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Good peat compost. We use peat as fertilizer in the garden Peat humus

Peat is a rotted substance of the remains of plants and animals, which includes minerals. By its nature, it is formed in swamps, where there is high humidity and where air does not flow. In addition, it is used as a fuel due to its high carbon content, and it is also used to treat the soil and is used as a building material.

Peat formation

In nature various plants and organisms that live in swamps or overgrown reservoirs die out, as a result a mass is formed, which becomes larger and larger over time. Peat formation occurs under conditions of minimal oxygen and high humidity.

Depending on the stage of decomposition of organisms, several types of peat are distinguished:

• Horse, when the compressed layers have not completely decomposed.
• Lowland, when decomposition has occurred completely.
• Transitional peat is a state of mass between high and lowland types.

Man fertilizes the earth with various means, but it is peat that has been known for its beneficial qualities since ancient times, so it is used not only in agriculture, but also for working on private land plots.

Peat as soil fertilizer

Many gardeners and gardeners believe that the land can be cultivated with peat alone, although this is an erroneous opinion; despite the large percentage of humus in it, it is not recommended to fertilize the soil this way. This is easily explained by the fact that the peat mass contains a minimal amount nutrients, it should be noted that it contains enough nitrogen, but it is difficult for plants to absorb such an additive. Experts do not recommend using only peat as a fertilizer, since only a maximum of 1.5 kg of nitrogen is required per ton of soil, but other elements are also needed for the development and growth of crops. For fertilizing it is necessary to use other mineral as well as organic fertilizers.

In addition to the fact that peat contains humus, it also has a porous structure, due to which the physiological qualities of the soil are significantly increased, this applies to any composition. Thanks to this fertilizer, the earth allows water and oxygen to pass through, breathes easily, without difficulty, and the roots of the plant feel good in such an environment. This applies to low-lying and intermediate types of peat; if we talk about the higher type, then it is best used only to shelter plants from frost.

For some types of soil, peat does not play a role and does not provide anything as a fertilizer, especially in relation to fertile soil. But if the soil on the site with admixtures of clay or sand is depleted and lacks organic matter, then peat with additional fertilizers will change the situation for the better. Agricultural crops will bring good harvest, and indoor plants will gain appearance.

Peat soil is exclusively valuable, only with the addition of other mineral or organic substrates or in the form of compost, which is especially beneficial for plants.

Positive qualities of peat

This type of fertilizer has numerous positive features, if used correctly, for example, it nourishes not only depleted soil, but also gives it lightness, makes the structure porous, due to which both air and water quickly enter the root system of plants.

In addition, peat is an antiseptic natural origin, therefore clears the soil from harmful bacteria, supports microflora and protects against various harmful bacteria and fungi. In addition, it easily increases the acidity of the soil if necessary, thereby increasing the effectiveness of fertilizers. The optimal pH value should be 3.5, otherwise peat as a fertilizer can harm crops.

Important! Improper use of such raw materials as fertilizer will lead to plants growing slowly, and in some cases may even lead to death.

Negative influence

Some gardeners do not know how to use peat correctly, so they make various mistakes in the soil cultivation process, for example, it is not recommended to apply it using the continuous method. Other supplements, organic or mineral type. You cannot use high-moor peat as a fertilizer, as it will be of no use, since in most cases it is used for mulching. For sandy loam and fertile soil, peat mass is not suitable as an organic fertilizer.

Do-it-yourself peat harvesting

All composting work begins with the preparation of a place for its placement, for example, a box, the raw materials are laid in layers, between which earth or manure is located.

In order for it to become fertile, it should be laid in layers no more than 50 cm thick, or it must be thoroughly mixed with plant debris. Distinctive feature peat is that it retains moisture well, so during storage it must be tightly covered, otherwise rain will lead to the formation of a wet and heavy mass, which subsequently is simply impossible to dry.

