We all know from early childhood that the richest harvest can only be achieved by growing plants on black earth fields. They contain a large amount of humus, forming on loamy soils for many hundreds of years. The rotting process has endowed the lands of southern Russia with many nutrients, which now allows us to get a good harvest every year.
Unique Features
Chernozem such soil was named purely because of its black color. Below are the reasons why black soil is considered the best fertile soil:
- The black color turned out in the process of decay of plants and the formation of humus in the earth layer.
- Usually, the fertile layer goes to a depth of sixty to one hundred and twenty centimeters.
- Clumpiness and granularity provide plant roots with sufficient water and air.
- Chernozem contains a large number of useful trace elements such as calcium (about 70%),humic acids (approximately 15%), magnesium (not more than 20%), as well as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron.
Varieties
Chernozem soils are divided by agronomists into several types. Ordinary chernozem is geographically located in the steppe area. Leached from forest-steppe zones. It is obtained during the decay of cereal plants. Podzolized chernozem is formed in broad-leaved forests. A typical one is formed on loamy soils due to the decay of grass and cereal crops. The southern black soil is located in the steppes.
The type of chernozem primarily depends on the climate and plants growing in these parts. Mikhail Lomonosov spoke about the beneficial properties of such land in his writings in the 18th century, suggesting that these soils were formed as a result of the decomposition of plants and animals over a very long time. In the 19th century, the German scientist Peter Simon Pallas put forward a hypothesis about the origin of chernozem as a result of the shallowing of the Black and Caspian Seas.
Leached chernozem: origin and occurrence areas
Since this article has a narrow focus and talks mainly about leached chernozems, it is worth describing this fertile soil in more detail. As mentioned above, this type is formed in the areas of the forest-steppe zone due to the decay of cereal plants and occupies more than 2% of the territory of the Russian Federation.
By external signs, there is a high similarityleached chernozem with podzolized. This is primarily due to the color of the soil on the upper horizons of the fertile land: it is saturated dark gray in the upper layers. The earth received this color due to the long-term process of decay of cereal plants, which eventually form a fertile layer of humus. You can also observe a clear boundary between humus layers and clay soil.
Characteristics of leached chernozem
This type of soil is found in the northern regions of the forest-steppe territory. Most often, its formation is associated with the presence of predominantly carbonate deposits of various origins.
The forest-steppe territories are covered with a layer of semi-decomposed herbaceous plants, forming a steppe felt. Immediately after it comes an abundant layer of humus, about 40 to 80 centimeters thick in depth, which is divided into two more categories: the upper fine-grained loose layer of dark gray, penetrated by plant roots, and a gray-brown layer with impurities of clay of larger fractions, smoothly turning into solid loam.
By itself, any black soil, if you take it in your hand and squeeze it, is quite fat. This quality just speaks of its fertility and is due to the high content of humus. This black cloddy earth is also capable of good ventilation, and also perfectly passes water to the deep layers, bringing nutrients to the very roots.
Agricultural applications
Arable land in Russia can be regarded as a national we alth. The properties of leached chernozem are far superior to those of ordinary soil, which can significantly increase yields. At the same time, there is no need to abundantly fertilize the land with various additives and minerals.
There are a large number of microelements useful for plants in the composition of such land. Chernozem is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, iron, minerals and trace elements. The areas in which chernozem is most common are located to a greater extent in the southern parts of the country. Accordingly, the climate for growing vegetables and fruits is also considered favorable. On the soils of leached chernozems, cereals such as wheat, rye, as well as sunflowers, vegetables and fruits give a good harvest.
However, the regular cultivation of various crops in the black earth territories threatens with poor yields. This is due to the fact that in the process of growth, plants consume a large amount of all nutrients. Over time, the useful resource of the earth is depleted. In order to restore the nutrient balance of the soil, it is necessary to rest the land by leaving the fields without sowing for a year or more. By additionally fertilizing the soil, the fields can be used for cultivation much sooner.
It's about industrial scale agriculture. But after all, summer residents and gardeners use black soil on their plots. Often, when ordering an earth machine, it is not used in its pure form, but mixed with sand, peat or compost to make it loose. This method allows you to add additional nutrientssubstances into the soil for future crops.
How much does such black soil cost
The cost of leached black soil varies, but the price is by no means high. For a suburban area, the required amount of land is easy to calculate. One cube of earth approximately by weight is a ton. In the case of ordering large quantities, the price drops significantly. On average, you can find a wholesale price within 350 rubles/m2. The purchase of black soil is more beneficial for agriculture, and not for a private person. Small volumes of fertile land can also be bought in prepackaged bags, using the offers of specialized stores.
