How to prepare sawdust for soil fertilization? Plum details. Cultivation, useful properties and variety selection How to apply coniferous sawdust to the ground

For some crops, mulching is an essential agronomic practice of the growing process.

With its use, plants are more protected from freezing in winter period, from the heat and heat in the summer.

Mulching inhibits weed growth and makes the soil less susceptible to excessive evaporation. Fruits, due to the lack of contact with the soil, are less damaged by diseases.

When applying this prim it is important to choose the right material for this important procedure. One option is sawdust mulching.

The use of sawdust has several advantages over other materials. These benefits are as follows:

How to prepare sawdust for mulching

For soil mulching, only sawdust is used, which can be taken at any wood processing plant or made by yourself using wood and a saw.

It is advisable to use them from deciduous trees, as fresh coniferous sawdust strongly oxidizes the soil.

Particles of this material can be different sizes, and, consequently, the properties of the mulch will be different.

It is desirable to use medium-sized sawdust for mulch. Very fine particles often cake and form a crust or lumps on the soil surface. The large particle size of wood chips is also undesirable for use in as mulch on delicate garden plants.

But for mulching trees and shrubs large size sawdust would be the best option.

Many summer residents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to mulch with fresh sawdust? A more favorable type of mulch for plants is half-rotted sawdust. This is due to the fact that fresh sawdust contains little nitrogen (0.5%) and is forced to take it from the soil.

Therefore, it is best to use rotted material from two years ago, or artificially accelerate its maturation by enriching it with nitrogen.

To do this, sawdust is poured with the following solution: 200 grams of urea diluted in a bucket of water. For the best impregnation the filled sawdust is periodically mixed.

Most gardeners prefer to recycle sawdust before using it in the compost pit.

How to mulch with sawdust, the nuances

Mulching the soil with sawdust should be carried out only after careful processing of the beds.

It is necessary to weed the weeds, trim the mustache and shoots (if it concerns strawberries or raspberries).

Some gardeners cover the beds with thin paper before mulching, this more thoroughly protects against the appearance of weeds.

The layer of sawdust is usually from 3 to 5 centimeters.

In case of mulching with fresh sawdust it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers. Since they oxidize the soil, it is recommended to apply them with ash. A good effect gives the simultaneous use of the drug Baikal EM1.

When to mulch

Mulching with sawdust is used in autumn to protect plants from freezing. This method is suitable for perennial flowers, strawberries, shrubs and vegetables planted in winter.

But you need to remember that sawdust is a rather hygroscopic plant, and having absorbed moisture in the spring, they thaw for a long time, forming an ice crust. Therefore, such a shelter may not be suitable for all plants. For example, it is not advisable to use it on roses.

In spring, the procedure is carried out after careful processing of plants, removal of the old mulch cover, or digging it with soil.

Mulching strawberries with sawdust should be done before flowering. By the end of summer, thanks to the influence sun rays, rain and wind, there will be very little sawdust in the beds.

In summer, mulching plants is highly undesirable. Since this will not allow perennials to properly prepare for winter.

What crops can be mulched with sawdust

Trees, shrubs, flowers are mulched with sawdust.

This material is used to cover beds with vegetables and berries; for this, the space between the beds is sprinkled with sawdust to reduce the growth of weeds.

For decorative mulching of flowers, trees or shrubs, sawdust of large fractions can be dyed in various colors. This gives a unique splendor to landscape design.

Use this type of mulch for growing vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, onions, cucumbers. On carrots, the smell of sawdust prevents the appearance of carrot flies. To increase the yield of potatoes, mulching the distance between plants with sawdust after hilling gives a good effect.

In combination with nitrogen fertilizer, such a layer provides best height cultures.

Mulching with sawdust is inexpensive and effective method increasing crop yields, maintaining and increasing soil fertility, as well as giving the garden and garden an aesthetic look.

Article author: Elena Kozhukhova

Whether or not sawdust can be used in the garden to fertilize the soil is a favorite topic of discussion between gardeners and gardeners. Opinions on this matter are completely opposite: some gardeners praise sawdust and use it according to full program, others are categorically against such “recklessness”. Who is right here?

