2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
All summer residents dream of a rich harvest. And what they do not do for the sake of obtaining it - they loosen the soil, get rid of weeds and pests, and also apply all kinds of fertilizers. And here the question arises: is it possible to fertilize a vegetable garden without harm to the environment? As practice shows, quite
How not to harm the environment?
In order to get an excellent harvest and at the same time not harm the environment, it is enough to try to improve the digestibility of the applied fertilizers without a concomitant increase in their dosage.
It is well known that poorly structured soil assimilates any minerals very unimportantly during regular precipitation and other unfavorable climatic conditions. And even systematic and abundant feeding does not help to save the situation - they only stop the "symptoms" of this trouble. Meanwhile, the situation continues to worsen: the components not absorbed by the root system begin to form practically indigestible compounds, and all useful elements are quickly washed out and disappear without a trace in the deeper layers of the soil. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, it will not hurt to diversify the composition of fertilizers with very useful humic additives.
Humates - what are they and why are they needed?
Humates are derivatives of naturally occurring humic acids. Acids belonging to this group help to improve the most important physicochemical parameters of the soil and stimulate more intensive growth of planted crops. They are also excellent catalysts that promote vital activity and growth in the number of valuable soil microorganisms and bacteria.
Fertilizers with humic components are currently produced by many companies. Such fertilizers will not only be an excellent addition to balanced mineral fertilizing, but can also act as the main component.
Humates are released during the decomposition of all kinds of organic compounds in the substrate. In order to increase their number, it is enough just to add more organic matter to the soil: compost, dried last year's foliage, or humus already containing humates.
How are humates useful?
Humates are an excellent way to improve the physical properties of the substrate. Growing crops especially welcome the soil knocked down into small lumps - in this case, it much better retains nutrients, oxygen and moisture, which are extremely important for their full growth. It is humates that help make the soil more breathable and structured. This is especially important for very dense and heavy ("swollen") soil, as well as for loose soils characterized by a high content of sand. Humates help to enhance the effect of the applied dressings - this is due to the activation of the ability of the grown crops to assimilate the nutrients offered to them. And they also favor the development and best activity of beneficial microorganisms living in the soil, which quickly contribute to the improvement of its chemical composition.
Humates are also good because they increase the immunity of plants to various ailments, activate vital reserves in them and favor their full development and fruiting.
How to apply?
Humates or humic fertilizers are produced in various forms. In this case, liquid solutions are considered the most popular - they can be used not only in a personal plot, but also for feeding indoor flowers. Such additives are good because the concentration of mineral salts in them is reduced, and this allows you to minimize the risk of causing burns to the vulnerable root system. And in order to see the first results from the use of saving humates as early as possible, it will not hurt to carry out foliar feeding.
It is not forbidden to introduce humates at any stage of development of certain crops - from pre-planting soaking of seeds to the very ripening of the crop. Such dressings are especially welcome in closed ground, as well as on a weakly structured substrate. In addition, humic fertilizers will become an excellent alternative to vermicompost and popular peat, because it is an excellent soil-improving material!
If there is no desire to spend money on ready-made humic fertilizers, it is quite possible to prepare them yourself by means of an extract from the compost. By the way, most of the humate is extracted from the compost processed by worms - to get it, a drain for liquid is made in the lower part of the compost heap and the brownish solution is collected in a previously prepared container.
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