How much ash to add to the soil for seedlings. How to prepare the soil for seedlings - advice from experienced summer residents. Attention is not acceptable

Drops are ringing in the yard, April begins - the time for preparing the soil for sowing and planting vegetable crops into open ground.

The main condition for obtaining a high, high-quality harvest depends on the preparation of the soil. All plants need fertile, if possible light, loose, water and air permeable soil, which decays in a mature state into small lumps. Floating, heavy or sandy ones are not able to provide the required conditions. Such soils need refining, which consists in the introduction of rippers, additional organic matter and in other techniques and methods.

Preliminary spring work on soil preparation

Determination of soil maturity

The maturity of the soil for the beginning of spring work is determined in different ways.

• the leg should not sink in the soil porridge, leave a light (no more than 1-2 cm) imprint;
• a lump of earth from the subcrustal layer of soil (from a depth of 6-10 cm) is compressed and allowed to fall from a height of about 1.3-1.5 m. A flattened lump is damp earth, crumbled is mature. You can start spring work.
• the soil does not form a dense lump when squeezed, it immediately crumbles when the palm is opened (usually sandy loam) - the soil is dry and watering is required during sowing / planting.

Spring moisture closure

As soon as the top layer of the earth is ripe, the harrowing of the soil dug up from the fall is carried out. The soil crust is broken with a rake, the surface is leveled, especially for sowing small-seeded crops. At the same time, garbage is removed from the garden (leaves, remains of tops of late-harvested crops in autumn, supports used for garters tall plants). This technique also serves to destroy the rudiments of weeds and retains moisture in the soil.

It is especially important to cover moisture on light soils and areas with deep groundwater. In such areas, the topsoil quickly dries up.

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Spring digging

It is best to finish the rough preparation of the soil in the autumn (digging, fertilization), and in the spring, limit yourself to preparing the upper arable layer for sowing.

At the same time, heavy crumbling soils are usually dug up again in the spring. As a rule, it is carried out immediately before sowing or planting seedlings. Digging is carried out to the height of the root layer (15 cm) with or without turnover of the layer.

Digging with a turnover of the layer is carried out if the site is very clogged with rhizome weeds, if May beetles, click beetle larvae and others were seen last summer. Otherwise, it is more expedient to dig it without turning the layer, especially on depleted soils, sod, sandy. If the site is not clogged, you can limit yourself in spring to deep (10-12 cm) cultivation (manual percolation with a hoe), which will also loosen the topsoil well and close the moisture.

Why is formation turnover undesirable? Soil is a living organism, in each layer of which its inhabitants live. In the upper air-permeable horizon there is a group of aerobic microorganisms, which in the presence of oxygen convert organic matter into humic compounds available to plants. Outside the 15 cm layer is the kingdom of anaerobes, for which oxygen is a poison. Reversal of the seam changes the living conditions of both groups, causing their death. The vacant place is occupied by pathogenic microflora, the quality of the soil decreases, which means that the conditions of the crops grown will worsen in the future. More often the root system of plants will be affected by diseases.

Green manure is a good improver of soil fertility and its physical condition. You can learn more about the role of siderates and the technology of their use in. Siderata perfectly clear the soil of weeds, loosen the top layer with their root system and enrich it with organic matter due to decomposing biomass. Spring work on beds with green manure: dig up green manure or just mow the aboveground mass and plant seedlings or sow seeds directly into live stubble.

In summer cottages, it is most advisable to carry out gardening in beds and rows, which allows you to carry out all spring work more efficiently and on time: free the garden from weeds, apply fertilizers, water, plant seedlings.

Row gardening

Row gardening involves sowing or planting in one row of tall, large plants (tall tomatoes, cucumbers, curly beans) or one ribbon (carrots, onions, radishes). Paths for crop care are left between rows and belts. It should be noted that individual rows are not the most successful use of the garden plot: a large amount of soil is occupied by paths; when processing plants, solutions fall on the next row with a crop that cannot be treated with the drug used, it is inconvenient to water the plants, etc.

Row gardening is more often used when decorating borders, in vegetable beds or areas designated for medicinal crops, when growing tall or climbing crops.

Garden garden

With a small area of \u200b\u200bthe garden, it is more rational to use the beds for growing crops.

The beds are subdivided into

• classic,
• deep, trench
• elevated,
• beds - boxes,
• beds - boxes.

Garden gardening allows you to introduce crop rotation, the observance of which improves the quality of the soil and crops, care and processing of plants. The beds can be made temporary, but it is better permanent, occupying a certain wedge of earth suburban area for vegetables and other crops.

How to make the beds correctly?

Classic beds

Classic beds are formed directly on the soil. They do not come in standard sizes. Usually, each gardener marks the area (width and length) so that it is convenient to handle the plants and take care of them from the paths without disturbing the surface of the garden.