With proper preparation, it is certainly possible to use sawdust as a fertilizer. And not only. Sawdust, it turns out, is generally a wonderful help in the household. There are a lot of options for using them, we counted a damn dozen ...

Sawdust has a lot of necessary and useful properties for a gardener. For example, they are a good soil leavening agent, which improves its structure and prevents cracking and crusting. In addition, sawdust is able to absorb and retain liquid, which allows it to be used where it is necessary to reduce moisture. Sawdust can insulate, disinfect, decorate, protect.

Finally, let's not forget that sawdust is wood waste. That is, the real organic matter, which is processed by soil microorganisms into nutrients necessary for everything growing on earth. And like any other organic matter, sawdust should not be sent to landfills, but to beds.

How to avoid problems when using sawdust in the country

But if sawdust is so beautiful, why are there opponents of its use? There are, in fact, two reasons for distrust of sawdust: the introduction of fresh sawdust increases the acidity of the soil and sawdust absorbs nitrogen from the soil during decomposition.

Both of these problems are solvable. The very first solution is to use sawdust for crops that grow well in acidic soils (pH 5.5-6.0). And there are quite a lot of them: Japanese quince, barberry, blueberries, honeysuckle, viburnum, potatoes, dogwood, cranberries, carrots, cucumbers, rhubarb, radishes, turnips, rosemary, tomatoes, pumpkins, coniferous plants, spinach, sorrel.

If you do not want to take risks with fresh sawdust, their oxidizing ability must be neutralized. To do this, sawdust is mixed with “alkaline” materials: ash, lime, eggshell, dolomite flour, crushed chalk or fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium chloride, sodium or calcium nitrate, potassium or ammonium sulfate).

The second problem is even easier to solve. Since sawdust needs nitrogen so much, why not just add it to them? Let's add it! A bucket of sawdust usually takes 200 grams nitrogen fertilizers(eg urea) dissolved in water. Water in this case is required so that the sawdust is well saturated.

Those who do not recognize mineral fertilizers mix sawdust with freshly cut grass, manure, bird or rabbit droppings, spill them or other grasses. And the problem of “pulling” nitrogen is no more.

How to put all this into practice? We take big piece film and spread it on the site. Pour sawdust mixed with ash onto the film. For each bucket of sawdust we take ten liters of water and two hundred grams of urea. We dissolve urea in water, spill sawdust, cover it with a second piece of film on top, press down on the film so that it does not blow away. In this form, we leave our mixture for two to three weeks. There is no place for such a structure? No problem. Prepared sawdust can be folded into black garbage bags and tightly closed.

After the expiration of the prescribed period, we will receive the so-called rotted sawdust. All the shortcomings of fresh sawdust can now be forgotten.

13 ways to use sawdust in the country

Method 1. Mulching

Using sawdust as mulch is the first thing that comes to mind. It is enough to prepare them as described above, and the sawdust is completely ready to work as a mulching material. The soil under crops is covered with a layer of sawdust of 3-5 centimeters. Strawberries, strawberries, garlic and raspberries respond especially well to mulching with sawdust.

It is best to mulch with sawdust in spring and early summer, then by the end of the season you will not find sawdust in the garden - they will have time to rot. A thick layer of sawdust mulch in the second half of summer is undesirable, it will prevent the evaporation of excess moisture from the soil, which, in turn, will not allow the plants to properly prepare for winter.

Method 2. Composting

Another obvious use for sawdust in the garden is to add it to sawdust. Sawdust is a great carbonaceous component for making compost, and when mixed with plant residues, kitchen waste, grass or manure, it turns into a natural organic fertilizer quite quickly.

You can compost sawdust and “no impurities”. To do this, you will have to dig a hole a meter deep, fill it with fresh sawdust, and sprinkle lime, ash, etc. on top. After two years, the sawdust will rot and they can safely fertilize the beds.

Method 3. Germination of seeds and tubers

Many gardeners use sawdust as a substrate for germinating seeds and tubers. Sawdust is poured into the bottom of the container with a thin layer and the seeds are laid out on them. Sprinkle on top with another layer of sawdust, also thin. Cover the structure with a film and send it to a dark warm place. When shoots appear, the film is removed, the container is exposed to light, and the sawdust is lightly sprinkled with soil. With the advent of the first true leaf, the seedlings dive into separate ones.

