Is it possible to put sawdust under the plants. Sawdust mulching

Mulching has many benefits. This agrotechnical technique allows you to preserve moisture in the soil, reduce the amount of watering and loosening, and effectively fight weeds. In addition, mulching prevents soil erosion, freezing in winter and overheating in summer. For this purpose, straw, hay, compost, peat, humus, etc. are used. Did you know that sawdust can also be used to mulch the soil? Let's find out what effect they have on the garden soil and what are the rules for using sawdust as mulch.

If you are worried that such mulch may harm the future harvest, try to take a risk and mulch at least one garden bed in the current season. You will find that mulching with sawdust will only be beneficial. That is why many people use this material for mulching - it is cheap, easy to use and safe. It is possible to fill in sawdust both the surface of the beds and the passages between them, as well as the near-stem circles of trees, the surface of the earth under bushes of raspberries, currants, etc.

Sawdust mulching is widely used in greenhouses and greenhouses. This material is excellently combined with manure, which is also used to fertilize the soil in the greenhouse, with tops and other plant residues. Such compost, flavored with sawdust, reheats faster and at the same time remains loose and breathable. However, it should be noted that only fresh sawdust is used with fresh manure, and, accordingly, only rotted sawdust is used with rotted manure.

Sawdust mulching can be carried out both in spring and autumn. After the end of the season, sawdust can also be embedded in the soil along with straw, fallen leaves, grass cuttings.

How to prepare sawdust for mulching?

You can use either rotted or semi-rotted sawdust as mulch. The main difficulty lies in the fact that the process of overheating sawdust in a natural way is very long and can last up to 10 years. Therefore, for mulching, fresh sawdust is prepared in a special way before sprinkling it on vegetable beds.

One of the most common preparation methods is as follows. You need to spread a large plastic wrap, pour 3 buckets of sawdust and 200 g on it, and pour 10 liters of water on top, trying to evenly moisten the sawdust. Then this procedure is repeated several more times to obtain several layers of wet sawdust, sprinkled with urea. The film is sealed and left for 2 weeks, after which the sawdust can be safely used for mulching.

Experienced gardeners claim that fresh sawdust can be used as mulch without preparation. This is only possible if the sawdust lies on the surface of the earth. Then they will not take nitrogen from the soil, as is the case with the introduction of fresh sawdust into the garden soil. If you plan to use sawdust not only for mulching, but also as a baking powder for the soil, then in order to avoid the problem of nitrogen deficiency, you can additionally apply nitrogen fertilizers.

Also, many novice gardeners are interested in the question of which sawdust is best used for mulching. In principle, any sawdust is suitable for this, except for those that remain from sawing chipboard, fiberboard and similar materials. You can use any hardwood sawdust to mulch vegetable beds, aisles, or garden paths. But coniferous wood is especially relevant for garden strawberries: due to their characteristic smell, such sawdust scares away the weevil, one of the main pests of strawberries. Coniferous sawdust is good for laying in a warm bed. They play the role of biofuel, warming up the garden from the inside in the process of decay.

Sawdust mulching protects the crops in the beds from drying out in summer and freezing in winter. Mulch retains moisture, maintains temperature and inhibits weed growth. Let's consider in the article how to make mulch, what advantages and disadvantages this method has.

Features of mulching with sawdust

There are many organic mulching materials available. In view of the development of agriculture, sawdust is often used for mulching. Despite its low cost, the material is of great benefit. Sawdust is used both in winter and summer. They do not allow the roots of crops to freeze. It is enough to spread them out on the beds and tamp them. To prevent sawdust from fluttering in the wind, cow dung is added to the mulch.

The soil for the winter is mulched in mid-October or early November. A layer of up to 3 cm is laid on the beds. But mulching with sawdust is not suitable for all plants and types of soil. Be careful with oak and pine sawdust! The thickness of the mulch layer is selected for different crops:

  • for tulips, garlic and onions, it is 6 cm;
  • for strawberries and carrots - up to 4-5 cm.
Mulch is not removed from strawberry and strawberry beds all year round.

They are similar in their characteristics to hay and straw sawdust. Read also the article: → “”. Let us give in the table the features of mulching with various organic materials.