The beds are positioned in such a way that each has a free passage from both sides. With such a device, the optimal bed width is 1.5-1.6 m.That is, on each side, you can process the bed area to the length of an outstretched arm (70-80 cm) without stepping on the bed itself. The length is arbitrary and depends on the size of the plot allocated for the garden. Between the beds, paths 50-100 cm wide are left, which will allow you to freely use garden equipment, water and process plants. By the way, weeds and other waste are dumped on the path during the warm season, and in the fall they clean the paths by throwing organic matter on the garden bed and dug up as additional organic material. Permanent beds and comfortable paths will make the garden tidy and attractive, and facilitate weed control.

In the garden, the plants are planted in the north-south direction. This arrangement of plants contributes to better illumination of the rows of plants, reduces their shading with each other. If the beds are oriented from east to west, then sowing / planting is not carried out along, but across the bed.

On the slopes, the beds are arranged across the slope in separate terraces.

If the beds were fertilized in the fall for digging, then in the spring, fertilizers are not applied. Work is limited to covering moisture (harrowing with a rake), pre-sowing cultivation and (if necessary) local irrigation along furrows or holes before sowing / planting.

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Deep beds

Deep beds are divided into deepened and trench beds. With this technology, the base of the bed is deepened into the soil. Usually, deep beds are formed in greenhouses, and in open ground - on sod land or turf areas.

As for the classic, mark the area of \u200b\u200bthe garden. A peg is driven into each corner and a signal cord is pulled at the same height. A layer of turf is cut with a knife or a shovel around the perimeter of the bed (it may not have 4, but 5-6 corners - according to your choice). Roll it up like a carpet.

It turns out the base of a deepened bed. To reduce the germination of weeds, the base of the beds is covered with a dense flooring made of any available natural materials - cardboard, old newspapers, old magazines read out to the holes, rags. A sod carpet is laid on the base with the sod down. And then 10-12 cm layers are interspersed with humus, earth (from the tracks), compost. The order of laying the layers is at the choice of the owner, the main thing is that the top layer should be of high quality, better than humus soil. In the spring, the bed is harrowed to cover the moisture. Before sowing / planting, loosen again and watered topically (if necessary). No fertilization required. From early spring, such a bed can be occupied by cold-resistant crops. Humus and compost, decomposing, will increase the temperature of the soil layer. And for cold-resistant crops, + 3 ... + 5 * C is enough to start sowing. After harvesting early ripening crops with a short growing season, seedlings of heat-loving crops can be planted. Trench beds are mainly used in the south. Trenches are dug to a depth of 30-50 cm. The base is dug with the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers. The soil does not dry out. Plants are hidden from the burning rays of the sun, form good harvests, get sick less. But, such beds are only suitable for soils with good water permeability. On clay, chernozems and other crumbling soils, roots will become soaked everywhere and root rot will appear.

High beds

Recently, farming without digging has been gaining increasing recognition. It is most convenient to carry it out at elevated or high beds... Farmers give them different names, but the main point is that the soil in such beds does not need digging. The top layer is enriched with useful microflora, weeds are easily destroyed.

Every year, organic matter is added to the garden, weeding under crops is replaced by mulching.

The technology of breaking down such beds consists in creating a fence for raised beds of 20-25 cm, for high beds up to 50-60, sometimes up to 90 cm.Fenced beds laid on the ground have received different names from gardeners:

• compost,
• raised,
• warm,
• high vegetable garden,
• puff garden,
• garden lasagna.

A bulk raised, or compost, warm bed is usually arranged right on the garden plot. Garden beds standard size fenced off suitable material: boards, shields, wicker vine and others. The soil can be dug onto a shovel bayonet to increase its permeability. Dry branches, tree bark, wood chips, shavings, leaves, sawdust straw, old rags are laid on the dug-up surface or directly on the ground, sprinkling them with soil. On top, in a layer of 10-12 cm, compost or rotted manure, straw with bird droppings are placed. The next layer is soil and again organic matter. Calculate so that the top layer is from good garden soil, you can mix leaf with humus. The planned fertilization can be applied to the top layer under the rake. Soil, humus, mature compost are added to the settling bed. You can use green manure - green manure. Better to sow oats or rye without digging into the soil. Just scatter the seeds over the top of the soil and soak the bed. Water if necessary. It is advisable to leave the green manure until spring. In the spring, mow the aboveground mass and use it for mulching crops or when planting seedlings.

Multi-layer beds should not be dug up. Only add a mixture of organic matter with soil annually. Before planting / sowing, slightly loosen the top 5-10 cm layer. Such a bed is watered by spring hot water, insulate with covering material, straw. Organic matter "catches fire", that is, it intensively decomposes with the release of heat. The soil in such a bed warms up 6-12 days faster than ordinary ground soil. A warm bed allows you to plant seedlings earlier (if necessary, under cover) and get an earlier harvest of vegetables. Elevated, insulated beds can be laid in the crop rotation in all regions.

