I use this plant as a vegetable organic matter and, above all, in the form of green manure, mulch, for making compost, as a fertilizer - in liquid and dry form.
To appreciate the nettle, it took me more than one year of experiments and observations. And it all started with the preparation of a large amount of ash.
Reading a lot of literature on vegetable growing, I already knew that the best ash comes from herbaceous plants. The most valuable - from sunflower, then - buckwheat, then - from burning quinoa, potato tops and nettles. Having thought that it is unrealistic for me to prepare and burn sunflower stalks, buckwheat straw and quinoa grass in huge quantities, and I also have a little potato tops, I chose nettles. It can be prepared as much as you like, there would be a desire. Nettle ash is light, volatile, bluish in color. Contains more than 30 trace elements, almost 40% pure potassium. For comparison: wood ash (depending on the breed) contains only 3 to 14% potassium.
Over the summer, nettles can give as many as three mowings. The first two are not inseminated plants, and the third cut is not always desirable, since a weakened plant will leave in a depressed state for the winter and will not withstand competition with other weeds in the spring.
It is very pleasant to mow young nettles, because. no big effort required. Overripe - difficult, too large mass, but a large yield of ash. Mowed nettles land for 3-4 days, then I rake to the place of burning (but not on a peat bog!).
In the evening I kindle a big fire. By morning, the ash will cool down, and it can be transported to the place of use in canisters in a compacted form.
I harvest up to 500 liters annually. ash. She replaced all mineral fertilizers for me, especially in combination with green plant organics.
From observations: it is better to choose a site for harvesting ash away from home, since it is easy to transport it, but it is better to harvest nettle mass for compost, mulch or green manure closer to home, because green nettle has weight.
Lovely green manure
One day I discovered how a liquid with a typical smell of ammonia appeared from under a mound formed from freshly cut nettles. I became interested in this phenomenon and found out that, in addition to potassium, nettle contains a large amount of nitrogen-containing compounds that contribute to rapid ignition, especially if the nettle is chopped (in this case, its wet mass is heated up already on the second day, which contributes to the rapid decomposition of the plant). Based on this, I conducted an experiment using nettle as a green manure.
A small digression from the topic of conversation is appropriate here, since the soil on my site is a peat bog.
I noticed: this valuable soil is helpless before repeated cultivation, both its structural layer and organic matter are quickly destroyed.
But the peat bog especially suffers from solar erosion, when the top layer, drying up and compacting, does not let water into the depths, becomes lifeless. This is where urgent measures are required, one of which is a deep reservoir turnover, although this measure solves the problem for only two years.
Growing green manure before and after harvesting is a necessary thing, but a very small amount of plant organic matter goes to the soil.
Another thing is when a cultivated crop goes through a full vegetative development cycle, from planting to harvest, and if you grow a crop like soybeans, you can count on something.
I took a different path: not to plant and grow green manure, but to import them in the required quantity at any time. And then the nettle came to the rescue. For these purposes, I harvest it from the second mowing - in the second half of August.
Immediately after harvesting, I lay out the cut nettles directly on the soil surface in a dense layer of 30-35 cm and sprinkle with peat. Thus, a nettle layer was formed on an area of 4 acres. In the spring, I dug up the decomposed layer of nettles with a sharp shovel and planted potatoes. With constant mulching with chopped nettles, this created fertile layer has been serving me for the third year already.
And the potato harvest in the first year amounted to 1.5 tons per hundred square meters. This is not a record harvest, but impressive. I grew mainly Belarusian varieties: Odysseus. Krinitsa. Suzorye. Vetraz and Zhuravinka.
I was surprised that earlier on my peat soil there were no earthworms, and with the advent of fresh plant organic matter, they appeared within a year.
High quality mulch
Soil formation, as well as its fertility, is impossible without the participation of mulch. And I give a special place in this process to nettles. Its main advantage is that it is able to decompose quickly, thereby creating a nutrient medium for beneficial microorganisms living in the soil, nourishes plants with its dead biomass, promotes the release of numerous nutrients from the soil, thereby creating living conditions for the rest of the plant fauna.
Nettle, passed through the electric forage cutter, becomes small, has a pleasant smell. It is convenient to mulch with it, especially berries. I create a layer according to the Kurdyumov method - “up to the very ears”.
Especially a lot of mulch goes to potato plantings, where the row spacing reaches 90-140 cm, and you can create a thicker layer, which means that there is no need to hill the bushes.
Sprouted tubers take root quickly, as they have enough moisture and heat. And with repeated spring frosts, such a mulch reliably protects plant shoots.
With early plantings, especially on peat bogs, where the soil warms up longer and is very wet, tubers can be planted without embedding, but simply laid out on the soil surface and covered with a 20 cm layer of mulch. This is exactly what they do in the north - they don’t wait until the earth warms up completely . The virtuoso gardener N. Kurdyumov does the same, using straw as mulch in his Krasnodar Territory.
I have a lot of nettle mulch for a greenhouse and two pyramid-greenhouses, where I bring the layer up to 10 cm. I also mulch flowers, especially lilies.
In autumn, I have an excess of fermented compost, which I use as mulch, creating a whole layer in the same greenhouses, in beds and under shrubs.
In the spring, I make liquid fertilizers from nettles and ash. To do this, in each greenhouse I have containers that I “refuel” with nettles, ash and rainwater. The greenhouses are warm enough for quick maturation of the solution. And in order to avoid the unpleasant odor that pathogenic bacteria create during anaerobic composting, I add a solution of the Baikal-EM preparation to the barrels.
For compost, I use nettles of the first cut, previously passed through a silage cutter. The volume of compost is about a ton, where 10 parts are nettles, and one part is fertile soil taken from places where nettles grow. The soil contributes to the retention of moisture and nitrogen compounds, which are rich in nettles, and serves for the better development of a number of microorganisms.
