Soil: preparation for planting vegetable and berry crops. Preparing the soil in autumn. Proper preparation of beds in the fall

With the arrival of spring, the summer season opens and soil work can begin. The soil is the basis of the harvest, so you definitely need to devote time to its pre-planting preparation.

Preparing the soil for seedlings

During one season, any gardener can make so-called “turf soil” on his plot, which in the spring will become the basis for any vegetable and flower soil mixtures. Raw materials for turf land are harvested throughout the warm period on old pastures and meadows.

The turf is cut in layers and stacked. The height of the stack must be at least a meter.
To speed up decomposition, when laying the turf in a pile, it is layered with fresh manure or spilled with slurry.
In hot weather, the stack is watered; it should never dry out.
After a few months, the pile is shoveled and large, undecomposed rhizomes are sifted out.
The resulting soil is stored until spring in buckets and bags in unheated indoor areas.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, physalis, cabbage, celery, lettuce are sown in a 1:2:1 mixture of turf soil with humus and sand. For 10 liters of the mixture, pour two glasses of ash, and if you plan to sow cabbage, then also a glass of fluff. In addition, for each liter of the mixture add a teaspoon of superphosphate and a pinch of any potash fertilizer. For those who prefer organic farming, tuka can be replaced with an additional glass of ash per 10 liters of mixture.

Crops that prefer nutritious, but at the same time neutral soil and do not like lime (these are all pumpkins, sunflowers, chard, lettuces, carnations, bells) are sown in a 1:1 mixture of turf soil and old humus, adding a glass of ash to a bucket of soil.

To prepare the mixture, only fresh ingredients are taken that have not yet been used to grow seedlings. In this case, soil preparation in the spring is reduced to a minimum. This mixture does not require disinfection; it can be sown immediately.

Preparing the soil in the greenhouse

Properly prepared greenhouse soil will be the key to a good harvest. In industrial greenhouses, the soil is completely changed after 3-5 years. In a country greenhouse, this can be avoided if you alternate crops annually and replenish the supply of nutrients in the soil.

During the season, the surface of the beds is mulched with compost several times, and if necessary, the leaves are sprayed with microelements - this is enough to obtain a good and environmentally friendly harvest.

Preparing the soil for sowing

Preparing the soil for planting begins in the fall - at this time the site is dug up. In the spring, all that remains is to walk along it with a rake and form beds. If there was no autumn digging, you will have to do it in the spring.

Spring tillage of the soil in the garden begins after it reaches ripeness, that is, a state in which during digging it does not form lumps, does not stick to the shovel and breaks down well into small lumps.

To check whether the soil has reached ripeness, you need to take a little soil in the palm of your hand and squeeze it tightly, then drop it. If the lump falls into pieces, then you can dig up the soil; if not, you need to wait.

When digging, weed rhizomes and harmful beetle larvae are removed, manure, compost and humus are added. In the area reserved for root crops, manure and humus are not applied, but mineral fertilizers are scattered over the surface of the ground immediately before digging.

Immediately after digging, the soil must be covered with a rake. This operation cannot be postponed, since after some time the blocks will dry out and become difficult to break.

After a week, you can begin to fight annual weeds. To do this, a rake is passed through the area again. Weed seedlings located in the top layer of soil turn to the surface and die. Usually, several such treatments are carried out at intervals of 3-4 days - this greatly reduces the contamination of the area.

Preparing the soil for sowing and planting begins with the formation of beds. This is a convenient time to apply nitrogen fertilizers: urea, ammonium nitrate. In spring, the soil lacks nitrogen, and such fertilizing will be very useful. The fertilizers are scattered on the ground, adhering to the standards specified by the manufacturer, and buried deep into the beds with a rake. Then the surface is carefully leveled and you can begin planting seedlings or sowing.

Preparing the soil in spring: caring for beds

Spring planting young seedlings in open ground and greenhouses require careful preparation. Having equipped the place for planting, it is necessary to begin an important procedure - preparing and improving the quality of the soil for planting vegetable crops.

Preparing the soil for planting in open beds and greenhouses

In the Moscow region, soil preparation work should begin in April, when the soil is sufficiently dry and warm. Since the climate changes every year, you need to be able to independently determine the readiness of the soil for the planting season:

it is necessary to monitor the air temperature (10-15 degrees Celsius, the best time for preparation);
pay attention to the soil itself: it should be dry and not stick to the shovel.

