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How to prepare the soil for planting? Video
The development of a new land plot should begin with the preparation of the soil, since it directly depends on how the plot will look in the future. It is necessary to prepare the soil for planting very carefully, not sparing time and effort.
How to prepare the soil for planting
The first stage of soil preparation for growing crops
If the soil is well prepared, fruit trees, berries and flowers develop normally, and beautiful flower beds and lawns are pleasing to the eye. If the land is poorly prepared, its composition does not meet the requirements, trees and bushes are lagging behind in development, will not be able to bear fruit in full force, the site will be muddy and muddy after the rains.
First of all, it is necessary to determine the type of soil and its pH, it may need to be acidified. In central Russia, loamy soils prevail, but there are also heavy clayey and sandy (sandy loam) soils. For the simplest and most visual analysis, it is necessary to grind a handful of soil, mix it with a small amount of water and roll a “sausage” between the palms, as in modeling from plasticine. Then try to shape this sausage into a ring. If it crumbles at the same time, the soil is sandy or sandy loam. If it easily turns into a ring, and there are no cracks on the surface, the soil is clayey. And in the case when cracks appear on the surface of the ring, the soil is loamy.
The most fertile soil is black earth. She looks so characteristic that it is simply impossible to confuse her with any other.
You can determine the pH of the soil using indicator paper. Some of the plants on the site also testify to the nature of the soil. For example, if field horsetail grows there, the environment is acidic. On the other hand, lungwort prefers an alkaline environment.
What to do with different soil types
If the soil is clayey, it is necessary to dig up its top layer, having previously scattered sand and peat over the surface. And in the event that it is also sour, you need to add dolomite flour. It is advisable to dig it at least twice, to the maximum possible depth. After that, you need to level the soil surface with a rake. It is necessary to ensure that there are no depressions on the soil surface where water will stagnate.
It is best to level the soil with garden rollers if possible.
Is the soil sandy (sandy loam)? In this case, it is necessary to dig up its top layer with fertile soil, humus. Then align as above.
If the site is waterlogged (this usually happens if the groundwater is close to the surface), it is necessary to carry out drainage work before sowing. Drainage can be both open – in the form of narrow deep ditches, and closed, when a layer of crushed stone is laid on the bottom of such ditches, then perforated pipes, and everything is covered with a layer of sand on top. Drainage ditches must have a slope of at least 1 centimeter per 1 meter of length. This is a very laborious work, but if the soil is waterlogged, you cannot do without it.