I moisten the resulting mixture and close it ... A month later, I ferment the compost with the Baikal EM-1 solution. I ferment the mixture in layers, from a watering can. When covering the compost, aerobic conditions are created. By September, the compost is ready, all plant organic matter decomposes to a homogeneous mass, becomes black.
When I did a chemical analysis, I was pleasantly surprised: the presence of phosphorus in the compost - 45 mg, potassium - 150 mg, acidity - 7.5, humus - 9.8%. What does it mean? For Belarus, soil containing 2% humus is considered fertile. And leached chernozems are fertile at 1-3%.
By the way, recently the traditional methods of composting (in heaps, boxes, pits, barrels located in secluded places) do not suit me. There was an idea to compost nettles right in the garden. Moreover, lay compost directly on the surface of the soil, creating a new layer of it from plant organic matter. Experimenting on a plot of 40 square meters. m.
Plants with such care go on a rampage, delighting with a healthy look and a decent harvest.
Beneficial Nettle
Liquid nettle compost is a very effective fertilizer for garden crops. The effect is especially noticeable if these plants were poorly developed - after a few
days, their leaves become dark green in color, and the stems noticeably thicken.
In the literature, this method is called German and they even write that German gardeners have this favorite liquid fertilizer. Maybe this is so, but our summer residents have been using nettle liquid for a long time. The English method of obtaining liquid fertilizer, which is widely used by English gardeners, gardeners and flower growers, will be described below. Nettle compost is prepared according to the technology for preparing ordinary liquid compost. In a wooden or plastic, but not metal, dish filled with one third of finely chopped fresh, flowering nettles, collected before
seeds (you can use dried), pour settled (preferably rain), water heated in the sun. Once a day, this mass is vigorously stirred to release carbon dioxide. To get rid of an unpleasant smell, you can throw a handful of simple dust on top or add valerian leaf extract (one or two plants can be used). After two weeks, the slurry will ferment and be ready for use. Visually, this is determined as follows: the infusion acquires a dark color and stops foaming. Fermentation is over.
For irrigation under the root, an unstrained solution diluted ten times is used, and for spraying the leaves, it must be filtered and diluted twenty times before the treatment itself: 19 parts of water for one part of the solution. It is advisable to do this top dressing every 10-14 days.
When preparing such a liquid fertilizer, it is useful to mix nettle with comfrey and various weeds: snapdragon, shepherd's purse, tansy, horsetail, which was mentioned above.
You can add onion arrows, garlic, wood ash, bone meal, bird droppings to the mixture of herbs. Infusions of such "herbs not only nourish, but also heal plants. Tomatoes are especially responsive to feeding with such a solution - they become tastier and sweeter, and cucumbers increase
harvest and bear fruit longer. This dressing is also useful for cabbage and celery, but it is not suitable for peas, onions, beans and garlic.
Nettle is not only our eternal companion, it is also our helper and disinterested friend. We have already written about the fact that stinging nettle belongs to biodynamic plants.
Stinging nettle has at least three properties that illustrate its dynamic nature: it increases the resistance of plants growing near it to diseases, changes their taste and stimulates the formation of humus in the soil.
Nettle, growing next to mint, doubles the content of aromatic oil in it, and growing next to tomatoes, improves the taste of the latter, while planted along the edges of a bed with cabbage, saves cabbage from worms.
The fact that nettle affects the formation of humus can be seen by digging the soil from under its roots. We will see dark brown soil with a specific smell of ripe humus. Obviously, nettle roots secrete some substances that stimulate the formation of humus. Leaves and stalks of nettle, decomposing, form an ideal neutral humus.
Nettle is an amazing plant. "Urtika" - the so-called this plant among the Romans. It is derived from the Latin verb "to burn". Everyone knows that the stems and leaves of the nettle are covered with hairs, which, like vessels, are filled with acid. When the hairs break, they injure the skin with a sharp end, acid enters the wound and causes a burning sensation.
The nettle is extremely viable and uses the most unpretentious places for settlement and violent growth. Above, we were talking about the "dionic urtica" - stinging nettle, or stinging nettle. But there is also a “lamium album” - a clear-cut
white. This is also nettle, but ... deaf. She is not stingy. Perhaps, the stinging effect of nettle prompted people in ancient times to think about its medicinal properties? Even the ancient Roman physician Dioscorides Pedanius recommended it for many diseases - pneumonia, gastrointestinal disorders, abscesses, bleeding, rashes on
skin, etc. In the Middle Ages, nettle was attributed to epilepsy, hepatic and renal colic. She gained great popularity among Slavic herbalists. It was prescribed for diarrhea, scrofula and even cholera.
Nettle leaves are rich in vitamins C, K, B2, carotene, contain protein and tannins, phytoncides, mineral salts, iron, calcium, formic and silicic acids, sulfur.
In modern medicine, infusions and liquid extracts are used as a hemostatic agent for various bleeding (hemorrhoidal, intestinal, pulmonary, uterine, renal), for hypovitaminosis, as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
Nettle increases the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood. Its extract is part of the drug allochol, which is used for diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
Infusions are prepared as follows: 15-20 g of dry leaves are poured into a glass of hot water, infused for 30-40 minutes and taken in a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
In folk medicine, nettle preparations are used for pulmonary tuberculosis, whooping cough, gout, anemia, polyarthritis, as well as for diseases of the kidneys and bladder.
Nettle is also used to stop bleeding externally, as well as to treat wounds (sprinkled with powder or leaves are applied).
Nettle is widely used in homeopathy. Preparations from it treat rashes caused by drugs, cold, sunlight, unrest and other factors. A positive result is achieved if the nature of the rashes is similar to those that occur on the human body from contact with nettles. The dose of nettle poison in medical
in a given preparation is many times less than in a plant. Nettle contains silicon, which is essential for the body, especially for the elderly. When collecting a plant, you need to work with gloves or pick off leaves from a withered plant. Withered, the nettle no longer stings.