Material Application features
Suitable for bulbs (flowers and vegetables), strawberries, carrots, beets and berry bushes.
Like sawdust, it decays for a long time, therefore it is used for early crops. The layer reaches 10-15 cm.
Suitable for all vegetable crops.
Grass (hay) It quickly decays and saturates the soil with nutrients. Grass or hay is laid in a layer of 4-6 cm.
Fallen leaves Suitable for cabbage and beans. Also cover the flower beds for the winter.

There are several approaches to soil mulching. Mulching according to Kuznetsov has its own characteristics:

  1. The row spacing is covered with a thick layer of sawdust to prevent weed growth.
  2. Biocompost is introduced into the ridges themselves. If the earth is clay, then sand is added.
  3. As the crops grow, sawdust is poured between the rows, the beds themselves are loosened and biocompost is regularly introduced.
  4. Berry trees are covered with a layer of sawdust, and mulch is regularly added.
  5. Sawdust can be applied on top of the manure to retain moisture.

To loosen the soil, improve its structure and accelerate the decomposition of organic fertilizing on the ridges, it is worth launching earthworms. Alexander Kuznetsov refutes the opinion that sawdust, like mulch, is credited to the soil, because they are brought on top of the soil. The soil is acidified not by sawdust, but by fungi that destroy them.


The sawdust is placed tightly in the aisles on the vegetable beds.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mulching

Sawdust is a reliable means for warming crops. Mulch protects the roots from freezing in winter and rotting in autumn. In summer, sawdust is used to prevent soil overheating and moisture retention. The benefits of sawdust as mulch are as follows:

  1. Cheapness.
  2. As they decompose, they turn into organic fertilizers, loosen the soil.
  3. Retains moisture in the soil.
  4. They keep warm and prevent the soil from freezing, but at the same time they let air through and allow the roots of crops to breathe.
  5. Protect crops from disease. Sawdust, especially coniferous, does not allow the development of pathogens. They are disliked by slugs and other pests.
  6. Protects ripening berries from rotting and pests.
  7. They are cured of fungal diseases.
  8. Protect roots from sudden temperature changes.
  9. Coniferous sawdust protects carrots from carrot flies.
  10. Beneficial insects hide in the mulch and microorganisms live, which improve the structure of the soil and loosen it.

Sawdust is a natural mulch that supports the growth and development of beneficial microorganisms to improve soil structure.

Sawdust mulching has its drawbacks. Coarse sawdust decays within a few years. This takes a lot of nitrogen, as a result of which the plants that grow in such beds are deficient in this nutrient. Their growth and development is deteriorating.

Fresh sawdust increases the acidity of the soil, which affects the development of crops. Coniferous sawdust inhibits the development of pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms. The latter process organic substances that are necessary for plant nutrition.

When sawdust is used on the ridges

Sawdust is suitable for poor soil. They enrich the land, stimulate the growth and ripening of fruits. Under a layer of mulch, the root system is protected, it receives all the minerals and moisture. Mulching is carried out after the sprouts have left. As a result, the soil does not dry out, a crust does not appear on the surface, and the soil remains loose.


In summer, vegetable beds with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and beets are covered with sawdust. This prevents the crops from drying out.

Mulching strawberries has many benefits:

  1. The yield increases.
  2. The berries are protected from pests and decay.
  3. Due to the lack of contact with the ground, the berries are clean and dry.
  4. Weed growth is halted.

Tip # 1. The beds with potatoes are mulched. After hilling, the furrows are sprinkled. The mulch layer retains moisture and stops weeds from growing. The yield increases, especially the effect is noticeable during dry summers.

Mulching trees and shrubs

Sawdust is used to shelter the roots of trees and shrubs for the winter. Such a shelter is considered the most reliable. Large sawdust as a heat-insulating material is buried in holes when planting grapes and flowering shrubs. They reliably protect against frost.


A large layer of sawdust is poured around the tree trunk.

Sawdust mulching is suitable for the following horticultural crops:

  • fruit trees;
  • shrubs (raspberries and black currants);
  • grapes;
  • clematis.

Raspberry responds especially well to mulching. Sawdust helps to increase fruiting and improve the taste characteristics of berries. With annual mulching with raspberry sawdust, the bushes are grown without transplanting for up to 10 years. For the winter, vines of grapes and weaving flowers that have ended up on the ground are covered with sawdust along their entire length. They do this in late autumn, otherwise mice will start in the mulch and damage the culture.