Caring for garden beds in spring

Under the weight of moisture and snow cover, the soil settles. It should be loosened with a rake or cultivator to preserve the absorbed moisture and structure. If the site was planted with winter crops, the land must be cultivated using a harrow. It is best to mulch the area in the fall so that the soil remains loose when spring arrives.

If you did not prepare the beds before winter, then with the arrival of warmth you will need to dig up the area, removing the roots of the weeds. The procedure should be carried out after lunch, when the top layer of soil has warmed up sufficiently.

After turning over, the bottom layer will also heat up. The dug up bed must be loosened with a rake so that it does not dry out. Remains of vegetation can be sent to the compost pit.

You can improve soil quality with the help of microelements. Garden crops are often deficient in iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. It is necessary to add green sand or algae meal to the soil (can be purchased at a specialized store, or made independently if you have a reservoir), which are rich in these elements.

For this procedure, purified sludge and rotted leaves remaining after cleaning gutters are ideal. This method is completely organic.

How to prepare the soil in a greenhouse

The soil in the greenhouse must be changed periodically, even if crop rotation is observed. If you plan to grow the same plants as last year, this procedure is mandatory.

The top layer of soil is sent to a compost pit and replaced with ready-made humus. The beds are sown with early greens and radishes. When you harvest them in a month, the area will be ready for planting vegetable seedlings.

How to prepare a new area for planting

If you decide to expand the planting area, then you should properly process the virgin soil. To do this, you need to cut the turf in small squares. Using a shovel, make cuts on four sides, and then trim from the bottom.

There are several ways to use the resulting material:

The removed turf is sent to the compost pit. The soil at the site of the future garden bed is loosened with a fork and covered with a layer of humus, compost and loose garden soil. In this area it is recommended to plant large-seeded crops, such as: pumpkin, beans or corn;
If there is no compost heap, you can turn the pieces of turf over with the grass side down and cover the area with them, then beat them well with a shovel. This place must be covered with black film so that the weeds do not grow and the turf is well rotted. This soil will later be suitable for seedlings of tomatoes or berry bushes.

How to improve the quality of soil for planting garden crops

There are a number of measures to improve the quality of soil for planting garden crops.

For the active development of the above-ground parts of plants, nitrogen is necessary, phosphorus is useful for the roots, and potassium helps fight diseases. The description of each crop contains information about the plant’s need for these elements and their proportions;
Give preference to organic fertilizers, since synthesized ones only temporarily feed the plants, but do not improve the quality of the soil. Fertilizers of plant and animal origin create and maintain the necessary microflora in the soil;
Use compost own production. Properly organized and prepared compost pit will allow you to receive high-quality fertilizer within six months that can significantly improve the characteristics of the land without special costs;
Use mixed soil with compost for new crops. Each plant has its own ratio of fertilizer and soil. For example, vegetable crops require 20% compost and 80% mixed soil. This will create conditions for good growth seedlings and increase productivity;
Crop rotation planning. You should not plant the same crops in the same place year after year, this quickly depletes the soil and weakens it. Create a plant rotation schedule and stick to it every year;
Introduction of fungi and bacteria into the soil. Such additives can be purchased in specialized stores. Their main task is to improve soil health. For example, the Mycorrhiza fungus helps the root system of plants receive more moisture and essential nutrients, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria enrich the soil with nitrogen.

Bottom line

When preparing the soil for planting in the spring, it is worth remembering that each garden culture has its own needs for fertilizers and additives. Regular crop rotation should be carried out, organic fertilizers and retain moisture to avoid soil washout. It is important to take into account the recommended norms of certain microelements indicated on seed packages, and, if necessary, conduct a laboratory soil analysis.

Fig, fig, fig tree - these are all names of the same plant, which we strongly associate with Mediterranean life. Anyone who has ever tasted fig fruits knows how delicious they are. But, in addition to their delicate sweet taste, they are also very beneficial for health. And here's an interesting detail: it turns out that figs are completely unpretentious plant. In addition, it can be successfully grown on a plot in middle lane or in the house - in a container.

Quite often, difficulties in growing tomato seedlings arise even among experienced summer residents. For some, all the seedlings turn out to be elongated and weak, for others, they suddenly begin to fall and die. The thing is that it is difficult to maintain in an apartment ideal conditions for growing seedlings. Seedlings of any plants need to be provided with plenty of light, sufficient humidity and optimal temperature. What else do you need to know and observe when growing tomato seedlings in an apartment?

