In the household, especially when construction work oh, sawdust accumulates - waste from carpentry work. Some young owners, not realizing what invaluable material for gardening fell into their hands, immediately throw the waste into the fire, and then scatter the ash, like fertilizer, throughout the garden. Indeed, where can you use sawdust, how to use it, and is it worth the candle? I hasten to reassure readers. There are many ways to use sawdust in gardening. They just need to be used correctly. Let's try to figure out where and how sawdust is used.

Sawdust for use in the garden. © Bills Garden Tips

What is sawdust?

Sawdust is waste from sawing wood and other materials (plywood, panels, etc.). Sawdust material is quite lightweight. The bulk density of sawdust is 100 kg per 1 m³ and 1 ton contains 9-10 m³ of raw materials at a standard humidity of 8-15% (Table 1). This material is very convenient to use.

Table 1. Bulk density of sawdust

Characteristics of sawdust composition

The chemical composition of sawdust is characterized the following content chemical elements:

• 50% carbon:
• 44% oxygen:
• 6% hydrogen%
• 0.1% nitrogen.

In addition, wood contains about 27% lignin, which gives trees their lignified density, and at least 70% hemicellulose (practically, carbohydrates).

Natural organic material, when decomposed in the soil, provides elements needed by plants. 1 m³ of sawdust contains 250 g of calcium, 150-200 g of potassium, 20 g of nitrogen, about 30 g of phosphorus. Some types of sawdust (mostly coniferous) contain resinous substances in the wood, which negatively affect the growth and development of plants.

Sawdust – sterile substrate and when it gets into the soil it is immediately populated by microflora. Provided with organic material, the microflora uses nutrients from wood and soil to decompose sawdust, depleting the latter with the necessary nutrients (the same nitrogen and phosphorus).

The composition of sawdust made from natural wood does not cause allergies and does not emit harmful emissions when burned. But you need to keep in mind that the above composition characterizes natural wood, the qualities of which are determined by the composition of sawdust. Sawdust as waste from artificially produced wood boards impregnated with adhesives and varnishes cannot be used in gardening.

Types of sawdust and their uses

Sawdust is named according to the main type of tree crop: birch, linden, oak, chestnut, pine, aspen, coniferous, etc.

All types of sawdust (any tree species) can be used on the farm. But first you need to reduce their negative impact on soil components using various methods.

This is the most accessible and inexpensive raw material, which has a wide range of applications in personal farming. Sawdust is used in the construction of outbuildings, for insulation of walls, floors and in other cases of construction.

But the most valuable use of sawdust is in gardening work:

• For improvement physical condition soil for planting garden or berry crops.
• As one of the components of compost preparation.
• How to use it for mulching vegetable, flower and garden crops.
• Sawdust has low thermal conductivity and can be used as insulation for heat-loving plants (roses, young southern fruit crops, exotics in cold regions).
• Sawdust is an indispensable component when preparing warm beds.
• As a covering material for paths to prevent them from becoming overgrown with weeds.

Methods of using sawdust

Improving the physical properties of the soil

Chernozem soils, clayey and loamy soils are dense and heavy. Most garden plants prefer soil that is light, loose, air- and water-permeable. Improve high-quality composition Such soils can be added up to 50% of the volume of the soil mass of sawdust when preparing greenhouse substrates or preparing soil mixtures for growing seedlings.

To prevent sawdust from reducing fertility, before applying it, it is mixed with semi-rotted manure or mineral fertilizers, a solution of urea or mullein are added.

Making compost using sawdust

Preparing compost eliminates all the negative properties of sawdust (depletion of soil nutrients, reduced oxidizing properties, reduced effect of resinous substances, etc.).

Compost can be prepared in two ways:

• receive fast or aerobic compost (with air access), which will be ready for use in 1.0-2.0 months;
• anaerobic compost (without air access); this preparation process is longer (3-6 months depending on the components used), but with this method the nutritional value of organic matter is preserved.

Sawdust compost. © Rocky Mountain Compost

Aerobic method of preparing compost

With this method, you can prepare sawdust-mineral, sawdust-organic and sawdust-mixed compost.

1. For sawdust-mineral compost, 1.25 kg of urea, 0.4 kg of superphosphate (double) and 0.75 kg of potassium sulfate are added to 50 kg (0.5 m³) of sawdust. Fertilizers are dissolved in warm water and shed sawdust, constantly stirring it or laying it in layers. Each layer is spilled with the prepared solution. During the composting period, the compost heap is stirred to increase air access, which will accelerate the fermentation of sawdust organic matter.
2. To prepare sawdust-organic compost, chicken droppings or manure are needed. Organic matter is added to sawdust at a ratio of 1:1 (by weight) and for fermentation it is mixed with sawdust or laid in layers. During fermentation, the pile is aerated with a pitchfork (fluffed).
3. To prepare sawdust-mixed compost, sawdust-mineral compost is first laid and after a month of fermentation, manure or chicken droppings are added. Manure is added in a ratio of 1:1, and chicken manure is 2 times less (1:0.5).

Remember that for fast fermentation, loose laying is necessary, without compaction. Air will flow freely into such a compost heap, which will accelerate the decomposition of the compost components.

If composts are laid in the spring, then by autumn they will ripen and be ready for digging. Such composts can be applied half-baked, after 3-4 weeks. They are not yet fertilizer, but have already lost their properties negative impact on soil and plants.

When digging, add 1-2 buckets of ready-made compost, depending on the condition of the soil.