To germinate potatoes, sawdust is moistened with water, poured into a box with a ten-centimeter layer. Seed tubers are laid out on sawdust, sprinkled with another layer of smaller sawdust - 2-3 centimeters. Sprinkle the contents of the boxes with water from time to time. When the tubers sprout 6-8 centimeters long, you can plant them in the ground.

In addition, some small seeds (for example,) are mixed with sawdust when sowing for better distribution along the furrow.

Method 4. Device ridges

Sawdust can be used when - here any organic matter is needed and important. With the help of sawdust, the ridges located in the lowlands are also raised. This is done as follows: at the site of the future bed, they dig a trench 25 centimeters deep and stuff it with sawdust mixed with lime, ash, etc. The earth dug out of the trench is laid on top. So the bed becomes higher, and the sawdust inside will not only supply nutrients to the plants, but also retain excess moisture.

Method 5. Coating for furrows and tracks

Sawdust can serve as an excellent cover for the passages between the beds and any other paths. The aisles covered with sawdust look beautiful, you can safely walk on them after the rain, without fear of getting your shoes dirty. In addition, sawdust is well compressed, preventing weeds from growing. They protect the soil from drying out and nourish it with organic matter. And you can also sprinkle the tracks with sawdust in ice!

Method 6. Storing vegetables

Carrots, cabbage and apples are well stored in sawdust. And if you decide to do it yourself to store the crop on the balcony, sawdust can come in handy as a heater.

Method 7. Preparation of soil for seedlings

Sawdust is one of the components of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and eggplants. Let's not forget that ONLY rotted sawdust is used to prepare seedling soil.

Method 8. Growing mushrooms

Mushroom farming is very interesting. On fresh sawdust of hardwoods (oak, birch, willow, aspen, poplar, maple), oyster mushrooms work well. However, the technology for growing mushrooms is far from simple, and in order to become an ideal substrate for mycelium, sawdust must go through a multi-stage preparation.

Method 9. Warming of fruit trees

If stuffed with sawdust plastic bags and spread them around the young fruit trees, the latter will be reliably insulated for the winter. Sawdust in packages will not get wet, will not freeze, will not attract rodents. Sawdust is very popular as a heater for vine: a specially knocked together box without a bottom is placed on top of the plant, filled with sawdust and covered with foil on top.

Please note that in both cases, the sawdust is covered with polyethylene. It is important. Just like that, without any shelter, the sawdust poured on the plant will get wet during the winter, and then turn into an ice block.

Method 10. Bedding for animals

The best sawdust for this purpose is sawdust fruit trees. Using shavings and sawdust as bedding for animals is beneficial from all sides. Wood waste is cheap (and often free), it insulates the floor, and it is hygienic due to its absorbent properties. In addition, such a litter, having served its intended purpose, will become an effective fertilizer.

Method 11. Smoking

Those who smoke meat, fish or lard in the country, sawdust, wood chips and shavings will always find a use. True, not all sawdust is suitable for a smokehouse, but only certain types of wood. Juniper and alder chips are most suitable for smoking. Ash, hazel, pear, maple, oak and apple are sometimes used. Each tree gives the finished dish its own aroma, so some gourmets prepare special smoking mixtures from several species. Chips and shavings for smoking are advised to be made from branches cut in the spring, for example, during planned pruning.

Method 12. Construction and decoration

Many, for sure, know that sawdust can be mixed into concrete. Sawdust concrete or a mixture of clay and sawdust is plastered garden houses and gazebos. Concrete with sawdust can be made into bricks or building blocks. Sawdust is also used as an insulating material for walls and floors.

After cutting down trees, sawing wood or construction works, there are always sawdust. Many, out of ignorance, simply throw them away or burn them, depriving themselves of very useful material. Where and how sawdust is used, you can read in detail in this article.

What are sawdust for?

These, in fact, waste can be used for such purposes:

To loosen the soil.
Fertilizer as part of the compost.
Mulching horticultural crops.
Insulation in the cold season for heat-loving plants.
Covering material for paths.
Storage of vegetables and fruits.
Growing seedlings and mushrooms.
In decorating.
Construction works.