Delicious vinaigrette with apple and sauerkraut- vegetarian salad from cooked and chilled, raw, pickled, salted, pickled vegetables and fruits. The name comes from the French sauce made from vinegar, olive oil and mustard (vinaigrette). Vinaigrette appeared in Russian cuisine not so long ago, around the beginning of the 19th century; perhaps the recipe was borrowed from Austrian or German cuisine, since the ingredients for Austrian herring salad are very similar.

When we dreamily sort through bright packets of seeds in our hands, we are sometimes subconsciously convinced that we have a prototype of a future plant. We mentally allocate a place for it in the flower garden and look forward to the cherished day of the appearance of the first bud. However, buying seeds does not always guarantee that you will eventually get the desired flower. I would like to draw attention to the reasons why seeds may not sprout or die at the very beginning of germination.

Spring is coming, and gardeners have more work to do, and with the onset of warmer weather, changes in the garden occur rapidly. The buds are already beginning to swell on plants that were still dormant yesterday, and everything is literally coming to life before our eyes. After a long winter, this is good news. But along with the garden, its problems come to life - insect pests and pathogens. Weevils, flower beetles, aphids, clasterosporiosis, maniliosis, scab, powdery mildew- the list could take a very long time.

Breakfast toast with avocado and egg salad is a great way to start the day. The egg salad in this recipe acts as a thick sauce that is seasoned with fresh vegetables and shrimp. My egg salad is quite unusual, it is a dietary version of everyone’s favorite snack - with Feta cheese, Greek yogurt and red caviar. If you have time in the morning, never deny yourself the pleasure of cooking something tasty and healthy. You need to start the day with positive emotions!

Perhaps every woman has at least once received a blooming orchid as a gift. It’s not surprising, because such a living bouquet looks amazing and blooms for a long time. Orchids cannot be called very difficult to grow indoor crops, but failure to comply with the main conditions for their maintenance often leads to the loss of the flower. If you are just getting started with indoor orchids, you should find out the correct answers to the main questions about growing these beautiful plants at home.

Lush cheesecakes with poppy seeds and raisins prepared according to this recipe are eaten in no time in my family. Moderately sweet, plump, tender, with an appetizing crust, without excess oil, in a word, exactly the same as my mother or grandmother fried in childhood. If the raisins are very sweet, then you don’t need to add granulated sugar at all; without sugar, the cheesecakes will be better fried and will never burn. Cook them in a well-heated frying pan, greased with oil, over low heat and without a lid!

Cherry tomatoes differ from their larger counterparts not only in the small size of their berries. Many cherry varieties are characterized by a unique sweet taste, which is very different from the classic tomato taste. Anyone who has never tried such cherry tomatoes with their eyes closed may well decide that they are tasting some unusual exotic fruits. In this article I will talk about five different cherry tomatoes that have the sweetest fruits with unusual colors.

I started growing annual flowers in the garden and on the balcony more than 20 years ago, but I will never forget my first petunia, which I planted in the country along the path. Only a couple of decades have passed, but you’re amazed at how different the petunias of the past are from the many-sided hybrids of today! In this article, I propose to trace the history of the transformation of this flower from a simpleton into a real queen of annuals, as well as consider modern varieties of unusual colors.

Salad with spicy chicken, mushrooms, cheese and grapes - aromatic and satisfying. This dish can be served as a main dish if you are preparing a cold dinner. Cheese, nuts, mayonnaise are high-calorie foods; in combination with spicy fried chicken and mushrooms, you get a very nutritious snack that is refreshing sweet and sour berries grapes The chicken in this recipe is marinated in a spicy mixture of ground cinnamon, turmeric and chili powder. If you like food with fire, use hot chili.

The question is how to grow healthy seedlings, all summer residents are concerned early spring. It seems that there are no secrets here - the main thing for fast and strong seedlings is to provide them with warmth, moisture and light. But in practice, in a city apartment or private house, this is not so easy to do. Of course, everyone experienced gardener There is a proven way to grow seedlings. But today we will talk about a relatively new assistant in this matter - the propagator.

The Sanka tomato variety is one of the most popular in Russia. Why? The answer is simple. He is the very first to bear fruit in the garden. Tomatoes ripen when other varieties have not even bloomed yet. Of course, if you follow the growing recommendations and make an effort, even a novice grower will receive a rich harvest and joy from the process. And so that your efforts are not in vain, we advise you to plant quality seeds. For example, such as seeds from TM “Agrosuccess”.

Task indoor plants in the house - to decorate the home with your own appearance, to create a special atmosphere of comfort. For this reason, we are ready to take care of them regularly. Care is not only about watering on time, although this is important. It is also necessary to create other conditions: suitable lighting, humidity and air temperature, and make a correct and timely transplant. For experienced flower growers there is nothing supernatural about this. But beginners often face certain difficulties.