Tip # 2. It is advisable to apply nitrogen fertilizers before mulching.

Sometimes an air cover is made for such crops. Boxes are built from the boards and the plants are covered with them, they are covered with sawdust on top, covered with foil and a layer of earth is poured. There is a wet shelter with sawdust for the winter when the mulch is not covered by anything. But this method is suitable for some crops, for example, roses rot under such a shelter.

Sawdust is a type of mulch that can be used in greenhouses. Cultures are not susceptible to rotting and spoilage. They are used to enrich manure and plant waste. They accelerate the decomposition of organic fertilizers, making the compost loose and breathable.

Mulch is applied to greenhouses in spring or autumn. Sawdust is best applied in combination with other components. Such a mixture is laid in the ridges in the fall. You can compost:

  • 200 kg of sawdust;
  • 50 kg of manure;
  • 100 kg of grass;
  • 30 kg of food waste.

For greenhouses, sawdust can be placed in the ridges in combination with straw or hay.

In the spring, the soil is mulched when the increased growth of crops begins. In greenhouses, during abundant irrigation, a crust often forms on the surface of the soil, and the soil around the roots is washed out. In this case, it is necessary to mulch the soil. In addition, mulching reduces the rate of watering and prevents overheating of the root system of crops in the greenhouse.

Tip # 3. A greenhouse measuring 3x6 m will require six bags of coniferous sawdust. Mulch is spread in a layer of 5-7 cm in the aisles and around the stems of crops.

How the beds are mulched in winter

In winter, the beds are mulched with a mixture of sawdust, manure and plants. The layer thickness depends on the type of soil. On clayey, it reaches 5 cm, and on sandy - 10 cm.When mulching, adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. Mulch is never removed under berry bushes. The earth is loosened together with sawdust. In the absence of chemical fertilizers, mulch is mixed with manure and applied in the fall. This prevents the accumulation of nitrates in the fruit.
  2. If you put a large layer of mulch on heavy soils, then rotting will begin.
  3. Be sure to mulch the soil in summer or late spring after planting seedlings. The mulch is thoroughly crushed and laid around the place of descent. Mulching results are noticeable after 3-4 years, as the sawdust decomposes slowly.

Answers to frequently asked questions about mulching

Question number 1. What is the best sawdust for mulching?

Sawdust comes in different sizes and from different tree species. Depending on their properties, they are used in various fields of horticulture. Let's list them in the table.

Sawdust type Application area
Medium-sized, gray-brown, semi-rotten sawdust They are best for mulching vegetable beds.
Large sawdust Used to cover the roots of trees, strawberries and shrubs.
Small sawdust Suitable for sheltering young seedlings with thin stems.
Fresh sawdust Suitable for mulching strawberries and strawberries.
Coniferous sawdust Used for carrots.

Question number 2. What crops are sawdust used for?


Mulching strawberries with garden sawdust on a ridge

Question number 3. For which crops is it better to use coniferous sawdust?

Coniferous sawdust contains phenolic resins that protect against diseases and pests. They are suitable for sheltering crops for the winter, such as garlic.

Question number 4. Is it necessary to mulch the soil in greenhouses?

Yes. The soil fertility improves, the soil does not overheat, the irrigation rate decreases, and moisture evaporates more slowly. Cultures are even watered with cold water, while it passes through the sawdust, it warms up. The preservation of fruits, palatability are improved and the ripening period is accelerated.

Question number 5. What are the terms for applying mulch?

Late spring or early summer is suitable for mulching, when the earth warms up and crop sprouts appear. Before mulching, the soil is fertilized, loosened and watered abundantly. A layer of mulch of at least 5 cm. In the summer, as the layer decreases, add mulch.

Mulching gardeners mistakes

We suggest spreading the error that gardeners make when mulching with sawdust:

  1. It is important to choose the right size and type of sawdust. The younger the shoots and the thinner the shoots, the smaller the chips are. But sawdust similar to wood flour is not used at all. It turns into a dense crust on the surface of the soil that does not allow water to pass through.
  2. Large sawdust rotting for several years. They are not suitable for vegetable beds. Use shavings for trees and shrubs.
  3. Before applying mulch to the beds, nitrogen fertilizers must be used, otherwise the growth and development of crops will slow down.
  4. Rotted sawdust is used. Fresh ones increase the acidity of the soil, which negatively affects the development of crops.
  5. Do not rush to mulch. If you add sawdust to unheated soil, this will affect the growth and development of crops.

