Collections
Article collections
A collection is a short reading path for a specific situation. Instead of leafing through the guide from start to finish, pick the one closest to your plot and work through the articles in order, from the basics to the details.
Clay and sand are not a life sentence. Both ask for the same things, organic matter, cover and gentle handling, just for different reasons.
Collections include only pages of the guide that have already been published. Each path starts with the simple things and ends with what will be useful once the basics are clear. The collections will grow as new articles come out.
Your first season on the plot
For anyone who has just taken on a piece of ground and doesn't know where to begin.
- Soil in a weekend (in Russian)Getting started
A look around, a sample, a feel test and an acidity check, so you understand what kind of ground you have inherited.
- Answers about soil composition and typeGetting started
Short explanations of the basics: what soil is made of and why it varies.
- How to make compostGoing further
It is worth starting to collect organic matter in your very first season: it will come in handy next spring.
Heavy clay
For plots where water sits on the surface in spring and the ground cracks and sets as hard as a roof tile in hot weather.
- Terms: structure and compactionGetting started
Why clay sticks together and what it means to give soil back its crumb structure.
- Sections on water and air in the soilGetting started
How waterlogging and compaction starve roots of oxygen.
- Compost and mulch for clayGoing further
Organic matter gradually opens up heavy soil; the practical article helps you make it properly.
Sandy soil that won't hold water
For light soils that warm up early in spring but lose water and nutrients just as quickly.
- Answers about mulch and green manureGetting started
What to cover sand with so it dries out less, and which green manures help it.
- Terms: humus and soil textureGetting started
Why so little stays put in sand and how organic matter changes that.
- Compost as the foundationGoing further
Adding mature compost regularly is the main way to help light soil hold more water.
See also
- Guides
How to make compost that doesn't turn into a smelly mess: steps, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.
- Questions
Short answers about soil composition and type, compost, mulch, green manure, acidity and fertilisers.
- Reference
Glossary: humus, soil texture, structure, pH, salinity, compaction, mulch, green manure.
- Sections
Four topics: soil composition and types, fertility and organic matter, water and air in the soil, and common soil problems.
Sources
- Chernozemns guide articles
- Textbooks and encyclopaedic sources on soil science
This article reflects the general understanding of soil science as of the date it was prepared. Every plot has its own soil, so before making big changes to how you look after it, it is worth having a soil test done and reading the label of any product you plan to apply carefully.