Sapropel: what is it and how to use it for seedlings, for flowers, in the garden

Flowers, vegetables, ornamental and fruit trees love fertile land, but it is not always present on the site. Sandy or heavy clay soils create many problems for summer residents. The soil is fertilized annually with manure, humus, mineral fertilizers, without getting the desired result. Sapropel as a fertilizer will help improve the composition of the soil and increase productivity, but for this you need to familiarize yourself with the rules for its use.

What is “sapropel”

Sapropel – perennial deposits from the bottom of stagnant freshwater reservoirs. Translated from Greek, it means “rotting dirt”. It is formed from decaying aquatic plants, living organisms, plankton, soil and mineral particles. This mixture is considered the best fertilizer for the soil. It is environmentally friendly, safe, and also contains a huge amount of organic matter. Sapropel is most valued, mined at a depth of 2 to 8 m. It accumulates exclusively in stagnant waters. And in lakes rich in vegetation and crayfish, the highest quality sapropel is formed. There are no analogues of this substance.

What does sapropel look like

Sapropel (pictured) is a bluish, almost black powder, similar to ash. It is sold in the form of tablets, granules, emulsions or pastes.

Raw lumps of the substance extracted from the bottom of stagnant reservoirs are not fertilizer, it is the initial substance that becomes fertilizer only after processing: drying, freezing, granulating, evaporating, grinding.

In agriculture, for large areas, granulated and powdered sapropel is used.

In summer cottages, liquid and pasty fertilizers are more often used to restore poor soils.

Most likely, this mixture was obtained in a marsh environment and is not sapropel. Silt at the bottom of swamps has such a substance.

On sale, the substrate has 3 types of marking:

• A – universal, suitable for all types of soil;
• B – used for land with high acidity;
• B – used for slightly alkaline and neutral soil.

What is the difference between sapropel and silt

Many believe that silt and sapropel are one and the same, but this is a delusion. The silt is poor in composition, it contains few organic substances (no more than 20%), and in sapropel their content reaches 97%.

There are differences in color, texture and appearance. Sapropel is dark, almost black, odorless, the consistency is like thick sour cream, at low temperatures or air drying, it hardens and turns into a stone.

The color of the silt, depending on the place of extraction, varies from olive to pinkish-brown. It has a musty smell and the consistency of plasticine. When dried and frozen, it turns into a powder.

Silt is formed in flowing waters for several years, thanks to garbage and soil falling from the banks, and sapropel is a decomposition product of the flora and fauna of the reservoir.

Characteristics and composition of sapropel

The substance enriches the soil, creates conditions for the normal growth and development of plants. Once applied to the soil, it will remain fertile for the next 3-4 years.

The natural fertilizer contains amino acids, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, nitrogen, manganese, vitamins and humic acids that disinfect the soil.

According to their research, the substances extracted from different reservoirs are different in composition. This is due to the characteristics of the environment, which directly affects the chemical formula of the product.

Where is sapropel used

Agronomists recommend the use of sapropel in agricultural land, private gardens and kitchen gardens, for flower beds, flower beds and indoor plants. It is a safe, environmentally friendly substrate. When using it, root crops are preserved longer, the soil is enriched, fruit and ornamental plants develop better.

The benefits of natural fertilizer for the soil:

• restores depleted land;
• retains moisture, allowing you to reduce watering;
• loosens heavy clay and loamy soil;
• neutralizes the effects of exposure to nitrates and fungal diseases;
• retains fertility for several years.

Benefits for plants:

• increases productivity;
• accelerates vegetation and stimulates the development of the root system;
• improves the survival rate of seedlings and the quality of fruits;
• prolongs the flowering process.

Where and how is sapropel mined

The extraction of sapropel begins in the spring, while there is little water in the reservoir. To do this, use a dredger with baking powder, which scoop up to 30 m³ at a time.

The extracted mixture is frozen and thoroughly dried until it turns into a powdery substance. After that, they are crushed, pressed into tablets (granules) or an emulsion is made.

How to get sapropel with your own hands

The manual method of extracting sapropel is much simpler. To do this, you will need a pitchfork or a shovel, a large container and transport for transportation. Wedges and gloves will not be superfluous.

Mid-August – early September is suitable for harvesting fertilizer, when a drop in water level is observed.

It is advisable to choose reservoirs located away from roads and industrial facilities.

The extracted mixture must be ventilated, dried and kept in the cold. Live sapropel not processed properly will rot and lose its beneficial properties. To speed up the process of draining liquid from the extracted fertilizer, it is advised to use a container with holes in the bottom. To improve the quality of drying will help pre-sifting organic matter through a sieve.

How to use sapropel as a fertilizer

The use of sapropel is most effective on sandy, sandy and acidic soils. It must be used strictly according to the instructions: apply directly into the hole, and then dig or pre-prepare the soil mixture from it.

The use of sapropel as a fertilizer improves the structure of the soil, increases the percentage of humus content in it and activates soil processes.

For seedlings

A suitable substrate for seedlings is prepared from natural fertilizer and earth in a ratio of 1: 3. It stimulates the development of the root system and allows you to get simultaneous shoots. This is a universal version of the mixture, but to improve performance, it is better to cook individually for each crop in accordance with the instructions.

