Why Can't You Dig

2023 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 05:47

1. Working worms made channels in the soil through which air and moisture travel. The roots decay, channels are formed through which air and moisture pass. The soil, like in a forest, is air-moisture permeable and capacious to a great depth. We destroy the canals with a shovel or pitchfork, and after the first good rain or watering, the soil settles, turns into a "brick". There are no channels, air, oxygen are not supplied, organic matter does not decompose.

2. In the upper soil layer, at a depth of about 10 cm, there are bacteria that need oxygen (aerobes). Bacteria live below, for which oxygen is destructive (anaerobes). Each of these bacteria does its job of increasing soil fertility on its floors. We dug up, killed both of them, made the soil sterile.

To summarize: there are no channels, there are no working bacteria, therefore, there is no harvest

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Our diligence, our hard work has turned into sabotage. Some are engaged in sabotage twice a year: in spring and autumn. The soil can be cultivated to a depth of 2-5 cm, deeper - the life of bacteria, worms and not destroyed channels for the movement of air and moisture.

The shovel is designed for holes, landscaping and one-time digging of virgin land to the depth of the humus layer. Compost is applied superficially, followed by gentle plowing (loosening) to a depth of 2-5 cm.

Build up a fertile top layer.

Plant siderates annually: white mustard, rye, oats, vetch, etc. It is very cheap and effective. When the siderates have grown, the greens have risen by 15-25 cm, carry out shallow plowing (loosening), cutting the roots to a depth of 2-5 cm. Part of the greenery will go into the soil, some lies on top - everything is good. The roots of the green manure will rot - here are the channels for the movement of air and moisture. Carrots, for example, when plowed five centimeters long, grows long, even and without side shoots. It grows without much resistance along air channels created from old rotten roots.

Constantly enlarge the channels, and the soil will be loose, and this is the main condition for soil fertility. The atmosphere must have constant access to the soil as a direct source of food for the plants.

It is important to learn the basic principle of vegetable growing - first, providing the soil with oxygen, and only then everything else: varieties, preparations, etc. Plant roots, soil bacteria and worms need to breathe.

Also read:

How to grow a crop without digging

How to facilitate labor in the country: loosening the soil instead of digging