How to restore soil fertility in the fall: tips

Now is the best time to improve the soil structure on the site. For heavy clay soils, add ash, sand, compost, or leaf humus in addition to organic fertilizers. This will help make the soil more loose, more permeable to water. Sandy soils do not hold moisture well, making it difficult for plants to obtain nutrients. Add rotted compost, humus, or sawdust to help trap moisture and provide nourishment to your plants. Acidic soils (light, there are many of them in the Moscow region) need to be neutralized, for this they add chalk or lime (200 g of lime per 1 sq. M), in the north of the Moscow region the soils are very acidic, you will need at least 600-800 g of lime per 1 sq. m.

When choosing a digging method, pay attention to when you plan to start the summer cottage season in the spring. If you are planting early plants, give preference to the non-moldboard processing option. This option assumes that the dug earth clod is not overturned or broken. At the same time, all beneficial bacteria remain in the upper soil layer and begin to work in early spring. Are you planning to start your summer cottage work ahead of schedule? The second method is suitable – dump. The turned out lump of earth is turned over, sealing the upper layer to the depth of the shovel bayonet. At the same time, weed seeds are deep in the ground and will not be able to sprout in the spring; pests and their larvae, prepared for wintering, on the contrary, find themselves on the surface and die with the onset of frost, like the roots of perennial weeds. Do not break the clods of earth, let them gradually soak in moisture. In the spring the earth will become crumbly, it remains only to level it with a rake. Dig with a pitchfork, they do not damage earthworms and do not cut the roots of weeds such as wheatgrass, which are propagated by rhizomes. The deeper the digging, the more moisture the soil will accumulate during the winter. Therefore, dig places for sowing early vegetables and greens by 14-15 cm, no more: after the snow melts, these areas will dry out faster.

Add biological fertilizer

This method of fertilization is used by supporters of organic farming, those who avoid using “chemistry” on the site. There are two ways to cultivate the soil in autumn – the introduction of a solution of effective microorganisms (EM) or the use of EM compost. Concentrate labeled “EM” (“Baikal”, “Tami”, “Shining”, etc.) can be found in shops for gardeners. Bacteria rapidly decompose plant residues in the soil, turning them into excellent plant nutrients. The higher the soil temperature, the more active microorganisms work. You can treat wet soil with an EM preparation solution, loosen it and mulch it with a layer of fallen leaves. Decaying roots and mulch will make the soil much more fertile and improve its structure by spring.

In no case do not fertilize with nitrogen fertilizers: the shoots will grow from them, and the plants will die in winter. Use only nitrogen-phosphorus mixtures with trace elements every two years. It is advisable to combine the application of mineral dressings with the use of rotted manure every three to four years, and only on highly depleted soils – after a year. Do not forget to feed the fertile shrubs and trees with autumn fertilizer, you can do this for digging.

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