It is only important to remember that there is different types sawdust. Some may not be suitable for specific purposes. For example, coniferous sawdust not suitable for fertilizers and working with soil. But birch, linden, from fruit trees, maple sawdust are universal.

Garden work

In order to use sawdust on your site, you need to know all their features. Since when not correct application and use in pure form, they can not only not give the expected effect, but also harm.

Garden fertilizer

In order for sawdust to serve as fertilizer, you need to mix it with minerals. There are two good reasons for this:

Sawdust in its pure form makes the soil acidic.
Nitrogen is removed from the soil, which is so necessary for most plants.

To avoid such problems, composting is a great option. Two cooking methods:

Quick way: with air access. Can be used after 1-2 months.
Long-term method: with limited air access. Such raw materials will be ready in 4-6 months.

And now more about these methods.

Instant compost

There are three varieties, depending on the constituent components:

Sawdust-mineral. To prepare it, you need to adhere to the proportion: for 5 kg of sawdust (in 1 bucket for 10 liters - 1 kg of sawdust), 125 g of urea, 40 g of superphosphate and 75 g of potassium sulfate are taken. Dissolve mineral fertilizers in water, pour sawdust, which is placed in a prepared pit. Mix everything thoroughly for better air access. Leave for a month, or better - two. Stir occasionally.
Sawdust-organic. In this option, you need to add chicken droppings or manure to the sawdust. With manure, the proportion of sawdust is 1: 1 (by weight), and the litter should be taken half as much. Mix all. Leave for fermentation, periodically fluffing and mixing with a pitchfork.
Sawdust-mixed. In this case, compost is harvested as in the first option - with mineral fertilizers. They stand for a month, and sawdust with organic matter is applied on top. Leave for another month, stirring regularly, and the fertilizer is ready to use.

Important to remember! No sealing or pressing. Looseness and free access of air are the main rules of this compost.

If it is possible to keep such compost longer (3-4 months), then you can get excellent fertilizer. Having made a bookmark in the spring, in the fall you will get an excellent mixture for digging the soil.

Long-term compost

It is necessary to dig a hole, about 50 cm deep. Throw crushed unnecessary into it. organic waste from the garden and at home (branches, foliage, grass, peels from vegetables and fruits, tops of carrots and beets, tomato stalks, sawdust, manure, food waste) carefully tamp everything. This is best done by pouring in small layers, pouring each layer with several shovels of soil. Pour with a solution of nitrophoska, at the rate of 100 g per bucket of water, gradually filling and compacting the pit. Cover everything with plastic wrap. To block air. Withstand 4-6 months. high humidity and temperatures below 20°C are excellent conditions for good compost.

Remember: the longer the compost rots in the pit, the better it turns out. And even after 2-3 years, it will be an excellent fertilizer, better than a young one.

Growing seedlings and germinating seeds.

By mixing sawdust with the ground (rotted or pre-treated with urea, ash or chalk), you can get excellent soil for growing seedlings of peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers.

But ordinary sawdust is suitable for germinating seeds. Pour a thin layer of these small pieces of wood, spread the seeds, cover with a thin layer of sawdust. Pour over, cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to germinate. When shoots appear, remove the film, and lightly sprinkle the sawdust with earth. When the first true leaf appears, the plants dive into separate containers with fertile soil.

Mushrooms on sawdust

You can grow oyster mushrooms on sawdust from deciduous trees. But the cultivation technology is not as primitive as it seems. It is necessary to properly prepare sawdust: mix with hay, bran, mineral components. Sami bran simmer in hot water to remove the microorganisms that live in them. Sow live mycelium in a moist substrate. Support high humidity and temperature from 8°C to 28°C.

warm beds

A feature of these beds is the faster ripening of vegetables, since heating from below makes it possible to plant crops earlier than usual, and the ripening time with constant heat is reduced. Plants in such areas get sick less, it is difficult for pests to get to them.