When growing plants in home beds, various agricultural practices are used in order to improve their development, as well as to facilitate the work of the vegetable grower. Sawdust mulching of beds is one of them. Consider its advantages, technology and rules for performing work.

The advantage of using sawdust as mulch is that it reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil surface (this makes it possible to reduce the number of irrigations). They improve the structure of the soil, stop erosion. The shavings serve as a nutrient medium for beneficial soil microflora, allows air to penetrate to the roots of plants, since after irrigation, a crust does not form under the mulch.

A layer of mulch protects the ground, plant roots from overheating or, conversely, from freezing, prevents weeds from growing, prevents the movement of slugs, the fruits that lie on the mulch do not rot when in contact with the soil surface. After a while, after the bacteria have processed the sawdust, they become fertilizer, environmentally friendly and natural.

Sawdust for mulching is suitable for use on all types of soil, they can be used both in greenhouses and on beds in the open field. This is a cheap material, sawdust in the country can be stored in a shed in bags in a dry place for more than one year, they will not deteriorate.

Despite the benefits of sawdust in the garden, in some cases they can be harmful. For example, fresh raw materials acidify the soil, so it should not be applied to areas with acidic soil, large ones decompose for a long time, drawing nitrogen from the soil, and sawdust of coniferous trees can destroy not only harmful microorganisms, but also useful ones. Also, mice can settle in the sawdust layer and undermine the roots of plants and bulbs. But all this can be avoided if they are used correctly, in accordance with how it is provided by the technology of their application.

What sawdust can be used

For different crops in the garden, sawdust from various types of trees is used. For example, it is not recommended to take oak sawdust, as well as from poplar wood, walnut: they contain toxic substances that inhibit the growth of cultivated plants.

Coniferous sawdust acidifies the soil, so it is advisable to use them for those crops that can grow in a weakly acidic environment - for potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, greens, pumpkin crops. For plants grown in slightly alkaline soil, for example, for cabbage, beets, needles are not used. The use of pine sawdust in the garden is possible to protect plants from various pests and pathogens. Birch sawdust from fruit trees can also be used without restrictions.

The benefits and scope of application of sawdust depends on their size, for example, small ones quickly cake, a crust forms on them, a loose layer is obtained from large ones, it is quite difficult to compact it. But they can be used to insulate plants for the winter.

What crops can be mulched with sawdust

Sawdust mulch is suitable for all crops. Mulching cucumbers in the greenhouse is done to protect against evaporation and pests. Raw materials of conifers are used as biofuel for warm beds, they are poured with infused manure, then sprinkled with earth. Sawdust is poured into raspberries around the bushes, protecting the roots from freezing.

Mulching onions and garlic prevents soil moisture loss, cracking of the earth. Coniferous material is suitable for carrots, it will protect plants from damage from carrot flies. Roses are mulched in the fall to protect the bushes from freezing: the surface of the earth around the plants, like the bushes themselves, is covered with sawdust, covered with a piece of film so that moisture does not penetrate inside, and sprinkled with earth. Likewise, you can cover grapes and clematis. This is the so-called "dry" method of shelter. Large shavings can also be placed in the planting holes when planting these crops, they will protect the roots from the winter cold.

You can mulch with sawdust and tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, all berry bushes. In the case of shrubs, moisture and nutrients remain under such a shelter for a long time, as a result of which the bushes do not need to be transplanted for several years.

Sawdust mulching of cabbage rows will help reduce the frequency of watering, retain soil moisture, especially in the heat, and, accordingly, get larger and juicy heads. Potato mulching is carried out after hilling, shavings are scattered along the aisles.

Terms of work

In order for the material to "work", it must begin to decompose. This happens only under the influence of heat, so the best time when you can mulch with sawdust is spring after the onset of heat or summer.

Technology

The method of mulching the soil with sawdust involves preliminary preparation of the material and its correct application.

Sawdust preparation

Fresh raw materials have little nitrogen, but a lot of cellulose and fiber. In addition, it contains caustic substances that can damage the delicate roots of young plants, so it is inappropriate to use it for seedlings in the spring. If you use fresh sawdust, then they can only be used as a baking powder in soil preparation, and not fertilizer. Only after a while, microorganisms begin to process them and plants in the current season do not have time to use the nutrients they produce. To speed up the transformation of the material into fertilizer, you must first prepare sawdust. The easiest way is to compost them.

