" The author of the following text is Jarosław Sankowski from Krosno, the reader of the magazine Przepis na Ogród. "
In order for the plants to develop properly, I try to provide them with a substrate of appropriate quality and the right pH for them.There are a number of additives on the market that we can introduce into the soil to improve its structure or pH.
If the soil is too acidic to start growing at all, we need to add some alkaline substances to it, such as dolomite, chalk or ground limestone.They enrich the soil before planting and then as needed, every few years. Heavy soils require higher doses than sandy ones. Dolomite can also be used as a magnesium and calcium fertilizer for calcareous plants.
These include, among others: sedum, pasque-flower, spring love and sapphires. The dolomite applied to the acidified lawn will help us fight moss. But sprinkling it on lawns that don't need it can only lead to weed growth and fungal diseases.All these calcium supplements must not be used simultaneously with other fertilizers, as there will be compounds that cannot be absorbed by the plants.Let's wait at least 3 weeks.
The lowering of the soil pH, i.e. its acidification, is more complicated. If we want to grow rhododendrons, heathers, blueberries and other acidophilic plants, we must provide them with a substrate with a pH of 4.5-5.5.This can be achieved by mixing acidic peat with a pH of 4 and conifer bark with the soil.The amount of peat is taken into account depending on the reaction of the soil in the garden.It is worth getting a handy pH meter. Replace the substrate with a sufficiently large reserve inside and around the plant.
Due to the fact that you have to buy a lot of peat for a few bushes, I used a different - cheaper way in my garden. Clay in bags brought from friends was useful.I mixed the needles from under the trees, half and half. I added a little more peat to this mixture.This way we will also obtain a sufficiently acidic substrate.
Having heavy clay soil on the plot, we can loosen it by introducing additives such as sand, peat, bark or sawdust during digging.For alkaline clay soil, which we would like to acidify at the same time, gypsum will be a great additionLater fertilization can also regulate the pH of the soil by using acidifying or alkaline fertilizers.
A little known soil conditioner is bas alt flour.It does not change its reaction, but only makes the plants he althier and more resistant to diseases.This beneficial effect will be felt most in the case of poor sandy soils, because we will enrich them with a number of microelements.
The flour can be used on any soil. It is especially recommended for organic farming. I also add it to compost as well as to manure and slurry, because it eliminates their odor and reduces nitrogen losses.