Anaerobic method of preparing compost

With the anaerobic method, the compost heap is prepared over time, gradually adding components. In a compost pit 50 cm deep, lay various crushed organic matter in layers of 15-25 cm (leaves, branches, unseeded weeds, sawdust, manure, tops from the garden, waste food production etc.). Each layer is sprinkled with one or two shovels of soil and spilled with a fertilizer solution. Add up to 100 g of nitrophoska to a bucket of solution.

Unlike the first (aerobic) method, all components are compacted well to reduce air access. In this case, fermentation is carried out by anaerobic microflora. After installation is complete compost heap, it is covered with a film or a layer of grass. Fermentation lasts 4-6 months. Anaerobic compost is more “nutritious” and all types of waste (including coarse branches) are used for its preparation.

When preparing composts optimal humidity compost heap should be 50-60%, temperature +25...+30°C.

Mulching shrubs with sawdust. © nwfruit

Mulching the soil with sawdust

Mulching translated into Russian means covering, shelter.

Benefits of using sawdust mulch:

• Sawdust mulch is a cheap natural material for improving the physical properties of the soil;
• it keeps the top layer from overheating in hot weather;
• good insulation. Protects the soil from freezing and at the same time allows air to pass freely, preventing the development of putrefactive fungal and bacterial infections;
• mulch from pine sawdust promotes easy oxidation of the soil, which is important for a number of crops, especially flowers: begonias, pelargoniums, ivy, ficus, cyclamen, citrus fruits and others;
• protects ripening berries in contact with the soil from rotting and pests (slugs).

Disadvantages of sawdust mulch

The negative properties of sawdust appear when used incorrectly:

• V pure form this raw material takes 8-10 years to rot, using soil nutrients for fermentation;
• when using sawdust to prepare composts, the temperature rises very quickly;
• Raw materials with constant application increase the acidity of the soil.

Ways to use sawdust mulch

Only paths and other surfaces free of plant crops are covered with clean sawdust. For example: row spacing, paths, tree trunk circles in the garden.

Light-colored mulch reflects the sun's rays, which reduces heating of the top layer of soil.

As it shrinks, add clean mulch to the rows and paths. A layer of untreated mulch of 6-8 cm, constantly renewed, prevents the growth of weeds.

Mulch retains moisture well in the soil and on the surface. Keeps the top layer moist for a long time, protecting it from drying out and cracking.

Mulch is used as bedding for berry plants, whose crop spreads along the ground (for example: under strawberries, wild strawberries).

Mulch the soil around the perimeter of the crown garden crops. You can use clean (untreated) sawdust - against increased weed growth and compost as an organic fertilizer.

The soil under plants should only be mulched with treated sawdust.

In rows with plants and under fruit bushes, only treated mulch (mature or semi-raw compost) is always added.

During the growing season, feed the plants on top of the sawdust. The applied fertilizers contribute to their faster overheating.

After harvesting, perform autumn work directly over the mulch: dig up the soil with preliminary application mineral fertilizers and organics.

Mulching beds with sawdust. © Nikki

Using sawdust mulch to prepare high and warm beds

High warm beds prepared on any site (rocky, gravelly, with high groundwater levels).

Warm beds (low, above ground) are placed on cold soils, as well as for obtaining earlier heat-loving vegetables and growing seedlings.

In such beds, vegetable crops ripen faster, they suffer less from fungal rot and are affected by pests.

The beds are prepared in the usual way:

• a “drainage” layer of thick branches and other waste is laid under the base;
• the second layer is filled with sawdust and spilled with urea solution;
• sprinkle with any soil, literally a few shovels;
• the next layer is laid out from any other organic matter - straw, manure, chopped weeds, leaf litter;
• each layer has a thickness of 10-15 cm, and the total height of the bed is at the discretion of the owner;
• usually a thermal cushion made from organic waste is laid at a height of 50-60 cm;
• all the layers are shed hot water, better solution urea or any organic matter (manure, bird droppings);
• cover with black film; warming up usually lasts a week;
• after the temperature of active fermentation has decreased, the film is removed and a layer of soil is laid out.

The high bed is surrounded by a fence to prevent it from falling apart. Ordinary warm beds are buried 25-30 cm into the soil or prepared directly on the soil, removing the topmost fertile layer (10-15 cm).

If it is necessary to quickly warm up the bed, use sawdust mixed with a small amount of lime and ash, and spill it with a hot urea solution. You can prepare a mixture of sawdust and manure. Gardeners also use other, their own methods of heating the soil of a warm bed.

Mulching garden paths sawdust. © Jason Dingley

Sawdust as insulation and covering material

Sawdust is a good insulation material for young seedlings and heat-loving crops.

• When planting heat-loving crops (grapes, various vines) in cold regions, large sawdust mixed with small wood chips is poured into the bottom of the planting hole (as drainage). They will serve as a heat insulator against deep cold.
• Sawdust can be filled (lightly tamped) into plastic bags or sacks and surrounded on all sides by the roots and shoots of young plants before the onset of a steady cold snap.
• You can cover the vines of grapes, clematis, raspberries and other plants bent to the ground with sawdust along the entire length. Cover the top with film and press down or dig in from gusts of wind. Such a shelter is prepared just before the frosts, so that mice, other rodents and pests do not make warm winter “apartments” for themselves in the sawdust.
• A warm shelter can be prepared for rose bushes, other heat-loving crops and young fruit seedlings in the form wooden frames. Sprinkle sawdust on top of the frame. Place soil on the sawdust and cover it with film. The result will be a primitive dugout or a warm hillock. If sawdust is poured inside the panels and the panel cladding is covered with film, the bushes will survive the winter well. In the spring, the bushes need to be freed from sawdust so that when the snow melts, water does not get inside and the lower part of the plants does not begin to rot. Sawdust should not be left exposed. They will become saturated with moisture, freeze into one lump, and the plants under such cover will die.

