How to determine the soil in the garden. How to determine the composition and density of the soil at home. Plants are weak acidophiles

Every amateur gardener experiences the joy of knowing that he has become the owner of a summer cottage. However, sometimes you can hear complaints about the poor composition of the soil and its low fertility, which makes summer residents look for an answer to the question of how to determine the soil on the site and how to improve it.

A vegetable grower or florist needs to have accurate information about what type of soil prevails in his garden plot, about its mechanical composition, the level of acidity and nutrient content, as well as about the presence of groundwater and the depth of their location. Currently, methods have been developed not only for determining and improving the quality of already formed under soils in a summer cottage, but also for creating completely new ones, a feature of which will be high yields. The level of soil fertility at the site depends on the characteristics of the course of the soil-forming process, the structure of the soil and its main characteristics.

Possession of information on the methods of determining the quality of the land, as well as methods for its improvement, allows you to achieve a high yield with minimal financial and energy costs. If the gardener decides to study the composition of the soil, then it is not so difficult to do this, since today in the practice of agriculture there are many ways of how to determine the quality of the soil on the site, as well as how to improve its biological and chemical composition.

How to determine the mechanical composition of the soil of the site

The constituent components of any soil are sand, clay and silt, and depending on the proportional ratio of these components, we can talk about the structure of the soil and its properties. Analysis of the mechanical composition of the soil makes it possible to judge the density of the soil, its air and water permeability, as well as the degree of moisture absorption. Each soil contains a specific set of nutrients necessary for the growth of a particular plant.

Depending on the mechanical composition, the soil can be divided into several.

Soil types

Light (represented by sandy and sandy loam),
medium (includes light loamy and medium loamy),
heavy (heavy loamy and clayey).

Gravel and stony soils are quite rare species, since they can be found not so often.

Of all the variety of methods for determining the soil in a personal plot, I would like to dwell on the simplest one. It is necessary to take a small amount of soil and moisten it to such an extent that its consistency resembles a thick paste. After that, roll a sausage out of wet soil and try to make a ring out of it. The following conclusions can be drawn from the results obtained.

How can you draw conclusions yourself

With good rolling soil, high plasticity, as well as with rapid folding into the desired shape and its long-term preservation, we can talk about the presence of clay and heavy in the summer cottage.
Good rolling of the earth into the sausage, but the formation of cracks when twisting it into a ring indicates loamy soil.
With increased friability, as well as unsuccessful attempts to roll something out of the soil or roll it into a shape, it can be argued that there is sandy or sandy loam soil on the site.

Method for determining the acidity of the soil on the site

The second most important parameter on which the yield in the garden depends is the acidity of the soil. There are plant groups that will not grow in acidic soil, and some vegetation will adapt well to higher Ph levels. Planting horticultural crops on a personal plot without taking into account the requirements for the level of acidity will lead to the development of various plant diseases, slow rates of development, or to complete death.

High levels of Ph in soils indicate a violation of nitrogen nutrition, that is, plants will receive such necessary trace elements as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in insufficient quantities due to their low content. In addition, other compounds will have a toxic effect on the root system, and the created favorable conditions for the vital activity of pathogenic organisms will lead to the development of various types of diseases.

DIY analysis

The most reliable and reliable way to determine the acidity of the soil is to analyze the sample in a specialized laboratory, however, you can get by in a simpler way. A small amount of land is taken from different points of the summer cottage, which are mixed together into a homogeneous mixture. A portion of the soil is taken from the resulting soil for analysis, which is carried out in the following way: we place the soil in a container and, pouring water and mixing thoroughly, leave it for a short time so that the resulting mixture settles.

A small strip of indicator paper is dipped into the mixture and, by its color color, one can judge the level of reaction at the site: red indicates high acidity, orange indicates medium reaction earth, yellowish tint indicates weak acidity, yellow-green indicates a neutral reaction, and greenish blue indicates alkaline soil.

How you can improve the composition of the soil

One of the simplest and cheapest options for improving the soil on a home plot is to add a top fertile layer of agricultural plots. If necessary, sand, peat and compost are added to the ground in the right amount.