Self-prepared compost must be moistened until the raw material is loose, so that water does not run in a stream if you squeeze the fertilizer with your hand. In the box where the peat will be stored, it is necessary to put a good layer of drainage, for example, from branches. As a rule, many ground harmful microorganisms do not live in an acidic environment, the pH of which is 5 units; in peat this figure is lower, therefore, before composting it, the raw materials must be soggy. To do this, add lime flour and ash to it in any quantity, mixing thoroughly.

In agriculture, there are two types of peat composting:

• Layer-by-layer, when the mass and manure are laid in layers, alternating raw materials in turn, until the height of the stack is 1.5 meters.
• Focal, when peat is laid first, and then manure along and in the middle of the stack.

The manure is laid on all sides, and in the summer water or liquid is added to the pile; in addition, peat compost is useful for adding fertilizers with potassium and lime, taking into account the acidity of the soil.

Fertilizing plants and seedlings with peat

For seedlings and crops, fertilizer is prepared once a season, applied in the fall or spring, before digging, this increases soil fertility. The composition of peat is tight, so it should be slightly modified before being incorporated into the soil. When spring comes, remove the film that covered the peat mass for the winter, add fresh feces and mix well, leave to infuse for a maximum of two days, then scatter it on a new drainage to make the fertilizing material loose and fill it with oxygen. After use, they are closed again to keep out the rain and left to ripen until autumn.

peat formation

The main disadvantage of this fertilizer is that it does not contain clay and sand, as well as pebbles, which create a drainage effect.

Sand and clay are very important for the soil, and latest topic Moreover, because it contains all the nutrients so that they are not washed away, it helps to form high-quality humus elements. In simple words, clay is a favorable basis for fertile soil. The fact that peat mass is formed in a swamp environment makes it rich not only in humus substances, but also in organic matter. The parameters of the ratio of sand and clay do not matter, the main thing is that these components are present.

To fertilize the beds, it is enough to add several buckets of sand and clay, not forgetting about other ordinary mineral fertilizers, especially for nitrogen compounds. Fertile soil is fertilized and peat soil must be processed without fail, since many substances are practically absent in such raw materials.

As a rule, phosphorus and potassium are added either to peat compost or directly to flower beds during their creation. In fact, they are already compost heaps, since as much manure and bird droppings as possible, grass mass and fertilizers, as well as ash and other additives, phosphate rock and dolomite flour. Once everything is mixed, the heap is left to sit and mature for at least a few months.

For more information on how to obtain, use and store peat in the form of fertilizer, watch the video

The best option for making compost from peat is lowland peat. This type of peat contains much more nitrogen and calcium than high peat and transitional peat, and the acidity is low. The amount of nitrogen contained in lowland peat is approximately the same as in manure, but its condition is inaccessible to plants. The amount is 2-3% in the form of nitrates and ammonia. The reason for this is the poor decomposition of peat organic matter by microorganisms, but if manure is added to it, slurry and feces are created favorable condition for mineralization of the nitrogen it contains.

Peat fecal composts

Peat fecal composts (consist of one part peat and one part feces or 1:1) is a strong and fast-acting fertilizer that contains almost 2 times more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compared to manure.

In the absence of peat, feces can be diluted with water (1:10) and such a solution can be used. However, we must not forget that for vegetable crops that are used without cooking, it is impossible to use feces in its pure form, because the spread of diseases will occur.

For other crops, they can be applied 15–20 days before planting, by spreading them evenly over the area, otherwise the plants may burn out.

The compost can be used when it becomes a homogeneous crumbly mass. IN summer period This will take about 3 months.

The best option for vegetable crops is to add it to next year. If you lay it in the fall, then its life can last about 6-10 months.

Before adding it to the soil, it must be crushed with a shovel or fork. If you have any problems with composting, then you need to dry the weeded grass and plant residues in the sun and burn them.

In this way, before the onset of planting season, a large amount of ash is prepared, which contains a lot of nutrients necessary for plants (including microelements), except for nitrogen.

Ash for vegetable crops is used at a rate of 50 -100 g per square meter. m.

Peat manure composts

Peat manure composts produce activates the remains of plant peat that have not decomposed, promotes the formation of humus and improves the physical qualities of manure. For peat and manure the ratio should be 1:1 or 1:2.