Beds-boxes

Garden beds have long been used by gardeners. These are the same greenhouses in which seedlings are grown in early spring, and after their selection, vegetable crops are planted in a permanent place. They are good in that after sampling the seedlings, they practically do not need preparation, since the soil for seedlings is always prepared very carefully and with sufficient fertilization.

Beds-boxes

Box beds have appeared relatively recently and have already been evaluated in areas with humid summers and cold climates.

Their device repeats the construction of elevated beds. More details can be found in the corresponding article. This type of bed has several advantages:

• in the northern regions, the bulk bed cuts off the cold soil,
• overheating of organic residues creates an early positive soil temperature, which accelerates the sowing / planting of early crops,
• water does not spread during watering,
• no weeds
• it is easy to deal with moles, its bottom is lined with a fine mesh.

Beds-boxes in one place can "work" up to 6-8 years or more, if they are arranged thoroughly.

Complicating care

After 3 years, the embedded organic matter will burn out. The top layer of soil will need to be removed, replaced with a fresh layer of soil, preferably organic, followed by mulching with an organic-soil mixture. To prevent the soil from overheating in the box, frequent watering is necessary, which destroys the structure of the soil. After a few years, new organic soil layers are needed to start a warm bed, which complicates maintenance.

And at the same time, in the cold north of the box-bed, this is progress in open field vegetable growing.

To prepare a site for early sowing, you must:

1. The main work (harvesting plant residues, digging, fertilizing, deoxidizing, sowing green manure) is performed in the fall, which allows you to have time to prepare the soil for sowing early crops in spring.
2. In the spring, as soon as the dry surface of the soil allows, harrowing is carried out to close (preserve) moisture. If necessary, the soil is mulched with mown green manure, small shavings, humus.
3. With a drying wind and for more quick warm-up the soils of the beds are covered with lutrasil or other covering materials. This technique accelerates soil warming up to 6-12 days.
4. In order to obtain early harvest prepare warm beds. They can be laid in the fall and warmed up by sprinkling with hot water or in the spring by applying manure with straw under the soil layer.

The best beds for the south are classic, raised, and trench beds.

For cold regions with short summers and severe frosts in winter period early vegetable crops are best grown in box-beds, box beds, in which the soil warms up faster, which is not associated with the main soil.

Each summer resident, preparing for the new sowing season, worries, first of all, about the future harvest. And in order for the plants to please with wealth and abundance in the fall, it is necessary to take care of them from the spring. How productive the seedlings will end up depends on how strong and strong the seedlings will be when transplanted into open ground. And to a large extent it depends on where and how the seedlings spent their first weeks, how they grew. What they ate and how correctly the land was selected for their emergence and growth.

What you should know when choosing a soil

Fortunately, the time has passed when the land had to be harvested in advance, disinfected from pest larvae, enriched with nutrients and fertilized from outside. There are now a great variety of soils in stores, which are specially selected and enriched with all the necessary elements. How not to get lost in all this diversity and make the really right choice?

What soil to buy for seedlings at home?

What should you know when choosing a material and what kind of soil to buy for a particular seedling?

First of all, you need to remember that "store" land is divided into 2 types:

• Soil;
• Peat soils.

Soils are used for seedlings of vegetable crops. They contain sufficient content nutrientsthat will help young seedlings germinate and grow stronger. In addition, they can be poured into the hole when transplanting a seedling to a permanent place.

Peat soils are not as rich in vitamins and minerals as soil soils and are used for already germinated seedlings, as well as fillers for the planting site and in the formation of beds.

However, for all the seeming simplicity, it is also necessary to have certain knowledge about the finished soil. After all, not all of them can be independently used as soil for seedlings: some need to be additionally fertilized with lacking bio-additives, and some, on the contrary, are themselves a concentrated mixture for diluting poor soil for fertilization.

So, here are some tips on what kind of soil to opt for:

1. Which one to choose: universal or special?

Any seasoned gardener will immediately say: "Each culture has its own land!" And this land is now being sold for everything separately: "Soil for tomatoes", "Soil for cucumbers", "Soil for flowers" etc. And the reason here is not at all a desire to fool careless buyers with a clever advertising move. It's just that each crop really needs soil, with a different content of micro- and macroelements. Saturated with certain vitamins. Therefore, it is more likely that an inexperienced gardener will buy a universal soil, while an experienced one is already aware that such a soil most of all needs additional enrichment with biofertilizers.

2. What will the packaging tell you?

Packages without labels are not even worth looking at. Branded primer always contains the name and address of the manufacturer, the composition of the product, the batch number, whether the primer complies with the TU, the dates and shelf life.

You should pay attention to the acidity of the soil, because the required PH is different for all crops. Therefore, soil with high acidity can be detrimental to some types of seedlings, and when buying such land, it will need to be deoxidized with dolomite flour or lime.