The purpose of the preparation is for bacteria to settle on the shavings, which will process the material into organics available to plants.

To make rotted sawdust, you will need shavings, water, ash, urea, if there is vegetable and household waste, manure, then they can also be used.

  1. Put all the ingredients in a heap, mix and pour with urea solution (200 g per bucket of water).
  2. Cover with thick plastic wrap.
  3. Every 2 weeks, the raw materials must be shoveled to penetrate the oxygen.
  4. The compost is ready when the shavings turn brown.

Sawdust can be prepared like this:

  1. Pour shavings in the amount of several buckets on the film.
  2. Pour 70-80 g of calcium nitrate on top of them for each bucket of raw materials.
  3. Drizzle with warm water, cover with plastic wrap.
  4. You can use it when the shavings turn brown.

To overheat the compost requires a temperature of at least 15 ° C and high humidity. Without such preparation, this mulching material reduces the fertility of the soil, since the bacteria that decompose them destroy the nitrogen available to plants.

Rules for spring and summer mulching in the open field and greenhouse

The placement of prepared sawdust on the beds has its own nuances. In the spring, they mulch annual plants immediately after planting, for example, you can mulch tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and all crops that are planted with seedlings. It is permissible to sprinkle perennials in a garden plot with shavings after warming up the soil, before removing the old layer or digging it up, root crops - after thinning, when they grow at least 5 cm.

Shrubs and strawberries, young trees must be mulched before flowering. The layer of material for mulching the soil should be at least 3-4 cm, but not higher than 7 cm. In the greenhouse, mulching is also carried out after planting or soon after. It is convenient to use such a fertilizing mixture: 3 buckets of shavings and good humus + 10 liters of water each. Mix everything in a volumetric container, leave for 2 hours, then use it to add to the soil.

Preparing planting beds for winter

In the garden and vegetable garden, sawdust can also be used as an excellent insulating material for the winter. In the fall, it is also better to bring in rotted rather than fresh material. This agricultural practice must be combined with the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers.

The use of sawdust in the garden involves 2 ways of winter shelter: "dry" and "wet". The first is a shelter using a film that protects plants and sawdust from precipitation, and an insulating material like spruce branches, roofing felt, foliage, etc. In the second case, only sawdust without a film is used. The second option is not suitable for all crops, for example, it is not suitable for roses, grapes, clematis (they can rot under cover without air access). However, it is quite suitable for garlic, which is not afraid of the ice crust formed in winter.

Sawdust mulching is a well-known technique of experienced gardeners.

Simple actions were suggested to us by nature itself, because in forests and wild places, roots and plants, which people do not care for, somehow survive the cold and heat.

The reason is the natural covering with fallen leaves, brushwood, needles. Such a mantle reliably protects the soil from washout and erosion, as well as from insects.

Therefore, for in the garden or in the garden, for the beds, you can also use mulching, and use sawdust, pieces of bark, pine needles, film, gravel, straw as a litter.

This method is equally good in the greenhouse and for the beds.

Mulching in this way is suitable for any soil. It not only protects the soil and plants from the cold, but is also often used as a fertilizer that will enrich even poor soil.

For example, if your flowers in spring, bush plants (raspberries, currants) or vegetables (tomatoes, cabbage) at a later time lack fruits and ovaries, then mulching can be an excellent solution.

Layered mulch allows plants to breathe and absorb fertilizer better. For growing tomatoes, this is the most efficient way to improve the quality of the crop.

Since the sawdust tightly covers the ground, without the sun's rays, a large number of bacteria develop in the layer.

They process most of the sawdust, so we end up with fertile soil.

In addition, mulching with sawdust for tomatoes or potatoes, for example, is a must when the dry season sets in.

This is logical, because open ground heats up faster in open sunlight, and these plants (this is applicable for tomatoes and potatoes) deteriorate very quickly in such soil.

The sawdust retains moisture and protects the ground from overheating. With this approach, watering vegetables and bushes can be less.

When it comes to fruits that are close to the ground, then mulching helps to avoid rotting.

