Very often, summer residents notice to their chagrin that the seedlings they lovingly grew suddenly began to die.
An expert of the online publication BelNovosti, agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , in an attempt to find a solution to the problem, advises paying attention to the composition of the soil purchased in the store.
As a rule, the main component of the soil mixture is peat, which is not surprising, since it is low cost.
Peat has its pros and cons. It contains a lot of organic matter and a moderate amount of nitrogen, no weed seeds or plant pathogens.
Among the disadvantages is the complete biological inertness of peat, which means that in its pure form it is a dead substance.
In addition, peat has such a quality as enormous absorption capacity and moisture capacity - it is this that is to blame for the death of seedlings.
Let's explain in more detail. Imagine: you used a purchased composition for planting plants, which contains a lot of peat, and, in addition, you planted seedlings in peat pots.
After watering, after a few days, the surface of the soil has dried out, which is why you decide to moisten the soil again.
But there is a lot of moisture inside – it was absorbed by the peat. This leads to the formation of harmful ferrous compounds, which are already present in pure peat.
As a result, the roots of plants, being in conditions of excess moisture, experience a lack of oxygen and stop absorbing nutrients, and the seedlings stop growing and die.
Even the use of drainage and drainage holes in the pots does not solve the problem, since peat soil retains moisture well.
Earlier we told you what to plant next to garlic and onions to get a good harvest.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