3. What will the composition tell you about?

In the "Composition" of most store-bought soils, as a rule, there are no more than 3-4 components. Ideally, it would be nice if it contained 1-2 varieties of peat, vermiculite (or some other soil loosening agent), montmorillonite alumina. Because to grow good seedlings from the ground, with the composition of peat + compost is unlikely to succeed.

Also, one should not ignore the content of substances such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. If their content in the soil is equal to or more than 300-400 ml.gr. 1 liter. (ml / l), then it is better to use it as an additive to poorer soil, and not as an independent soil.

4. Take the opportunity to choose.

At a time when the counters roll over from the abundance of types of soil, it is simply a sin not to take advantage of this. Therefore, it is better to take 1 packet different soil, and then, if necessary, mix one with the other to improve the composition, rather than buy 10 packs of one brand, and then buy the missing elements. But even with the purchase of the already familiar soil, which turned out to be quite solid last year, you should not immediately buy many packs. After all, no one canceled such a thing as "fake". Therefore, when buying a large batch, for a start, it is better to buy one package, open it on the spot, inspect and evaluate visually, and only then, if you are satisfied with the result, buy the remaining number of packages.

5. What to do after purchase?

But even after the land has been selected and purchased, you should not immediately use it for seedlings. Many summer residents even decontaminate store land from fungi and larvae. To do this, first it is better to sift and stir it. And then everyone has their own way of disinfection: you can just take it out into the cold, or you can ignite it on fire. You can spill it with boiling water, or you can also use potassium permanganate infusion. But it should be remembered that by killing harmful bacteria, useful ones also perish with them, therefore, the soil should be disinfected in advance so that the soil has the opportunity to stand and restore the lost microflora.

Important! It is very easy to find out the acidity of the soil, simply pouring it onto a non-wet surface and watering it with a 9% solution of table vinegar on top. If it is very foaming, then the soil is alkaline, if there is not much foam, then neutral, if there is no foam at all, then the soil is acidic.

Summing up, what can you say?

Store soil does not guarantee good germination of seedlings and a rich crop from plants. Perhaps, in some cases, it would be wiser to use the proven methods of harvesting land: to collect soil from the greenhouse from under the cucumbers or from the beds on which legumes grew. Each has its own method of harvesting soil. However, the purchased soil is nevertheless intended to facilitate the work and life of the gardener-gardener, and at least somehow help on the way to achieving a rich harvest. And what to choose - everyone decides for himself.

DIY seedling land

When carrying out the seed planting process great importance has the preparation of quality land for seedlings. You can buy it or cook it yourself.

How to make soil for seedlings yourself?

The seedling soil should have the following properties: be balanced and fertile, loose, light, porous. It should have a medium acidity level, have good moisture absorption, and contain microflora.

For the preparation of the soil, use is made of the soil prepared in advance in the fall, organic and inorganic components. The soil should not be too dry or wet, it should not contain clay. It is cleaned of weeds, larvae and worms and sieved. The earth must be disinfected, for which one of the following methods is used: freezing, steaming or calcining. For almost any seedling, the following soil composition is suitable: 2 parts of land, 2 parts of organic matter and 1 part of drainage. The acidity of the soil is reduced with lime or ash.

But at the same time, the composition of the soil is individually prepared for different garden crops. So, for eggplants, cucumbers, peppers and onions, the following composition is suitable: 25% earth, 25% sand and 30% peat. If you want to grow cabbage, the proportion of sand must be increased to 40%. If you are wondering: how to make soil for tomato seedlings, then it is recommended to increase the proportion of land to 70%.

How to make land for flower seedlings?

Self-prepared soil for flower seedlings should contain the following components: 1 part of sand, 2 parts of compost, 2 parts of sod land, 3 parts of peat.

Before sowing seeds, the prepared soil mixture must be disinfected. The soil is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried. It is recommended to plant seeds in the ground cooled to a temperature of 20-22 ° C.

Thus, having decided what kind of vegetable or flower crops you will grow, you will understand how to make land for seedlings.

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It's time to sow seedlings. What kind of soil is suitable for these purposes?

For seedlings to sprout well, you need prepared seeds and a good earthen mixture. The best will not be the one that is near the house, but prepared from specially selected parts.

Correct seedling. Preparation of soil and containers for seedlings

To do this, use sod land, peat, sand, humus, sawdust, manure. The ratio of the components may be different, only there are 2 conditions that must be met. First: the seedling soil must contain a sufficient amount of nutrients; the second is its looseness, so that later, during watering, it does not stick together in one piece.

In the first case of the soil, the mixture can be fertilized, fed, but if the second condition is not met, then all efforts to grow seedlings may be in vain, since the viscous clay-like soil does not provide nutrition to the roots, and the plant simply does not have enough air, it does not develop. And it almost fails to fix it. Therefore, the second condition is very important.