You can make a garden bed like this:

Dig a hole, 25-30 cm deep, in place of the future bed.
Protect the edges with bumpers so that the bed does not fall apart.
Put everything in layers, at least 10 cm thick.
At the bottom - a drainage layer of coarse branches and organic waste.
Pour sawdust, pour them with a solution of urea.
From above, lay out a layer of what is on the site: straw, grass, foliage, chopped corn stalks, weeds, manure. The thickness of this layer is 15 cm.
Every layer shed hot water or a solution of manure, or chicken manure.
cover polyethylene film for warming up (for a week or 10 days).
After the temperature begins to decrease, open the film and lay out a layer of soil (12-15 cm).

After such procedures, the bed is ready for planting vegetables.

Sawdust can be used not only in the garden. They will also find work in the garden and flower beds.

Use of sawdust in the garden

Shredded wood is an excellent insulation for plants that are difficult to tolerate cold. Young seedlings also need warming for the winter.

sawdust insulation

If you use sawdust as a heater, you need to remember that they cannot be left outdoors. They get wet, freeze, rot and kill plants. It is better to fill polyethylene bags with sawdust and overlay seedlings or bushes with them. You can do it this way: cover bent branches, vines or vines with sawdust. Then cover the top with foil and secure the edges. But such insulation must be made before frost, so that a shelter for rodents does not work out.

Mulching

For this purpose, you can not take fresh sawdust. They need to be prepared: mixed with ash, poured with a solution of urea and let it brew for two weeks. Such sawdust can already be poured under the plants. The layer thickness is not more than 4 cm. Strawberries, raspberries, strawberries, and garlic love such mulching. It is better to pour this remedy in the spring. In the middle of summer, such manipulations are better not to do. For horticultural crops, mulching should be carried out along the perimeter of the crown. Fertilize and water over the mulch.

From a practical point of view, such paths have proven themselves well in both dry and rainy weather. The chance of getting dirty is minimized. A dense layer does not allow weeds to break through.

The use of sawdust for decorative purposes

Craft stuffing

Well-dried sawdust can be used as filler for stuffed animals in the country, summer pillows on the terrace, decorative and soft toys.

colored sawdust

Chopped wood is well stained with gouache solution. After drying, applications can be made from it by gluing a picture onto cardboard. On the floor or path - a soft decorative rug will come out.

Other applications

Harvest storage

Almost all summer residents are well aware that it is categorically not recommended to introduce sawdust into the soil and good harvests on such grounds it is definitely not worth expecting. This is especially true of fresh sawdust, because they often lead to excessive acidification of the soil, a fungus can easily appear in them, and they also draw a decent amount of nitrogen from the soil. But, nevertheless, sawdust can be an excellent component for improving air permeability (they are an excellent leavening agent) and soil structure! True, in order for them not to overrip and thoroughly spoil the soil, they must be properly prepared. And it's not that hard to do it!

How to prepare sawdust for fertilizer?

In order to prepare sawdust for subsequent application to the soil, you will need to acquire some kind of nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizer. Urea is especially well suited for these purposes - for each bucket of sawdust it will be enough to take one handful of urea. At the same time, it is important to take into account the ability of powdered urea to cake and form sparingly soluble lumps, so it is better to immediately purchase a granular version. Useful for harvesting sawdust and huge black plastic bags for garbage (up to two hundred liters).

Pre-moistened sawdust is thoroughly mixed in a large garden bucket, in an old tank or in some other container with urea or other nitrogen-containing fertilizer, after which they are carefully poured into pre-prepared bags. When the bags are filled, they are tightly closed and the contents are allowed to “brew” well for at least three weeks - during this period, the sawdust will be properly saturated with nitrogen and become absolutely safe for the soil. It is especially good to use sawdust prepared in this way in the fall - over the summer they are not only perfectly saturated with nitrogen, but also lose their pricklyness and rigidity.

How and when to bring ready-made sawdust into the soil?

Sawdust-based fertilizer can be applied to the soil both in autumn and in spring - as a rule, this is done when digging the soil. And, most importantly, such fertilizer can be applied under absolutely any crop! Highly nice results gives its introduction under the potato - the tubers in this case always turn out to be clean and even. And if you take pine sawdust as a basis, they will become a real salvation from the Colorado potato beetle (in the event that there are too many beetles on the site, such fertilizer is applied three times over the summer)! For potatoes, sawdust is also good because they in every possible way prevent it from overheating and drying out.