Nettle is bactericidal. In Ukraine, a bunch of nettles is used to wash dishes. At the same time, not only its disinfectant properties are confirmed, but also the fact that it washes off fat even in cold water!
Bast fibers of nettle stems are long and strong. They are used for the manufacture of coarse fabrics, burlap. In Ukraine, even in ancient times, potatoes were stored in nettle bags.
Many villagers know that nettle is valued as a fodder plant, in particular for pigs and poultry (especially for young animals). In summer they feed fresh, in winter - dried mixed with straw. It is very useful for dairy cows. Additives of green nettle in a mixture with other herbs increase the egg production of chickens, and also contribute to
growth of piglets, calves and chickens.
Harmless food coloring is prepared from nettle leaves. Rhizomes are used to dye fabrics and wool yellow, and leaves are used green. The aerial parts of the plant are a good raw material for the production of paper and cardboard.
Nettle is also used in cosmetics. Cosmetologists advise using it to strengthen hair. Now intensively advertise various means of dandruff. But there is a folk way from this misfortune. With increased sebum secretion, dandruff and hair loss, it is recommended to rub an infusion of nettle leaves into the scalp. Brew 1 tablespoon of raw materials with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 1.5 hours and strain. Use this remedy once a week for a long time. Don't wipe your head. Hair will stop falling out, and their growth will increase. Nettle shampoos are also popular.
It is appropriate to note here that such a dynamic plant as dandelion also forms neutral humus in the soil, so earthworms like to make their minks in the soil near it. When it dies, the voids formed in the place of its long, more than 1.5 m, roots serve to improve soil ventilation.
It was noted above that dynamic plants affect the environment. Here is an example with nettles. Two kilograms of fresh nettle leaves pour 10 liters of water and boil. Then strain (so that the spray nozzle does not clog), dilute with water in a ratio of 1:20 and spray the plants
in the evening two or three times. Nettle decoction, although it does not destroy the fungal infection, has a strengthening and stimulating effect on plants. And it is better to do this before the onset of the disease. To get rid of aphids, you need to insist 1 kg of nettle in 10 liters of water for a day, and then immediately spray the plants and the ground around them. Roses feel especially good after such a shower.
In England, they prefer to use liquid fertilizer from comfrey, which is very effective for crops that require a lot of potassium and very little nitrogen: cucumbers, tomatoes, beans. In terms of potassium content, comfrey is superior to manure and slightly behind it in terms of phosphorus content. To prepare the infusion, take 0.8-1.0 kg of freshly cut chopped plants, pour 10 liters of water and leave for four weeks. use it
just like nettle infusion. Liquid fertilizer from comfrey (the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the infusion is 3:1:7) is useful for all crops. Spraying plants with comfrey infusion quickly relieves potassium starvation of plants.
However, the use of liquid green composts is only a momentary benefit. They do not improve the structure of the soil, do not create additional humus.
http://ogorodi.ucoz.ru/publ/30-1-0-238
Nettle liquid fertilizer
To make a nitrogen-rich fertilizer from nettles, cut or crush nettles into small pieces and place in a large container. Put oppression on top (bricks are fine), fill with water and leave for 3-4 weeks outside the house to avoid a strong smell. To use, dilute with water 1:10.
Nettle as a trap for aphids
Although aphids suck the sap from plants and stunt growth, they are also a vital food source for many beneficial insects and birds. Aphids love nettles, so nettles can be grown specifically to lure aphids away from valuable ornamental plants.
Nettle for ladybugs
Nettle is a favorite place for ladybugs to lay their eggs. These eggs will turn into ladybug larvae that prey on garden pests, incl. on aphids, whiteflies and red spider mites. Thus, the presence of nettles in the garden will help reduce the number of pests.
Nettle as a soil indicator
Nettle is actually quite capricious to the soil on which it grows. It needs soil rich in phosphorus and nitrogen to thrive. If nettle grows in your garden, you can safely plant plants in this place that require conditions similar to it. At the end of each season, nettles should be dug up to prevent their fleshy roots from growing too wide.
Nettles on a compost heap
Crushed nettles in the compost heap act as a natural activator and speed up the decomposition process. For best results, make sure the stinging nettle is thoroughly mixed with other materials - wet and soft fresh green plant parts and older and dry woody plant parts, otherwise the components of the compost heap will rot rather than overripe. Nettle roots should not be used.
Almost all gardeners use soil mulching on their plots, which helps them control weeds and allows them to reduce the frequency of watering, and in some cases serves as fertilizer.
Article plan
Soil mulching
Mulching is an inexpensive and simple way to protect and maintain soil. In this case, the soil surface is covered with any suitable material, especially next to the planted plants.
What is soil mulching for?
- the soil stays moist and loose longer;
- plant roots are not exposed to hypothermia and overheating, that is, the temperature balance is maintained;
- nutrients in the soil are not washed out;
- there is no hard crust on the soil surface;
- weeds die, especially annuals, and weed grass that has broken through the mulch is easier to remove;
- berries and vegetables do not have contact with the ground, so they remain clean;
- earthworms breed better under mulch, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the fertile soil layer;
- if the mulch has decorative properties, then it is also just beautiful, the garden looks very neat.
All of the above properties of mulch give the gardener the opportunity to relax more, and not work constantly in the beds. Materials for mulching are divided into types: organic and inorganic. Each of these materials is very good as a mulch, the most important thing is the right choice of the scope of this or that mulch, since one type is suitable only for beds, and the other, more decorative, for a flower bed.
