The composition and type of soil varies depending on the region. In the south, the soil is more fertile; its layer can reach a meter. To the north, the soil becomes heavier, the fertility of the land decreases, and it is more difficult to grow crops on it. A detailed description of the soils of the North-Western region will be useful to gardeners living in this district, which includes several regions.
Peculiarities
The Northwestern Federal District includes the territories of the republics of Karelia and Komi, Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Novgorod, Murmansk, Pskov, Kaliningrad, Leningrad regions, the city of St. Petersburg, and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
Throughout the entire area of the district, the combination of complex (acidic, highly swampy) soil and a cold climate with abundant rainfall led to poor development of agriculture.
What kind of soils are there in the North-Western region?
The region is characterized by various types of podzolic soils, typical of areas with a cold, humid climate. Their properties are similar to clay, dense, poorly permeable to air and moisture. This type of soil is typical for northern coniferous forests, taiga, and areas of mixed forest with abundant rainfall. Previously, it was called belozem for the light, gray or white shade of the earth. There are:
- podzolic - coniferous forests, various types of shrubs, lichens, and mosses grow on it;
- gleypodzolic - slightly lighter, with a high iron content;
- soddy-podzolic - this type of soil contains a higher percentage of organic matter in areas where taiga is adjacent to deciduous forests; in addition to mosses and lichens, grasses grow in such areas.
The following features are typical for podzols:
- low amount of nitrogen;
- low temperature and slow soil warming;
- leaching water regime (when the amount of precipitation is greater than the amount of moisture evaporated from the soil);
- weak microbial activity, low amount of organic matter in the soil.
Successful farming in the regions of this district requires constant application of fertilizers (nitrogen, organic matter), planting plants in greenhouses, and arrangement of a drainage system at the dacha site. Only the Kaliningrad region is characterized by the presence of a European (much milder) climate; pears, plums, and cherries grow well there.
Despite the fact that the Northwestern Federal District is the region of the most successful economic development, agriculture is not very developed here due to the complexity of planting and caring for plants. Gardening fans manage to grow excellent yields of vegetables and fruits in the Leningrad and Novgorod regions by planting zoned varieties.
Main problems
High humidity, swampy lands, a small amount of organic matter in the soil, combined with a cold climate, made growing agricultural products in the regions of the North-Western region a complex and labor-intensive process. Here it is necessary to apply fertilizers, liming the soil to reduce acidity, use organic matter (manure, humus), use greenhouses and greenhouses to create an optimal temperature for plants.
Systematic measures to improve the composition of the soil, climate warming, and the work of breeders make it possible to grow plants in the northern regions that are familiar to the southern regions and improve the yield of familiar crops.