Compost can mature within 1-2 months. In spring and summer, more peat is added to the compost, and in autumn and winter the best option there will be an increase in the mass of manure to protect the compost from freezing.

Peat manure compost (especially with acidic peat) can be improved by adding 1-2 kg of lime material, 0.5 - 0.8 kg of potassium chloride, 1.5 - 2 kg of phosphate rock per 100 kg of compost.

The application rate is 3-4 kg per square meter. m.

Peat manure composts

Peat manure composts are also highly effective. In pure bird droppings high density and poor flowability. If you store it in a heap, it becomes very hot, which results in a significant loss of nitrogen.

In addition, like manure, it contains a large number of weeds that need to be disinfected. Due to the fact that bird droppings contain a high concentration of nutrients, it is better not to add them in their pure form.

Bird droppings are composted with peat in layers - 1:3 for 1.5 - 2 months. When composting the mixture, it would be useful to add potash fertilizers, lime materials, and wood ash.

Peat is used for filling fecal pits and preparing composts. Cesspools should be regularly sprinkled with peat powder. When using new cesspools, peat is laid at the bottom in a layer of 20-30 cm, then the fecal mass is sprinkled with peat crumbs daily until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Instead of peat, sawdust or dry humus soil is also used. The fecal mass of cesspools contains 0.5-0.8% nitrogen, 0.2-0.4% phosphorus and 0.2-0.3% potassium.

When compiling peat fecal composts For 100 kg of lowland peat with a moisture content of about 70%, take 50 kg of feces. If slightly decomposed, well-ventilated peat moss of the same moisture content is used, the dose of feces is increased to 200 kg, and if the peat moisture content is 50% - to 350 kg per 1 ton.

Feces with peat are composted in two ways:

• at first lay the entire stack of peat, then, on top in the middle, a trough-shaped depression is made, which is filled with feces. After the feces are completely absorbed, the depression is filled with peat, and the surface of the stack is leveled.
• peat is stacked layers of 30-50 cm and each of them, except the top one, is moistened with feces. It is better to lay each new layer after the previous layer has warmed up, which occurs on the 4-5th day. Feces are also used to make various prefabricated composts from difficult-to-decompose materials. In this case, peat, turf or other soil is laid on the prepared site, and then various waste or residues are laid in a layer of 20-30 cm garden crops. The waste is moistened with fecal matter diluted in water and lime or ash is added in an amount of 2-3% of the mass. The moistened composted mass is covered with earth or peat with a layer of 5-6 cm, then a new layer of compostable material is applied, treating it with feces, and so on until the stack reaches a height of 1-1.5 m. After 1.5-2 months After laying the pile, the compost heap is mixed, and as it dries, it is moistened with slurry or water. Compost is ready for use when it turns into a well-decomposed dark homogeneous mass. Fecal composts can be used for vegetable crops after aging for eight to nine months.

All types of peat are suitable for composting with manure., but the best one is ventilated with a humidity of 65-70%. The ratio between peat and manure should be: winter period- 1:1, in summer - 1:3 or 1:4. If horse manure and well-decomposed peat are used for composting, the ratio of manure to peat when laying compost in winter can be 1:3, and in summer - 1:8. If there is an excess of peat and a lack of manure, the proportion of peat in the composts is increased. For winter composting, it is better to use more decomposed peat.

There are two ways to compost manure and peat- layered and focal:

• with layer-by-layer composting laid on the prepared site peat a layer of 50 cm so that the slurry does not seep into the soil, and then a layer of manure. Layers of peat and manure alternate until the height of the stack reaches 1-1.5 m. The most top layer consists of peat. With a ratio of manure and peat of 1:1, the thickness of their layers in the stack can be 25-30 cm,
• with focal composting first laid on the platform peat 50-60 cm thick, and then a layer of manure along and in the middle of the entire stack, 70-80 cm thick and less than the width of the peat layer (if there is a lack of manure or using liquid manure without bedding, it is better to lay it in a peat stack, in the form of separate intermittent pockets).