As for the end of summer, it is better not to introduce sawdust into the soil during this period. Especially it concerns fruit plants- if you ignore this rule, fruit ripening and the entire fruiting process as a whole can be greatly delayed.

Sawdust saturated with nitrogen can be used not only as a fertilizer, but also as a mulch or insulation - they can safely cover the beds with winter garlic, garden strawberries, as well as flowerbeds with winter flowers! As you can see, the scope of sawdust is very extensive, so do not rush to get rid of them as unnecessary as soon as possible! Better put them into action - you won't regret it!

Mulching - it is an agricultural practice, which reduces moisture loss in the soil and improves the structure or composition of the soil.

In addition, mulch protects the plant from:

overheating and freezing of the roots;
slugs;
weeds.

Any garden and garden plants They receive nutrition and the substances necessary for growth in the form of aqueous solutions, which they absorb with the help of roots.

Therefore, the lower the soil moisture, the more difficult it is for the roots to extract nutrients from the ground, so the soil must be constantly moistened.

However frequent watering often leads to the appearance of rot, so it is extremely important increase the interval between waterings and reduce the rate of soil water loss.

Water leaves the soil four ways:

it is consumed by plant roots;
it seeps into the deep layers of the soil;
it evaporates due to heating by the sun's rays;
it is carried away by the wind.

The influence of the first two points cannot be stopped or slowed down.

Therefore, it remains influence the evaporation of water due to heat and wind. Mulch, that is, the material covering the ground, reduces the intensity of heating of the soil, and also separates the soil surface from moving air, which is why water loss caused by these factors is reduced.

After rotting, the mulch from natural materialsmixes with the soil and improves its structure making the soil looser. Thanks to this, the roots of plants gain access to water more easily, because moisture is distributed more evenly over loose soil, so what the roots have consumed is naturally compensated.

In summer, the mulch protects the soil from the sun's rays, so that the roots of the plants do not overheat. In winter, the mulch layer protects the roots from frost, acting as a heat insulator.

If the water in the soil and roots freezes, then will increase in size and break the root cells, after which they will no longer be able to perform their functions normally. Thanks to the heat-insulating properties of the mulch, the water in the roots does not freeze even in severe frosts, and in spring it is easier for the plant to wake up from sleep and resume growth.

In addition, the mulch protects the beds from slugs and weeds, because the former experience discomfort when moving along very uneven surface, and the latter cannot normally grow through a thick mulch layer.

The impact of wood waste on the ground: the pros and cons

To understand how sawmill mulch differs from mulch made from other materials, it is necessary to understand how sawdust affects the soil.

The transformation of wood into humus (humus), that is, a substance suitable for absorption by plants, occurs due to the activity huge amount various bacteria and fungi.

This process occurs with any organic matter, due to which any plants, animals and other living organisms, after death, turn into humus.

During the vital activity of microorganisms that ensure the decay of wood, various acids are released, only a part of which is necessary to obtain humus.

The remaining acids do not affect the mechanical properties of the soil, but change the acid-base balance of humus, and then the soil with which it contacts.

This effect appears most strongly during the decay of sawdust. conifers, therefore, even partially rotted wood sawing waste acidifies the earth, changing the acid-base balance and making the ground unusable for some plants.

In addition, bacteria and fungi, which ensure the decay of wood, consume a lot of nitrogen extracted both from sawdust and air, and from the soil with which wood waste comes into contact.

Therefore, with any use of sawdust, it is necessary to take into account the consumption of nitrogen by bacteria and the decrease in the level of this element in the soil.

Some of the acids secreted by bacteria and fungi are danger to young seedlings and shoots, which have not yet had time to grow a strong bark that protects them from pathogens of various diseases.

Therefore, mulching young seedlings with fresh sawdust leads to damage to their skin and infection with pathogens of various diseases.

If a decrease in nitrogen levels and an increase in acidity can be compensated by lime or ash, as well as nitrogen-containing fertilizers, then the only way to protect seedlings- use only completely rotted material for mulching.