The article provides only a small list of the use of sawdust in the garden and vegetable garden. Write about your ways of using sawdust. Your experience will be gratefully used by our readers, especially beginning gardeners.

From ancient times to the present day, sawdust has been very popular among gardeners and gardeners. Low price, availability, ease with large volumes, various applications(as a fertilizer, for mulching, for loosening the soil, as an insulating material), make it an indispensable and useful substrate.

Small waste from sawing (sawdust) is environmentally friendly and is divided into:

• Birch.
• Aspen.
• Linden.
• Oak.
• Chestnut.
• Pine.
• Conifers.

The composition of fresh shavings is unsuitable for use as fertilizer. The point is that when such a substrate decomposes, it appears a large number of various microorganisms - fungi, bacteria. To live, they take nutrients from the soil, such as nitrogen. In the future, this must be replenished by applying fertilizers.

Composition of wood remains:

• lignin - 27% - intended for lignification;
• hydrocarbons - cellulose - 70%;
• carbon - 50%;
• oxygen - 44%;
• nitrogen - 0.1%.

Wood waste contains a large amount of resinous and waxy substances that are harmful to plant growth. For this reason, fresh sawdust is processed and used as the basis for future compost.

The scope of application of chips is extensive. Let's look at examples of work in horticultural farming:

• At .
• During land reclamation.
• To obtain fertile compost.
• As a fertilizer.
• For covering plants in the cold season.
• For filling paths between beds.
• When growing mushrooms.
• To dehydrate an area when flooded with melt water (dig a trench and cover it with sawdust and then earth on top).

Properties of sawdust

When mulching plants in greenhouses and on open surfaces:

• They retain moisture for plants when a layer of substrate is laid.
• They are a good protector of the root system from frost.
• Do not allow weeds to grow.
• Prevents the formation of crust on top of the soil.
• Reduces wind and water erosion.
• They prevent the earth from bulging out in winter.

Are common :

• They improve the quality of the soil structure (during reclamation, mixing with sapropel, the fertile layer is restored).
• Used as fertilizer (composted sawdust).
• They have a positive effect on the soil when growing seedlings.
• They have excellent heat dissipation.
• They are an excellent medium for mycelium (when mixed with peat, they retain moisture and protect from temperature changes).

Sawdust as fertilizer

Fresh wood residues from sawing cannot be used as fertilizer, since they do not have useful substances for plant nutrition. To obtain humus, it takes from 3 to 10 years.

In order for sawdust to be used as fertilizer, it is necessary to compost. There are several ways. Here are some of them:

Composting using EM1 (Baikal or Tamir)

• sawdust - 100 l;
• earth - 10l;
• ash - 4 cups;
• nitrogen salt (carbide, saltpeter) - 1 glass;
• drug EM1, based on 2% of total number masses;
• Sugar (for pine sawdust) - 50g.

Earth, ash, nitrogen salt, sugar are mixed with sawdust. The drug EM1 is diluted in water at a rate of 1:100. The mixed substrate is poured with the prepared solution. Seals with a hermetically sealed lid plastic film, and aged for 2-3 months. It is introduced under digging and used in the form of mulch.

It is a composition containing live bacteria. There are 1 billion microorganisms per 1 liter of volume.

Prevail:

• lactic acid bacteria;
• aerobic layers (yeast);
• nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

They create the microenvironment in the substrates necessary for compost.

Creating a layer of compost between the beds

• The space between the beds is filled with fresh sawdust to a depth of 10 cm.
• It is poured from a watering can with the prepared solution, at the rate of 100 ml of solution per 10 liters of water (the solution is prepared in advance from the ECONOMIC Bioconstructor preparation).
• After a year, the top layer can be removed and used for mulching.

The drug "ECONOMIC Bioconstructor" has three bottles:

• concentrate “Economy Harvest;
• nutrient medium;
• dietary supplements.

Compost with slurry

• In boxes, pits, used bathtubs, and any other large containers sawdust is loaded.
• A solution of medium consistency slurry is prepared.
• The drug “Economic Dachny” is added to the solution at the rate of 5 liters per 1 sq. meter with a 20 centimeter layer of sawdust.
• Everything is thoroughly mixed.
• Covered with plastic film.

When producing compost, the following are important: moisture, heat, oxygen.

After 10-30 days, compost can be added to the beds and used for mulch.

The drug "Economic Dachny" is produced by the company "Biotechsoyuz", specializing in the production of biological products. This concentrate has many useful properties:

• speeds up the process of compost readiness;
• suppresses the growth of pathogenic microbes;
• non-toxic for plants, people, animals;
• eliminates odors;
• does not cause metal corrosion.

An easy way to make compost

You can get compost in your garden plot in 2 weeks, for this:

• Take 3 buckets of sawdust (fresh, not pine), 200 g of urea (urea).
• The entire substrate is laid in several layers, each layer is sprinkled with urea.
• Waters well (humidity should be 50-55%).
• It is hermetically sealed with film and kept in the sun for two weeks.
• The resulting mixture can be used for mulching in the greenhouse and in open ground.

Important:

• Mulching tomatoes with sawdust compost increases the yield by 20-30%. Leads to growth of maturation, counteracts late blight disease.
• Mulching strawberries and strawberries prevents the berries from rotting.

Classic compost (sawdust-mineral)

To prepare the required composition you need:

• Fresh sawdust - 1 cubic meter.
• Double superphosphate - 0.75kg.
• Potassium sulfate - 1.5kg.
• Urea - 2.5 kg.