The following compositions of soil mixtures are considered the most favorable for growing seedlings: 60-70% peat, 10-15% sod (field) land, 15-20% humus, 5-10% mullein. You can add other components such as sawdust, coarse sand.

They also use such mixtures for seedlings:
1. Peat - 6 parts, field (sod) land - 1 part, humus - 2 parts, sand - 1 part.
2. Peat - 3 parts, mullein - 0.5 parts, sawdust - 1 part.
3. Humus - 1 part, low-lying peat - 1 part.

What are the above components?

Peat occupies the main part in the soil mixture, as it has a high absorption capacity. Sod (field) land has nutrients and good structure due to decomposition of the sod. Humus (decomposed manure) is rich in useful microflora, nutrients, and has a loose structure. Sawdust and sand are additives that prevent soil compaction.

It is good to add more to the seedling soil of nightshades: 300 g of wood ash, 30 g of superphosphate. Add to the soil for cabbage seedlings: 400 g of ash, 20 g of urea, 20 g of superphosphate. In pumpkin seedling soil: 500 g of ash, 20 g of superphosphate.

There are also such methods of soil fertilization (based on 10 kg of mixture):
- for nightshades - 10 g of ammonium sulfate, 32 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium chloride;
- for cabbage seedlings - 15 g of ammonium sulfate, 17 g of superphosphate, 6 g of potassium chloride;
- for cucumber seedlings - 8 g of ammonium sulfate, 10 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium chloride.

In the soil fertilized in this way, you can no longer fertilize or do it 1 time.

It is useful to add ash to any soil composition - 1-2 glasses.

Our future harvest of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and other crops largely depends on the quality of soil for seedlings, which we harvest ourselves or buy in a store.

Each vegetable has its own requirements for the composition of the soil, but the main components of the correct seedling soil have been and remain earth, peat and sand. Depending on the culture grown, additional components are added to them in certain proportions: mullein, ash, sawdust, lime, chalk, mineral fertilizers.

We bring to your attention the reference table "How to properly prepare the soil for seedlings of the main garden crops".

• Fertility: seedling soil should contain all the nutrients the plant needs.
• Balance: all soil components must be in optimal proportion. Too high or, conversely, too low concentration of one or another mineral substance can adversely affect the quality of seedlings.
• High air and moisture permeability: the soil mixture should be loose, light and porous without plant residues.
• Absence of pathogenic microbes, weed seeds, fungal spores, larvae, worms, etc., which can destroy young plants.
• Purity, that is, uncontaminated with heavy metals, waste from hazardous industries, etc.

Reference table with options for preparing soil for seedlings of garden crops

Culture	Soil options for seedlings
Tomato (tomato)	Option 1: 4 parts peat, 1 part sod land and 1/4 part mullein or 3 parts peat, 1 part sawdust, 1/2 part mullein. 10 kg. such a mixture is added 3 kg. river sand, 10 grams of ammonium nitrate, 2-3 grams of superphosphate, 1-1.5 grams of potassium chloride. Option 2: 1 part humus, 1 part peat, 1 part sod land, 1 part rotted sawdust brown color... 1.5 cups of wood ash, 3 tablespoons of superphosphate, 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate, 1 teaspoon of urea are added to a bucket of such a mixture.
Sweet pepper	Option 1: 1 part of sod land and 2 parts of manure humus. Option 2: 2 parts of peat and 2 parts of humus. Option 3: 3 parts of humus and 2 parts of sod land; Option 4: 2 parts peat nutrient mixture and 1 part sod land. Option 5: 4 parts of peat, 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of humus and 1 part of stale brown sawdust.
Cucumber	Option 1: 2 parts of peat, 2 parts of humus, 1 part of rotted sawdust. 1 glass of wood ash and 1 teaspoon of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added to a bucket of such a mixture. Option 2: 1 part sod land, 1 part compost or humus. 1 glass of ash, 10 grams of potassium sulfate and 20 grams of superphosphate are added to a bucket of such a mixture. Option 3: 6 parts peat, 1 part humus, 1 part sawdust, 1 part sand, 1 part mullein. Option 4: 1 part of sod land, 1 part of peat, 1 part of humus and 1 part of stale sawdust.
Eggplant	Option 1: 2 parts of compost or manure humus, 1 part of peat and 1/2 part of lying sawdust. Option 2: Garden land from under cabbage or cucumbers. Half a glass of ash, 1 tablespoon of crushed superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of urea and potassium sulfate are added to a bucket of earth.
Cabbage	Option 1: 1 part of sod land, 1 part of humus and 1 part of peat. Option 2: 5 parts of sod land, 1 part of ash, 1/4 part of lime, 1/4 part of sand. Option 3: 3 parts of peat, 1 part of sod land, 1/4 part of sand.
Celery	6-7 parts of peat, 2 parts of humus, 1 part of sod land and 1 part of mullein.
Salad	3 parts of peat, 1 part of sod land, 3 parts of humus, 1 part of sand.
Strawberry	Option 1: 3 parts of garden soil, 3 parts of humus or compost, 1/2 part of wood ash. Option 2: 4 parts vermiculite, 3 parts peat, 3 parts sand.
Basil	Option 1: 2 parts of coconut fiber, 1 part of humus or vermicompost. Option 2: 2 parts of peat, 1 part of humus. Such a mixture should be spilled with a solution of mineral fertilizers: 1/8 teaspoon of urea, potassium sulfate or potassium chloride and superphosphate for 1 liter of water.