When mulching is carried out, it is important to ensure that the mulch does not come into contact with the stem of the plant or with the trunks of fruit bushes and trees. It is important not to cover the neck of the root, you need to step back from it for some distance. In trees, especially seedlings, this place is the most vulnerable, so it should be as open and dry as possible.
It is not necessary to strive to start mulching as early as possible in the spring, it is better to wait for the soil to warm up well. Under mulch, the soil temperature is always slightly lower than without it. And if you mulch the unheated earth, then this factor will not benefit the plants, they will lag behind in growth.
Organic mulch at the end of the summer season will be an excellent fertilizer, it is only necessary after harvesting, in the fall, to close up its remains in the beds. This will improve the structure of the soil and enrich it with nutrients.
How to make mulch
To make a quality mulch you need:
- mature compost - 1 part;
- shredded waste from the garden or garden - 2 parts;
- stone flour, wood ash, algal limestone - a little.
Mix everything well, mulch the soil, making a layer of 5 to 10 cm.
Briefly - what is mulch and why is it needed
Organic mulch - how to make and apply
The best materials for mulching are organic, so to speak, natural substances: humus, needles, tree bark, etc. Even wet newspapers or cardboard, laid out next to the plants and sprinkled with soil, can serve as mulch, although not for long, since the decay process of such material occurs quickly.
It must be borne in mind that organic mulch, rotting and turning into fertilizer, at the same time can change the acidity of the soil. Therefore, the use of organic mulch should be carefully considered.
Sawdust or wood chips
It is better to mulch with sawdust or wood chips in those parts of the garden where soil is rarely cultivated and dug up, that is, in furrows or between ridges, since both sawdust and wood chips will take 1.5-2 years for final decomposition.
This mulch is well suited for raspberries or for beds with crops in the winter, on which it is applied late in the fall. It should be noted that if the sawdust was somewhere in the corner of the garden for a long time, they managed to cake or “turn sour” due to lack of oxygen in the depths of the heap. Such a mulch will not do any good, but only harm the plants. To avoid this, it is necessary to simply dry this material before use, scattering it in a thin layer.
If sawdust, small shavings or tree bark are used as mulch, then nitrogen disappears from the fertile layer, as the wood mulch takes it away during decay. Of course, this negatively affects the plants.
In order to avoid nitrogen starvation of the soil, before scattering sawdust and other similar materials, water the soil, or dilute it in a bucket of water.
One of the important advantages of mulching the soil with sawdust is that slugs do not like to crawl on such a surface, they prefer smooth and moist. Accordingly, sawdust mulch solves the problem with slugs. But there is also a small drawback.: sawdust and small chips tend to cake over time.
This can harm plants - due to lack of air and excessive moisture, root and basal diaper rash may occur. Therefore, large wood chips are better suited for such a mulch.
straw mulch
Straw, like sawdust, also repels slugs. Moreover, it is better to mulch the beds with straw, and not with sawdust, laying it in a layer, about 15 cm high. Do not be afraid that this will interfere with the plants in the future, the straw will settle to a height of 5-7 cm in a short time.
Straw mulch is very good for tomatoes and potatoes. It will help protect tomatoes from a number of bacteria that are in the soil, prevent early rot, anthracnose and leaf spot from diseases of the bushes, and save potatoes from the main enemy - the Colorado potato beetle. It is also good to mulch with straw and beds with basil, garlic, strawberries and blackberries.
Bark of coniferous trees for mulching
Mulching with tree bark is perhaps the most durable. The bark does not absorb water, so the process of decay is delayed for a very long time. Due to the duration of use, this mulch is best suited for fruit trees and shrubs, it is also good in any flower bed and in the berry garden. But for tomatoes, such a mulch is hardly suitable because of its volatile substances, which will not benefit tomato bushes.
The bark can be scattered under coniferous plants. They will like acidified soil, which is obtained by mulching with bark. Quite often, mulch from the bark of coniferous trees is used to decorate the landscape.
Mowed grass, weeds after weeding as mulch
Grass contains a lot of nitrogen and other nutrients that help plants develop fully. After weeding the beds, mowing the lawn or removing stepchildren, tomatoes usually have quite a lot of grass. It should be dried in the sun for a couple of days, since, firstly, freshly cut grass serves as a haven for snails and slugs, and secondly, the process of decay in damp grass begins very quickly, and then cover the soil under the plants with it.
Mulching cabbage beds with tomato leaves will drive away such a pest as cabbage white from cabbage.
Raw cut grass can be used to mulch the soil in the garden after harvest, when it starts to rain. In the period before the onset of frost, this mulch will have time to rot and turn into fertilizer over the winter. And one more plus: the soil in the garden will be additionally protected from the winter cold.
Mulching fallen leaves
It will be very good to mulch cabbage and beans with leaves. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants will also benefit from mulching with fallen leaves after the soil has warmed up well.
Needles, coniferous needles for mulch
Pine needles as mulch are very fond of eggplant and strawberries. Many do not use pine needles for mulching, believing that soil is oxidized due to needles. But the experiments carried out prove that when the soil is covered with a seven-centimeter layer of needles from needles for two years in a row, the acidity of the soil does not change.
Coniferous mulch looks very nice on a flower bed, as well as chopped pine cones or reeds.
Nettle for mulching
It turns out that nettle is not present in all gardens. This weed only thrives on good soil that is rich in humus and well structured. In general, if nettles began to grow in the garden, then you need to rejoice: everything is in order with the soil on the site!
This plain-looking weed grass contains so many useful trace elements and vitamins, especially iron, that not every medicinal plant can compare with nettle! And in terms of nitrogen content, it is ahead of even mowed grass, straw and peat, not to mention manure.
In the process of decay of any parts of this miracle plant, humus is formed, which is suitable for all crops. Mulching the soil with nettles gives an amazing result - everything grows like yeast dough. For mulch, it is better to use young nettles.(this is just the beginning of summer, when the mulching process begins).