Tender cutlets from chicken breast It’s easy to prepare with champignons according to this recipe with step by step photos. There is an opinion that it is difficult to make juicy and tender cutlets from chicken breast, but this is not so! Chicken meat contains virtually no fat, which is why it is a bit dry. But if you add cream to the chicken fillet, white bread and mushrooms with onions, you will get amazingly delicious cutlets that both children and adults will love. During mushroom season, try adding wild mushrooms to the minced meat.

Usually taken in spring once again dig up the vegetable garden and garden, turning over layers of earth. I am an opponent of this concept, so I won’t talk about how to dig. A bad thing is not a cunning thing. If, out of habit, you decide to ruin your land-nurse by digging, you can cope without advice.
I want to talk about how to prepare the soil for planting without using a shovel or cultivator.

How to ensure soil looseness?

Of course, it is better to take care of the looseness of the soil in the fall. But if suddenly, for some reason, you decided only at the beginning of the season that you would stick to Organic Farming and if you don’t dig any more, you can make up for lost time, albeit partially.

As soon as the snow melts, it is necessary to immediately sow the entire sown area with green manure.

Oats and rye are good at loosening the soil to great depths with their roots. And although phacelia and white mustard do not have deep roots, they produce abundant green mass, which can then be used as mulch.

For heavy soils that silt or cake over the winter, I would advise sowing oats or rye.
For lighter soils, sand or sandy loam, it will be enough to sow phacelia, vetch, mustard or oilseed radish.

To prepare the soil for planting green manure seeds in the ground, there is no need to dig up the garden. It is enough to spray it with a regular squeegee or use Fokina flat cutter. It is necessary to bury the seeds only 0.5 - 2 cm deep into the soil.

You can sow/scatter seeds on uncultivated soil and only then weed the area. When the glanders breaks the top layer of soil to a depth of 5 cm, some of the seeds will mix with the soil and hide under it. There is no need to try to bury all the seeds. Next, you can level the soil with a rake as necessary. If the spring is dry, then after sowing green manure, the garden needs to be watered.

After a week or two, friendly green shoots should appear. It will be great if they get ahead of the emergence of weeds, leaving them not a single chance and space for development. When green manure plants reach a height of 20–25 cm, they can be mowed, leaving root system rot in the soil.

In the beds where it is planned to plant seedlings of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and other heat-loving vegetables, green manure does not need to be touched until the vegetables are planted. Until time X, when it is necessary to plant the seedlings in the ground, the greenery will develop to such an extent that it will shelter the fragile seedlings from the scorching sun, wind and bad weather, and will also protect them from sudden frosts.

It is necessary to plant the seedlings in holes dug directly in the green manure; around the seedling sprout you will need to clear a space of 10–15 cm in diameter from the green manure. You can cut or pull out the green manure plants and mulch the soil around the seedlings with them. When sprouts cultivated plants become stronger and develop sufficiently, green manure will need to be carefully trimmed with a flat cutter.

The roots of green manure left in the soil will not only help loosen the soil to a sufficient depth, saturate it with air, make it water- and moisture-permeable, but also, by rotting, saturate the soil with nutrients. So there will be no need to add manure to the soil.

How to increase soil fertility?

In addition to sowing green manure, soil fertility can be increased in another way. Moreover, the method that I will now describe works more effectively in combination with green manure crops.

Meet Effective Microorganisms

You probably guess that the soil is not a dead substance, that microorganisms live in it, which break down organic matter, help plant roots breathe and receive nutrients. But there are also microorganisms that harm plants. The balance of these two forces depends only on you.

By digging up your garden and preparing the soil for planting, you inevitably reduce the amount of beneficial flora and fauna that dies from sunlight and air when you turn over layers of earth.

After several years of using incorrect agricultural practices, the amount of beneficial microflora becomes so critically small that even applying tons of fertilizers and manure does not bring the desired result. And all because there is simply no one to break down these fertilizers and manure into elements accessible to plants.

My recipe for increasing soil fertility is to replenish the population of beneficial microorganisms in the soil in a timely manner.

In stores for gardeners and gardeners you can find the following preparations: "Emoji", "EM-1", "Baikal-1", "Emochki-Bokashi", "Oxyzin" or other analogues.