After preparing the potting mix, store it in a cool room: in the garage, cellar or shed - better the soil freezes than it dries up in the apartment.

It is also necessary to remember that before planting seeds for seedlings, it is recommended to disinfect the soil - to get rid of possible pathogens, larvae and spores. Usually, steaming the soil is recommended for this. How it's done? The soil is laid out on a fine-mesh net and kept over boiling water for 35-40 minutes, after which it cools down and is laid out in seedling pots. A laborious process, isn't it? But effective.

But if you do not want to steam the soil for seedlings, the soil mixture can be cleaned of unnecessary microflora and fauna by freezing. In this case, the soil is kept under negative temperature conditions (for example, on open balcony) for a week, and then brought into a warm room for thawing for 3-4 days.

There is another option for the lazy - to shed the soil before planting with a hot raspberry solution of potassium permanganate. Then you just have to wait until the soil dries up, and you can safely plant seeds for seedlings.

We wish you success and big harvests!

Hello dear friends, gardeners!

It's time to think about the upcoming gardening season, so today we'll talk about how to prepare the land for sowing seedlings. Precisely "to prepare", because we will not sow seeds directly into the first available land from the garden. And the purchased soil also does not hurt to prepare.

I advise you to take this stage seriously. It will be a pity to lose the crop or part of it due to poor soil at the first stage. We are looking for good seeds (""), sort, lay out, process ("")…. And then all this does not grow well, the seedlings get sick, etc. Therefore, let's as briefly as possible - the most basic - consider preparing the land for sowing seeds and planting seedlings.

All the land for seedlings can be divided conditionally into 2 types: "own" and purchased. Let's consider each type separately.

There are several rules to follow here:

You should not, no matter how you like, take the land directly from the garden. It is unlikely that you regularly carry out a complete disinfection of your garden or completely change the soil from time to time. This means that there we have accumulated a lot of all kinds of harmful muck that can greatly harm the small and delicate shoots of seedlings. You can, of course, severely freeze the soil from the garden or ignite it, but the risk remains. Although many gardeners do not take the land from the garden, and from the forest or turf. About this next moment:

There are also many dangerous bacteria and pests in forest and soil soil, therefore it requires processing. The best is the land from under acacia plantings (if you can find it - try it!). the soil from under the oak trees is also considered good, but remember that in addition to useful substances, tannins are also contained there, it is not known how they will affect the growth of seedlings.

Sod land needs to be prepared at least a year in advance: fold it up in a "slide" so that the roots can pereret.

Conclusion: it is better not to take land from the garden (although a little can be added to the mixture so that the plant "gets used" to its future life in the garden). All self-prepared land must be treated from pests.

Purchased soil

There is quite a lot of ready-made soil for seedlings in stores, even for specific types of seedlings: tomatoes, peppers, flowers, etc. the main danger is to buy soil from an unscrupulous manufacturer, when the package may contain completely or not exactly what is written on the package. Here is one advice: look for reviews, do not risk planting all seedlings in the ground from an unknown manufacturer.

When buying ready-made soil, know

from what the purchased soil for seedlings is made

Almost all the soil in the stores is made of peat. Peat, as you know, can be high, medium and low. High peat is poor in nutrients (not decomposed yet) and sour (very good for, by the way). Medium peat is better, but in its pure form it is not very suitable for seedlings. Lowland peat is best suited for sowing. Well decomposed, it is most similar to good garden soil, but in its pure form it will be a little heavy.

What is added to the finished soil

- mineral fertilizers ... On the packaging they write: “Enriched mineral fertilizers». Experienced gardeners it is not advised to use such a soil: for young plants it will be simply superfluous, especially before picking.

- organic fertilizers ... It is quite possible to use, only to know when to stop.

I confess: I add a little (!) Superphosphate to the soil mixture. But not the one that is for germinating seeds, but the one that is already being prepared for the pick. Although with experience I begin to understand that this is not at all necessary. It is best to provide the seedlings with a balanced diet as they grow.

Bio-soil for seedlings

Now on sale you can find Biogrunt for seedlings. This is very a good option... Moreover, usually the biog soil is enriched vermicompost (put simply - compost processed by worms). But again, for dived seedlings, bio-soil with vermicompost is ideal, for germination it is heavy. Something will need to be added for relief.