The stacked manure is covered with peat on top and on all sides with a layer of 50-60 cm. In summer, the stack is moistened with slurry or water. When stacking in peat manure composts It is advisable to add phosphate rock - 1.5-3 kg per 100 kg of composted material, as well as potassium fertilizers at the rate of 0.5-0.6 kg per 100 kg of composted mass and lime, depending on the acidity.

Peat is an organic fertilizer. For many years, gardeners have been actively using it to fertilize the soil in their plots and indoor plants. To obtain benefits, you must follow the rules for using peat, otherwise you can harm the plant. Not every soil needs fertilizer. If it contains 4–5% humus, then peat will be superfluous. Soil with a high content of clay and sand will improve with the addition of peat. Properly prepared, it will saturate the soil with organic matter, prevent nutrients from being washed out of the soil when watering plants, and make it looser and warmer. In addition, peat has antiseptic properties.

How peat fertilizers are produced

The composition of peat is dead and rotted plants. It is formed during the long-term formation of layers of biomass of dead plants under conditions of humidity and lack of oxygen. There are three degrees of decomposition of peat layers:

1. Horse - with partially decomposed plant remains.
2. Lowland - completely decomposed plants.
3. Transitional – intermediate layer.

Peat is used as fertilizer in agriculture, gardening and decorative floriculture. It should be non-acidic, well-ventilated, lowland and transitional, have a degree of decomposition of 30–40%, ash content of 13–15% and humidity of 50–70%. Simply scattering peat around the site will not bring the desired benefit. In its pure form, it does not release nitrogen to plants well. Insufficiently aerated and freshly dug peat will harm plants, as it contains many toxic substances and is highly acidic, which has a detrimental effect on plant life. If prepared incorrectly, it can ruin the soil.

Peat extraction process and technology

Extraction occurs in two ways: milling and by extracting sod peat.

Milling

A method in which layer-by-layer development of peat deposits occurs over short cycles. In the beginning milling drums The top layer is milled to a depth of 6–20 mm and, as a result, peat chips are obtained. At the same time, it must be intensively dried with particles measuring 15–25 mm. Next, the layer is turned and loosened for ventilation and evaporation. The next stage is swathing the layer, i.e. collecting peat into rolls with a triangular cross-section from the plant. Then - stacking and insulating the collected peat.

After harvesting, new milling begins and the cycle repeats. Depending on weather conditions, equipment availability and layer quality, the number of iterations can reach 10–50 times. This method has been used since 1930 on deposits of all types. Preparation land area includes drainage and cleaning of wood and grass residues from the peat massif. The milling method of extraction includes short cycles and intensive drying. Characterized by increased peat extraction per unit area and 100% mechanization technological production, which reduces production costs. The main consumers of milled peat are power plants and manufacturing; 15–25% of this product is used in agriculture.

Lump

Extraction of sod peat is a production process using an excavator method, which uses bucket devices and slot milling to a depth of 0.4–0.8 m.
The following operations are applied:

• Extraction and processing with the formation of bricks from peat mass.
• Laying peat bricks on the field.
• Drying and stacking of products.

The price of peat directly depends on the place of its extraction and the method of delivery. The lower these costs, the lower the price. You can buy these fertilizers in any region of the country.

Impact of peat extraction on the environment

The ecology of our planet is under threat due to increasing levels in the atmosphere carbon dioxide, which creates a “greenhouse effect”. Swamps influence the content of “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere, being a regulator of climate and gas composition of the atmosphere. Swamps as part of the ecosystem take part in the cycle of substances, intensively absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Moreover, they do this more actively than the forest.

Carrying out the process of peat formation, they accumulate carbon in the organic matter of peat. The annual growth of peat deposits is 1 mm. It takes 6–8 thousand years to accumulate a layer 6–8 m thick. During the drainage of swamps for peat extraction, the biosphere functions of its ecosystem are disrupted. This negatively affects our nature and ecology.

