At the stage of preparing beds for planting, it is recommended to use a variety of fertilizers - organic or mineral. However, this is not enough. In order for plants to develop normally, it is necessary to use special soil disintegrants. They have a complex effect - they saturate the soil with air, make plants more resistant to temperature changes, and have a disinfecting effect.
Functions of baking powder
Using baking powder for the garden helps achieve a number of beneficial effects:
- Saturate the soil with air. Due to their heterogeneous structure, loosening agents form air cavities in the soil, which include a lot of oxygen. This helps improve plant development. In addition, soil loosening agents prevent the formation of a soil crust.
- Mitigate temperature changes. Thanks to this, the root system of plants feels comfortable even in cool weather. This is especially important for young crops in the spring, when sharp temperature fluctuations are observed. Due to this, it is possible to protect the roots from stress and avoid the development of fungal and bacterial pathologies. However, not all substances help achieve such results. This task is best accomplished with coarse sand, small pebbles, and crushed bricks.
- Disinfect the soil. Loosening components stop the development of abnormal flora and protect crops from infection. In addition, there are a number of compounds that have antiseptic functions. These include algae, moss, and coal.
How to quickly determine soil properties?
To choose the right loosening agent, it is recommended to determine the type of soil. To do this you can do the following:
- submit the soil to the laboratory;
- independently determine the composition of the substrate.
Of course, the first method is considered the most effective. However, it is not available to everyone. Therefore, you can try to evaluate the soil characteristics yourself. To do this, you need to moisten it with water and form a ball. If the figure falls apart, it means the soil is light. If you can twist a cord or ring out of the ground, this means that it is quite heavy.
Soil loosening agents for seedlings
To make the soil looser, you can use a variety of means. They differ in composition and properties.
Perlite
This material perfectly absorbs moisture. It is sterile and does not deteriorate. Perlite is suitable for germination and rooting of cuttings. With its help you can make the soil more porous and airy. The composition is sold in flower shops.
Vermiculite
This is a mineral leavening agent that has a layered structure. It prevents caking of the substrate and helps avoid acidification. The substance prevents the formation of mold or moss on the surface. In addition, vermiculite, together with moisture, accumulates valuable elements and gradually releases them to the plants.
The product can be used for rooting cuttings and planting seed material. If mixed with soil, it can be used to grow seedlings. In very wet soil, vermiculite should be applied dry. If the soil is dry, it needs to be soaked directly with the substrate.
An indisputable advantage of vermiculite is its naturalness. The product is mined in the Murmansk region and subjected to heat treatment. This helps enhance absorbency and volume.
Sand
This material is a natural leavening agent. To improve the composition of the soil, it is recommended to add 20 kilograms of sand per 1 square meter of loam. The substance must be distributed evenly over the surface of the beds, and then dig them to a depth of 20 centimeters.
You can additionally add peat to the alkaline substrate. However, the substance must be used very carefully, since it has acidifying properties. Infertile soil requires additional use of humus, since excess sand will further deplete the substrate.
Expanded clay
Fine expanded clay is recommended to be added to the soil or used as surface decoration. The material helps to avoid erosion and overheating of the soil. In addition, its use slows down the evaporation of moisture. The substance can be used as drainage.
Peat
High-moor peat has a red tint and an acidic reaction. It can only be used to increase the acidity of alkaline soil types. In addition, the material has a very poor composition. Bottom peat is dark in color and contains many valuable components. This component is often present in ready-made substrates.
Helium balloons
This type of baking powder has excellent decorative properties. It is presented in the form of beautiful balls of different colors. In fact, this substance does not help loosen the soil. At the same time, it improves the characteristics of the substrate and makes plant roots healthier.
The material has hygroscopic properties. During watering, it swells, and then gradually releases moisture and shrinks. This helps move soil particles, which is where the loosening properties manifest themselves.
Christmas tree needles
It is recommended to apply this material exclusively in the autumn when digging up the soil. It is also used at the stage of preparing the substrate for flowers. It is important to consider that Christmas tree needles have an acidic environment. Therefore, they are capable of greatly increasing soil acidity parameters.
pine bark
This product can be purchased ready-made or carefully removed from the trunks.It is recommended to apply pine bark in the autumn. It functions as a ballast loosening agent.
Styrofoam
The main advantages of this material are its affordable price and lightness. The substance can hardly be called natural. It takes a long time to decompose in the soil and cannot retain moisture. Since polystyrene foam has a low density, it quickly reaches the ground surface and therefore loses its functions.
Hydrogel
This polymer is made in the form of granules or powder. In crushed form, it is used for germinating seed material. The hydrogel also helps maintain the loose structure and moisture of the soil. The substance is characterized by a jelly-like structure. Thanks to this, the roots easily fall into the granules and absorb water and nutrients from them.
The use of hydrogel helps to significantly reduce the number of waterings. At the same time, dry granules in water can expand 15 times. When watering, they heat up moisture and gradually release it to the plants.
Keeping the soil loose
Systematic application of fertilizers helps maintain the desired soil structure. For this, it is recommended to regularly use wood ash. Dolomite flour is also suitable for this purpose. In addition, it is useful to use substances containing chalk or slaked lime. They saturate the soil with oxygen and have a beneficial effect on its structure.
Today, many soil disintegrants are known, which differ in composition and properties. This helps each gardener choose the optimal material based on their needs.