Moss for mulch
Mulching with moss can only be done on non-acidic soil, as such mulch increases acidity. It is absolutely not suitable for strawberries and strawberries, these crops can simply rot in the bud. And for peppers, blueberries, radishes, raspberries and potatoes, such a mulch is just a godsend.
It is also good to mulch with moss conifers, some flowers, such as roses and azaleas. Seedlings of apple and pear trees can be covered with moss, this will protect them from excessive moisture, as the moss will absorb it into itself, and during a drought it will give it to the plants. In addition, moss is an excellent antiseptic.
Also, the use of humus, oilcake or sunflower husks and pumpkin seeds can be an excellent mulch for beds and a garden.
Advantages and disadvantages of different mulching materials
Mulching the soil in the greenhouse
Novice gardeners are wondering: is it necessary to mulch the soil in the greenhouse? The answer is unequivocal: of course, yes. Mulch retains its useful properties in the greenhouse. In addition, tomatoes and cucumbers, which are usually grown there, do not tolerate high humidity, as fungal bacteria quickly develop in the soil, which causes fungal diseases of these plants.
When using mulch, the seedlings are separated from the moist soil by a sufficiently large layer of mulch, which allows the plants to remain healthy during the entire growth period.
With the use of mulch, planting care is simplified, watering is greatly reduced, and tillage in the beds is significantly reduced. Literally in a year, it will be possible to see the result of the regular use of mulch - the soil in the greenhouse will become much more fertile and enriched with microelements.
How to mulch tomatoes in a greenhouse
inorganic mulch
The most commonly used inorganic materials are:
- small pebbles and gravel;
- non-woven materials for the garden;
- ruberoid;
- black film.
Film for mulching
Many people use a dark film in their garden to control weeds and preserve the structure of the soil. It should be spread on the desired area and secured with thick wire brackets, or lay boards, or simply pour earth on the edges.
To plant a plant, you need to make cuts crosswise or in the form of a gap above the landing site and, having made a hole, carefully plant. After that, carefully pour through the slots. The soil under the film mulch remains moist for a long time, which significantly reduces the frequency of watering. But you need to keep in mind that with a long break between watering, the soil under the waterproof material dries up, since rain does not penetrate the film.
If a perennial crop is grown under such a mulch, for example, garden strawberries, then there is no need to remove the film every time at the end of the season. She can stay in the garden for as many years as strawberries grow in this place, that is, about three or four years.
True, film mulch has one significant drawback - since it is not subject to decomposition, there is no nutrition for the soil from it. Therefore, before laying it on the soil, it is recommended to mulch the beds with humus.
Everything you need to know about soil mulching
Summer residents have long noticed: where nettle grows, fertile healthy soil, on which all crops grow well, including decorative ones. You can plant your plants in such soil without any fertilizers and they will grow very strong and strong.
Benefits of Soil Under Nettles
Decaying, the leaves, stems and roots of the nettle form a neutral thin humus. Next to nettles or after it, plants are very resistant to disease. Many fragrant plants, under its beneficial influence, enhance the aroma (for example, mint - almost twice), attracting beneficial insects, pollinating and destroying pests.
Ideal mulch - nettle
Nettle is rich in trace elements, primarily iron. Even a small amount of nettle leaves significantly improves the quality of the compost. Noteworthy is the positive experience of English gardeners using nettles as mulch: vegetable plants develop better and are under reliable protection from slugs, aphids and snails.
Nettle liquid fertilizer
The experience of European gardeners who use nettle infusion as a liquid fertilizer is interesting.
Finely chopped nettles are filled with polyethylene, wooden (but not metal) containers by 0.5 volume, water is poured to a level 10 cm below the upper edge of the dish, covered and placed away from housing (an unpleasant odor is released during fermentation).
After two weeks, the infusion is ready. For foliar top dressing, it is diluted 20 times and sprayed on plants, for watering under the root - 10 times.
Nettle infusion promotes the growth and development of most plants and heals the soil. But there are exceptions: garlic, onions, beans and peas do not like nettles.
In addition to nettle, infusions of a mixture of herbs are very effective: chamomile, shepherd's purse and horsetail (infusions from these herbs are rich in trace elements), and comfrey quickly compensates for potassium deficiency.
Nettles protect plants from aphids
The number of aphids increases sharply in dry summers. Fresh nettle leaves (1-2 kg per bucket of water) insist for a day, after which the affected plants are treated with undiluted infusion - the aphid dies from the action of formic acid contained in the burning hairs of the nettle.
Protection against phytophthora of tomatoes
It is known that spraying tomatoes with fermented nettle infusion (1 kg per bucket of water) prevents late blight outbreaks. Nettle is able to turn uncultivated, abandoned soils into suitable for crops.
Vitamin value of nettle
Nettle also heals a person. It saves from a lack of vitamins in early spring: young leaves and shoots are used to prepare green cabbage soup, salads, mashed potatoes, side dishes. For the winter, nettles are salted, sour, or powder is prepared from dry leaves.
Stuffing for pies is made from young nettles
(preferably in a 1:1 mixture with sorrel). Fresh juice is used to prepare cocktails with carrot and lemon juices. Since ancient times, nettle juice has been used as a nourishing and healing agent in cosmetics; it is included in many creams, shampoos and balms.
It is often customary for our gardeners to dig up the beds after harvesting, remove all weeds, level the surface with a rake and leave everything in this form until next spring. “Let the earth rest,” they say. Organic growers see things differently. Magda-Helena Schroeder, a gardener from Germany, expressed their point of view very well: “When I ride in a train or in a car and see diligently cleaned and dug up gardens on the sides of the road, where the bare surface of the earth is open to all the vicissitudes of the weather: frost, winds, rains, strong solar radiation, an ancient instinct wakes up in me. I feel like a mother who sees a sleeping child open up in a dream, throwing off a blanket. I want to stop, go out and lovingly cover this land. I want to spread my duvet on this earth - mulch!
