Surely you are familiar with the concept of "fertile soil". This is the one on which cultivated and ornamental plants grow well, flowers bloom, fruit trees give a good harvest. Loamy and sandy soils are considered fertile. It is they who can fully provide plants with moisture and useful trace elements.
Composition
Loamy soil is considered high-quality soil, as it has an optimal ratio of sand and clay in its composition. Such soil is 70 percent clay and 30 percent sand. Soil that contains coarse and fine sand particles is considered capable of yielding a good harvest.
Loam perfectly passes moisture, "knows how" to keep it in the required quantities necessary for the proper functioning of plants. The soil is loamy, rich in minerals and microelements, perfectly breathable. Such land is considered ideal for household plots and gardens.
Many gardeners strive to at least bring the land in their area closer to loamy soil. They bring more sand to the gardens if the soil is clayey, or, conversely, add black soil to the muddy soil. And those gardeners who are lucky enough to grow plants on loamy soil simplyenjoy a good quality harvest.
The main advantages of loamy soil
- This type of soil is ideal for growing almost the entire huge list of plants: vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, flowers.
- Loamy soil is characterized by increased moisture resistance, capable of retaining moisture for a long time.
- The soil, which is 70 percent sand and 30 percent clay, has good subsoil irrigation capacity.
- High rates of aeration, that is, this type of soil is well ventilated, well breathable.
- It absorbs fertilizers and manure well, improving yields with each year of operation.
Disadvantages of loamy soils
- Such soil certainly requires careful and frequent loosening. This will ensure proper ventilation of the ground and allow it to warm up quickly in the spring.
- If manure is introduced into the soil in a timely manner and in sufficient quantities (experts recommend cow or horse manure) and lime fertilizers, then such land simply will not have shortcomings and minuses.
Ways to fix deficiencies in loamy soil
Clay, loamy soil refers to heavy species. It requires care and fertilization. If a gardener decides to improve crop performance and correct minor shortcomings of such land, then there are some tips. First, you should use the mulching method. Thethe process is covering a piece of land with planted plants with covering material. Mulching will be an ideal way to preserve and maintain plant he alth. In addition, this method will save and facilitate your work spent on watering and loosening the soil.
If we talk about fertilizers recommended for loamy and clay soils, then experts advise opting for lime fertilizers (it is better to take slaked lime).
How to identify loamy soil
Even a non-professional agronomist will be able to determine on his own personal plot what type of soil prevails in the garden. There is a simple way to do this - “rolling sausages”. It is necessary to take a certain amount of earth, moisten it well and mold a small ball from a piece. Next, form a "sausage" from the ball and try to wrap it in a ring.
If you can easily do this, then you have clay soil in your dacha. If the earthen "sausage" twists easily, but when rolled it starts to crack a little, then in front of you is loamy soil. From light sandy soil, you will not be able to dazzle anything at all, even if the moisture is sufficient and the movements are accurate.
Heavy types of soils can be determined by eye. Loamy or clayey will not dry out as quickly as sandy after rain. At elevated air temperatures, it will crack faster; in spring, melt water leaves the garden more slowly.
Tips for improving heavy soils
So, we can safely answer the question: loamy soil - what is it? This is the most fertile and nutrient-rich species. But experts recommend improving such almost ideal soil. Here are some helpful tips:
- If you decide to improve loamy or clay soil, then try to do it in the autumn. In autumn, the soil will be at its best for fertilizing and digging.
- Because this type of soil does not warm up as quickly in spring, try not to rush into planting. It is not recommended to do this on rainy and cold days.
- In order for the roots of plants to quickly and easily adapt to the soil during planting in a permanent place, it is recommended to make a hole twice as large as their root system.
- For planting capricious plants, choose high places. A raised bed will allow for quick adaptation as the ground warms up faster there.
- If the soil in your area tends to dry out quickly, then you should properly prepare it for the garden season. In autumn and spring, plowing and the introduction of baking powder is recommended. Horse, sheep or cow dung, seed husks, mowed grass, straw can act as a baking powder.
- If groundwater accumulates in the spring, you can make a small drainage system. Drainage pits, the depth of which is from a meter to two meters, will save the situation. Melt water will go awayfaster, the earth will dry out sooner.