These inorganic salts are soluble in water. Sawdust is watered with this solution. The entire mass under the film is aged for 2 to 6 months, at a temperature inside the heap of + 40-50 degrees. When the temperature in the compost is 25 degrees, it can be used for digging.The composition of the composted mixture can be improved by adding manure (a month after the initial addition of the sawdust-mineral mass). increases the temperature inside the mixture and reduces the cooking time of the product.

Important!

In order for the process of organic mass formation to proceed efficiently, certain conditions must be met:

• Presence of sunlight;
• Wind protection (to keep the pile warm);
• When laying, make a layer-by-layer layout (sawdust, weeds, manure, etc.) from 150 to 200 mm;
• The layer below is drainage (small branches, dry grass, leaves).
• The next layer is wood waste from sawing (watered with urea or slurry).
• Next, layers of manure, soil (preferably forest), hay, and straw alternate.

When is the best time to use sawdust?

Many gardeners add sawdust to the soil in the fall to improve structure, water and air mode(preferably for heavy soils). To do this, after harvesting, tops, grass, leaves, and straw are laid out on the ridges. By spring there will be an increase in soil inhabitants (worms, microorganisms).

In spring, fresh manure is added. All this and a layer of sawdust. The height of the layer should be no more than 3-5 cm. Everything is thoroughly mixed. Then leaves, straw, a layer of soil are placed on top, and mineral fertilizers are applied. For more strong heating the soil is spilled with boiling water.

It is necessary to observe the terms of mulching fruit trees and berry bushes. This must be done before mid-July, then by the beginning of September there will be nothing left of the sawdust substrates, since worms and loosening of the earth will contribute to mixing. Using mulch from July will have a bad effect on the ripening of annual shoots, since during intense rains the mulch layer will interfere with the evaporation of moisture from the ground.

Basic rules for using sawdust

When using sawdust, there are two main problems that need to be addressed before use.

Rapid soil acidification

The problem is solved by applying:

• ash;
• lime;
• fertilizers (superphosphate, sodium nitrate, potassium chloride, etc.);

When adding alkalis, you must comply permissible doses. Acidity testing is determined by tests using litmus papers.

Extraction of nitrogen from the soil by sawdust

To prevent nitrogen deficiency and prevent poor plant development, it is necessary to use urea (). In this case, be sure to dissolve the fertilizer in water and saturate the substrate well.

Pros and cons of using sawdust

When using sawdust in horticultural farming, both positive and negative effects are observed.

Positive sides:

• accessibility and use during work at any time;
• using sawdust as fertilizer (producing humus by composting);
• enhancing the effect of organic soil components;
• are a barrier for weeds;
• when mulching, they retain moisture in the ground until spring;
• promote soil aeration;
• capable of killing pests and disinfecting soil (conifers);
• help soil oxidation for some plants (ficus, begonia, cyclamen, citrus, ivy, pelargonium);
• are environmentally friendly;
• protect the soil from the formation of a crust on the surface;
• are good protection of berries from rotting and slugs;
• increase productivity after application;
• has good heat dissipation.

Negative sides:

• Wood sawdust is not a pure fertilizer. When applied to the soil, it makes it poorer. Actively removes minerals and trace elements (nitrogen);
• when added to the soil, it increases acidity (the presence of organic waxy and resinous substances);
• overheats for a long time (8-10 years);
• the presence of substances that inhibit plant growth (allelopathic oak and walnut);
• prolonged exposure to manure leads to the formation of fungus.

Sawdust is an inexpensive and accessible raw material, essentially wood waste, priceless in value, environmentally friendly pure material for the gardener and gardener. Good help when the market is cluttered chemicals, harmful to people.

With desire and a skillful approach to use, waste is the key to rich harvests of vegetables, berries and fruits.

Sawdust is an organic material that is successfully used to increase productivity in summer cottages. In the garden and vegetable garden, sawdust can be used to fertilize the soil and control weeds and pests. If you mulch trees and shrubs correctly, you can improve the quality and extend the harvest time.

Sawdust consists of fiber, various microelements, resins, essential oils, and therefore becomes an excellent fertilizer for all plants. They enrich the soil with carbon, which increases beneficial microflora. They make the soil looser, lighter, more breathable, which simply saves heavy loamy soils.

The ability of sawdust to retain moisture can be used very advantageously in dry areas and in lowlands that suffer from floods or rainstorms. To remove from plants excess water, make small trenches (30–40 cm wide, 20–25 cm deep), fill them with sawdust. And to retain moisture in the soil, mulching is done. Mulch made from fresh sawdust prevents moisture from evaporating, reflects sunlight due to its color, and therefore prevents the earth from overheating in the hottest summer. Properly organized mulching relieves summer residents from the need to frequently loosen the soil and weed the beds, because it prevents crust from forming after rain. And if any weed sprouts, it is very easy to remove it from the loose, airy soil.

The roots of many shrubs are located at shallow depths; provide them the right amount Tyrsa scattered around the stems will help with moisture.

Sawdust of which trees to choose

For fertilizers, you can use crushed parts of all trees, as long as they are not treated with chemicals. But coniferous sawdust contains a lot of resin, which slows down decay, so they are not used for compost or as part of complex fertilizers. But they perfectly repel the Colorado potato beetle, weevil and other pests - they are useful for sprinkling the rows of potato beds, covering strawberries, roses or other plants for the winter. The Colorado potato beetle really doesn’t like pine sawdust in a potato bed, but it is advisable to change them at least three times over the summer - then there will really be results. You can mulch beds with eggplants and bell pepper, which are also often attacked by this pest.

