Soil investigation helps the gardener to define what plants should be cultivated on personal plot, than to feed up cultures and how to improve structure of the soil. Tests of the earth can be referred in agrochemical laboratory, but examination will cost money. On question whether it is possible to make soil analysis independently, skilled summer residents will answer in the affirmative.
What the soil consists of
It is possible to make soil analysis in house conditions without special knowledge and devices. So, for definition of composition of the ground there are enough five tablespoons of prototype. It is necessary to choose from it carefully fossils and stones, then to fill in with water.
After that the bank needs to close and properly – within several minutes – to shake up contents. To allow capacity to stand not movably about one week, noting at the same time levels of the appeared deposit.
At first sand, later – dust, 5-7 days later – clay will drop out. The humus does not settle, and it is necessary to float in liquid, doing it brown. Now by means of ruler it is possible to learn relative quantity of the main components of soil.
It is possible also to try to stick together from the damp earth ring of 2 mm in the diameter from "sausage" 2 mm thick. If:
- the strong and smooth ringlet has turned out - it is clay;
- it has not turned out to roll "sausage" - soil sandy;
- ring strong and the ends have stuck together, only "sausage" has a little cracked – heavy loam;
- the strong ring, but here and there breaks up – srednesuglinisty soil;
- "sausage" is rolled, but breaks up in attempt to contract it into ring – sandy soil.
As far as soil sour
In shops for gardeners it is possible to acquire special sets for determination of acidity of the soil in house and field conditions therefore it is possible to make the independent analysis.
Acidity of the soil – important indicator when choosing garden and garden cultures, fertilizing for beds and beds. Paper strips indicators will help to define easily pH value according to color of scale.
For experience it is required to lower in water linen sack with soil sample (water and the earth at the rate of 5:1). 5 min. later to lower the indicator in liquid. At pH 7 the soil neutral, above the seven – alkaline, below – sour.
Whether well the soil breathes
It is very important to find out soil aeration as good gas exchange is necessary for normal development of plants. The soil "breathes" at the expense of time if they are filled in with water, penetration of oxygen stops. Usually problem zones on personal plot – heavy clay islands, layers, impregnations.
Points out color of clayey ground amount of air:
- gray – deficiency of oxygen;
- reddish – oxygen is present.
Whether damp soil
If on personal plot to dig hole and it will be filled with moisture – means, underground waters are close located. At cultivation of plants it is very important to know as far as they are vlagolyubiva and what hydrological features of the earth at the dacha.
Plants which perfectly feel on any given site of soil help to guess degree of moisture content of the soil. So, strongly damp soil is loved Labrador tea, by sabelnik, the snake mountaineer, blueberry, meadow geranium. Moderately damp - stone bramble, cowberry, cornflower and meadow clover, and dry – bearberry, sedum, feather grass.
As far as the soil is fertile
Attentive observations of different earth sites at the dacha will help to define degree of their fertility. It is possible to draw certain conclusions on the following signs.
- Than it is more in the earth of earthworms – that it is more fertile.
- On poor soils such weeds as white clover, camomile, daisy often grow.
- On the infertile earth, bushes of yellow genista tinctorial, rosyanka and cat's claws perfectly feel.
- The horsetails and creeping buttercups which are stubborn growing on the earth – sign of the heavy, not friable, rehumidified earth.
- The willow-herb, raspberry, celandine, wood louse and nettle very much love the fertile soil saturated with nitrogen.
The exhausted earth and surplus of fertilizers are equally harmful to garden cultures therefore the annual soil analysis will help to give it that it is necessary and to receive good harvest.