Peat is an effective natural fertilizer that is actively used when growing plants. In this case, the substance can have different types, each of which has certain characteristics. In order for the product to give the desired effect and not cause harm to the plants, it must be used correctly, strictly following the dosage. At the same time, many people are interested in where they can get peat from nature for their garden.
What is peat for?
To increase yield parameters, it is important to fertilize the soil before planting plants on the site. Many gardeners use peat for this. This substance includes many useful components - nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon.
This organic fertilizer is affordable and highly effective. It contains plants and organisms that live in swamps and lakes. When they die, valuable biomass is formed.
Every year the layers are superimposed on each other and compressed. This is due to increased humidity and lack of air. As a result, peat soil is formed. It can have a neutral or acidic reaction. With the help of peat, it is possible to normalize the structure of the soil and make it more productive.
Benefits and harms
The biomaterial is extremely useful for the garden. Its use helps to obtain the following results:
- Make the soil lighter and more porous. Due to this, moisture and air more easily reach the root system of plants.
- Destroy pathogenic microflora. Thanks to its pronounced antiseptic properties, the composition successfully copes with dangerous bacteria and fungi.
- Saturate poor and infertile soil with nutrients. In this case, peat is recommended to be combined with organic fertilizers.
- Normalize soil acidity. If the parameters are lowered, the correctly selected biomaterial will help achieve the desired results.
- Warm up the soil quickly. Also, fertilizing absorbs excess moisture and allows you to retain nutrients.
- Get rid of the crust on the surface of the earth.
Sometimes the substance causes harm to the soil. Most often this happens when low-quality fertilizers are used or the rules for applying them to the soil are violated.In such a situation, organic matter slows down and suppresses the development of crops, and sometimes provokes their death.
Overview of species
There are several main varieties of peat, each of which has certain characteristics.
Lowland
This type of biomaterial is most often used as top dressing. All its ingredients are completely decomposed. In addition, the composition has a uniform structure and a slightly acidic environment.
The biomaterial contains 50% humus. This substance is the main parameter of soil fertility. However, the presence of this component does not yet guarantee a good harvest.
Transitional
This type of biomaterial represents a kind of layer between the lowland and upland varieties. It has a higher level of decomposition of ingredients. Due to this, this type of peat is considered more valuable. However, its acidity is not high enough for agricultural use.
Horse
This fertilizer is characterized by high acidity parameters and low nutrient content. The ingredients differ in structure because they did not have time to decompose to the required state.
This peat contains sphagnum mosses, cotton grass, wild rosemary and other light herbs growing in swamps. This layer, as a rule, is rarely used in vegetable gardens. It is not used as fertilizer. High-moor peat is well suited for mulching.
Can it be applied to the soil in its pure form?
Biomaterial includes nutritional and mineral components. Lowland and transitional species consist of 40-60% humus.Despite this, you should not use the substance in its pure form. It is best combined with other organic and mineral fertilizers.
In addition, dry peat provokes dehydration of the soil, since it draws a lot of moisture from it. Dried lowland peat is most often used as mulch for lawns. It is laid out in a layer of 5 millimeters.
It is strictly prohibited to use high-moor peat in its pure form. It can cause great harm to the soil and plants. This biomaterial contains few nutrients. At the same time, it strongly acidifies the soil.
This type of biomaterial can only be added to the soil in the form of compost, mixed with other fertilizers. As a result, it is possible to obtain an excellent nutritional composition that can be used to feed vegetables, berry plants, and flowers.
Using peat as a fertilizer
Peat is an effective fertilizer that helps saturate plants with nutrients and improve their growth. It is important to use this fertilizer correctly.
Potato
This culture best absorbs the beneficial substances contained in peat. To obtain excellent results, peat compost should be combined with mineral fertilizers. In this case, the soil should be loose and slightly acidic.
If the soil is light, peat fertilizer can be applied in the spring, directly into the holes for planting potatoes or seedlings of other plants. If the soil has a heavy structure, it should be fed in the fall. In this case, peat is used simultaneously with the application of manure.
Strawberry
The use of peat helps improve the flowering, development and fruiting of strawberries. Biomaterial can be used as mulch for bushes. To do this, it is recommended to ventilate it and mix it with ash and sawdust. For 10 kilograms of peat it is worth taking 1 kilogram of ash. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce acidity parameters and not cause harm to the soil.
In addition to feeding the earth, peat can be used directly to feed plants. In this case, the substance can be added in different ways:
- In spring, add a layer of mass to the hole for planting strawberries. Its thickness should be 5 centimeters.
- In the fall, during preparation for winter, peat compost should be scattered between the strawberry beds and the soil should be dug up. At the same time, it is recommended to take 25 kilograms of fertilizer per 1 square meter.
Tomatoes
To feed tomatoes, the peat mixture should be added to the hole when sowing seedlings. As the plants grow, the composition can be used as fertilizer 2 times a month. Thanks to this, it is possible to significantly increase yield parameters.
cucumbers
Cucumbers do not develop well in an acidic environment. Therefore, it is worth using peat in gardening very carefully. It must first be composted and only then laid out on the beds with cucumbers. At the same time, for 1 square meter it is worth taking 20 kilograms of the substance.
Cabbage
Peat cannot be used in its pure form to feed cabbage. The fact is that this plant does not tolerate an acidic environment.Therefore, peat must first be composted and only then added to the holes when planting grown plants. Thanks to this, it is possible to improve the development of the crop and make it more resistant to diseases and parasites.
Flowers
The composition can be used as a fertilizer for flowers. To increase the effectiveness of this substance, it is recommended to combine it with organic and mineral fertilizers. The biomaterial also goes well with sand. The use of such fertilizing improves the growth and development of crops. In addition, it helps to achieve more luxuriant flowering.
Dosage and application rules
It is permissible to add peat mixture to the soil in spring and autumn. At the same time, it is recommended to distribute it evenly over the soil surface. For 1 square meter it is worth taking 30-40 kilograms of the substance. Afterwards, the soil needs to be dug up onto the bayonet of a shovel.
It is permissible to sprinkle peat in a layer of 5-6 centimeters into the tree trunks of trees and shrubs. It is allowed to be used in places where crops are planted.
This substance is distinguished by high acidity parameters - this is especially true for the high variety. Therefore, before adding the composition, its neutralization is required. To do this, it is recommended to mix 100 kilograms of peat with 5 kilograms of lime, 4-5 kilograms of dolomite flour or 10-12 kilograms of ash.
Gardener mistakes
Novice gardeners make various mistakes when adding peat. The most common violations include the following:
- using peat mixtures instead of other fertilizers;
- violation of application dosage depending on the type of soil;
- neglect of composting;
- use of unprepared high-moor peat;
- overdrying of the material;
- use for fertile soil types.
Where to dig
In wetlands, you can extract fertilizer yourself. To do this, use a sharp shovel to remove the top layer of the substance and deliver it to the site. Then the composition needs to be dried.
Peat is an effective fertilizer that is often used to saturate the soil with useful substances. It is important to use the composition correctly.