Seeds are sown in a bed dug up and fertilized with sapropel at the rate of 3 liters of a substance diluted with water per 1 m². This will speed up the germination of crops and increase yields.

When planting vegetables

The introduction of the substrate into the ridges for planting vegetables allows you to count on an increased yield of vegetables. Pre-prepared fertilizer is applied 1 handful directly into the planting holes. For nightshade crops, sapropel, sand and earth are mixed in proportions of 1: 2: 7; for planting cucumbers and zucchini, the same components are combined in proportions of 3: 4: 6; for cabbage and greens, the earth is prepared at the rate of 3: 3: 2.

According to fertilizer reviews, the use of sapropel on potato plantations can increase its yield by 1,5 times. Depending on the quality of the soil, before planting tubers, 1 to 3 kg of organic matter is applied per 6 m².

For fruit crops

In the garden, sapropel is also indispensable. The application of fertilizer when planting fruit and berry crops contributes to better rooting of seedlings, stimulates vegetation and the appearance of ovaries. The substance is introduced into planting pits (the ratio of sapropel and earth is 3:5).

As a result of enrichment with fertilizer planting pits in the first year, fruit and berry crops will please with a bountiful harvest.

Adult bushes need to mulch tree trunks with a mixture of manure and sapropel in a ratio of 1: 2. The composition is prepared in advance. Then it is left to rot for four months. Fertilizing with ready-made fertilizer is carried out three times per season.

For flowers and ornamental shrubs

Biologists and gardeners recommend using sapropel for flower beds and ornamental trees. It helps to strengthen the roots, prevents yellowing of foliage, stimulates budding and flowering.

For feeding flowers, fertilizer in liquid form, diluted with water, is suitable. The solution is watered 1-3 times per season. This mixture can be used to treat a flower garden in early autumn. The composition disinfects the soil, destroys fungal diseases, mold, bacteria and nitrates. In the spring, the procedure is repeated. Such preventive measures will favorably affect the plants, the stems will get stronger, they will bloom for a long time, and the inflorescences will be larger and brighter.

It is enough to mulch ornamental shrubs and trees with sapropel mixed with the ground in a ratio of 1:4 twice a year. After that, the plant is watered and the soil is loosened.

For compost

When preparing compost for a summer cottage, sapropel is mixed with manure or slurry in a ratio of 1: 1 and used in the usual way.

Freshly harvested fertilizer is composted for 10-12 months before use, and frozen – 4 months. To make up for the lack of phosphorus, 100 g of superphosphate is added to the finished compost.

For soil enrichment

In order to enrich the soil with nutrients, the sapropel is finely crushed by hand and evenly distributed around the entire perimeter of the site, after which the earth is dug up. You can use liquid fertilizer. Agronomists claim that the result of the procedure is comparable only with the complete replacement of the soil. It becomes crumbly, light and fertile.

For indoor plants and flowers

For indoor crops, the substrate is mixed with soil in a ratio of 1: 4. Fertilizer improves the decorative properties of plants, increases the duration of flowering and disease resistance. The mixture is recommended to be used as a top dressing for weak specimens, as well as when planting or transplanting.

Other applications of sapropel

The use of sapropel is not limited to agriculture, it is actively used in other areas of activity.

Eight areas where the natural component has found application:

1. Industry – used as a raw material for the manufacture of fuel.
2. Chemical industry – in the process of its processing, paraffin and ammonia are obtained, as additional raw materials they are used in the production of rubber shoes.
3. Construction – it is used as an absorbent when drilling soil.
4. Agronomy – used to restore soil after drilling or mining, as well as places reserved for landfills.
5. Medicine – used for physiotherapeutic purposes.
6. Alternative medicine – has found application in mud therapy. Masks and baths with the addition of sapropel can get rid of cellulite, premature wrinkles, seborrhea, baldness.
7. Cosmetology – solves many problems with the skin of the body and face.
8. Animal husbandry – used as a dietary supplement for livestock feed.

Application in medicine

In medicine, sapropel is prescribed as a therapeutic mud for applications, masks and baths.

Components contained in sapropel nourish the skin and improve metabolism

The organic mass has a positive effect on the immune system, strengthens capillaries, accelerates blood flow and metabolism, breaks down cholesterol plaques. It improves the condition with fractures, arthritis, arthrosis, neuralgia, pneumonia, cystitis, prostatitis, psoriasis, eczema, uterine erosion.

Sapropel has antibacterial properties and is safe for allergy sufferers.

How sapropel is used in animal husbandry

Sapropel is needed not only for humans, it is also useful for livestock. It contains many vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for animals. It is added to feed for cattle, birds, pigs. As a result of the use of the additive, an increase in daily weight gain, an increase in the survival rate of young animals, an increase in milk yield and an increase in milk fat content are observed.

Due to the better absorption of calcium, the bone skeleton of animals is also strengthened.

Conclusion

Agronomists, gardeners and biologists recommend using sapropel as a fertilizer for everyone on their plots. This ecological natural remedy is necessary for the enrichment and restoration of depleted soil. It contains a large amount of nutrients and has a positive effect on all types of plants and fruit crops.

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