Change in the texture of the earth

Introducing sawdust or sand into the soil

Which have a loosening effect. Sand can be applied both before the start of the sowing campaign, and after its end. It is advisable to improve the composition of the soil with sawdust in the fall, while, to achieve a greater effect, it is recommended to moisten them with a solution of nitrogen fertilizer.

Sowing siderates

Heavy soils should be sown with plants that have a strong root system and can penetrate deeper into the ground.

Weighting

To make light soils heavier, you can use clay or silt, as well as the introduction of certain doses of organic fertilizers in the form of manure or compost (). Do not get carried away with peat, as the myth about its beneficial properties is a little exaggerated: it really increases the moisture and acidity of the soil, but the level of nutrients in it is minimal.

Most plants feel comfortable in neutral soils, so the PH level in acidic soil is reduced with lime, while alkaline ones, on the contrary, are acidified.

We change the acidity of the soil

It is possible to influence the level of acidity of the soil at the summer cottage in the direction of decrease by introducing dolomite and lime flour, chalk, and wood ash into the ground. Do not forget that it is necessary to analyze the acidity level as often as possible, since the reaction of the soil changes constantly and the slower pace of plant development may indicate an incipient problem.

Each culture prefers a specific land. To know what the plants lack and what fertilizing they need, it is enough to determine the type of soil on the site.

Novice growers cannot understand why one plant blooms perfectly from year to year, while the other wilts more and more. It could be the type of soil it grows on.

Mechanical composition of soil

According to their mechanical composition, soils are divided into:

sandy loam and sandy - light;
loamy - medium-heavy;
clayey - heavy.

There are also gravel and stony soils, but they are much less common.

Determine the type of soil

To find out the composition of the soil on the site, you need to take a little earth and evenly moisten it to a thick paste. Then a "sausage" with a diameter of 5 mm should be made from it. If the substrate is plastic, rolls well, and then easily rolls up into a donut and keeps its shape - this is an example heavy clay soil... When the ground rolls well, but falls apart when the ends of the donut are connected, then in front of you is loam... Light sandy and sandy loam soil in no way can be twisted into a "sausage", and even more so into a ring.

Why know the composition of the soil

Each type of garden soil has a certain density, moisture capacity, air and water permeability. Different soils contain their own specific set of trace elements that serve as food for plants.

Heavy soils

Such land is more fertile. Its disadvantage is the formation of a thick crust after rain. Heavy soil quickly compresses, retains water, and this leads to root rot in plants. In spring, areas with heavy soil warm up for a long time, and melt water leaves later. Due to the dense structure, beneficial microorganisms in such soil work slowly - this delays the process of decomposition of organic matter.

How to fix the situation? In heavy soil, you need to periodically add loosening materials:

sand (in spring and autumn);
sawdust (only in autumn and previously shedding the soil with fertilizer based on nitrogen).

Siderates are also a good baking powder. Grains are best suited for which the roots penetrate deep into the ground.

Light soils

Such soil retains moisture and microelements poorly. But in the spring, the ground quickly warms up to a depth sufficient for planting.

To increase the water holding capacity sandy areas, you need to add clay or silt to the soil. Compost and rotted manure are good weighting agents.

Acidity

Acidity is an important parameter to consider when selecting plants.

Soil with neutral and slightly alkaline reaction(pH 6.0 and above) love clover, coltsfoot, nettles, and runny. It will grow well here tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, carnations, asters .

On sour reaction, which is designated as pH 4.0-4.5, indicates the presence of horsetail, sedge, sorrel, moss on the site. Such a land is suitable for rhododendron, lily of the valley, heather .

Neutral and slightly acidic environment(pH 5.6-6.0) great for gladioli, roses, begonias .

For most crops, a neutral soil reaction is suitable, so acidic soils lime, and alkaline soils acidify. To do this, lime, wood ash, chalk, dolomite flour are added to acidic soils, and peat, sawdust, coniferous needles are added to alkaline soils.

Depending on our needs, but rather on the needs of the plants we want to grow, it is possible to influence the quality of the soil in the garden by using the optimal amount of fertilizer. One of the common mistakes is fertilizing by eye, which can lead to unnecessary consequences. In order to reduce the risk of making a mistake, it is necessary to establish the type and characteristics of the soil on which the plants will be grown, that is, to make a soil sample.

