The straw that remains after harvesting cereal crops brings great benefits to the soil. Therefore, gardeners often use it as top dressing or mulch. This natural material is buried in the soil in late autumn and used for making compost and mulching. With its help, it is possible to improve the soil, fill it with valuable substances and protect plants from parasites. However, mulching with straw has pros and cons.
Composition and beneficial properties
Straw is the name given to the dry stems of various crops that remain after harvesting and threshing. Therefore, cellulose and other carbohydrates are considered the key components of this material. During drying, the stems lose moisture and some volatile components. At the same time, carbohydrates and chemical components present in the plant juice remain. Thanks to this, straw helps saturate the soil with valuable substances.
So, 6 tons of straw in the soil helps fill it with the following elements:
- 75 kilograms of potassium;
- 25 kilograms of nitrogen;
- 14 kilograms of calcium;
- 5 kilograms of phosphorus;
- 4 kilograms of magnesium.
At the same time, it takes at least 8 months to enrich the soil with these substances. As the substance decomposes, humus is formed. The beneficial properties of the soil depend on it. To speed up decomposition, it is recommended to add mineral nitrogen to the composition. Otherwise, the soil will lose some of its valuable components.
Effect on soil and plants
Dry organic matter affects the structure of the soil, causing it to loosen during overheating. As a result, the soil becomes softer and comfortable conditions for the development of cultivated plants are created.
Also, with the help of straw, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of erosion. If you bury this raw material in the fall, it is possible to improve air exchange and increase the absorption characteristics of the soil. If you spread mulch between the rows, you will be able to avoid the active growth of weeds.
Advantages and disadvantages
Before using straw on your site, it is important to study its benefits and harms. The main advantages of this material include the following:
- no additional cash investments;
- improvement of soil structure - straw makes the soil looser and increases its permeability;
- contains many useful organic components, vitamins and amino acids;
- no need for specific storage conditions;
- the ability to retain moisture in the soil;
- saturating the soil with carbon, creating favorable conditions for plant photosynthesis;
- the possibility of restoring depleted soil - for this, several types of straw are usually used;
- protection of cultivated plants from burning and suppression of weed development.
However, the material has certain disadvantages. These include the following:
- the presence of pests in the larvae - they can lead to deterioration in the development and growth of cultivated plants;
- the risk of damage to roots when using insufficiently decomposed material - this is due to the release of harmful acids;
- the need for additional soil moisture;
- long-lasting effect - valuable components from the coating will reach the soil only after a few years.
In terms of the amount of valuable organic components, straw is several times greater than ordinary manure. To reduce the risk of negative consequences from the use of the material, it must be applied annually. Moreover, it is recommended to do this immediately after harvesting.
When using the substance, it is important to strictly adhere to the dosage. If you add nitrogen, black soil or peat to dry straw, the rate of overheating will increase significantly - by about 35%.
How to use straw in the garden
Straw can be used on your site in a variety of ways. This will help saturate the soil with useful substances and improve the development of cultivated plants.
In its purest form
The simplest option for using such material in the country is to bury it in the ground in early autumn.However, the effectiveness of this method directly depends on the amount of rain. If there is too little rainfall, the straw will not be able to rot. As a result, the site will not be suitable for planting next season.
Manufacture of fertilizers
Straw can be used on your own summer cottage as fertilizer. Before laying the raw material in the ground, it must be thoroughly crushed. In this case, the straws should measure 9-16 centimeters. Before using the substance, the soil must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers - urea or saltpeter. For 1 hectare it is necessary to use 100 kilograms of such products.
It is recommended to lay dry stems in the soil to a depth of 13 centimeters. The material is characterized by slow overheating. Therefore, you should not dig the soil deeply.
Mulching
Straw mulch is highly effective. This material can be used at different times of the year:
- in winter – mulching will help protect the beds from frost;
- in spring – mulch reliably protects plantings from burns;
- in summer – the coating protects the beds from overheating and maintains normal soil moisture parameters.
In addition, mulch stops the development of weeds. By using straw as a mulching material, it is possible to increase the volume of organic matter in the soil. As a result, the soil becomes more airy and loose.
Basic application errors
Some gardeners make many mistakes when mulching:
- Mulching is carried out in the greenhouse. In this case, this agricultural technique does not always provide the desired results, since not all organic materials can be used in protected soil. The greenhouse is always hot and humid. In addition, air circulates poorly in it.As a result, the straw begins to rot and become covered with fungi. This causes the development of dangerous pathologies.
- Do not combine straw mulching with nitrogen fertilizers. The fact is that this natural material removes nitrogen from the soil. Deficiency of this element negatively affects the growth of cultivated plants. To avoid this, before mulching, the soil must be watered with infusion of manure. It is also permissible to use urea.
- Mulching is carried out in early spring, immediately after planting the seed material. This procedure negatively affects the process of sprouting and crop development. Only fully heated soil is allowed to mulch. Otherwise, there is a high probability of delayed cultural development. However, there are certain exceptions to the rules. So, potatoes need to be mulched immediately after planting.
- Cover heavy soil with a thick layer of straw. In this case, the lower part of the mulch begins to rot. On clay soil you need to place chopped straw in a layer of up to 2 centimeters. Afterwards, you should add material at intervals of 2 weeks.
Mulching with straw is considered an effective procedure that helps maintain optimal soil moisture and prevent the active growth of weeds. It is important to follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
