Otherwise it will be mulching.

Peat compost is a common phenomenon in summer cottages. In addition, summer residents call this method of application the most effective.

For the greenhouse

The ability of a mineral to absorb moisture and at the same time retain it is indispensable when arranging a greenhouse. With the help of these properties, it maintains the optimal temperature regime of the soil in the greenhouse for a long time. In combination, the mineral is an antiseptic. Therefore, greenhouses are filled with peat to 50-90%.

For garden

For use in the garden it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation mineral. It is recommended to keep it thoroughly fluffed for 2 weeks. If possible, sift through a sieve.

When using peat in the garden, constant watering is required. Proper use will ensure plant roots useful substances and oxygen necessary for active plant growth.

For plants

Peat is used for many types of crops. Apply as fertilizer in spring or autumn for digging. This helps improve the composition of the soil and increase the nutrients that the plant takes for proper development and growth.

For flowers

Lovers of growing flowers, garden and indoor, also note the positive effect of peat on plants. Using minerals as fertilizer helps plants recover faster after transplantation.

Peonies respond especially well. They grow faster, bloom better and have a very strong smell. It is used as mulch and top dressing. In the second case, it is necessary to combine with mineral fertilizers.

Application in winter

IN winter period the mineral is used for compost. During the winter it rots and turns into the most nutritious fertilizer. Applying it in winter causes early snow melting. Consequently, the soil begins to warm up earlier.

Fertilization of individual crops

The mineral is used differently for some crops; it is important to know how to fertilize correctly so as not to harm either the plant or the soil.

Potato

Growing potatoes is a labor-intensive process. The summer resident does this to get the harvest fertile soil in the garden bed, adding sand and clay. But by themselves, these components do not perform the necessary function, so peat is added to them. This soil composition is the most suitable for the crop.

Strawberry

Applying fertilizer to strawberry beds, gardeners note the early ripening of the berries, the harvest becomes richer, and the taste of the strawberries is richer. Apply in spring or autumn, mixing with sawdust and drying well. Add it to the row spacing 30 kg per 1 m2. Or directly into each hole.

Tomatoes

For this crop, peat is used as foliar and root feeding once every 2 weeks. Or apply 4 kg per 1 m2, scattering it evenly over the bed.

For better effect, the mineral is added when planting seeds.

cucumbers

Thanks to the addition of peat to the soil, a rich crop harvest is obtained. It is important to observe the dosage and correctly produce or reduce the acidity of the soil. Maintaining the proportions will help you get the maximum possible yield from cucumber bushes.

Cabbage

For this crop, which is very picky about acidity, peat is used to lower the pH. Then the effect of its use will become noticeable almost immediately.

Fertilizing the soil with peat

To increase soil fertility, summer residents use this mineral. But many people don’t even think about the fact that it also causes harm. Therefore, before fertilizing the soil, it is necessary to determine what exactly the soil needs.

When introducing it into fertile soil, you should not expect improvements, as there will be no result. But if the soil is severely depleted, then it increases its fertility.

Peat preparation

Before use, it is necessary to properly prepare the mineral. To do this you need to fulfill simple requirements:

1. Ventilate thoroughly before use. So that the toxic substances contained in its composition evaporate.
2. The humidity of the raw materials used is not less than 50%.
3. The effects on the plant are not immediate, sometimes they are noticeable only after 2-3 years.
4. Regardless of the season, applying fertilizer is always appropriate.
5. The best way to use it is through compost.

When to deposit

There are no specific dates, it is applied at any time, in spring and autumn before plowing. During plant growth, between rows and under roots.

Dosage

There are no regulations on the use of minerals. They only note that it is necessary to apply it for several years in a row, gradually bringing the soil to the required degree of fertility.

Mulching with peat

This process also requires compliance with rules, which leads to positive result from the work done. Mulch during the growing season or before winter. In the summer, peat is used for this, which is applied in a layer of 1 to 2 cm. In the spring, protecting the plantings, up to 5 cm; in winter, the layer is not limited.

Soil feeding

To enrich the fertile soil layer, peat mixed with any organic additives is used. Since it alone does not provide proper enrichment with minerals. The mineral, in its pure form, is used only for mulching.

They use high-moor peat for mulch, lowland and transitional peat, to enrich the soil.

Organizing peat compost

Pure fertilizer provides few nutrients to the soil. Therefore, summer residents recommend making compost. To prepare it, you need foliage, food waste, cut weeds and other plant debris. Compost is prepared within 1-1.5 years. The degree of readiness is determined visually. The entire mass should be homogeneous and loose.

Methods

There are 2 ways to organize compost, which of them is preferred by the summer resident himself.

