How to make the soil fertile and soft

Not every summer resident can boast of rich harvests. After all, in addition to regular care, it is important to plant plants in fertile and breathable soil. And to achieve such a state of the soil, you need to put in a lot of effort. You will learn how to make the soil in the country fertile and loose from this material.

Checking the composition

Before choosing a method to make the soil loose and fertile, it is important to know the initial state of the soil. Of course, it is better to examine the soil in an agricultural laboratory, where they will conduct a full analysis. But, alas, most summer residents do not have access to such testing.

Don’t be upset, because you can find out the mechanical composition of the soil, which is responsible for the amount of moisture and air in the soil, yourself. To do this, wet the soil with water and try to roll it into a “sausage”. Decoding the results:

If the “dough” does not mix and falls apart, then your soil is sandy loam, that is, too light.
If you manage to make a “sausage” but it breaks, then you have light loam – the best type of soil.
If you have rolled the “sausage” into a ring, then you have heavy clay soil.

Owners of light loam soils only need to fertilize the plot to get a good harvest. Owners of plots with heavy clay soil will have to correct its composition, because in such soil plants take root poorly and their roots have difficulty developing. But too light soil – sandy loam, has a bad effect on the harvest. In such soil, moisture and minerals are quickly washed out, so crops require more care.

We change the mechanical composition of the soil

First, let’s figure out how to make the soil loose if it is too clayey. In this case, river sand in the amount of 21 kg per square meter will help you. This is approximately 1.5 buckets with a volume of 10 liters. Distribute the sand evenly over the surface of the soil, then dig the area to a depth of 20-25 cm, or to a full bayonet of a shovel. If you want to correct sandy loam, then mix clay into it. In addition, use black soil or humus for these purposes.

Even if you have corrected the mechanical composition of the soil, it has not become more fertile, because you still need to add fertilizers to the soil. You will learn how to do this below.

We fertilize with manure

Adding animal waste to the soil is an effective way to make the soil on the site fertile and loose. After all, such “products” contain a full range of vitamins and nutrients necessary for plant growth. Moreover, pig, horse or cow manure can be used as fertilizer.

Remember that fresh manure is quite aggressive and dangerous for plants. Therefore, apply this product at least 6 months before planting. For example, in the fall after digging, but only on an empty plot. During this time, the aggressiveness of the manure will decrease, while all the nutrients will dissolve in the soil. In addition, the product will serve as an excellent loosening agent.

If the manure has rotted, it can be added during spring planting. Fertilizer rate:

Fresh horse manure – 5–6 kg, rotted manure – 2.5–3 kg per 1 sq. m of planting.
Fresh cow peat – 4–5 kg, rotted – 2–2.5 kg per 1 sq. m of planting.

Never add fresh pig manure, even when planting in the fall. This product contains a large amount of nitrogen in the form of ammonia. Therefore, keep it for at least a year until it completely decomposes. In addition, try to mix this fertilizer with cow or horse manure.

Humus

Applying fertilizer made from rotted manure and peat is the best method of making the soil fertile and loose. Moreover, such a composition is suitable for continuous application and point application. And if you add nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers to it, you will significantly increase its effectiveness.

The main thing is to prepare the humus correctly. To do this, put fresh manure and peat in layers in a compost bin in a 1 to 1 ratio. The thickness of each layer should reach 25–30 cm. To reduce the acidity of fertilizers, mix phosphate or limestone flour into them. Moisten the pile as needed, not allowing it to dry out. Keep the humus from 6 months to 1 year.

How to fertilize the soil with the composition? Add 20 kg of humus per 10 sq. m of the plot. In clay soil, bury the fertilizer to a depth of 15–20 cm. If you have sandy soil, dig in the composition to a depth of 30 cm.

We mulch with mown grass

This method of making the soil fertile and soft is quite effective. It is also safe. True, the effect of mulching the soil with grass comes a little later than from fertilizing with manure. But at the same time, the layer perfectly retains moisture in the soil, and also makes the soil loose and soft and protects plants from pests and diseases.

How to mulch the surface? Spread the mown grass on the area in a layer of 7-8 cm. For 20 square meters of planting, you will need 1 standard bale of straw.

Owners of light loams and sandy loams can resort to such fertilizers at any time of the year. If you have heavy clay soil, then mulch the surface from the beginning of June. Otherwise, the soil will not warm up and dry out in early spring. Leave the mown grass until the next season, and after a few years, the clay will gradually turn into loose and light loam.

Green manure – gardener’s helpers

If you are looking for a way to make the soil fertile without manure, then pay attention to useful plants such as:

lupine;
peas;
alfalfa;
legumes;
oats.

The roots of these plants contain nodule bacteria that can draw and bind nitrogen from the air. Therefore, by sowing green manure, the soil is naturally filled with nutrients and useful substances. In addition, the crops have a powerful root system that loosens the soil, making it more permeable to air. And this is very useful for peaty or clay soil.

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