Acidic soil: 5 ways to deacidify it

Soil is a special formation that has its own characteristics. It is thanks to the fertility of the land, its good structure, that we can grow certain crops in our country house. Moreover, it is important to note that, depending on the type of soil and its characteristics, the ability of many trees, shrubs, and berries to bring a bountiful harvest depends. But many summer residents are faced with the same problem in their plots, acidic soil for growing fertile crops. How to be? Everything is very simple, you can "get rid" of acidic soil with the help of ordinary "improvised" means, namely chalk, lime, ash and dolomite flour. And we will tell you how to enter all this correctly. We will talk about these folk remedies and acidic soil further.

Acidic soil: what is it?

In the scientific classification, it is customary to divide soils into alkaline, neutral and acidic. Moreover, the degree of this acidity is expressed in the following values: neutral, slightly acidic, medium acidic, strongly and very acidic soils. And depending on this or that type, certain agrotechnical measures should be taken. Why do you need to know this? You ask. Everything is easy and simple. The fact is that some crops like acidic soils, for example, sorrel, while others like neutral ones, for example, potatoes. And nothing can be done about it. All we have to do is deacidify the soil, if necessary, so that your plants feel good and give a high and high-quality yield! Liming should be carried out if the acid boundary is below pH 5.5.

Acidic soil: increased acidity

If there is an increased acid content in the ground, then it must be lowered, otherwise there will be a lot of weeds on the site, and cultivated plants will grow poorly. In order to deoxidize the soil, you need to add lime compounds to the soil. This will help reduce acidity for the next few years. Remember that deacidification must be carried out on the plots once every 3-7 years, depending on the structure of the soil. So, if the land on the site is heavy, then deoxidation will need to be done less often. If you are developing a new piece of land, then with deep digging, a certain amount of lime should be introduced into the soil. Moreover, this procedure must be repeated annually, over time, reducing the concentration of the composition. If you notice an increase in acidity not on the entire site, but in separate zones, then liming must also be done zonal. The following point should be immediately stipulated: the lime should not be on the surface of the earth, but at a depth of up to 20 cm. Slaked lime is added to the acidic soil, which is considered an excellent deoxidizer. The amount of this composition per one hundred square meters of land should not exceed 70 kg.

Dolomite flour

From an environmental point of view, it is better to use dolomite flour. Of course, it will not act immediately, however, on top of everything else, it also enriches the site with calcium, magnesium and other microelements.

Ash

The most common way to reduce the acidity level in the soil is the introduction of wood ash into the soil. In addition to this useful property, it also has a lot of advantages. Ash structures the soil well, and also enriches the soil with useful microelements. After applying the ash, the soil becomes soft and loose, which means that the plants will be able to breathe well, and moisture will get directly to the root system. Wood ash is excellent at reducing soil acidity. It also makes up for the lack of calcium in the earth.Therefore, it is especially needed by potatoes. Summer residents recommend adding ash to the soil when planting tomatoes and peppers. However, it must be mixed with earth, and also used in combination with other drugs. Usually, ash is mixed with water and watered with it. Remember that ash is mixed with water, and not dissolved, since a sediment always forms at the bottom of the bucket.

a piece of chalk

To reduce the acidity of the soil, chalk is also effectively used. In addition, it contains calcium, which is required by many crops. In addition, chalk improves the structure of the soil, making it loose. Usually, it is recommended to introduce into the soil no more than 300 grams of crushed chalk per square meter.

Siderata

Currently, in stores you can find a lot of drugs that allow you to deoxidize the soil, as well as improve its structure, and enrich it with useful microelements. Of the advantages, it should be mentioned that usually these drugs do not harm the environment, so many summer residents choose this particular method of soil deoxidation. Usually they are brought in either in early spring or in late autumn with deep digging of the soil. And it is best to water the area after using the drug. This is necessary for better absorption of micro-substances into the soil.

Acidic Soil: Soil Control

But remember that everything is good in moderation. And liming should be done only when necessary. Excess calcium in the soil is not favorable for plant development. This trace element impedes the growth of the root system, therefore, in large quantities, ash and chalk are dangerous for plants in which the root is just forming. It should also be said that neither rain nor daily watering will wash calcium from the ground, so once you make a mistake, you can create unfavorable conditions for the development of your crops for a long time. We have already talked enough about how you can lower the acidity level in the soil. But how to understand if you need to do this on your site? The true signs of an increased level of acidity are considered to be the growth of the following wild crops on the site: Potentilla, rhubarb, wild mint, fern. While cultivated plants grow poorly. If you are still in doubt about your soil type, you can buy an indicator from a gardening store to determine the level of soil acidity. They are quite inexpensive and easy to use, so you can definitely understand the instructions and use scientific research to check the acidity. Remember the folk remedies for dealing with acidic soil and don't be afraid to experiment!