At the very beginning of the summer season, before sowing green manure, or even during sowing or immediately after, it is necessary to introduce effective microorganisms into the soil. To do this, you can purchase drugs in liquid form. According to the instructions indicated on the package, the contents must be diluted with water in a certain proportion. The resulting solution should be sprayed over the entire soil or watered from a watering can. If you use a sprayer, the consumption will be much less.

Effective microorganisms will come to life, multiply, and begin to process all the organic matter that is in the soil. The roots of cut green manure will also be processed.

When you sow or plant the main crops, the nutrients will already be ready for them, which will also be in a form accessible to the plants for absorption.

How to protect yourself from diseases and pests?

Spring has only just begun, but you need to take care of preserving the health of your future harvest now. You should not wait for pests or signs of disease to appear on your plants; it is better to prevent all this from happening.

Perhaps you thought that I would now tell you how to poison mole crickets and cockchafer larvae. But you were wrong. I am not a supporter of the use of chemical insecticides and other drugs that poison the soil, and with it our future harvest. Any problem can be dealt with using biological drugs.

Meet:

Metarizin– an effective biological product based on a fungus that destroys mole crickets, May beetle larvae, wireworms and other pests living in the soil. He does this gradually, during the season, but for a long time - for several years.

Metarizin can be applied directly to the soil in early spring along with any other biological products or fertilizers. The unique composition of the drug includes sodium humate, which increases soil fertility and at the same time develops immunity from diseases in plants.

Agrosin– the drug improves the soil structure. If you treat the soil with Agrozin before or during planting, the plants will quickly grow and then produce beautiful bountiful harvest.

Metarizin and Agrozin can be added to the soil at any time. The preparations are diluted in water, then they can be sprayed on the soil or watered from a watering can. The use of these drugs is the key to your peace of mind for several years. Yes and good harvests will not keep you waiting.

In conclusion, I would like to note that all of the listed measures for preparing the soil for planting seeds or seedlings work well in combination. Green manures, effective microorganisms and biological products will provide you with an abundant harvest of organically pure food products, and you will not waste extra time fighting annoying pests and adding manure or mineral fertilizers to the soil.

Experienced summer residents grow most crops through seedlings. Its quality, and therefore the future harvest, significantly depends on the soil in which the seeds are planted. If you intend to receive excellent harvests from your site, find out what the soil for seedlings should be like and how to prepare it with your own hands from various components. Understand the intricacies of preparing soil mixtures, how to prepare them for sowing, and your green pets will grow strong, resilient, and healthy.

The most correct nutrient soil for seedlings, one that fully meets the needs of a specific crop. One plant needs fertile, moist soil, but for another it is a real disaster - give it poor dry soil. Some specimens like acidic soil, but most react negatively to increased acidity. In a word, the dreams of gardeners about a universal soil for seedlings are untenable.

Young seedlings need better soil

However, there are some basic requirements for the potting soil in which you plan to sow your seeds. Do-it-yourself soil for seedlings should be:

Moderately fertile, containing substances necessary for nutrition and beneficial microflora.
Balanced in composition of minerals and organic matter, which must be contained in the soil in a form accessible to plants for absorption.
Water-permeable, able to retain moisture for a long time.
Environmentally friendly - free from toxins, salts heavy metals, waste hazardous industries.
Having a neutral acidity level.
Having a good structure - light, crumbly, breathable, free of lumps and foreign inclusions.

Soil for seedlings

Clay. When added to the soil mixture, clay makes it too dense, poorly permeable to air and water, which leads to diseases of the seedlings.
Plant residues, actively decomposing components. Unrotted leaves or manure can begin to decompose, releasing heat and reducing the concentration of nitrogen in the soil, which is detrimental to young plants. A lack of nitrogen negatively affects their development, and at soil temperatures exceeding 30°C, the roots may even die.
Weed seeds. They themselves are not so dangerous, but they may contain pathogens.
Worms, insect larvae. After all, even an earthworm, so useful for vegetable beds, being in a seedling pot, can cause considerable harm to the young plant.

It is important to consider the requirements of plants

We prepare the soil for seedlings according to all the rules

All of the above requirements can hardly be met by ordinary soil hastily dug up in your favorite vegetable garden, garden or forest. It is part of the soil for growing seedlings, but usually it is made multicomponent, adding peat, sand, humus and other components. However, the basis of the soil still remains earth, constituting 25-50% of its total volume.

Where is it better to take land - in the forest or in the garden

Wonderful integral part It will become forest soil if you prepare it at the end of the summer season and leave the soil mixture prepared on its basis until spring. In this case, you need to understand from which trees it is better to take soil for seedlings from the forest in order to achieve an impressive result. In the role healthy foundation For the best soil, turf and deciduous soils are most interesting.