For those who do not know this word, we explain: mulch is any degradable organic material that covers the surface of the soil. When the soil surface is open, the uppermost, most important for plant nutrition and the most fertile layer is in very unfavorable conditions. Rains wash out nutrients from it, it either dries up or freezes, living organisms go into the depths, and intensive mineralization of humus occurs in it. In general, uncovered soil gradually loses its fertility. What happens during mulching? Beneath the thick layer of mulch, in a moist, warm atmosphere, a variety of soil organisms thrive, for which the mulch also serves as food. Under their action, it gradually decomposes, enriching the soil with humus. So compare: bare soil - mineralization and loss of humus and nutrients; mulched soil - enrichment with humus. Plants also benefit from mulch, as it retains moisture in the soil and inhibits weed growth. In order for the mulch to fulfill its purpose, its layer must be at least 5-8 cm thick. A 15 cm thick layer of mulch almost completely suppresses the growth of weeds and eliminates the need for weeding. Under a layer of mulch, excellent conditions are created for the feeding and reproduction of earthworms. It prevents the formation of soil crust after rain and therefore reduces the need for frequent loosening.
Magda-Helena Schroeder advises keeping the entire garden under mulch all year round. She calls it "total mulching." But to this it is necessary to make a reservation that warns against mulching in some conditions. On heavy, clayey and damp soils, a thick layer of mulch can have a negative effect on plant growth. In the spring, beds covered with thick mulch warm up slowly. This is especially bad during a long, cold spring. Therefore, in early spring, it is better to remove the mulch from the beds so that they warm up well in the sun before sowing.
In hot, dry weather, you can cover the aisles with grass clipping mulch to retain moisture. Aisles can also be mulched with compost, foliage. In wet, cold weather, it is not worth mulching the aisles, as slugs accumulate under the mulch and the risk of fungal diseases increases. In all cases, the mulch should be placed at some distance from the stem or trunk of the plant, leaving a free and well-ventilated space around them.
Mulching materials fall into two categories: coarser and less coarse. Straw, hay, shavings, ferns, fallen leaves, peat serve as coarse mulch. Straw is very good for mulching garden strawberries, it suppresses weeds and serves as a good bedding for berries. Strawberry's fondness for straw mulch is reflected in its English name, which literally means "straw berry". Strawberries are also recommended to be mulched with pine or spruce needles, which have a good effect on its taste.
Beds are covered with a thick layer of coarse mulch to protect bulbous plants planted before winter from freezing. For winter mulching of rhubarb, it is recommended to use fallen tree leaves. A bed of rhubarb is fenced with a wire mesh about 30 cm high and filled with densely packed foliage in the fall. When young shoots appear on the surface in spring, the leaves are removed and tender, light-colored stems are harvested, which have a pleasant aroma and taste better than those grown under cover from a bucket or box. For the winter, woody leaves mulch the ground around berry bushes and raspberries, as well as near-stem circles of fruit trees. To do this, an area of \u200b\u200bup to 4 m 3 is enclosed with a grid near the tree and filled with fallen leaves, but not close to the trunk, but at a distance of about 50 cm, so that a ring with an unfilled middle forms around the tree. The outer border of the ring coincides with the border of the crown. Leaves can be left for 3 years, they are a good surface top dressing. Since pathogens of these crops can remain on the leaves of fruit and berry crops, it is recommended to use the foliage of other crops under trees or shrubs of some crops.
Chips and sawdust contain a lot of tannins, so they are first composted and used only in a well-rotted state. The advice to use cardboard for mulching may seem rather unusual. Often we throw away used cardboard boxes, not knowing that they can be used in the garden. It is good to line the paths with cardboard. Topped with a layer of straw or sand, it retards the growth of weeds very well.
Mulch made from fresh plants, such as grass clippings, can also serve as a good top dressing. An excellent material for mulching is provided by alfalfa. Experiments have shown that the introduction of relatively small amounts of freshly cut mass of alfalfa into the soil increases the yield of many crops. If spread evenly and lightly incorporated into the soil, it will improve the soil structure and increase the nitrogen content. Alfalfa mulch is especially effective when soil nitrogen levels are low. A layer of alfalfa mulch 7-8 cm thick traps rainwater, inhibits weed growth, keeps the soil moist, loose and cool, and enriches with nitrogen.
Alfalfa can be grown in a lawn or in a designated, well-drained sunny area with neutral soil. The soil should be fertilized with phosphorus and potassium. Alfalfa is a perennial plant and can grow in one place for three to five years. When it begins to degenerate, the sowing of alfalfa is transferred to another place.
English gardeners prefer to use comfrey for mulching, which is their favorite green manure. The green mass of comfrey is very rich in nitrogen and potassium. Nutrients are concentrated in comfrey leaves, but they are poor in those hardly decomposable organic substances (hemicellulose and lignin), which serve as a source of soil humus. Therefore, it is not suitable for enriching the soil with organic matter, but is used mainly as a potash fertilizer. The balance of minerals in comfrey is ideal for fertilizing potatoes. Comfrey, like alfalfa, is grown on a separate bed. When the plants reach a height of 45 cm, they are cut and this first cut is used to fertilize early potatoes. To do this, comfrey plants line trenches intended for planting potatoes, the depth of which is 30 cm, the width is 20 cm, the tubers are laid out on top and covered with soil. Comfrey gives 4-5 cuttings over the summer. The following cuttings are used as a potassium-rich mulch for vegetable crops and for the preparation of liquid fertilizer.
