What is sapropel and how to use it?

Almost all gardeners are aware of the benefits of organic fertilizers, their advantages over chemical ones. Regardless of the size of the site and the level of knowledge of agronomy, it is necessary to understand the basic dressing. Sapropel is considered one of the most useful substances that can heal the soil, increase the quality and quantity of crops or ornamental flora. The main thing is to know the features of the use of this substance, its main qualities, benefits and possible harm to plants.

First of all, sapropel fertilizer is a multilayer type of sediment that accumulates in freshwater reservoirs. It is formed at the bottom after the withering away of a variety of river and lake flora, fauna, and soil. The properties of sapropel are unique due to its natural composition. In fact, these are the decayed substances of organisms, plants, all freshwater plankton. It is used as a fertilizer for different types of soils.

Sapropel looks like a powdery black substance, visually it is similar to crushed ash. The form of fertilizer sale can be different - from pasty to tablet. The huge advantage of this substance is environmental friendliness, safety and a lot of organic unique compounds. Organic matter extracted from a depth of more than 2 meters is considered the most valuable compound. Running water does not allow the formation of these compounds, most often sapropel can be found in the lake.

It is important to know the differences between sapropel and ordinary sludge, because their composition is completely different, in the latter organic compounds are less than 15%. Thus, the value is greatly reduced. Whereas in sapropel organic matter can be up to 80%. Outwardly, these substances are different - silt with admixtures of clay, gray, smells musty. Sapropel is jelly, butter or creamy in consistency. Simply sour soil extracted from the swamp will also not be beneficial, since it contains many useless or harmful substances - iron, methane, hydrogen sulfide, toxic elements.

A properly processed fertilizer can enrich the soil with such substances:

• potassium;
• sodium;
• phosphorus;
• amino acids;
• enzymes of various types;
• vitamins;
• humic acids.

The main benefits of sapropel:

• allows you to stimulate the growth of almost any flora;
• getting rid of soil from infectious organisms, fungus;
• loosening the composition;
• increasing the fertility of even poor in composition lands;
• treated soils hold water well, which means that they do not need to be frequently moistened;
• the yield of fruit and berry plants increases;
• the root system is strengthened.

Fertilizer for the garden and vegetable garden can be bought at any specialty store, but you can also get it yourself. For this, water of a non-flowing type, standing, with limited oxygen access, is suitable. Extraction is carried out from a pond, lake. The sapropel deposit has been forming for many decades. The most important thing is to distinguish fertilizer from silt.

To prepare the substance, choose a time period from August to early September. It is during this period that the water recedes and its level decreases. Fields that are not located near highways, highways, or industrial enterprises are suitable for mining.In this way, the risk of contaminants entering the fertilizer can be reduced. It is quite easy to extract organic matter by hand using a shovel.

In addition to the tools, you should take care of a sufficient volume and transport for transportation. The sapropel is dug up, dried to a powdery state. This is a mandatory procedure, otherwise the fertilizer will simply rot and all unique properties will be lost. It is optimal not only to dry the substance, but also to freeze it thoroughly.

In specialized stores, you can find fertilizer of several types of labeling:

• A - a universal type that can be used for all soils, regardless of composition;
• B - suitable for soils that need to reduce acidity;
• B - optimal for neutral soil composition and low alkaline soil.

Sapropel soil differs primarily in its component composition, the level of nutrients in different types is different. The chemical composition depends largely on the level at which the extraction was carried out. Lake sapropel can be of the following types:

• mineralized - grayish, with the highest concentration of nutrients - about 85%;
• mineralized with organic matter - grayish, the concentration of useful components is above 50%;
• organic with minerals - black, concentration of nutrients - up to 50%;
• pure organic matter - black with a level of nutrients up to 30%.

Depending on where the fertilizer was obtained from, its composition may differ, sapropel can be of the following types:

• silica;
• glandular;
• organic;
• carbonate.

