2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
In most houses, for the New Year holidays, it is customary to put a Christmas tree or pine tree. And as soon as the holidays are over, the green beauty almost immediately goes to the trash heap. And it is completely in vain, because the needles can later be very useful at their summer cottage! For what purposes can it be used and what to do if the Christmas tree has already been thrown away and there are no needles at hand?
We save potatoes from pests with diseases
Not every summer resident knows that the needles, or rather, the phytoncides and some other biologically active compounds released by it, are endowed with the ability to scare off such dangerous enemies of the potato as the voracious bear and the unfortunate wireworm. But their beneficial effect on this culture is not limited to this either - with the help of needles, you can save potatoes from scab and from a number of other equally unpleasant mushroom ailments!
If potatoes often suffer from the above insects or diseases, then in the spring, during planting, it will not hurt to throw a full handful of larch or pine needles into each hole first, and then pour half a glass of wood ash there. And only then seed potatoes are laid out in the holes and covered with soil. By the way, rather loose needles also provide excellent air drainage of the potato root system, which oxygen is vital for the full formation of tubers.
In the event that the New Year is long ago behind, the Christmas tree has been safely thrown away, and the new summer cottage season is almost on the nose, you can go to the forest and pick up the fallen needles there. In addition, in order to collect the needles in the forest, superhuman efforts will not be required - several strokes with a rake, and in seven to eight minutes you will have a full bag of valuable raw materials in front of you!
It is also quite simple to calculate the consumption of needles for potato plantings: for every hundred square meters, about two or three bags of needles are needed.
Mulching the soil
Needles are not only an excellent assistant in the difficult task of getting rid of pests and preventing all kinds of potato diseases, but also an excellent raw material for mulching! Experienced summer residents generally recommend covering the onion beds with sevka exclusively with needles - such a cover not only perfectly retains moisture in the soil, but also actively prevents the growth of weeds. And the volatile phytoncides secreted by needles in every possible way contribute to the protection of onion plantings from pests and are an excellent prevention against all kinds of bacterial and fungal ailments.
If you cover the needles of the beds with garlic, onions, lettuce, radishes and some other moisture-loving crops around mid-May, the yield will increase significantly, and the effort spent on watering and weeding will be noticeably reduced!
We cover the beds for the winter
Another valuable property of needles is its ability to act as a covering material - it really reliably protects crops that are sheltered for the winter! Covering the beds with needles is very easy and simple, and the result is excellent! Grapes and strawberries react especially gratefully to such a shelter. It is not forbidden to sprinkle with needles and roots of fruit and berry crops - it is able to protect them no worse than ultra-modern covering materials. Perfectly protecting against heat loss and chilly wind, the needles at the same time perfectly pass oxygen vital for plants, not allowing the soil to "suffocate". And she is also a reliable protector from enterprising rodents, which is also important!
Why is it not recommended to use fresh needles?
Fresh needles are endowed with the ability to increase the acidity of the soil, which is sometimes extremely undesirable. So the needles, which are planned to be used as mulch or to combat various pests and diseases, should ideally be thoroughly mixed in a compost heap. As for the needles from a used Christmas tree or collected from the ground in the forest, it is already quite ready for use and does not need such procedures.
For the same reason, it is permissible to use needles for not all crops - for example, garden flowers often react negatively to changes in soil acidity. But sour berries and fruits just love pine needles! This raw material is ideal for mulching the soil around most garden trees, as well as around blueberry and cherry bushes, and it is also great for the growth of garlic, onions, sunflowers and even eggplant! So it's definitely worth making friends with pine needles!
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Despite the fact that there are still more than four months before the New Year holidays, you need to know in advance what application the needles will find on the site. It's no secret that after the New Year holidays, a truly incredible number of mercilessly discarded trees appear on the streets of various settlements, and these trees can become not only an excellent mulch, but also a very effective remedy for pests! So summer residents should definitely take note of this information