For mulching the soil surface, you can use the mowed mass of any green fertilizer, which for some reason cannot be embedded in the soil. English gardeners use nettles for mulching. Young nettle plants are laid out along rows of vegetables to repel slugs and snails. In addition, they believe that nettle has a beneficial effect on the growth of vegetable plants.
Remember what organic growers say: whoever doesn't respect mulch doesn't know the value of humus.
Any person tries to get around the dense thickets of nettles, because her "bites" are very painful, and after them redness and itching remain for a long time. On the other hand, such an "evil" pungency indicates a high content of biologically active substances that can be of great benefit in the garden, in a variety of home menus and health promotion.
First, a few words about the plant itself and its main properties.
Nettle (Urtica) is a genus of annual or perennial herbs with about 40-50 species. On the territory of Russia, the perennial stinging nettle (U. dioica) is almost universally distributed, the annual monoecious stinging nettle (U. mens) is somewhat less common. These plants are considered weeds, as they actively grow thanks to creeping rhizomes, even in adverse conditions (on scree, ruins, forest edges, in ditches, etc.), on almost any type of soil. Nettle belongs to hemicryptophytes (from Greek hemi - semi- and kryptos - hidden) - a life form of plants in which, during periods unsuitable for vegetation, renewal buds remain at soil level (or slightly higher) and are protected by scales, fallen leaves or snow cover.
Perhaps, such a concept as "hemicryptophytes" is not familiar to many, but in practice every summer resident constantly encounters them. In addition to nettles, these are “indestructible” dandelions, creeping tenacity, certain types of buttercups and other herbaceous plants of middle latitudes.
Nettle thickets are formed by small clumps (“islands”) and can be recognized from afar by the characteristic shape of the leaves (long-pointed with a rounded or heart-shaped base), their coarsely serrated edges and opposite, that is, opposite each other, arrangement on the stems.
The main natural “weapon” of nettle, which protects the delicate sweetish greenery from animals and insects that are not averse to eating it, is the burning glandular hairs that cover the stems and leaves. They contain a caustic liquid (formic acid), which, when it enters the skin wounds resulting from punctures with sharp edges of broken hairs, causes a painful burning sensation, and sometimes allergic reactions. Formic acid has a pronounced antibacterial effect, in addition to it, the leaves contain a large number of useful, biologically active substances. Thanks to these properties, nettle is widely used in amateur gardening and agriculture.
Method 1. Fertilizer
The main feature of stinging nettle is that it is able to accumulate nitrogen and its compounds (including nitrates), as well as a whole range of microelements. In terms of nitrogen content per unit mass, fresh nettle surpasses most traditionally used organic fertilizers: bird droppings, cow and pig manure, peat, any mowed grass or straw.
For adherents of organic farming, nettle is a great natural alternative to "shop chemicals" that can stimulate growth and increase the immunity of other plants. Fertilizer is prepared from it in the form of a concentrated infusion, which contains a lot of useful substances, and in the process of natural fermentation it is additionally enriched with enzymes. Almost all horticultural crops growing in most suburban areas respond gratefully to nettle dressings: cucumbers and tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, strawberries and currants. The list goes on, but it's easier to say that nettle fertilizers are not recommended for legumes, garlic, and onions.
Technology for the preparation of concentrated fertilizer from nettle
To prepare nettle fertilizer, young shoots with leaves are taken, crushed or chopped in any convenient way so that they fit well and fit tightly into the prepared container.
The container is densely filled with grass by 2/3 of the volume, filled with water (if warm, the fermentation process will begin faster) almost to the very top and covered with a lid. To stimulate intense fermentation, some gardeners add a little yeast, bread, or Baikal biofertilizer to the herbal slurry. Infusion for 7-10 days is left in a warm place, you can also in the open sun. Twice a day, it must be well mixed, providing an outlet for accumulating gases. The liquid will gradually become darker and acquire an unpleasant odor. When the gas bubbles stop forming foam, the fertilizer is ready.
You can learn more about the preparation of the infusion from the following video:
The use of nettle infusion
The concentrated infusion is diluted with water in the proportion:
- 1/10 - for root dressings;
- 1/20 - for foliar top dressing (by sheet).
For foliar top dressing, the solution is made weaker so as not to burn the leaves, filter and spray the plants with it once a month. Under the roots, a nutrient solution is applied 2-3 times a month, 0.5-1 liter for each plant. It is desirable to carry out top dressing in cloudy weather or in the evening, after rain or heavy watering. Nettle, like any other nitrogen-containing fertilizer, should be used mainly in the initial stages of the growing season (during growth and flowering). Then the active growth of green mass is undesirable, it will distract the plants from fruiting, which will lead to a decrease in yields.
Nettle as a fertilizer is successfully used not only in its “pure” form, but also added to compost, which it enriches in composition with its complex of vitamins and microelements. With a large amount of nettle, you can burn it, and then feed any plants with the resulting ash.
Nettle makes a wonderful ash fertilizer. To obtain it, mowed plants are dried in the sun for 3-4 days, then they are raked into a heap and burned. It turns out a thin, light, homogeneous ash of a bluish color. It contains almost 40% potassium and many trace elements necessary for plants. For comparison, "wood" ash, commonly used as potash fertilizer, has a much more "coarse" consistency, and the amount of potassium in it does not exceed 14-15%.
Method 2. Nutrient "pillow"
Many gardeners and gardeners advise planting nettles in the soil before planting various popular crops, primarily cucumbers. According to them, a layer of grass placed in prepared holes or ditches provides seedlings with good nutrition, stimulates their growth and protects against diseases and pests.
Greens are recommended to be pre-chopped and poured with plenty of water so that it rots faster and enriches the soil with useful and nutritious substances that are well absorbed by young plants. The nettle “pillow” is sprinkled with earth (a layer of 8-10 cm), seedlings are planted in it or seeds are sown and watered again.