Compensate for changes in the acid-base balance of the soil after applying sawdust mulch, sprinkle the soil with ash, dolomite flour or slaked lime(fluff).

Alkali from these drugs reacts with acids , because of which the latter are converted into salts with the release of water.

These processes are slow: therefore, both an increase in acidity and a decrease occur within a few months.

That is why adding ash or other reagents along with applying a layer of sawdust mulch saves the soil from changes in acidity if the amount of reagents corresponds to the amount isolated from wood waste acids.

How to make mulch?

For mulching, you can use various materials, the most popular of which are:

polyethylene film;
uprooted or mowed weeds;
forbs (hay);
straw;
mixture of different organic materials(weeds, hay, straw, etc.) with rotted manure or compost;
needles;
sawdust.

Polyethylene film, especially black or two-tone, well suppresses the growth of weeds and gives the garden a beautiful appearance, but has no effect on slugs.

In addition, on a hot summer day, the earth under such a film heats up to dangerous levels, which often leads to the death of the roots.

Weak vapor permeability of this material leads to an increase in moisture on the surface of the earth and the appearance of mold and colonies of harmful bacteria, as well as to rapid reproduction woodlice.

In addition, the film cannot protect against frost, so other materials must be used with it.

On any bed or in a greenhouse, various weeds are constantly growing, which take away nutrients and moisture from cultivated plants, so they are weeded out or torn out.

Picked, mowed or uprooted weeds can also be used as mulch, which is better than a film insulating heat and cold. However, such material often leaves weed seeds in the ground, which germinate over time, after which they have to be pulled out again or weeded out.

A few days after laying on the ground, in uprooted weeds the transformation into humus begins. Moreover, it is carried out by the same fungi and bacteria that ensure the decay of sawdust.

As a result, the soil becomes slightly acidic, and the free acid damages the thin skin of the seedlings, making them vulnerable to disease.

Weeds rot much faster than sawdust due to the lower content of lignin in the trunk, so they have time to completely rot before the start of frost.

This leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of frost protection, because as a result of decay the thickness of the weed layer is greatly reduced.

The situation is the same with forbs hay, straw or needles - these materials quickly rot, moreover, they can infect the site with seeds, which will lead to the appearance of extra plants in the garden or in the greenhouse.

Due to rapid decay, spring mulch cannot protect plant roots from frost, and due to the presence of mulch, weed grass does not grow on the beds that can be used for autumn mulching, so hay or straw will have to be bought.

If it is possible to buy these materials, then they effectively protect the roots plants from frost.

Since the decay of any type of organic matter is provided by the same fungi and bacteria as sawdust, their effect on the soil is approximately the same.

The only difference is that the dried stems of any herbs are much less dense than sawdust, therefore, with the same volume, they differ greatly in mass.

At the same time, the number of microorganisms that provide decay, as well as the amount of acid released by them and nitrogen consumed from the ground, is directly related to the mass. Therefore, the effect of mulch from hay, straw and uprooted weeds on the ground is much less than the effect that sawdust has.

In addition, the shape and structure of sawdust better suited for loosening the earth, than any other material.

After all, the torn stems, as well as hay or straw, consist of long elements, and the waste from sawing wood, in size more like very coarse sand or very fine gravel.

Therefore, the soil with them passes water and air well. A mixture of any stems, as well as hay or straw with droppings / manure compensates for the consumption of nitrogen by microorganisms, and lime or ash compensates for the increase in acidity.

However, even in this combination, these materials may not be as efficient as a mulch , like sawdust.

After all, wood lice do not breed under sawdust, and weeds do not grow either, because the density of the mulch layer is much higher and there are not enough reserves in the weed seed to push through such a mass of wood waste.

If the total mass of weed, hay, or straw mulch were equal to that of sawdust mulch, then the rate of change in acid-base balance, as well as nitrogen removal, would also be the same.

That's why Negative influence on the ground sawdust and these materials are the same, but the benefits of sawdust are much greater.

The maximum efficiency of any mulch, including winter, is achieved only with the planting of green manure.

After all, even a mixture of rotted wood sawing waste with droppings or manure cannot fully compensate for all the substances spent on the growth of cultivated plants.

