Uncovering the Deception in Your Garden
Rapidly acquire farm equipment. Only a minority of farmers possess sufficient knowledge of their craft.
Think twice before you pamper your garden with what seems like helpful fertilizers. Fresh manure, sawdust, and ash might appear to be reliable allies for a flourishing harvest, but they could be the silent saboteurs of your garden. Let's debunk the most destructive myths that are wreaking havoc on your verdant oasis.
The Peril of Fresh Manure
Many garden enthusiasts excitedly add fresh manure to their beds in spring, expecting a burst of growth. However, reality can be harsh. Aggressive ammonia and acid compounds in fresh manure can burn roots, kill soil inhabitants, and disturb the pH balance. Particularly treacherous are chicken and horse manure due to their high nitrogen content, which increases the risk of harmful nitrates in vegetables.
The Cunning Deceiver - Fresh Sawdust
Lovers of loose soil often mulch their beds with fresh sawdust, blissfully unaware of the consequences. Sawdust from coniferous trees releases resins and tannins that deplete plants. The most insidious part is that they "steal" nitrogen from the soil, leading to growth suppression and acidification. Within a couple of weeks, your garden could be covered in moss, with roots starting to rot.
The Aftermath of a Mistake
- If you've already added fresh manure, perform deep plowing and water the area generously to reduce the concentration of harmful compounds. Add dolomite flour (500g/m2) to neutralize acidity.
- If you used raw sawdust, remove it and apply nitrogen fertilizers (urea 20g/m2 or nettle infusion) to restore the soil's nutritional balance and stop acidification.
Preparing Organic Matter
- Manure must be composted for at least 2-3 years. Only well-rotted material becomes the true "black gold" for the earth. Store it under plastic, stirring regularly.
- Soak sawdust in a urea solution for a week or mix it with compost. Only then will it bring benefits, not harm.
The Hidden Perils - Ash and Black Plastic
Frequent addition of ash can lead to alkalinization, which is harmful to potatoes, carrots, and rhododendrons. The optimum is no more than 1 cup per 1 m2 every two years. Black garden film disrupts air exchange, and fungi multiply rapidly underneath it. It's safer to use organic mulch: straw, grass, or bark.
Examine Your Habits - Your Garden Depends On It
Don't turn a blind eye to your garden. If you spot fresh manure, wet sawdust, or black film, remove them immediately, dig up the earth, and add compost. Caring for the soil today guarantees a bountiful harvest tomorrow.
Nature isn't fooled by haste or overconfidence. Treat your garden with care - even an old garden will bloom with new colors!
- Although fresh manure, such as chicken and horse manure, may initially seem beneficial for a home-and-garden due to their high nitrogen content, they can actually be silent saboteurs, potentially burning roots, killing soil inhabitants, and disturbing the pH balance.
- Fresh sawdust, often used by gardening enthusiasts as a mulch for loose soil, may appear benign, but it can release resins and tannins that deplete plants and "steal" nitrogen from the soil, leading to growth suppression and acidification.