Nettles are not only planted in beds, that is, they are used as green manure. It successfully mulches the soil. Shredded stems and leaves can be poured in a very thick layer, since nettle greens have one excellent quality - they quickly decompose. As a result, the mulch layer is light and loose. Water and nutrients penetrate down, and the layer itself remains wet for a long time, protecting the plant roots from drying out. There is evidence that the use of nettle mulch significantly increases the productivity of berry bushes (raspberries, currants, etc.), and allows you to get increased potato yields. Of the flowers, nettle mulch is especially “appreciated” by lilies.
Method 3. Prevention of diseases
Organic acids, tannins and phytoncides contained in nettles inhibit the activity of certain pathogens. For example, causative agents of late blight and powdery mildew. To combat late blight, use an infusion prepared from 1 kg of grass (per 10 liters of water), which has stood for a week in a warm place. In order to prevent various diseases and strengthen the immunity of plants, a weakly concentrated instant infusion is made: 1 tbsp. l. dry grass is poured into 1 liter of hot water and allowed to brew during the cooling process. Eco-friendly nettle treatments, unlike chemical preparations, can be used at any stage of plant vegetation, including during the filling and ripening of fruits.
The soil in areas infected with phytophthora, as well as in greenhouses, is recommended to be “cleaned” with nettles, dropping it for the winter. To do this, shallow trenches are prepared in the fall, a layer of grass (fresh, wilted or dried) 8-10 cm thick is laid in them and sprinkled with earth. Nettle, decomposing, turns into biohumus, additionally structuring the soil, making it looser.
Method 4. Pest control
The stinging stems and leaves can also be used as a natural insect repellant, such as aphids and mollusks (garden snails, slugs).
A good effect in the fight against aphids is given by spraying plants with a nettle solution (1 kg of grass per 10 liters of water), infused for a day. From crawling pests, it is best to simply spread the nettles under the roots of plants and from time to time update the mulch layer with fresh grass.
Method 5. Feed preparation
In the presence of animals or birds in the household, nettles are used as fresh feed and when harvesting hay and silage for long-term storage, since formic acid slows down the processes of decay and decay.
Experienced owners know that young nettle, introduced into the diet of birds and animals, protects them from many diseases, increases appetite and promotes the absorption of nutrients. In chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and quails, it stimulates egg production and improves the incubation quality of eggs. At the same time, the taste characteristics of meat and eggs, their biological value significantly increase. In industrial poultry farming, feed is widely used with the addition of dried nettle and flour from it, which contains:
For the preparation of fresh green fodder, young nettles of spring harvest (before and in the budding stage) are recommended, since the level of biologically active substances and the concentration of carotenoids after flowering are significantly reduced, and the amount of fiber increases. In young nettle, compared to the traditionally used alfalfa, there are 3 times more manganese and iron, and 5 times more zinc and copper. It is better to feed the crushed herbal mass to the birds immediately after preparation; for ducks, geese and turkeys, it is usually mixed with compound feed or moistened bran.
After flowering, only the tops of plants, young shoots and leaves should be collected for green fodder. For silage, nettle herbage is mowed in the period from the beginning to full flowering.
In the old days, nettles saved many people from hunger. In terms of nutritional value, it was compared with legumes, and in terms of the content of essential amino acids - with blackcurrant, sorrel, sea buckthorn, green onions and carrots, all taken together. Now, few people use nettle for culinary purposes in their kitchen, but salads, soups, and various drinks prepared from it cleanse the blood well and promote weight loss, so they may well serve as part of a healthy and diet menu.
In little Denmark, any piece of land is a very expensive pleasure. Therefore, local gardeners have adapted to grow fresh vegetables in buckets, large bags, foam boxes filled with a special earthen mixture. Such agrotechnical methods allow you to get a crop even at home.
It is believed that some vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, stalk celery, all varieties of cabbage, peppers, apples) have a “negative calorie content”, that is, more calories are expended during digestion than they contain. In fact, only 10-20% of the calories received from food are consumed in the digestive process.
Tomatoes have no natural protection against late blight. If late blight attacks, any tomatoes die (and potatoes too), no matter what is said in the description of the varieties (“late blight-resistant varieties” is just a marketing ploy).
Compost - rotted organic residues of various origins. How to do? Everything is put in a pile, a pit or a large box: kitchen leftovers, tops of garden crops, weeds mowed before flowering, thin twigs. All this is interbedded with phosphorite flour, sometimes straw, earth or peat. (Some summer residents add special composting accelerators.) Cover with foil. In the process of overheating, the pile is periodically stirred or pierced to bring in fresh air. Usually compost "ripens" for 2 years, but with modern additives it can be ready in one summer season.
“Frost-resistant” varieties of garden strawberries (more often simply “strawberries”) also need shelter, like ordinary varieties (especially in those regions where there are snowless winters or frosts alternating with thaws). All strawberries have superficial roots. This means that without shelter, they freeze out. Assurances of sellers that strawberries are “frost-resistant”, “winter-hardy”, “tolerate frosts down to -35 ℃”, etc. are a lie. Gardeners should remember that no one has yet been able to change the root system of strawberries.
Convenient applications for Android have been developed to help gardeners and gardeners. First of all, these are sowing (lunar, flower, etc.) calendars, thematic magazines, collections of useful tips. With their help, you can choose a day that is favorable for planting each type of plant, determine the timing of their maturation and harvest on time.
Natural toxins are found in many plants; no exception, and those that are grown in gardens and vegetable gardens. So, in the bones of apples, apricots, peaches there is hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, and in the tops and peel of unripe nightshade (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) - solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.
In Australia, scientists have begun cloning experiments on several cold-weather grape varieties. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.