In order to obtain accurate results, it is best to take a sample of the earth and send it to a special laboratory for research. Unfortunately, such an analysis will have to pay, so many decide to independently determine the characteristics of the soil. Below are some tips on how you can run simple tests yourself.

Soil types

The first element that can be set is the soil type. It can be light, medium or heavy soil. In order to determine the mechanical composition of the soil, take a soil sample (no more than 1 tsp), moisten it with water and make a ball out of it. If the ball does not work, then this means that the soil is sandy. If it works, then roll it into a cord. Does not roll out - sandy loam soil. If the cord works, try to roll it into a ring. The ring did not work out - the soil is light loamy. If the ring turns out, but it cracks and breaks heavily, the soil is medium loamy; the ring slightly cracks - the soil is heavy loamy. Finally, if the ring takes any shape, the soil is clayey.

You can also determine the type of soil by rubbing a handful of soil between your fingers. The table and photos below will help in determining the characteristics of the soil.

Soil type	Soil features	Application in horticulture
The soil is heavy, clayey	After rubbing, it stains the fingers a lot, in a wet state it is easy to sculpt (you can sculpt various shapes from it)	Rich in nutrients and moisture. Unfortunately, it is very dense, poorly breathable and difficult to cultivate. It is not recommended to use such soil in its pure form.
The soil is medium, sandy-clayey.	After rubbing, the presence of sand is felt, fingers are slightly dirty, in a wet state, thick rollers can be made from it, which are easy to break.	Well absorbs and retains water, moderately loose and breathable, warms up well. It is the most fertile.
The soil is light, sandy.	It crumbles easily, is not plastic, does not stain fingers, even when wet does not lend itself to sculpting.	The main advantage is good air permeability. Water does not linger in it, resulting in rapid drying. Nutrients are easily washed out. This soil can be corrected by adding organic fertilizers.

Soil acidity

The next feature of the soil, which must be installed before using the fertilizer, is its acidity. The pH factor of a soil indicates its acidity or alkalinity. Neutral pH = 7. If the value is above 7, then this means that the soil is alkaline, and if it is less than 7, then the soil is acidic. The acidity level of the soil affects the solubility of minerals and their access to plants, as well as the type and size of the population of organisms living in the soil. Most garden plants require soil with a pH of 6.2-6.8. However, there is a fairly large group of plants that require more acidic soil.

In order to independently establish the pH of the soil, you will need a special kit for carrying out such studies, consisting of a test cone filled with a solution that changes color after mixing with the soil. Fill the flask with earth, the amount of which is indicated in the instructions (for example, & 襴), then shake vigorously to mix with the solution. Then, you need to wait until the earth settles to the bottom of the flask, and the solution turns into the appropriate color. According to the obtained color of the solution, we determine the acidity in the instructions.

Attention: the pH factor is not a constant indicator, therefore, for research, several soil samples should be taken from different parts of the garden. In addition, such studies should be carried out regularly, especially after an artificial change in the composition.

If the soil turns out to be too acidic, then it can be limed or enriched with organic matter containing limestone (for example, mushroom soil). If the soil is very alkaline, you can lower the pH by adding more acidic soil or a mixture of it with peat, or you can also use manure containing sulfur.

Plants to help determine soil type

Studying the plants growing on the site can also help in determining the characteristics of the soil. Daisies, odorless chamomile and white clover grow in lean and poor soils. The appearance of these plants suggests that it is imperative to regularly feed with complex fertilizers.

If there is a large amount of woodlice, nettles, field mustard, small-flowered halins or minartia on the site, this indicates that there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil. When fertilizing, then only that manure should be used in which this element is absent.

The appearance of horsetail, coltsfoot or creeping buttercup indicates that the soil is wet and heavy. In this case, it is recommended to loosen the soil and also mix it with sand.

