The acidity of the soil on the plot should be regularly monitored. Many summer residents are familiar with the fact that increased acidity is bad.
What good is it if the acidity is low? In this case, the yield decreases and other problems appear.
Conifers
The easiest way to slightly acidify the soil is to use pine needles. If there are no pine trees on the site, they can easily be found in the forest or even parks.
When forming mulch from pine needles, it is important to pay attention to debris, leaves and branches. There are often situations when summer residents use mulch, which ultimately causes more harm.
Coniferous mulch should perform two functions:
- Covers the soil, retaining moisture and providing protection from weeds.
- Acidifies the soil.
Eventually, the mulch will begin to rot, bringing benefits.
Sphagnum moss
Organic substances slightly acidify the soil. Sphagnum moss provides a gradual effect. There is no point in waiting for serious changes in soil acidity immediately after its introduction. Moss is introduced in an even layer during digging of the area.
The best time to apply it is autumn. Sphagnum moss should be applied in doses, as its excess can cause negative consequences.
Citric acid
This is one of the fastest methods, but you should be careful when choosing it. The essence of the method: you need to dissolve 2 teaspoons of citric acid in 10 liters of water. The solution is introduced into the soil gradually and evenly.
When watering, situations where puddles appear should not be allowed. In this case, there is no point in talking about uniform acidity after application.
Citric acid is safe for all plants. It will not significantly change the composition of the soil. The main thing is to keep the proportions. Excess citric acid will not bring anything good, and this point should be taken into account.
Vinegar
Table vinegar is another method, but it should be used responsibly. Vinegar is used according to the following scheme:
- 100 ml of 9% vinegar is diluted in 10 liters of water;
- irrigation is carried out using a regular watering can;
- the composition must be well absorbed, it must be applied evenly, without allowing puddles to form.
When giving preference to this method, it is worth remembering the disadvantages that will also manifest themselves. The result is fast, but after application, part of the microflora dies. Therefore, it makes sense to use this method only once, when drastic measures need to be taken.
Green manure
To improve the soil composition, you can plant green manure in the winter or spring. Green manure can also be planted in the summer, when one of the beds has already been harvested. Planting such crops is an excellent solution. The fact is that the soil composition is restored, the nitrogen content increases.
You can plant:
- legumes;
- cereals;
- cruciferous;
- buckwheat and others.
Green manure can be called a universal solution, especially since it does not require special care.