Most often, people use a wide variety of tyrsa, without caring about the types of trees. Probably, the trees we use in the construction and furniture industry are only those that will not harm the plants in the country. The main thing is to use sawdust correctly, knowing that an excess of it can greatly acidify the soil, and burying it fresh can deprive the soil of nitrogen. Lime, wood ash, urea or manure will help enrich the soil with useful elements without disturbing the acid balance or reducing the amount of nitrogen.

Video “All about mulching the soil”

What is the best way to mulch the soil and why it is needed.

How to use

Regular application of rotted sawdust with manure and ash (or lime) into sandy soil, of course, will not turn it into black soil, but will significantly increase its fertile potential and will increase the yield of literally all crops. It must be remembered that fresh sawdust is mixed with fresh manure, and rotted ones - only with rotted ones. If the soil is not too alkaline, you can always add lime flour or ash to prevent excessive acidification.

Vegetable beds can be mulched thin layer sawdust (not necessarily mixed with manure) immediately after planting the seedlings. This will help retain moisture and make caring for plants less burdensome - you will have to loosen and weed less often. By the end of summer, tyrsa will mix with top layer earth and will make it more loose and airy. This way you can organize an unobtrusive but constant delivery of the necessary fertilizer to the root system of plants.

Useful for trees and shrubs

Wood waste can be used for mulching not only for vegetable beds. It is very useful to sprinkle a thick layer of sawdust on the ground in the raspberry patch. They do it this way: a thick layer of tyrsa (20 cm) is sprinkled with lime, and diluted urea is poured on top. Thus, it turns out that the earth constantly receives organic fertilizer, retains moisture, constant temperature - even in the hottest, driest summer, raspberries will have enough moisture, and a thick layer of mulch will protect the soil from overheating. The owner will not have to loosen the soil often, and there will also be significantly fewer weeds. The result of such care will be an increase in yield, even an extension of the fruiting period.

Currant roots are located at a depth of 10 cm from the surface; very often the ground dries out in the summer or freezes to such a depth in the winter. Some summer residents use wood waste to create more comfortable conditions for this plant. It has been proven by experience: if you mulch the ground around the bush, currants grow better, the fruits are larger and sweeter. In large beds, it is recommended to cover the entire soil with sawdust, even between the rows of bushes. The same applies to other shrub plants in the country.

The ground underneath fruit trees Often they also mulch in order to retain moisture, get rid of weeds or overheating. It is noticed that then more side shoots appear. In addition, young trees shelter wood waste to protect the roots from freezing. But it is important to do this just before frost, so that mice do not make winter nests in warm organic mulch. It is better to cover the soil under a tree in the spring with fresh grass with manure - slow rotting will provide feeding for the entire growing season. If there is a danger of excessive acidification, it is worth adding lime or ash.

Sawdust can bring as many benefits to trees and shrubs as it does to vegetables in the garden beds. The main thing here is not to overdo it, otherwise you will have to remove compacted but not rotted remains so that they do not delay the freezing of the earth in the spring. Some summer residents are afraid spring frosts, in this way (by building a thick layer of sawdust and snow around the trunk) they try to delay flowering. But competent botanists do not approve of this - not all trees can benefit.

Video “How to mulch trees”

This video tells and shows how to mulch trees using sawdust and wood chips.

In this article we will talk about various ways getting rid of sawdust , their uses and compare them with each other.

In some cases you have to pay for someone to take it out and one way or another disposed of the sawdust, in others they are taken away by interested persons or organizations, and it happens that they are created by processing this material.

Sawdust is a unique material with many properties of wood. Therefore, such material is in great demand in:

• fuel production;
• production of building materials;
• home and agriculture;
• repair and construction work.

Fuel production

From sawdust it is obtained different kinds fuels, among which the most famous are pellets and briquettes.

These types of fuel can be used for conventional boilers, stoves or fireplaces, but the maximum effect is achieved only in automatic heating devices.

After all, all elements of one batch are identical in size and shape, thanks to which automatic fuel supply systems can dose them more accurately. Read more about these types of fuel.

Another popular type of fuel is mixture of different alcohols, which is obtained from fermented sawdust.

This material is mixed with a sulfuric acid solution and heated under pressure, causing the cellulose to break down into simple sugars that can be fermented.

After fermentation is complete, the mass is passed through a distiller, resulting in alcohols various quality.

Read more about this use of sawdust in a separate section.

Also obtained from sawdust pyrolysis gas, suitable for use in heating and cooking stoves, as well as in hot water boilers and another working for natural gas technology.

In terms of calorific value, pyrolysis gas is much inferior to natural gas, but, due to the minimal cost of its production, heating with pyrolysis gas is often cheaper than with natural gas.

Read more about this gas, the method of its production and use.

Manufacturing of building materials

Sawdust is used to produce building materials such as sawdust concrete.

Compared to conventional concrete, this material is noticeably lighter, and also has lower thermal conductivity, therefore, a house built from it loses less heat, which means you will have to spend less on additional insulation.

In addition, wood in concrete improves the vapor permeability of walls, thanks to which such houses always have optimal humidity, because its excess goes through the walls to the street.

Another popular material made from sawdust is wood concrete. In many ways it is similar to sawdust concrete, but it also has differences. After all, the mixture for pouring wood concrete is prepared without adding sand, that is, by mixing cement, sawdust and water.

Besides, this material lighter and stronger sawdust concrete, although it is much more expensive. You can read in more detail about the production and use of wood concrete in.