Having got his own piece of land, a novice landowner or summer resident begins his gardening work with improving the soil. Is it necessary - is it an improvement? If the site has been under natural vegetation for many years, it is quite possible that for several more years, even with intensive exploitation, the soil does not need to be "improved". Therefore, in order to correctly start your gardening, you first need to:

determine its physical state (mechanical composition and structure),
the degree of soil acidity (acidic, alkaline, neutral),
chemical composition (supply of nutrients).

The most correct solution is to hand over the soil to a specialized laboratory for analysis. If this is not possible, you can (approximately) the preliminary composition of the soil, the level of its structure and its supply of nutrients to determine independently.

Mechanical composition and structure of the soil

For a preliminary determination of the soil type, dampen a handful of soil and roll a bagel.

A smooth ring without cracks indicates that this is clay.
If the bagel is covered with several cracks, it is heavy loam.
When the donut dries naturally, its surface is covered with many cracks - the soil is classified as medium loam.
If the bagel breaks when rolling, you have a light loam in front of you.
If the sausage does not work, it crumbles even when rolling, instead of full-fledged soil in front of you there is sand.
If, when rolling, the bagel crumbles into small separate lumps - sandy loam.

To determine the level of soil structure, it is enough to cut off the soil layer with a shovel and toss it into the air. When the structured soil falls, it will crumble into separate elements - lumps, grains, etc. Clayy heavy soil will fall like a pancake, and sandy soil will crumble into dust.

All these types of soils require treatment. The heavy ones will not let the water through. They are practically impervious to air. After irrigation, a crust forms on such soils, irrigation and rain water stagnates. Plants are in constant oppression. The sandy soil will freely let all the water through, taking with it the soluble forms of the applied fertilizers. Such soils must be cured prior to use. The main medicine is organic matter: manure (cow, horse, sheep, etc.), humus, composts. To increase the air permeability and structure of heavy (clay) soils, sawdust, finely chopped (no more than 5-6 cm) perennial grasses, shrubs, tree branches, bark will help. It is good to add sod and forest soils to sandstones, having previously (since autumn) stratified them with manure, peat, compost. In the spring, spread it around the site and dig it up.

Em F

Treatment can be done in two ways:

Do not grow anything on the site for 2-3 years. Treat only. In addition to the organic matter introduced during this period, to occupy the area with green manure all year round, sowing and burying, when a height of 8-12 cm is reached several times per season.
Conduct treatment in parallel with the cultivation of garden and planting fruit and berry crops. If the second method suits you more, take into account fresh manure for culture cannot be used and limit its rate for autumn digging (no more than 1 bucket / sq. M). Otherwise, the sown and planted crops will burn.

The degree of acidity of different types of soils

For the normal development of plants, the reaction of the soil solution is of great importance. According to the level of acidity, soils are subdivided into:

Strongly acidic. These include swamps and low-lying peatlands,
Sour. Most often these are soils under coniferous crops, clay-sod and peat bogs,
Weakly acidic. Sod and heather lands,
Neutral. The main soils for growing garden crops: sod, humus, deciduous, all types of chernozems and others.
Alkaline and strongly alkaline. These include calcareous soils with a high content of calcium and its compounds.

In addition to the above gradation, there are also saline soils.

The vast majority of plants grow and develop well, form a full-fledged crop on neutral soils. On slightly alkaline and slightly acidic soils, garden crops can be grown, but the oppression of plants requiring neutral acidity will be noticeable.

Routine soil acidity testing

If it is not possible to conduct an analysis in a chemical laboratory, you can purchase a pH tester or litmus strips with a scale in specialized stores. It is enough to stir a lump of earth with water in a glass and lower the litmus paper. Compare with the scale. The change in color when compared with the scale will indicate the degree of acidity of the soil. For cultivated plants, the optimum is the soil, which has a pH of 6.5-7.5.

Approximate determination of the degree of soil acidity by vegetable and weed vegetation

If you do not have a pH tester, did not stock up on litmus strips, you can determine the approximate acidity of the soil by weeds.

On strongly and moderately acidic soils, horse and garden sorrel form almost half-meter thickets. On such soils, the overgrown plantain is large, the highlander is sorrel, Ivan da Marya with a tricolor violet and a creeping buttercup look charming. The damp places of the summer cottage will be covered with a wonderful decorative carpet of common oxalis, green bryozoans.