Harvesting turf land is not an easy task. In vain, some summer residents believe that it is enough to remove the turf and dig up soil from under it. In reality, turf soil is a substrate that is formed as a result of a long process involving laying layers of turf in a stack or pouring with mullein. High-quality turf soil can only be obtained after two seasons; simply taking it and bringing it from the forest will not work.

At the end of the season - for the gifts of the forest

But you can dig up soil from under forest trees. You should not take it where the trees and undergrowth are stunted, look sickly, or under trees whose foliage contains a lot of tannins: oak, chestnut, willow. The soil from under trees of most deciduous species is suitable. Soil from a pine forest is also suitable for seedlings, but you need to remember that coniferous soil has high acidity.

Most summer residents practice preparing soil for seedlings in their own beds every fall. It's convenient, fast and generally reliable if you follow some "safety precautions". In addition, there is an opinion, not without a rational grain, that it is better to collect garden soil for seedlings where it is designated for the future permanent place. In this case, the seedlings will be adapted to the soil into which they will be transplanted and will take root better.

Security measures are simple:

Comply with crop rotation requirements:

do not use borage soil for seedlings of pumpkin crops;
Do not sow tomatoes after nightshades.

IN mandatory disinfect garden soil. Sanitation methods will be discussed below.

Ready-made soil - pros and cons

Not everyone has the ability to prepare and store soil mixtures. When deciding which soil to choose for seedlings, modern vegetable growers and flower growers often opt for beautifully colored bags with ready-made mixtures from garden stores. Ready-made soil has the following advantages:

prepared according to the standards by a bona fide manufacturer, it is completely ready for use;
it is light, nutritious, moisture-intensive;
deoxidizers, macro- and microelements are added to it, needed by plants;
convenient packaging in bags of various capacities.

Ready soil

However, purchased soil also has significant disadvantages:

Manufacturers do not indicate the exact content of mineral elements on the packaging; it is given as a range.
Soil acidity is also often reported as a wide range (5.0-6.5), and the actual acidity is difficult to judge.
It happens that the bags contain a soil mixture containing not peat, but peat dust, unsuitable for growing plants.
Sometimes the packaging does not indicate an expiration date, and expired peat is capable of self-heating, which can destroy the plants.

Experienced gardeners advise using purchased soil, mixing it in equal parts with disinfected garden or turf soil and adding chalk, lime or dolomite flour(up to 3 tbsp/10 l of mixture). This is based on the not unreasonable opinion that the finished soil mixture usually consists mostly of peat and has an acidic reaction.

When studying the composition of the purchased soil, it is useful to know which peat is better for seedlings - high peat or low peat. This will help evaluate the properties of the purchased mixture and will be useful for self-composition. High-moor peat is looser and more acidic (requires liming), but less nutritious than low-lying peat. Both types of peat are used to prepare seedling soil at home.

Composition of soil mixture for seedlings

The quality of a soil mixture prepared by yourself is determined by the quality and ratio of its components. For seedlings, soil components of both organic and inorganic origin are used. From organic matter, in addition to soil, you can use:

Peat of any kind (lowland only processed).
Mature compost, at least 2-3 years old. The best product will be one prepared using EM technologies.
Humus. For seedlings, humus must be completely decomposed. It should not be added to the mixture for plants prone to blackleg disease at all.
Sphagnum (moss).
Pine needles, not forgetting that they increase acidity.
Old sawdust, moistened with urea solution.
Stove ash. This is a highly desirable component that enriches the soil with various elements, deoxidizes it, and suppresses pathogens.

Soil for seedlings is made up of several components

What can be added to the soil for seedlings from inorganic substances:

Sand. It is better to use washed river sand light yellow in color, without clay impurities. In soil mixtures for seedlings, sand is an essential component, contributing to its looseness and breathability.
Perlite, agroperlite. The mineral is also added to make the mixture loose. It is also important that it, being an excellent moisture absorber, prevents stagnation of water in the soil and is able to gradually release the accumulated moisture to plants.
Vermiculite, crushed expanded clay, packaging foam granules are also used for the above purpose.

Technology for preparing high-quality soil mixture

It is advisable to prepare all the necessary components in the fall and in the same season prepare the soil for seedlings with your own hands in the proportions required for the crops planned for planting. This best option: over the winter, all the components will have time to “make friends”, certain metabolic processes will take place, thanks to which the soil will mature and nourish healthy, strong plants in the spring. At home, it should be stored in closed plastic bags.