Local composting

A layer of peat 50-60 cm is laid out at the selected location. Then manure 70-80 cm is laid out in a continuous layer or in heaps. Moreover, the width is made 1-1.5 m less than peat, then the top is covered with a layer of peat, 50-60 cm. Covering the manure from all sides. This method is preferable in winter.

Layer-by-layer

Peat is distributed over a width of 4-5 m, the length of the area is possible, the layer thickness is 50 cm, then a layer of manure is laid, then peat again, and so on several times, the height of the finished compost heap is 2 m. Last layer definitely peaty.

Peat based fertilizer

Fertilizer manufacturers create fertilizers for plants. They make it for those who cannot make a compost heap on their own. Made in the form of granules, which are added directly to the wells. And liquid fertilizer, which is absorbed much better. It is watered on plants and used as a growth stimulator for seeds.

Peat oxidate

Economical plant nutrition, which is much cheaper than imported analogues. Helps plants accumulate nutrients, improves soil structure, and prevents toxins from entering the plant.

It contains amino acids, monosaccharides, proteins, humic acids, minerals and sulfic acids. When using, be sure to dilute with water.

Peat extract

For manufacturing, a low-lying type is used; using electro-hydraulic processing, a hood is obtained. The fertilizer is very convenient to use. Contains many useful substances. Recommended for areas where there is no need to fertilize the soil.

Alternative to peat fertilizers

If it is not possible to purchase a mineral, it is replaced with organic matter with a similar nutrient composition. These include:

• manure;
• humus;
• humus;
• bird droppings;
• feces;
• sawdust, tree bark;
• green manure;
• compost pits.

The choice of alternative is up to the vegetable grower.

Manure

The best replacement for peat. Its composition is rich in minerals that plants need for growth and development. All of them are in an easily digestible form.

The only negative for the site is that you cannot use fresh manure.

Humus

Rich in nutrients that increase overall soil fertility. Injected before digging or directly into the holes.

Humus

It is used as an alternative to peat in most cases, as it is rich in useful substances that enrich the soil.

Bird droppings

IL

Rich in humus, potassium and nitrogen, sludge is used on plots to increase soil fertility.

Feces

They are not used in their pure form; special preparation of the fertilizer for their use is required. Made from a compost heap.

Sawdust, tree bark

Cheap and affordable organic fertilizer, which becomes an excellent substitute for minerals. Apply to areas only when they are rotted. Mix with other fertilizers and layer with soil.

Compost is prepared from the bark, mixed with mineral fertilizers and moistened. The fertilizer will be ready within 6 months.

Green manure

In the fall, the plot is sown with perennial or annual crops and plowed in the spring. Nutrients pass into the soil, enriching the soil.

Compost pits

A harmless organic fertilizer that significantly increases soil fertility. The disadvantage of feeding is that it takes 1 to 2 years to prepare. But do not forget that it is in this form that minerals are better absorbed by plants.

Peat as a fertilizer is indispensable on the site. But you shouldn’t add it thoughtlessly, everything is good in moderation.

Quite often, many amateur gardeners wonder how and what to fertilize all their favorite plants so that maximum benefit and minimal costs. They give their preference to those fertilizers that are available in their region.

Areas with many wetlands are rich in excellent fertilizer - peat. People started using peat as a fertilizer not yesterday or even the day before yesterday. People have guessed about its beneficial qualities since ancient times and, through many experiments, came to the conclusion that soil fertilized with peat becomes much more fertile, and the plants on it delight with their strength and beauty.

Article outline

This inhabitant of swamp spaces not only serves to create a highly nutritious environment for all plants. It can be used to heat homes, filter for various solutions, and provide ideal thermal insulation. But most often, soil fertilization with peat is used.

What is this wonderful substance? These are the remains of plants and animals, which over time undergo rotting, decomposition and compression. This wonderful organic substance also contains useful mineral fertilizers.

Mineral fertilizer peat is indispensable for any species of flora. It is used to fertilize the soil on which garden or vegetable plants grow. But do not forget that feeding with peat is not useful for all soils. In some cases, such feeding can cause harm.

Soil in which there is a sufficient amount of humus does not need fertilizer. But the soil, which consists mainly of clay and sand, really needs to be simply diluted with peat. If we approach this issue with all seriousness, then after feeding such soil with peat, it will be saturated with organic and other useful substances.

Peat is an organic fertilizer, which, depending on the degree of decomposition and its acidity, is divided into three types:

• High-moor peat is practically undecomposed and unpressed remains of animal and plant life.
• Lowland peat is a mass that has completely decomposed.
• Transitional – the middle link between high-moor and low-lying peat.

The first and second types of peat have too much acidity, so using it without any impurities, in its pure form, can be harmful to plants.