Sawdust makes good ones insulation and finishing materials:

• Fiberboard (fibreboard);
• Chipboard (chipboard);
• organic insulation.

Fiberboard is used for finishing walls, ceilings and floors, a t also forinterior lining cabinet space.

Popular fiberboard is used to make finishing material– hardboard, which differs from fiberboard by the presence of a decoratively treated side. Chipboard is used for creating furniture and many other works.

Organic insulation is only slightly inferior to mineral wool, but environmentally friendly, because its basis is paper obtained from sawdust.

Household and Agriculture

Sawdust is an excellent material for feeding various animals. This applies to both pets, such as hamsters, parrots or cats, and various livestock.

The material for backfill is chosen based on many factors, one of which is smell, because fresh sawdust has a strong smell, and not everyone likes it.

For more information on how to choose bedding, read the article (Sawdust for pets).

Another use for this material is in the soil around plants.

Bare soil quickly loses moisture, overheats and cools, causing plant roots to suffer. By filling the ground around the plant with waste from sawing wood, you will protect the roots, making the plant better able to tolerate winter cold and summer heat, and it will also be possible to water it less often.

Wood sawing waste is an excellent material for growing mushrooms and creating quality fertilizer . Mushrooms receive enough nutrition from them to multiply quickly, and the cost of such food is low, and you can often get it for free.

Sawdust also makes good humus , soil saturating nutrients and increasing plant productivity.

To learn more about this method of using wood sawing waste, read the article (Sawdust fertilizer).
It is also very convenient to cover paths between beds in fields, vegetable gardens or greenhouses with sawmill waste.

Even after heavy rains, it will be possible to walk along such paths. walk without getting muddy, so you can check your plants after a rainstorm.

Once every few years it will be necessary plow a garden or field so that the sawdust is evenly distributed over the ground and fertilizes it.

Repair and construction work

The main use of sawdust during repair and construction work is various insulations.

They are placed between thin wooden walls, thanks to which minimum costs the thermal conductivity of such a wall is comparable to the same parameter of a wall made of timber of equal width.

That is, with a wall width of 20–30 cm, insulation will be required only in the northern regions.

In addition, wood sawing waste mixed with clay and the resulting solution is used to insulate ceilings, floors and brick walls.

The effectiveness of such insulation is much lower than that achieved by using mineral wool or foam plastic, but you can increase the thickness of the layer, due to which significant savings are achieved.

The same compositions are made on the basis of lime or cement, which act as a binder. Read more about all the methods of insulation using wood sawing waste here ().

Processing business

If there is a constant supply of sawdust or the ability to get it for free or very cheap, then you can start a business processing it. The final product can be anything, so it is necessary to focus on the demand for a particular product.

For example, if gas is bad in a region, but people there is an opportunity to buy automatic boilers , then pellets and briquettes will be in good demand High Quality. Read about choosing such a boiler or burner.

After all, access to free or very cheap sawdust allows you to produce products whose price will be lower than the market average for similar products.

If you are interested in such a business, then read more about it.

Another promising direction is the production of sawdust for cats or hamsters.

For this purpose, wood sawing waste dried, treated with deodorants, giving nice smell material, and packaged in paper or plastic bags.

No less interesting can be the sale of sawdust in bags for smoking.

After all, each product uses its own combination of wood species, providing the best taste and smell, so packaged sawdust of various types of wood will be in demand.

Responsibility for disposal of waste from the wood processing industry

Despite the fact that sawdust is classified as Hazard class 5 According to the federal catalog of waste classification, that is, practically safe, they still need to be disposed of in any available way.

In addition, dried sawdust is very flammable material, which is difficult to extinguish if the fire has gained strength. Therefore, wood sawing waste can be disposed of in any available way:

• dispose of in a landfill;
• bury in the ground;
• distribute to people and businesses;
• sell to any buyers;
• use for heating in winter;
• use in a subsidiary farm for any needs;
• used to produce pyrolysis gas and use it in any way;
• hand over to the nearest pulp and paper or chemical plant that processes wood;
• process in any way (a license may be required for the production of some products).

If the sawdust is not removed for a long time and there is a fire threat or someone else's territory is littered, then questions may arise from various regulatory organizations.

In Russia, the disposal of any waste, including sawdust, is regulated the federal law N 89-FZ dated June 24, 1998 “On production and consumption waste”, which you can read by following this link.

Another document regulating the disposal of any waste, including sawdust, is the federal law of March 30, 1999 N 52-FZ “On the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population.”

Everything is in it waste storage and disposal issues considered in terms of the impact on the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of people.

Therefore, any disposal method must comply with the laws adopted in Russia.

No permits are required for one-time burning of small amounts of sawdust, but for regular burning of large volumes, not only permits for the burning itself are required, but also final product disposal solution– ash or soot.

The same applies to burying sawdust in the ground. In some regions, claims may be made by officials in connection with formal violations of some points of the law, but in reality, such quibbles may be lobbying the interests of landfill owners.

Advantages and disadvantages of various processing methods

Any owner of a woodworking enterprise or sawmill wants to get rid of sawdust with maximum profit, but there are situations when it is no longer a question of profit, but of minimizing the costs of disposing of this waste.

Recycling is the most profitable, but it all comes down to difficulties in selling finished goods and high cost of equipment.

To transport sawdust to a landfill, you need to obtain permission from Rosprirodnadzor (RPN) and buy quotas, and these are all considerable expenses.

After all, the amount of payment depends on the volume of material transported to the landfill. It is possible to bury sawdust in the ground if we are talking about a small batch, but when tens or hundreds of cubic meters of waste are received monthly, then it is no longer possible to bury them.