Neutral and slightly acidic soils are always covered in spring with healthy green shoots of podwinter crops of dill, onions, and salads. Slender rows of peas and early potatoes please. Seedling cultures of eggplants, sweet peppers, tomatoes quickly take root.

If there is no subwinter or early spring sowing of vegetable crops, then creeping wheatgrass with a sow-thistle, bright greens of the common coltsfoot, clovers and field bindweed wrapping around strawberries will confirm that the soil is suitable for growing the vast majority of vegetable garden products.

There are "omnivorous" weeds. Field bindweed grows with equal success on slightly acidic-neutral-alkaline soils. In this case, you need to carefully look at the accompanying weeds. There is a lot of horsetail, stellate, mosses - the soil is acidic, and if larkspur prevails, the resin is alkaline.

Edwin

Garden crops need neutral soil. They tolerate weakly acidic and weakly alkaline soil. In all other cases, the soil must be healed.

Home express analysis of soil acidity

Difficult to distinguish between types of weeds? There are several other ways to conduct a home quick test to determine the level of soil acidity.

Method 1 is suitable for determining the acidity of the soil before leafing out.

Sprinkle the soil with a layer of 1-2 fingers on a small bowl (shallow plate).
We drip large drops of vinegar onto the soil in several places.
If bubbles appear on the surface of the soil, then the soil is neutral. If there is no reaction, then the soil is acidic and needs to be deoxidized.

Method 2 is used if there is grape juice (not wine) in the house of dark colors (black, dark pink, red). Throw a lump of soil into a container with juice.

If the juice changes color and bubbles appear on the surface, it means that there are enough calcium salts in the soil, and it has a neutral reaction.
If the solution remains unchanged, the soil is acidic.

Method 3 is usually used in the summer. Boil tea from currant or cherry leaves. Cool well and throw some earth into the solution.

If the solution turns red, it means that the site has an acidic reaction and is not suitable for vegetable crops.
The green or blue color of the solution indicates, respectively, a neutral or slightly acidic reaction of the soil.

simonsublime

These methods of determining the degree of soil acidity are usually used if landscape shrubs (conifers, heathers, rhododendrons) are planted.

How to change the acidity of the soil?

To reduce acidity, acidic soils are usually limed using

ground limestone,
dolomite flour
burnt slaked and quicklime,
ground chalk,
peat boots,
marl.

If there is an industry nearby, then its waste can be used to deoxidize the soil:

shale ash,
cement dust,
peat ash,
gas lime.

On light soils, it is better to use dolomite flour. On heavy ones, limestone or ash elements are more effective.

To increase the acidity, coniferous soil, high moor peat, mineral fertilizers with an active acidic reaction are introduced, mulch with semi-rotten needles. It should be noted that the long-term introduction of some mineral fats gradually acidifies the soil, and it needs periodic deoxidation or the introduction of organic matter (manure, humus, compost). Wood ash is a highly effective fertilizer and good deoxidizer. When burned in ash, all the main nutrients and trace elements remain (except for nitrogen).

Signs of nutrient deficiency in plants

Plants need a balanced amount of essential nutrients and trace elements for normal growth and development. A deficiency or excess of an element can be immediately identified by the results of a chemical analysis of plant organs. But, if the laboratory is far away, you can independently diagnose the state of the soil and plants without special equipment. By the appropriate signs, you can independently determine the deficiency or excess of basic nutrients and microelements. Trace elements have a positive effect on the background of a sufficient amount of organic matter in the soil.

Remember! Disfigured, small, tasteless vegetables are the first sign of micronutrient deficiency in the soil.

The growth of healthy, disease-free plants is delayed. The leaves become unnaturally light green in color, and the lower old leaves turn yellow. In relation to the main stem, the leaves are located at an acute angle. Shoots sometimes have a reddish tint.

Amy grant

An excess of nitrogen gives a burst of increased growth of the aboveground vegetative mass. Insufficient flowering. The period of fruit formation is delayed. They don't ripen.