According to this criterion, sapropel can be divided into the following types:

• granulated;
• loose in bags;
• liquid;
• in the form of a paste.

The easiest and most convenient way is to purchase fertilizer in granules or bulk form. Such options are optimal for large areas, they are often purchased for industrial use. Paste and liquid are most often used when the growing culture is changing.

The use of sapropel in a personal plot is possible at any period of flora development. You can use top dressing in the garden in different ways. To improve clay soil, it is necessary to distribute fertilizer in the spring along the entire perimeter of the soil according to the following instructions: 3 liters of top dressing per 1 meter to a depth of 10-12 cm. In fact, this procedure will be equal to soil renewal.

Sapropel is successfully used for the formation of seedlings, in a greenhouse, in a garden in the open field. If you use top dressing correctly, it is quite possible to increase the yield of tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and other crops by one and a half times. To improve the quality and increase the yield of potatoes, the material is poured out before the planting procedure. The amount of fertilizer per 1 square meter varies from 3 to 6 liters. You can combine sapropel with manure, laying them in layers. The proportions of manure and nutrient - 1 to 2.

If you plan to use fertilizer for seeds that are sown without seedlings, then you should dig up the soil 10 cm, after adding sapropel in the amount of 3 liters per 1 sq. M. This will increase the fertile properties of the land for at least three years. Seeds for seedlings should be sown in a mixture of earth and sapropel. For each plant, it is most important to comply with its own norms:

• for cucumbers and zucchini, soil, sand, sapropel are combined in proportions - 6: 4: 3;
• for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants - 7: 2: 1;
• for cabbage, salads, spices - 2 4: 3.

These berries require preparation of the ground in the fall, sapropel is added to the soil based on indicators from 2 to 8 liters per 1 sq. M.This will improve the structure of the earth, increase the number of berries for the next season.

Another successful field of fertilizer application is flower beds, ornamental crops. Strengthening the root system, improving the set of buds, the duration of flowering - this is perfectly helped by organic material. You can feed already planted roses with a solution diluted with water. This can be done once a season, if necessary, the number of procedures is increased to three.

You can cultivate the soil in early September to kill fungus, mold and harmful microorganisms. In the spring, the procedure is repeated to consolidate the result. As a result, the stem of the plant becomes stronger, more massive, flowering lasts longer and is more active.

If you prefer a home garden, sapropel comes in handy in this area too. The need for it especially increases when replanting domestic vegetation. The use of fertilizer helps prevent various diseases, increases the immunity of flora representatives, makes flowers healthier and stronger. To obtain a high-quality soil mixture, combine 1 part of sapropel and 3.5 parts of soil.

Trunk mulching of trees and shrubs bearing fruit is an effective feeding procedure. To increase fruit and berry productivity, sprinkle sapropel in a circle around the trunk:

• for trees, the layer is 6 cm;
• for shrubs - 3 cm.

After the procedure, loosening and moistening are necessary, the number of dressings for 1 season is 3. When planting new seedlings, also use fertilizer, it helps to take root and increase immunity. Enter 4 parts of land and 1 part of sapropel into the landing pit. Already in the first year of fruiting, the crop will give much more yield.

In order to benefit your site, not harm the soil and achieve a really good effect, you need to know about the rules for using sapropel. Unfortunately, the unique properties of this fertilizer can be completely neutralized if it is used illiterately. To prevent this from happening, do not make the following mistakes, which are very typical for inexperienced gardeners.

• In no case exclude other dressings and fertilizers., in a single amount, sapropel will not be able to improve the soil. Optimal use of the complex.
• Do not increase the number of procedures more than indicated in the instructions. The properties of the fertilizer are preserved for a long time, sometimes it is enough to repeat the health improvement measure every 5 years.
• If you combine the substances in the wrong proportions, there will be little sense from the fertilizer. Take into account the peculiarities of cultures, they all require an individual approach.

For what sapropel is and how to use it correctly, see the next video.