It is best to combine this fertilizer with other organic and mineral substances.

Thus, peat will help retain agrochemicals in the soil, saturate it with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. By the way, peat contains 50-60% carbon. And this is a sufficient amount for the plants to feel great.

Fertilizing the land with peat has a beneficial effect on its composition and quality. Thanks to this, she seems to be reborn again. Becomes water and breathable. In other words, the soil begins to breathe. In such soil, plants become comfortable and cozy. This happens if you fertilize the soil with lowland or intermediate types of peat. The top layer of peat is not suitable for such a role. This is ideally an excellent mulching material for covering the plant during the winter.

Peat consists of:

• 50-60% carbon;
• 5% from hydrogen;
• 1-3% from oxygen;
• 3% from nitrogen;
• 1% from sulfur.

ABOUT beneficial properties peat

Peat is a plant fertilizer that has some distinctive features. It is heat- and moisture-intensive, has a slightly acidic environment. There are some rules that should be followed when working with this substance:

1. Before you start using peat, it must be thoroughly ventilated. The fact is that it contains a large portion of substances that can have a negative effect on plants. To prevent this from happening, just place a small amount of peat on a pile in a well-ventilated place.
2. It is necessary to carefully pay attention and control the moisture content of the peat. In no case should it fall below 50%. If you do not keep track and allow the humidity to drop, then the soil fertilized with peat will poorly retain moisture, which will negatively affect the development and growth of plants.
3. We must not forget that for fertile lands peat will not play a big role. It is useful for depleted soils, sandy and clayey.
4. You should not wait for an immediate reaction after fertilizing with peat. As a rule, it is valid for 2-3 years. The most positive effect is noticed from the second year, so don’t be upset or rush things.
5. You can fertilize the soil with fertilizers that contain peat both in the autumn and spring seasons. In both cases it will be beneficial for the plants.
6. Fertilizing slightly acidic soils with slightly acidic peat is neither correct nor prudent. To begin with, the peat must be neutralized with lime or dolomite flour.
7. In order to enrich lowland peat with useful components, it must first be used for animal bedding. And only after that use the resulting mass for its intended purpose.

The quality of peat can be judged by doing a small experiment at home. You need to take a small amount of this material in your hand, squeeze it between your fingers and move it along a clean sheet of paper. The less moisture is squeezed out and the darker the stripe on the paper, the greater the amount of plant and animal remains that has had time to decompose.

Good peat should be dark brown in color, with a loose structure and good moisture holding capacity. The acidity of peat is checked with ordinary litmus paper.

Methods for determining soil acidity

Peat - excellent fertilizer colors. In order to extract all the beneficial qualities of this valuable material and at the same time not harm the flowers, peat is mixed with black soil and sand.

This mixture will help to grow wildly flowering plants rich in greenery. Flowers are usually stored in such soil in a flower shop for a long period of time, which not only does not harm them, but on the contrary promotes their good development and growth.

In many cases, peat is valued by gardeners and gardeners. This is an excellent and incomparable fertilizer for many plants. But most often peat is used as fertilizer for potatoes. Potatoes use all the beneficial substances of peat more fully than all other crops.

In order for powerful vegetative masses and healthy potato tubers to form, it is necessary to feed it not only with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, but also with other useful substances. To do this, it is also necessary to have loose soil, its correct structure with a slightly acidic environment. Soddy-podzolic soil with sand or clay is best suited for these purposes. Sand does not retain moisture well. Clay, although it retains moisture quite well, is basically airtight in its condition.

If all these indicators are mixed with peat, and even humus particles are added to this mixture, it will be difficult to find more fertile soil. It is advisable to fertilize light soil in the spring, at the same time as planting potatoes. It is better to feed heavy ones with peat and manure in the fall, after the harvest has been harvested.

If bird droppings are used instead of manure, then fertilizing is also needed purely in the autumn. On average, 10 kg of such fertilizer per 1 sq.m of land is sufficient.

When fertilizing in spring, peat with manure is thrown directly into the hole with planting material. This allows all the beneficial substances to get directly to the seeds, and in the future to the roots of the plant, which is especially important for achieving a rich harvest.

Where can I get peat? Trip for peat on video

Peat can be fed to both garden flowers and those growing in pots. It is used both as top dressing and as a mulching material. But every gardener should remember that this natural material for feeding plants, it begins to work perfectly when combined with other organic and mineral components.

Not the last place in plant growing and gardening is occupied by acid peat. With its help, agricultural and flower plants. The use of acid peat is acceptable on a large industrial scale, but in a small area summer cottage or garden, bagged soil mixtures are prepared with its help.