What to add to the soil for seedlings

- sand ... Only river, well washed and calcined or steamed (1k 10). In the first place, I put sand not because of its usefulness, but for its ease of use.

- peat ... High-moor peat can also be added to good soil (cheaper), but only to give lightness to the earth. Don't overdo it: break the acidity of the soil.

- vermiculite ... A proven, inexpensive tool. No fungi, bacteria or mold grow on vermiculite. It regulates moisture well. Does not harm in case of overdose.

- coconut substrate ... This product has recently appeared on our markets, but has already gained popularity. Sold in briquettes or in other forms, prepared according to the instructions. It loosens the soil very well, has a positive effect on moisture…. Significantly improves seed germination. Add 1 to 5.

Preparations for soil cultivation for seedlings

- EM drugs ... EM are effective microorganisms. These include the well-known "Baikal", "Vostok" and others. They improve the structure of the soil, destroy harmful bacteria, while enriching them with useful ones. There are many more benefits to these drugs. But I know gardeners who refused to use them. They probably have reasons for this.

- BTU complexes ... Also a biological agent, it is actively gaining popularity in recent years. Accelerates the appearance of uniform seedlings, increasing the energy of seed germination; protects plants from a wide range of pathogens without an addictive effect; improves the survival rate of seedlings and seedlings; increases resistance to negative natural factors (drought, temperature changes) and pesticides; provides balanced nutrition of plants with micro- and macroelements, phytohormones and vitamins.

- « Fitosporin-M " ... a well-known and proven drug for the fight against diseases. First of all, late blight. It is harmless, it works even in winter (you can spill soil in the autumn in a greenhouse, and let the beneficial bacteria eat harmful ones all winter).

- "Alirin", "Gamair" - biologically active drugs. They well destroy the distributors of all kinds of diseases: late blight, root rot, black leg, powdery mildew... The combined use of these preparations for soil cultivation gives a good effect.

When to prepare the soil for seedlings

Another important question, which for some reason not everyone pays attention to. You need to prepare the soil for seedlings at least 2 weeks before sowing seeds or picking.

We prepare the mixture according to your chosen scheme. Spill with selected preparations. Cover with DARK foil and place in a WARM place (not necessarily on the stove, but somewhere in the house). And in 2 weeks the soil temperature will level out, the humidity will be regulated, and, most importantly, our bacteria will put things in order in the earth: beneficial bacteria will multiply, pathogenic bacteria will die. That is, in microbiological terms, our soil is completely balanced.

There are many things to do, but if everything is planned, prepared in advance, such worries will only bring joy, and our plants will be thanked in the fall with a gorgeous harvest!

Yes! Watch a video that highlights the main points of soil preparation for seedlings.

Seedling develops and builds up vegetative mass in a limited amount of substrate. And this volume should satisfy the needs of plants for nutrients and provide normal conditions for root growth.

The concept of "universal soil composition" is widespread among gardeners. Such versatility is conditional, since each plant, even of closely related ones, has specific requirements for the composition and parameters of the soil mixture.

To give the soil the desired properties, various components are added to it in a certain proportion. Components are divided into organic and mineral. The basis is, of course, soil: sod or garden.

The priority is sod land, since it does not contain spores of fungal diseases and toxins. Garden land requires thorough decontamination. The soil cannot be completely replaced with compost or humus. In conditions of excess nitrogen, the seedlings will stretch out and form a weak root system.

Below are the components that are used to prepare soil for seedlings.

Organic:	Mineral:
leafy ground (rotted leaves from the forest)	river sand (not fine construction sand!)
compost	perlite
humus	vermiculite
low-lying peat (preferably with a high degree of decomposition)	expanded clay
sphagnum moss	mineral wool
sunflower seed husk	coconut fiber
sawdust	hydrogel
eggshell	foam crumbs
rice husk	wood ash

Organic components are a source of nutrients, and mineral components are used to improve structure, air permeability and moisture capacity. Each substance has its own specific properties that determine its advantages and disadvantages.

On a note! The sand is washed several times before use to remove iron and manganese.

Ready-made soil mixtures are filled with complex fertilizers and, with increased acidity, neutralized with dolomite flour, chalk or lime.

Quality soil parameters

To determine how suitable the finished soil is for growing seedlings, it is evaluated according to the following parameters:

• nutrient content;
• breathability (light and loose structure);
• moisture content (the ability to absorb and retain water);
• the reaction of the soil solution, pH (checked with a special device or a litmus strip, must be neutral or slightly acidic);
• phytosanitary condition (absence of pathogens and seeds weeds, the presence of useful microflora).

The soil mixture should not contain toxins, ions heavy metals and radionuclides, therefore organic components are taken in ecologically clean areas. The addition of fresh organic matter (manure, dry leaves, straw) is not allowed, since the active decay process leads to an increase in the temperature in the soil. Overheating is a strong stress on the roots.

