The application of natural farming technology in a conventional garden
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Natural farming in a separate vegetable garden
They say that agronomists are professionals, and gardeners are like that, amateurs. Hardly. Read the observations and reasoning of the author of the letter, and you will see the opposite. This is the real science, and even convincingly confirmed by practice!
Farewell, digging!
All my life I live in a private house and from childhood I was accustomed to work on the ground.
We used to dug before, mostly in the spring, choosing roots to the smallest, making compost, manure, mineral fertilizers. When I began independently to conduct garden business, I began to use preparations for ovaries, for root growth, from grass on paths (herbicides). And 10 years ago noticed that the earthworms and ladybugs had disappeared. But in abundance there were aphids, different species of caterpillars and butterflies. It was impossible to get rid of phytophthora and other diseases. Not only that the crop has become scanty, so also inedible. And I began to look for ways to resuscitate my land.
The soil on my site is sandy. But the methods of improvement and improvement are suitable for soils of any kind. I read many books, listened to people using methods of natural farming. Now I know so much about it that it's difficult to surprise me, nevertheless I am constantly interested and find something new. So, in 2009 year I became an active supporter of natural farming.
See also: Plant beds = compost beds with own hands
The soil was last dug up by the fall of 2008. In the spring I made permanent beds. First there were trenches, and now I have drip irrigation everywhere, so all plantings are almost on a flat surface (photo 1). In our area, it is undesirable to make high beds, because the winds are constantly blowing, often dry winds, and greatly dry the soil.
The first thing to do is arrange permanent beds. Better narrow.
But what they do, you need to decide individually on each site, depending on the climate and terrain. The main thing: you can’t walk in the beds! We do not dig the soil in them - we only loosen it by 5-7 cm. What? And the more familiar - a manual cultivator, a hoe, plane cutters.
The next step is compulsory mulching. This was an excellent article by I.L. Evstafieva "Mulch works for us."
There is everything for beginners. I want to add: I experienced different types of mulch - organics, thick paper, black mulch material, newspapers.
Paper and fabric inhibit weed growth well, but poor moisture retention and soil compaction. At first I liked to cover it with newspapers (when planting vegetables, especially root crops - photo 2), and then, when the plants started to grow, cover with grassy mulch (photo 3).
After harvesting, it is advisable to leave all the tops in place until spring - then it will be easy to rake everything on the tracks and leave it there. And it will walk cleaner in wet weather, and fewer weeds. In winter, the tops will serve for snow retention, and in the spring - to preserve moisture. If you do not want to leave it, you need not to tear it up with the root, but cut it off and leave the roots in the ground. In the next season, plants can be displaced during planting, and residual roots will structure the soil, creating channels for feeding plants with subsoil moisture and air. We do the same with weeds.
In the autumn, we leave the beds closed (photo 4) - this is how worms and effective microorganisms work in them longer, and in the spring we rake the tops on the tracks to warm the ground as early as possible. It is impossible to mulch plantings early: plants can die due to cold air coming from the depths.
Where to get mulch?
To do this, you should plant the siderates.
Now it's not a problem to buy seeds of siderates, there are a lot of literature about them too. For beginners, I recommend starting with mustard.
It can be sown in autumn, after or shortly before harvesting, but in such a way that it has time to grow at least 20-25 cm. Then cut, leaving the roots in the ground, and the tops on the bed till the spring. You can sow early in the spring. Then, when planting the seedlings, make a hole in the overgrown mustard. Mustard will pritenyat seedlings from the sun and protect from wind and cold snap. Week after two mustards, cut at the level of the soil and leave in place like mulch.
Mustard should not be planted in front of the cruciferous - they are from the same family. The whole warm season and under all crops it is better to plant phacelia, but its seeds are not cheap. You can use oil radish, rapeseed, oats, etc.
In addition to obtaining mulch, siderates play the role of shift culture, i.e. the old culture can be returned to the same place in the next season. For small areas this is important. Each plant has its own nutritional needs, they differently carry out various microelements from the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to leave all plant residues where they grew up in the form of mulch, so that the next season they return what they took to those who will grow after them.
For the rapid decomposition of organic matter, fertilizing, weed removal and unnecessary growth, fighting diseases and pests, fermentation of organic waste, it is necessary to use preparations with effective microorganisms. Now there are several of them. It is advisable to buy in concentrated form and prepare solutions themselves, so it is safer.
“Herbal tea” is prepared by many. As a rule, his smell is not the best. And if you add a drug with microorganisms, it will be much more effective and without an unpleasant odor. The most powerful fertilizer is silage, i.e. fermented grass. When half a bucket of silage is added, compost will be ready in two to three weeks.
No need to remove all weeds until sterility! It is advisable to leave the islands of "wildlife". They will find their refuge insect predators that destroy pests.
We also use mixed landings. With the right selection of plants on the same bed or in the berry, several goals are achieved - protection from diseases and pests, sheltering the earth from drying out and overheating, improving the taste of fruits, etc.
Reference by topic: Organic farming (eco-farming) 5 main rules
To summarize
Using the principles of natural farming, we improve and revitalize the soil, we get a clean and delicious harvest (believe-the taste changes so much that someone else does not want to), the amount will also increase (photo 5-8). At the same time, labor costs will be much reduced - less frequent watering, less water consumption. Weeding is almost absent, digging is not needed at all! We do not waste our energy, there is more time for other activities and rest.
I want to make a reservation: in the first season, not all at once is so rosy. We will have to rebuild our system in a new way, and this will require effort and time. But then everything will pay off with interest!
Do not believe? And try on one or two beds, on one tree or shrub, and then compare with traditional processing. The main thing is to do everything correctly and patiently.
© Author: Olga Viktorovna Pokryshkina Engels, Saratov Region
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