This is true for cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, as well as strawberries, which most often lie directly on the ground.

To harvest a good harvest, you need not only to weed the beds and paint the fence in the country, but also to do fertilization.

How to use mulching as fertilizer?

Many types of fertilizers are quite expensive. Sawdust in this regard is a very profitable option, in addition, they are absolutely safe. They serve as the basis for a nutritional complex.

The best way to make it is to run the sawdust through the compost. However, remember that it is forbidden to put clean, fresh sawdust into the soil (as fertilizer).

It is necessary to apply natural fertilizer based on mulch and compost in the spring, because certain, rather high temperatures are necessary for decay.

Fresh sawdust is not a fertilizer, it is extremely low in nitrogen, it is fibrous and contains cellulose.

However, the lignin contained in the mulch helps to form the trunk of the plant, conducts nutrients to it.

After some time, microorganisms begin to use mulch as a medium, saturating wood chips with useful elements.

If the sawdust is not placed in the compost pit, the soil rotting process will take several years. In compost, this period can be significantly reduced.

Sawdust compost is quite easy to make. We take large quantities of fresh shavings, urea, water, ash as ingredients.

If you have household organic waste, straw, grass - then they can also be added to the compost pit.

Urea is first dissolved in water, and then the materials of the future fertilizer are watered. You can also add manure to enhance the beneficial properties.

Do not forget to paint the curbs and fences again after the work carried out in order to give the summer cottage a cozy look.

What plants need to be mulched?

Many gardeners use sawdust mulching everywhere and for any plant. This technique is suitable both at home and in the country, where the owners will rarely appear.

Why? Mulching allows you to suppress and slow down the growth of weeds, and also conserves moisture, which is very useful in hot periods.

This approach is relevant if you have a lot of rose bushes or other whimsical flowers in your greenhouse.

Passages between the beds of tomatoes, currant and raspberry bushes, paths on the site and near the flower beds are also sprinkled with shavings, because this allows you to give the area a neat look without weeds and pits.

Mulching is also used when planting potatoes. So, when hilling potatoes, the formed "furrows" are covered with a substrate, which allows you to grow healthy fruits.

This layer is also useful for potatoes because it retains moisture in the ground and it is not necessary to water the bushes (and sometimes these are entire plantations for which there is simply not enough water).

Therefore, sawdust is the best way out for potatoes and other root plants - carrots, garlic, onions.

For growing cucumbers, small sawdust is used for mulching. Coniferous sawdust is also suitable, because they additionally warm the soil in winter.

They are laid in the base of the garden, after which they are covered with manure.

After that, another layer is applied, and then you don't have to worry that the cold will cause the cucumbers to freeze, but the bookmark should be done in the fall, not in the spring.

Very often mulching is used for raspberries.

So, after the procedure, where the soil is covered with a thick layer, the roots of raspberries retain moisture and nutrients better, and as a result we get tasty fruits, which come out more on the bush than usual.

Thanks to this method, you can not transplant the raspberry bush until the age of fifteen.

Also, experienced summer residents cannot do without mulching for tomatoes, strawberries, whimsical plants (for example, roses) and much more.

In general, any plants grow better if mulching is applied to them, but only if they are combined with nitrogen fertilizers. So, onion feathers after the procedure will grow taller and become juicier.

Mulching for loosening and covering the soil

Since the rotting of fertilizer sawdust occurs rather slowly, they are often used to loosen the soil.

Most often, mulching for such purposes is carried out in a greenhouse, for tomatoes, raspberries of exotic varieties, flowers.

In a small greenhouse, we need three buckets of shavings, three kilograms of humus and ten liters of water.

All this is mixed in a container (trough, barrel) and left to brew for a couple of hours. Then it is evenly applied to the soil.

If we are not talking about a greenhouse, but loosening is required for open soil, then sawdust can be used during digging.

Just add small portions of the substrate to the soil, which will make it loose. Therefore, the need for frequent watering disappears by itself.

Sawdust is an ideal material for laying soil in cold weather.

More than once the owners on their plots faced the problem of freezing, especially in those latitudes where winters are characterized by severe frosts.

The shavings are easy to store in any dry place, they do not deteriorate over time - just pack them in bags and leave them in the pantry.

Covering the soil is considered the safest way to ride out the cold.