For greater efficiency and without that useful material it is necessary to add other additional mineral and organic substances. The uniqueness of acid peat is manifested in its biological properties. The most acidic peat is considered to be high peat. Its formation occurs on a flat or elevated area. The degree of its decomposition is not too high. If you neutralize this type of fertilizer, it will become an indispensable assistant during growing seedlings and greenhouse crops.

Thanks to the use of acidic peat, the physical and chemical condition of the soil is greatly improved. There are positive changes in its density, breathability, nutritional value and microbiological state.

Peat, the extraction of which occurs in June-October, is usually the most valuable and nutritious. It is light, airy and absolutely non-toxic. It should not be stored for a long time. This deteriorates its quality, and some useful substances disappear.

How to prepare soil for seedlings - how to add peat in advance

Using peat in the garden

Using peat in the garden requires some knowledge. Before using it directly, the peat must be thoroughly fluffed and kept for 14 days. Ideally, it would be sifted through a special mesh with required sizes cells. This material requires constant watering and an average temperature of 17-20 degrees.

If it is prepared correctly and also correctly placed in pots and cassettes, then the roots of the seedlings will be provided with useful substances and oxygen, and this in turn will contribute to its intensive growth.

An excellent peat fertilizer is peat compost. It is used by gardeners when manure is not available. Why is manure better than peat? Peat decomposes a little more slowly in the soil, which somewhat limits the access of useful components to plants in time.

It has already been mentioned above that peat has high acidity, so it is an excellent assistant for gardeners and gardeners only strictly after composting. If we approach this issue from full responsibility, then using peat compost you can create an excellent fertilizer for plants, in no way inferior to manure.

The right time for preparing composts is from early spring to late autumn. Excellent material that will be added to peat in the compost heap is various plant waste, fallen leaves, grass clippings and various food scraps. Most often used for peat compost:

• tops;
• weeds;
• sawdust and shavings;
• leftover food;
• and of course peat.

Do not throw plastic waste, rubber, glass or iron products into this pile.

Garden peat is a valuable product. Some people believe that only selected plants can grow on acid peat. In fact, there are simply a huge number of options for using peat on garden plots. It has an unlimited number of useful organic matter, he has amazing structural properties and can be of great help in the national economy.

Compost from peat can be prepared within 1-1.5 years. It is considered ready only when the compost heap has turned into a homogeneous, loose mass.

It is not worth making the compost heap very high, since in this case the decomposition processes will proceed unevenly - the maximum recommended height of a compost heap with peat is one and a half to two meters.

How peat is extracted on an industrial scale

It is widely used by many gardeners and peat has long proven itself as a fertilizer for tomatoes.

It is enough to do foliar and root feeding of tomatoes with a peat mixture once every fourteen days and the result will not take long to arrive.

It can also be added for greater effect when planting in holes along with plant seeds.

Peat has shown itself very well as a fertilizer for flowers. In airy and super-porous soil, thanks to peat, flowers quickly recover after transplantation and feel simply excellent throughout their growth.

Peonies are especially grateful for this wonderful fertilizer. They develop much faster, bloom much more profusely, and the smell of such peonies is much richer. After all, there is more than enough air in such soil. It holds as much moisture as the plant needs.

Fertilizer for cabbage

Cabbage is a rather finicky vegetable. It is too demanding on the soil and environment and prefers to grow in low acidic soil.

If you reduce the acidity of peat, make compost from it and apply this mixture when planting, then the effect of such organic fertilizing will be visible with the first harvest.

If you neutralize the acidity of peat and apply it when growing cucumbers, it will be one of the most effective fertilizers in gardening. It is important to observe certain proportions and requirements.

Can be grown big harvest, growing cucumbers directly on peat. It is enough just to produce it correctly and add the fertilizers necessary for good plant growth.

There is a type of soil that becomes crusty after rain. This becomes a big problem for plants growing in such soil, because oxygen access to the roots is practically blocked. If you periodically fertilize such soil with peat, this problem will remain a thing of the past and over time you can forget about it.

Peat is often and actively used in greenhouses. This application works great for 2-3 years. After this period, the quality of the peat deteriorates somewhat. Its mineralization (decomposition) occurs.

To ensure that the quality of the peat remains the same top level It is necessary to periodically add loosening materials to the soil with it.

This could be sawdust, sand or straw cuttings, manure or fresh peat. The mineralization of peat is stopped if pine bark crushed into dust is added to it.

The standard recipe for peat fertilizer for a greenhouse is as follows:

• 40% garden land;
• 40% lowland peat;
• 10% cow manure;
• 5% ash;
• 5% sawdust.

Thanks to these secrets, you can use such soil in a greenhouse for up to 6 years. After this period, it is better to completely replace the soil with a new one. One that has done its job can still serve as an excellent fertilizer for plants in the open air.