In addition, there is a high probability that burying large volumes of sawdust in the ground will arouse the interest of RPN officials, who will immediately begin issuing fines, because such work must be coordinated with them.

Wood sawing waste can be give to people for free, however, it is necessary to conclude an agreement with them on the free transfer of tangible assets.

Otherwise, questions may arise from the tax office.

Such an agreement can be concluded in simple written form.

Wood sawing waste can be sold in any volume if there are buyers, but it also needs to be dealt with enter into a formal agreement and issue a receipt, otherwise the tax office will have questions. The same situation applies to the delivery of waste to recycling plants.

Selling sawdust may be in great demand in bags with delivery, even if you don’t make money from it, you can get rid of some of the accumulated waste. Stores take this product for sale at a low price and sell it as cat litter.

For such a sale you will also need enter into an agreement with the store, and also attach receipts confirming payment for the goods by the store. The disadvantage of this method is high transportation costs and the inability to accommodate large volumes of material. After all, even hypermarket chains will be able to take only a few tens of cubic meters of such material per month.

The easiest way is to use sawdust for heating your own premises in winter– this method of disposal does not require any documents.

However, even in this case one cannot do without bureaucracy, After all, during the combustion of wood, soot and ash are formed, which also need to be disposed of somehow. Otherwise, questions arise for the RPN and the fire department. After all, according to their logic, soot and ash are simply thrown into a landfill without paying a disposal fee for it.

Additionally, in the event of a fire at a landfill or any nearby waste storage area enterprises producing ash or soot will be under suspicion, but refused to enter into an agreement for their disposal.

The situation is the same with the production of pyrolysis gas: permits for the process itself and the use of gas on the territory of the enterprise are not required, but it is still necessary to conclude agreement for the disposal of soot and coal.

There are situations when sawdust sits for a long time and begins to rot, as a result of which cellulose breaks down into carbon dioxide and various sugars.

It’s difficult to get rid of such sawdust, because no one wants to take it even for free, so the easiest way is to bury it in the ground, having received this on-load tap-changer approval. This will cost less than purchasing quotas required for disposal of solid household waste to a landfill.

If the nearest on-load tap-changer is several hundred kilometers away, then sawdust can be bury without their consent.

In contact with

Many people probably think that dreams of waste-free management household They will remain dreams. However, there are things that can be used even when it seems that they are no longer useful. Such material is sawdust. Few people know how to properly use sawdust in the country, at home, in the garden. Most gardeners and vegetable gardeners do not know exactly how sawdust affects the soil, having only the information that sawdust acidifies the soil, and refuse to use this material on their plots. But our ancestors knew about the use of sawdust in garden plots. In this article we will talk about how to use sawdust in the garden, the benefits and harm they can bring.

Due to its availability, sawdust has gained popularity among gardeners and is widely used in the garden. Most often, sawdust is used as fertilizer, or gardeners mulch with sawdust, or use it to loosen the soil. Sawdust has beneficial effect on plants in the garden due to the fact that during decomposition they release carbon, which activates the soil microflora by 2 times. In particularly dry areas, sawdust can be used to retain moisture, but if the trees suffer from constant flooding, then a trench is dug around them and covered with sawdust.

Did you know?If in the garden acidic soil, then it is better to use sawdust mixed with peat. Or, after sawdust gets into the ground, sprinkle the ground with limestone flour. To prepare fertilizers/mulch for the garden, you can use sawdust from almost all trees, made from any part of the tree. The only limitation is pine sawdust; their use is a difficult process, since they slowly rot on their own, and also slow down the decay of other components due to high level resin content. However, the use pine sawdust beneficial in the garden.

How to use sawdust in the garden

Increasingly, owners summer cottages They use sawdust as fertilizer, because it is a valuable material that can be found right on your site. Often on websites and forums there are questions about whether it is possible to pour sawdust into the garden, how to mix sawdust with other fertilizers, how to prepare sawdust for mulching, etc. Next, we will tell you in more detail about how to use sawdust for the garden and garden, and also consider not only benefit, but also harm.

Mulching the soil with sawdust

Sawdust as mulch is often used by gardeners and gardeners. Experienced owners advise: if you do not know all the characteristics of the soil (namely, the acidity level), then you can try mulching one bed. This will not cause any significant losses, but in the future you will know for sure whether sawdust mulch is suitable for your area. The use of sawdust in the country as mulch is not limited to mulching in open ground; it can also be used in greenhouses and greenhouses. Mulching with sawdust can be done in spring or autumn. There is no point in using sawdust in its fresh form. It is better to use completely rotted or semi-rotted material.

Important!IN natural conditions The reheating procedure can take up to 10 years, so there are ways to prepare sawdust for use more quickly. The most common and in a simple way preparation for mulching is as follows:3 buckets of sawdust and 200 g of urea are poured onto the film and water is poured on top so that it completely wets the sawdust, then the layer is sprinkled with urea and the procedure is repeated. Thus, several layers are obtained, which are then tightly wrapped and kept in this state for two weeks. After this period, the sawdust can be used. You can scatter sawdust not only near the plant itself, but also in the aisles between plantings. A logical question would be whether it is possible to mulch all plants and, in particular, tomatoes with sawdust. Mulching tomatoes with sawdust can increase productivity by 25-30%, as well as speed up the ripening process and prevent diseases, such as late blight.