How to mulch roses, grapes and weaving flowers that cannot be dug out of the ground and that have vines? We bend them down and fill them with a substrate along the entire length.

Mulch processing is best done in late autumn, so that it does not start to rot under the sun and mice do not start in it.

And in order to completely protect the shoots of roses, you can make an air-dry shelter. To do this, we make a small frame of wood, put a film on top of it, on it - a layer of sawdust.

After once again the film and the ground.

Such a layer will allow you to withstand even the most severe frosts, it can be used not only for roses, but also for low plants (raspberries, tomatoes) until frost (after all, they are softer and wait out the winter only in a greenhouse).

However, use rose sawdust wisely.

If in the greenhouse it is possible to save any plants from snow and rain, then on the street constant moisture and temperature drops can turn mulching into an ice crust, without air access and with constant rotting of plants under the layer.

Here, again, the frame will help out. However, unlike roses, for garlic, "wet" coating with sawdust is the most successful.

How to preserve strawberries with mulching

Few gardeners do not know that strawberries are not dug out of the ground for the winter. On the contrary, strawberry sprouts are trying in every possible way to warm them so as not to freeze the root and leaves.

If the strawberries freeze, then next season they will not produce berries. This is true for both raspberries and roses (in their case, they will not bloom).

It is good if you are a professional farmer who grows vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) and fruits with berries (strawberries) in a greenhouse.

But if we are talking about open ground, then there is no way to do without other methods of keeping warm.

Mulching strawberries with sawdust is often used. This method came to us from Western farmers, it is used even on huge farms, as the most profitable and safe protection of berries.

This is also true for tomatoes, the trunks of which, at the beginning of the season, infect the bacteria through the ground, which is popularly called "gray rot".

It is enough just to mulch the soil to avoid many plant diseases (roses, tomatoes, strawberries, etc.).

Every gardener knows that a good harvest can only be obtained on fertile soil. Therefore, he carefully prepares for the onset of the summer cottage season, fertilizing his site. Nowadays there are many innovations in the field of fertilizers, but the good old methods are also widely used along with modern drugs and have never failed. One of these methods is the use of sawdust.

Often summer residents are interested in whether rotted sawdust can be used as fertilizer. The answer is obvious - it is not only possible, but also necessary, because sawdust is, in fact, a pure organic material. The main thing is to properly prepare them before use. Sawdust not only enriches the soil, but also makes it looser and serves as an excellent mulch. Moreover, they are more accessible from the financial point of view.

The use of sawdust for fertilizing the garden

It is not recommended to bring rotted sawdust in a pure form to garden beds, since they very acidify the soil. On such soil, many plants simply will not survive. However, it is thanks to the process of rotting sawdust that the earth is saturated with oxygen. To neutralize acidity, sawdust fertilizer should be properly prepared:

  1. Pour fresh sawdust into the prepared pit.
  2. Sprinkle them with lime on top.
  3. Leave to rot for at least two years.

To speed up the process of decay, a pile of sawdust is watered with liquid kitchen waste without the addition of household products. When the sawdust decays, they fertilize the soil, scattering it over the beds.

It is better to fertilize with sawdust in the first half of summer, so that by autumn they have time to completely decompose. If fertilizer is applied at the end of summer, due to the high humidity during the rainy season, water from wood waste will not evaporate well.

Using sawdust as mulch

Sawdust serves as a good mulch for various crops, not only in the garden, but also in the garden. Over-matured sawdust can be immediately scattered on the beds in a layer of 5 cm, and fresh ones must first be prepared. To do this, lay them out in layers, alternating approximately in the following proportion: 3 buckets of sawdust - 200 g of urea. Cover the pile on top with foil and leave for 2 weeks. After the specified time, the sawdust will be ready for use.

Shrubs such as raspberries are mulched with a thicker layer - up to 20 cm.

Mulching with sawdust will allow you to water the beds less often, since moisture will not evaporate so quickly, and will preserve the loose structure of the soil. In addition, the presence of mulch in the aisles will create obstacles to the growth of weeds.

Sawdust in greenhouses and compost

Rotted sawdust is applied to greenhouse beds in spring or autumn in order to accelerate seed germination. This soil heats up faster. For greater benefit, they are mixed with manure, also rotted.

It is good to add sawdust to compost. At the same time, they must rot within a year so that the compost is more nutritious.

Using sawdust in the garden - video