Various ratios of sand, peat and soil can be used for seedlings different cultures. But in general, these are the main components of soil mixtures, the recipes for which are countless. Most vegetables (eggplant, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes) will be fine with a mixture of equal volumes of these ingredients. In the absence of peat, humus will successfully replace it. Two glasses of ash will perfectly complement a bucket of such a mixture.

Important! Seedlings do not need particularly nutritious soil. A school for sowing seeds can be created from disinfected turf or garden soil. And you need to plant the plants in more nutritious soil.

Soil for green pets

How to prepare the soil for seedlings

Now it’s time to figure out how to prepare the soil for seedlings at home to eliminate the possibility of seedlings being damaged by fungal diseases or insects. After all, it happens that barely emerging seedlings die in full from the black leg. Awakened insects can also greatly harm seedlings and even grown seedlings.

Methods and methods of disinfection

Therefore, the prepared soil mixture must be disinfected. There are many ways to disinfect soil for seedlings at home:

Thermal:

freezing,
calcination,
boiling water treatment
steaming.

Chemical:

disinfection with potassium permanganate,
processing special drugs,
disinfection with copper sulfate.

Biological:

fungicide treatment,
use of drugs with effective microorganisms.

High-quality soil mixture

Any method has its advantages and is not without its disadvantages. You need to understand the features of each method and choose the most suitable one for yourself.

Thermal disinfection - freezing and calcination

The most natural way to do thermal disinfection with your own hands is to freeze the soil for seedlings. This method is mainly applicable for processing soil collected in the fall in regions with frosty (–15–20°C) winters and consists of the following:

In the fall, pack the soil mixture (or its components) into small fabric bags.
Leave the bags in the cold - in the barn, on open balcony, under a canopy.
Three months before the seedling season, add soil to warm room, let it thaw.
Keep warm for 7-10 days.
Send the bags again to the frost, which will destroy the weed seeds, eggs and larvae of pests that have awakened by this time.
This procedure can be done several times over the winter.

Important! This method is gentle on the soil and helps protect seedlings from many pests, but is unable to prevent some diseases. Therefore, before sowing seeds, the soil mixture should be treated with potassium permanganate or a fungicide: for example, Fitosporin.

Freezing soil in fabric bags

High-temperature calcination of the soil (above 100°C) allows you to rid it of all harmful microorganisms. But along with pathogens, beneficial soil bacteria also die, the soil loses its normal structure and fertility, and practically becomes dead. If you choose this method of sanitation, you need to clearly understand how to calcinate the soil for seedlings at home correctly:

Pour boiling water over the soil. It is not advisable to heat dry soil.
Place on a baking sheet in a low (up to 5 cm) layer, place on the middle level of the oven.
Warm up at 90°C for half an hour.

Calcining the earth in the oven

The process described above is not only calcination, but at the same time steaming the soil for seedlings in the oven. There are other methods of steaming.

Other methods of thermal disinfection of soil

The method of steaming the soil mixture to sterilize it is quite common among gardeners. If you pour boiling water over the soil for seedlings and immediately cover the container with a lid or film, this will be the simplest option for steaming. But it is better to steam the soil by placing it on a lattice surface (metal sieve, colander) and placing it in a large container over boiling water for an hour and a half. The container should be covered with a lid.

Important! The smell produced when the soil heats up (if it is not pure sand) is far from perfect. For this reason, it is better to carry out sanitation of significant volumes outdoors.

The soil can be steamed on a metal sieve

Can be adopted interesting way calcination-steaming, invented savvy summer residents. They use a baking sleeve: they place moist soil in it and heat it for 40 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 120-150°C. In this case, the effects of calcination, steaming and treatment with boiling water are present, and the soil retains its existing moisture and structure.

Steaming soil outdoors

After any type of heat treatment you should:

Give the cooled earth the opportunity to get enough air. To do this, you need, at a minimum, to carefully mix the soil in the storage container. It’s better to spread the mixture on the film in a layer of up to 10 cm so that it becomes looser and restores its normal structure.
It is advisable to “revive” the soil with vermicompost and some biological product (“Baikal”, “Vozrozhdenie”, “Shine”). Allow her to rest for some time, determined by the instructions for the drug.

After steaming, the soil must be saturated with air.

Chemical methods for sterilizing soil for seedlings

It is easy to notice that heat treatment of the soil with your own hands is a troublesome task that requires a lot of time. It is easier to disinfect the soil for seedlings with solutions of various chemicals that effectively deal with soil pests. Preparing soil at home for ornamental plants, you can treat it with “Aktara” or “Aktellik”. But it is unlikely that any modern summer resident will use such compositions when preparing soil mixtures for vegetables.