And here is a combination of mulch from and litter or manure with planting properly selected green manure fully compensates for all spent substances and allows you to effectively grow cultivated plants in the same area for many years.

Moreover, green manure and even the best mulching can't replace each other because they have different purposes.

Raw material preparation

So that sawdust does not harm the ground and plantings, they must be properly prepared in order to make mulch, completely or partially converted into humus(humus).

To do this, you can use both pure wood waste of any species, and a mixture of sawdust with any feces, as well as nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

To start the fermentation process, in which various bacteria and fungi will process wood into humus, it is necessary provide high humidity and temperature over +15 degrees.

After all, the number of microorganisms must exceed a certain minimum threshold, after which they can effectively process organic matter.

Adding manure or humus to the fermented mass reduces temperature requirements.

After all, excrement already contains most of the necessary microorganisms, and much more than the minimum amount.

After reaching minimum quantity, microorganisms begin to process the material, releasing in the process of life thermal energy, so a pile of a mixture of sawdust and litter / manure is warm inside even on frosty days.

By adding lime, ash or dolomite flour, you will receive mulching material with excellent fertilizing properties and neutralize the components that change the acidity of the soil.

This is especially important if you want to use under-rotted material for mulching.

For natural decay of waste sawing wood takes 2-4 years, depending on temperature and humidity. The addition of manure / manure reduces the period of complete decay to six months at above zero temperatures or a slight frost.

If, along with excrement, you add a drug that accelerates the reproduction of bacteria, then sawdust completely overheat in 3-4 months.

For more information about these processes and preparing sawdust for application to the ground or use as mulch, read the article sawdust compost.

Is it possible to use fresh sawdust, and how to apply them correctly?

When choosing wood waste for mulching certain plants, keep in mind that not completely rotted conifers sawdust acidifies the soil much more strongly than hardwood.

Therefore, hardwood sawdust is better suited for mulching with incompletely rotted material.

If you wait for the complete decay of wood waste, then there is no difference between coniferous or deciduous.

For every plant use their own method making mulch, so the method of mulching peppers will not work for strawberries or raspberries.

In addition, mulching annuals differs from the same procedure in beds or greenhouses with perennials in that no need to protect the roots plants from frost.

How can it be applied as a winter protection?

After harvesting, it is necessary to restore nutrients spent on the development of plants and loosen the compacted soil.

If perennial plants are planted on beds or in greenhouses, then you also need to protect their roots from frost.

To do this, you can either increase the layer of summer mulch, or pour winter mulch. For soil treatment annual plantsgreen manure is planted first, then cover the ground with winter mulch, which loosens the soil and fills it nutrients.

Best suited for this mulch based:

sawdust of any species;
litter or manure;
slaked lime;
a drug that accelerates the decay of compost.

And can't even wait rotting mulch.

Indeed, thanks to a drug that accelerates the reproduction of bacteria, as well as litter or manure, microorganisms that process organic matter, will multiply and perform their function even at sub-zero temperatures.

Therefore, it is enough to scatter the thoroughly mixed composition over the greenhouse or garden bed, after which the microorganisms will turn it into humus, which will loosen the soil and compensates for the loss of nutrients and trace elements.

If you want to mulch a garden bed in a garden or in a greenhouse, where perennials are planted, then consider the following:

only completely rotted material is suitable for laying directly on the ground;
partially rotted material is also suitable for laying on a layer of summer mulch, but around the plant stems you will have to leave a free space with a diameter of 10 cm, otherwise the plant stem will suffer.

Therefore, for perennials it is not advisable to use not completely decayed material, because it will loosen the soil and provide it with nutrients, but will not be able to protect the roots of plants from frost.

Completely rotted humus from sawdust and animal excrement is devoid of these shortcomings.

Nevertheless, winter mulching cannot fully replace the use of green manure, because even mulch based on the above composition compensates for the loss of only essential substances, but cannot replace what green manure restores.

That's why maximum effect achieved when winter mulching carried out only after the collection of green manure, moreover, the green manure is scattered over the garden before laying the mulching layer.

Conclusion

sawdust is good stuff for mulching any plants. When used correctly, this mulch