The soil mixture should not be perceived as a disinfected stable substrate. It is a living, dynamic system in which complex biochemical processes with the participation of beneficial microorganisms. In sterile soil, the normal development of seedlings is impossible.

Compositions of soil mixtures depending on the culture

The composition of the soil is determined by the biological and physiological characteristics of the culture. It is prepared according to an individual recipe. This does not mean that the seedlings will die on the "universal" soil. But they will develop worse and will not realize their potential yield.

We have collected proven potting recipes based on years of experience in gardening practitioners and scientific research. The table below can be printed and used as a reminder.

Culture	The composition of the soil mixture	Additives (based on 10 liters of the mixture)
Tomato	1. Sod land + peat + humus (1: 2: 1)	3 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 0.5 l of wood ash
	2. Sod land + compost + sand (1: 1: 1)	10 g ammonium nitrate, 20 g potassium salt and 50 g superphosphate
	3. Leafy earth + humus + peat + coconut fiber (1: 1: 1: 1)	1 tsp urea, 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 150 - 200 ml of wood ash
Cucumber	1. Peat + humus + rotted sawdust (2: 2: 1)	100 ml of wood ash and 1 tsp each. urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate
	2. Sod land + leaf land + compost + vermiculite (3: 3: 3: 1)
Pepper	1. Sod land + peat + sand (1: 2: 1)	30 g of ammonium nitrate, 40 g of potassium sulfate, 60 g of superphosphate
	2. Sod earth + humus + perlite (1: 2: 1/2)
Eggplant	1. Sod land + humus + peat (3: 5: 2)	100 ml wood ash
	2. Compost + leaf soil + peat + rotted sawdust (1: 1: 1: 1/2)
Cabbage	1. Peat + humus + sawdust (3: 1: 1)	10 g of ammonium nitrate, fluff lime (500 g per 1 sq.)
	2. Sod land + compost + sand (1: 1: 1/2)	fluff lime (for the prevention of black leg and keel damage)
	3. Sod land + ash + sand (5: 1: 1/4)	fluff lime (added in the same amount as sand)
Garden strawberry	1. Leaf soil + compost + wood ash (3: 3: 1/2)
	2. Peat + sand + vermiculite (3: 3: 4)
Annual flowers	1. Sod land + sand + peat (3: 1: 1)	1 tbsp. eggshell and 50 g of charcoal
	2. Peat + compost + turf + sand (3: 2: 2: 1)
Petunia	Peat (sifted) + turf (sifted) + sand (vermiculite) + coconut fiber (2: 1: 1: 1/2)
Marigold	Humus + peat + sand (1: 1: 1)

To prepare the mixture, the components are thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous substrate. For seedlings of vegetable crops, it is not recommended to sift the soil to a fine fraction.

Rules for preparing soil before sowing seeds

In the fall, experienced gardeners recommend stocking up on organic ingredients and sand in the right amount. When stored in a heated room, the soil dries out, but low temperatures are not harmful to it. Before the start of the seedling season, the material is brought into a warm room and after 4 days they begin to prepare it.

The finished soil mixture is disinfected in 4 ways.

Freezing

Long-term, from 30 days, exposure to temperatures below minus 20 degrees is effective against fungal diseases and wintering stages of pests. The soil is protected from precipitation and is not covered by snow. This method is used in the northern regions.

Steaming

Steam treatment can be done in 2 ways:

• place the mixture in a bag on a wire rack over a container of boiling water and process for an hour;
• pour the soil into a basin in the holes and spill with boiling water.

After finishing the treatment, the soil is dried by sprinkling it in a thin layer on newsprint.

Calcination

Damp soil is scattered on a baking sheet with a layer of 5 cm and placed in the oven for half an hour. Processing temperature - 60 degrees. The method is considered aggressive, although grandmothers still only recognize it.

Etching

Potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water) or a solution of biofungicides is used as a disinfectant. A sparing method - watering with biological products (Fitosporin, Baikal EM-1, Trichodermin, etc.). They contain beneficial microflora that suppresses the development of pathogens. They can also be used after calcining and steaming to restore beneficial microflora.

How to choose a ready-made primer in a store?

With all the advantages of a prepared potting mix, many gardeners prefer to buy ready-made soil for seedlings. It's easier. And one cannot but agree with this. But in order to also get decent seedlings, you need to be able to distinguish a multi-component mixture filled with a complex of fertilizers from sour peat.

Before making a purchase, study the composition of the mixture and the level of acidity. The composition should contain 2 or more organic components and one mineral (sand, vermiculite or perlite), as well as trace elements and complex fertilizers. Conscientious manufacturers add dolomite flour, ground limestone or chalk to normalize acidity.

You can go the hard way: buy a universal soil for seedlings and improve it yourself, depending on the requirements of the culture.

To improve the structure, add vermiculite or river sand, to increase the moisture capacity, add a little hydrogel, neutralize it with wood ash or chalk, increase the nutritional value with complex fertilizers.