On the other hand, in the process of life, swamps emit methane into the atmosphere, the “greenhouse effect” of which is 20 times higher. when extracting peat, it prevents the release of methane into the atmosphere. They negatively affect forest lands, gradually consuming them.

One of the positive aspects is the energy intensity of peat as a fuel. There is an economic benefit compared to the consumption of natural gas. When peat is burned, twice as much carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, which negates its advantage as a fuel.

In addition, peat contains additional impurities and ash. It is worth thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of using peat as fuel. In this regard, its extraction is regulated by law. The government is developing special programs for the extraction and use in a rational manner.

There is a list of peat bogs on state level intended for production based on the results of a competition or auction. To ensure safety and security environment restrictions may be imposed on the use of peat bogs.

Alternative to peat fertilizers

A substitute for peat as fertilizer is manure, bird droppings, silt, feces, sawdust and tree bark, green manure, as well as composts.

Manure

One of best replacements peat: it is very rich in organic fertilizers. Manure is 75% water, 21% organic matter, 0.5% total nitrogen, 0.25% digestible phosphorus, 0.6% potassium oxide. In many ways, the quality of manure depends on the type of animal, what food it ate, what bedding was used and what storage method was chosen. There are four stages of manure decomposition:

• slightly decomposed (the color and strength of straw in manure remain almost unchanged);
• half-rotten (straw becomes dark brown in color, strength decreases, breaks easily);
• rotted (black smearing mass, straw has completely decomposed);
• humus (loose earthy mass).

It is not recommended to use fresh manure as fertilizer.

Bird droppings

Considered the best peat substitute among organic fertilizers. The most valuable are chicken and pigeon, less valuable are duck and goose. It is best to apply bird droppings to the soil in the fall. Most effective in liquid feeding.

IL

In nature, silt accumulates at the bottom of reservoirs, so it is very rich in humus, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Before use, the sludge should be ventilated and used in sandy soils.

Feces

Before use, this type of fertilizer must be pre-prepared. cesspool lined with 20–25 cm of peat for better preservation. Next, weekly the feces are covered with an additional layer of peat to preserve nitrogen and get rid of the characteristic odor. To disinfect feces from worms, they are composted, since the eggs die at a temperature of 45–50°.

Sawdust, tree bark

The cheapest organic fertilizer. It should be applied only in rotted form. Can be mixed with slurry, fallen leaves and plant debris. It is good to layer with soil. Tree bark is pre-composted, then crushed, mixed with mineral fertilizers, stir and moisten from time to time. After six months, the fertilizer is ready for use.

Green manure

They are high-stemmed plant mass plowed into the ground. The properties of green manure are almost equivalent to manure. They include one and perennial crops, such as legumes, sunflower, buckwheat. While in the soil, nutrients are gradually released from green manure, restoring the soil structure.

Composts

Creation compost heap together with peat and manure, it will make peat as a fertilizer rich in nutrients and harmless.
The compost heap is prepared on the site in 2 x 2 m layers.

1. Peat is laid out 25–30 cm high.
2. Sawdust 10 cm high is poured on top.
3. The next layer is a mixture of garden soil with tops, weeds, and food debris 20 cm high.
4. Horse manure, mullein or bird droppings are laid out 20 cm high.
5. It is necessary to lay out peat again with a height of 20 to 30 cm.

To ensure a special microclimate in the pile, the sides of the structure must be covered with peat or garden soil. To rainwater did not drain, but was absorbed into the heap, it is necessary to raise the edges by 10–15 cm. The height should not be higher than 1.5 m. Now this compost heap must be left to rot for 12–18 months. For periodic moistening, use a bucket of water with 100 g of superphosphate added. To hide the pile from sun rays, it will be useful to make a canopy. And with the arrival of autumn, it must be sprinkled with dry leaves, high-moor peat or soil. In winter, you should cover the pile with a snow coat.

Of course, peat is beneficial for nutrient-depleted soil. With its structure, it improves the physiological properties of the soil: fertilized with peat, it becomes more loose, water- and air-permeable, root system plants “breathe” freely.