Lack of phosphorus

Leaves are intensely dark green with bluish, red, bronze shades. Some crops have red leaves that are not typical for them. There are practically no yellow shades even on old leaves. The leaf blades are small, the old ones acquire spotting. When dry, they turn black. Flowering is delayed.

Mark bolda

Lack of potassium

Pronounced variegation, in some plants with a bluish-green color. Deficiency begins in the middle of the shoots. At the tops of the plants, chlorotic spots surround patches of extinct tissue. The tops and edges of the lower leaves in young plants are wrinkled, curling downward. With severe starvation, the edges of the leaves, and even individual shoots, turn brown and dry.

George Weigel

Magnesium deficiency

The leaf blade is covered with whitish (almost white) spots at the large leaf veins. In some plants, the color of the edge veins becomes red or purple. Dying off of leaves is almost not observed.

Zinc deficiency

The leaves are small, narrow, hard to the touch. With individual chlorotic spots. Collected in multi-leafed rosettes on the tops of young shoots. It is not the leaf that dies off, but its individual sections throughout the leaf blade, capturing the lateral and central veins. Dead tissue disintegrates.

Ross brennan

Boron deficiency

The point of growth of the stems of the aboveground mass and the root system dies off. A dwarf bush is formed from thickened stems with small foliage. Flowering is rare, the ovaries fall off in the early stages of development. The tops of the shoots dry up, there is a lot of corky tissue in the fruits, the pulp is rough with a bitter taste.

Lack of sulfur

Pale green color of leaf blades, but leaf death, as with a lack of nitrogen, is not observed.

Lack of iron

General chlorosis of the entire plant until the end of the growing season without death of leaves and stems.

Lack of copper

Chlorosis of individual large areas of the aboveground mass of plants. In contrast to the lack of iron, there is a pronounced whitening of the tips of the leaf blades.

It begins to appear from old leaves. First, their edges turn yellow, and then the entire leaf blade. In this case, the veins on the leaf blade remain green. Over time, young shoots are affected and die off.

We elaborated on what types of soil you may encounter on your site. We have written how these soils differ from each other, and how they can affect the yield of your crops.

Let us briefly repeat the above.

The best soil for agriculture is loam, it has an equal ratio of three minerals: clay, sand and silt. The rest of the soils are determined by the increased content of any one substance. Accordingly, they are clayey, sandy and silty. All of them have their disadvantages either in excessive density and poor permeability of moisture and air (clayey), or, conversely, in excessive looseness and inability to retain moisture and nutrients (sandy). Accordingly, each type of soil requires a special approach when growing garden crops on it.

That is why it is imperative to know what characteristics the soil has in your garden or vegetable garden.

If you do not have the opportunity to conduct a laboratory analysis of the soil from your site, you can do your own research.

A simple test that we bring to your attention will help you determine your soil type based on the percentage of sand, clay and silt in it. To conduct it, you will need the following:

clean liter glass jar with a lid;
small scoop;
water;
dishwashing liquid;
ruler;
well, your soil itself.

So, first, dig a hole in the ground 20 centimeters deep and 10 centimeters wide.

Fill a third of the jar with soil, taking it equally from all levels.

Add water to the jar, leaving 4-5 centimeters up to the top.

Add one tablespoon of dish soap to soften the water.

Close the lid and shake the mixture well. Now you have to wait 24 hours. However, preliminary results will be visible sooner.

So, the first, as the heaviest fraction, will settle down the sand. This can happen literally in five minutes. Sludge will settle in the second layer. This layer will settle down in two hours. The last will be clay. It will take most of the time to settle it - up to 24 hours.

Organic impurities will remain floating on the surface of the water.

Now we take a ruler and measure the thickness of our layers (except for water). The layer of sand is the lightest, it is below. The silt layer is the darkest, it is in the center. The clay layer is something in between in color, it is at the top.

We take the total amount as 100 percent, and calculate the proportions of sand, silt and clay based on the results obtained.

How it will look approximately can be seen in the figures.

As you can see, based on the ratio of substances, there can be a different type of soil. It can be 95% clay or sandy. And there may be options such as sandy loam, silty loam, etc.

Remember that any type of soil