Treating the soil for seedlings with potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and copper sulfate is used by many. Manganese copes well with disinfection, being also a unique potassium fertilizer. Disinfection using potassium permanganate should be carried out in the following order:

1-2 weeks before sowing seeds, prepare a clear raspberry permanganate solution. It is enough to add 5 g of the substance (a flat teaspoon) to a bucket. hot water, but not boiling water.
Mix well, making sure that there are no undissolved crystals left.
Pour the soil mixture with hot solution and cover the containers with film.
Repeat these manipulations 3-5 days before sowing.
Treatment with copper sulfate is carried out once, 3-4 weeks before sowing the seeds. The dosage is the same as for potassium permanganate.

Important! Copper sulfate and potassium permanganate are powerful oxidizing agents suitable for treating alkaline and neutral soils (soddy-carbonate, chernozem). They should not be used to disinfect acidic soil.

Potassium permanganate solution for soil remediation

It is also worth taking note of the best folk remedy for soil sterilization - ordinary mustard powder. It will protect seedlings from bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, and thrips. You only need a tablespoon of dry powder mustard per 5 liters of soil. It is good to combine this supplement with nitrogen fertilizer.

Mustard powder is an excellent soil sanator

Biological methods for processing seedling soil

In recent decades, manufacturers have been delighting gardeners with qualitatively new preparations for soil disinfection that are safe for plants and humans. These include:

Biological fungicides:

"Alirin-B"
"Gamair"
"Fitosporin-M"
"Trichodermin."

EM drugs:

"Baikal",
"Renaissance"
"Gumat EM"
"Shine".

Biofungicides and EM preparations

Biofungicides contain bacterial cultures that are effective against pathogens of bacterial and fungal diseases. The composition can also be supplemented with humic substances. The listed and similar fungicides effectively suppress diseases, relieve soil fatigue, reduce soil toxicity, restore its microbiological balance after heat or chemical treatment.

Using these tools is easy. In general, you need to act according to the manufacturers' recommendations indicated on the packaging. Options may vary. For example, when preparing soil for seedlings with your own hands, you can simply mix 1 g of Trichodermin with 1 liter of soil. Experienced plant growers advise using “Gamair” and “Alirin-B” together:

3 days before sowing the seeds, dilute 1 tablet of “Alirina” and “Gamaira” in a small amount of water - 1.5-2.0 cups.
Bring the volume of the solution to 10 l.
Spill the soil mixture and cover with film until sowing.

EM preparations have a remarkable effect on the condition of the soil. They contain useful living microorganisms, as a result of whose vital activity the earth is healed, acquires a good structure, becomes fertile, and literally comes to life. There is no room for pathogens in such soil. You can improve the soil (using the example of Baikal EM1) as follows:

Bring the soil stored in the cold into a warm room 3-4 weeks before sowing the seeds.
A week before sowing, fill the seedling containers with soil mixture.
Sprinkle with a 1:500 solution of the drug prepared according to the instructions.
Cover the containers with film and keep in the dark.

Important! Biological products contain live bacteria and require strict adherence to instructions for use and storage.

Packages with purchased soil

Is it worth treating purchased soil?

Theoretically, multi-colored bags from garden stores should contain soil that is completely ready for sowing seeds - fertile, without pests, pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Unfortunately, practice shows that confidence in this is not always justified. If you are convinced of the quality of the purchased soil and the integrity of its manufacturer, the contents do not need to be disinfected.

If in doubt, you need to decide how to treat the purchased land before planting seedlings and how to do it. In principle, the rules are the same as for the compiled with my own hands soil mixtures, which have already been mentioned. You can also use this technique: place the purchased bag in a bucket of boiling water, leave it in it under the lid until it cools completely, then repeat the procedure.

Some gardeners use heating the bag in the microwave at maximum power until the soil begins to steam. The bag is pierced in several places to prevent it from exploding. After such treatment, it is necessary to populate the soil with beneficial bacteria using vermicompost and EM preparations in order to restore vitality to it. You can clearly see the process of processing purchased soil by watching an educational video.

Video: Do-it-yourself preparation of plant soil

The process of creating soil for seedlings with your own hands is a difficult but exciting task. Study various recipes for soil mixtures, choose the ones you like. Treat their preparation consciously and responsibly, and green pets will thank you for your care with an excellent harvest.