Good afternoon, my reader. Increased or, on the contrary, reduced soil acidity is a frequent occurrence where intensive soil cultivation takes place. Even everyday watering can cause a decrease in yield, and the thing is that mineral components are washed out of the soil together with water. The properties of water also matter: soft makes the soil acidic, and hard - alkaline.
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How to find out the pH of the land in the garden
Many summer residents complain that cultivated plants do not develop well and bear fruit. What arguments do not one hear in such cases, but few people pay attention to the acid-base composition of the earth, and in fact this is often the case.
It is a known fact that acidic soil interferes with the assimilation of nutrients, including expensive fertilizers. Bacteria also cease their vital activity. Alkaline soil leads to yellowing of the leaves due to iron deficiency.
To determine the condition of the soil in the garden, you should purchase litmus paper at the pharmacy, dilute a sample of soil in relation to distilled water in equal parts and lower the indicator for 1-2 seconds in solution.
On a clean glass, you need to pour a little soil and drip 9% vinegar. If abundant foam appears, then the soil is alkaline. There is little foam - neutral. Not at all - sour. Another method is based on observations:
- moss, creeping buttercup, pickleberry and whitebeard love an acidic environment;
- alfalfa, clover and winter wheat do not grow on acidified soils;
- the more acidic the soil, the redder the beet leaves;
- a high level of acidity is indicated by a white coating on the ground.
How to reduce soil acidity
Liming is one of the most effective ways to deoxidize the soil in the garden. For this purpose, you will need slaked lime, which is also called "fluff". For 1 square meter, you need to add a pound of lime if the soil is very acidic.
Dolomite flour has the same effect, only more slowly. It is added a little less - 0.4 kg per 1 sq. m. Ordinary chalk will serve as an alternative. The product is taken at the rate of 0.7-0.4 kg per 1 sq. m.
Do not get too carried away with powders. For light soils, the process is extended over several procedures. It is advisable to do this before the autumn digging. It is important not to combine the application of lime, dolomite flour or chalk with manure.
An equally important point is the upcoming distribution of the beds. If you plan to grow peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, celery, rutabagas, pumpkins, then calcareous soil is not the best option for these plants. It is necessary to eliminate excessive acidity using the above-mentioned means at least a year before the cultivation of these crops.
Do you know how to determine the acidity of the soil?
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