Disputes often arise among gardeners about whether it is possible to sprinkle strawberries with sawdust. Can. The main thing is to sprinkle it, not add it to the soil. Sawdust mulch prevents rotting of berries, therefore it is ideal option for strawberries.
Did you know?Some gardeners believe that dry material can be used as mulch, but only if the sawdust remains on the surface of the soil, because underground it can draw nitrogen from the soil. When it comes to using sawdust, it is important not only what can be mulched/fertilized with sawdust, but also how to use it. So, for example, vegetable crops are mulched with a thin layer, just a few centimeters, shrubs - 5-7 cm, and trees - up to 12 cm.

Using compost with sawdust

Now that we have figured out whether it is possible to mulch with sawdust, let's talk about how to use sawdust in combination with compost / manure and other organic matter. Many people are afraid to use sawdust in their pure form for the garden or garden, but there are ways to make this use easier and more useful by using compost. Due to its availability, compost is an indispensable material for growing both fruit and vegetable crops on your site, and if it contains sawdust, the benefits will increase several times. To prepare such compost, you need to mix manure (100 kg) with 1 cubic meter. m of sawdust and leave for a year. Such fertilizer will significantly increase productivity.

Important!Rotted sawdustCanmix only with rotted manure, fresh manure with fresh manure. This will improve the quality of the compost.

Using sawdust for seed germination

Sawdust, due to the fact that it can retain moisture for a long time, has become of interest to gardeners and gardeners not only as a material for mulching or fertilizer, but also as a material for germinating seeds. In order for sawdust to serve well in germination, you need to use only rotted sawdust from hardwood trees, then how to use materials coniferous trees it is forbidden.

A very important advantage of germinating seeds in a sawdust substrate is that it is then much easier to replant the plant from sawdust without harming it. In order for the seeds to germinate, they must be poured onto a layer of wet sawdust and sprinkled with another layer on top, but the second layer must be thin enough that it only covers the seeds. If the second layer is not made, the seeds will have to be moistened much more often. The container with the seeds is covered with polyethylene, leaving a small hole in it for air to enter, and placed in a warm place.

Did you know?The disadvantage of germinating seeds in sawdust is that with the appearance of the first true leaves, the seedlings must be transplanted into a regular substrate.

Sawdust as a loosening agent for soil

If there is no time for processing into high-quality nutrient material based on sawdust, but there is a lot of raw materials (sawdust), then they can be used to loosen the soil. There are three ways to use sawdust for loosening:

1. Sawdust is mixed with mullein and added to the soil when growing vegetables in greenhouses (mix 3 parts sawdust, 3 parts mullein and dilute it with water).
2. When digging up the soil in the beds, you can add rotted sawdust. This will help the soil stay moist longer and solve the problem of heavy, clay soils.
3. When growing vegetables whose growing season lasts a long time, sawdust can be added to the soil between the rows.

Important!If you add sawdust to the soil when digging up the soil, then in the spring such soil will thaw faster.

Using sawdust as a covering material

The “waste” from wood processing can be used to protect plants as shelter. The most proven method is when polyethylene bags are stuffed with sawdust and the roots of the plant are covered with them. Plants such as roses, clematis and grapes are left to overwinter where they grow, to protect them, the shoots are bent to the ground and covered with a layer of sawdust. If you want to achieve 100% confidence in the safety of your plants in winter, then you can make a more durable shelter: place a cap over the plant (you can use a wooden box for this) and cover it with sawdust on top - in this case, frosts will clearly not harm.

Sawdust can also be used as a wet shelter, but this risks severe frosts the sawdust will freeze and form an ice crust over the plant. This type of shelter is not suitable for everyone, although garlic tolerates the winter well under wet sawdust of coniferous trees - they not only provide warmth, but also protect the crop from diseases and pests.

Sawdust can also be used to provide the root system with thermal insulation; to do this, they simply need to be poured in a thick layer onto the bottom of the planting hole.

Did you know?It is better to cover plants with sawdust in late autumn, then the risk of rodents getting under the sawdust is much lower.

Features of using sawdust in greenhouses and greenhouses

For greenhouses and greenhouses, sawdust is a very valuable material, because it is perfect for indoor soil and mixed with plant residues and manure, as compost. You can use sawdust in greenhouses in both spring and autumn. It is better to introduce rotted sawdust, which does not draw nitrogen from the soil. The effect of sawdust in greenhouses is that, in combination with manure or other organic material, the soil warms up faster and plants absorb nutrients better.

Method of using sawdust indoors:

• In the fall, fill the beds with the remains of organic matter (leaves, tops, straw);
• in the spring, lay a layer of manure on top and sprinkle with limestone flour and sawdust;
• mix all the material in the garden bed (you can use a rake);
• Place a layer of straw on top, and a layer of earth with the addition of mineral fertilizers and ash on top of the straw.

Important!For better heating, this mixture can be poured with boiling water or covered with film.

Sawdust in the garden: benefit or harm

Despite the fact that sawdust is increasingly used by gardeners, its use in the countryside still remains a subject of controversy. Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of sawdust.

Advantages of sawdust:

• have good heat dissipation;
• an organic element that can complement any other organic fertilizer;
• multifunctional material - they can be used at almost any stage of work in the garden or garden;
• sawdust from some trees repel insect pests;
• retain moisture well;
• unlike manure, they will not bring weed guests to your site;
• improve soil structure;
• availability.

Flaws:

• fresh sawdust applied with fresh manure to the soil can draw nitrogen out of it, resulting in lower yields;
• if sawdust and manure lie in one heap for a long time and are not stirred, then a fungus may grow in such a mixture;
• Sawdust cannot be used in areas that are too dry.

As you can see, the advantages of using sawdust are much greater than the disadvantages. After all, the effectiveness of a material largely depends on the correctness of its application, and in the hands of a gardener who loves his job, any material will be useful.