Using sawdust as mulch. Wood sawdust as fertilizer: how to make compost and apply humus correctly

Probably, many people think that dreams of waste-free housekeeping will remain dreams. However, there are things that can be used even when it seems that they are no longer suitable. Such material is sawdust. Few people know how to properly use sawdust in the country, at home, in the garden. Most gardeners and gardeners do not know exactly how sawdust affects the soil, having only the information that sawdust acidifies the soil, and refuse to use this material in their plots. But our ancestors knew about the use of sawdust in garden plots. In this article, we will talk about how to use sawdust in the garden, about the benefits and harm that they can bring.

What are useful and what sawdust is better to use in the garden

Due to its availability, sawdust has gained popularity among gardeners and has been widely used in the garden. Most often, sawdust is used as fertilizer, or gardeners mulch with sawdust, or use it while loosening the soil. Sawdust has a beneficial effect on plants in the garden due to the fact that during decomposition they release carbon, which activates the soil microflora by 2 times. In particularly dry areas, sawdust can be used to retain moisture, but if the trees suffer from constant flooding, then a trench is dug around them and covered with sawdust.

Did you know?If the garden has acidic soil, then it is better to use sawdust mixed with peat. Or, after sawdust gets into the ground, sprinkle the ground with limestone flour.

Sawdust from almost all trees, made from any part of the tree, can be used to make fertilizer/mulch for the garden. The only limitation is pine sawdust, their use is a difficult process, as they slowly rot on their own, and also slow down the rotting of other components due to the high level of resin content. However, the use of pine sawdust in the garden is beneficial.

How to use sawdust in the garden and in the garden

Increasingly, the owners of summer cottages use sawdust as fertilizer, because it is a valuable material that can be found right on their site. Often on websites and forums there are questions about whether it is possible to pour sawdust into the garden, how to mix sawdust with other fertilizers, how to prepare sawdust for mulching, etc. Next, we will tell you more about how to use sawdust for the garden and garden, and also consider not only benefit, but also harm.

Mulching the soil with sawdust

Sawdust as mulch is often used by gardeners and gardeners. Experienced owners advise: if you do not know all the features of the soil (namely, the level of acidity), then you can try to mulch one bed. This will not bring any special losses, but in the future you will know for sure whether sawdust mulch is suitable for your site. The use of sawdust in the country as a mulch is not limited to outdoor mulching, they can also be used in greenhouses and greenhouses.
Mulching with sawdust can be done in spring or autumn. It is pointless to use sawdust fresh. It is better to use completely rotted or semi-rotted material.

Important!Under natural conditions, the overheating procedure can take up to 10 years, so there are ways to quickly prepare sawdust for use.

The most common and easiest way to prepare for mulching is as follows:3 buckets of sawdust and 200 g of urea are poured onto the film and water is poured on top so that it completely wets the sawdust, then the layer is poured with urea and the procedure is repeated. Thus, several layers are obtained, which are then hermetically wrapped and kept in this state for two weeks. After this period, sawdust can be used. You can scatter sawdust not only near the plant itself, but also in the aisles between plantings. It would be logical to ask whether all plants and, in particular, tomatoes, can be mulched with sawdust. Mulching with tomato sawdust can increase yields by 25-30%, as well as speed up the ripening process and prevent diseases, such as late blight.

Among gardeners, disputes often arise about whether it is possible to sprinkle strawberries with sawdust. Can. The main thing is to sprinkle, and not to bring into the ground. Sawdust mulch prevents fruit rot and is ideal for strawberries.

Did you know?Some gardeners believe that dry material can be used as mulch, but only if sawdust remains on the surface of the soil, because underground they can draw nitrogen from the soil.

When it comes to using sawdust, it is important not only that you can mulch / fertilize with sawdust, but also how to use it. So, for example, vegetable crops are mulched with a thin layer, only a few centimeters, shrubs - 5-7 cm, and trees - up to 12 cm.

Using compost with sawdust

Now that we have figured out whether sawdust can be mulched, let's talk about how to use sawdust in combination with compost / manure and other organic matter. Many people are afraid to use sawdust for the garden or garden in its pure form, but there are ways to make this application easier and more beneficial using compost. Due to its availability, compost is an indispensable material for growing both fruit and vegetable crops on your site, and if it contains sawdust, the benefits will increase several times. To prepare such compost, you need to mix manure (100 kg) with 1 cu. m sawdust and withstand a year. This fertilizer will significantly increase the yield.

Important!rotted sawdustcanmix only with rotted manure, fresh - with fresh. This will improve the quality of the compost.

The use of sawdust for seed germination

Sawdust, due to the fact that they can retain moisture for a long time, has interested gardeners and gardeners not only as a material for mulching or fertilizer, but also as a material for germinating seeds. In order for sawdust to serve well in germination, only rotted sawdust from deciduous trees should be used, while coniferous tree materials cannot be used.

A very important advantage of germinating seeds in a sawdust substrate is that it is then much easier to transplant the sawdust plant without harming it. In order for the seeds to germinate, they must be poured onto a layer of wet sawdust and sprinkled with another layer on top, but the second layer must be thin enough to just cover the seeds. If the second layer is not done, then the seeds will have to be moistened much more often. The seed container is covered with polyethylene, leaving a small hole in it for air to enter, and placed in a warm place.

Did you know?The disadvantage of germinating seeds in sawdust is that with the advent of the first true leaves, the seedlings must be transplanted into a regular substrate.

Sawdust as a baking powder for the soil

If there is no time for processing into high-quality nutrient material based on sawdust, and there is a lot of raw materials (sawdust), then they can be used to loosen the soil. There are three ways to use sawdust for loosening:

Sawdust is mixed with mullein and added to the soil when growing vegetables in greenhouses (mix 3 parts sawdust, 3 parts mullein and dilute this with water).
When digging the soil in the beds, rotted sawdust can be added to it. This will help the soil stay moist longer and solve the problem of heavy, clay soils.
When growing vegetables that have a long growing season, sawdust can be added to the soil between rows.

Important!If, when digging the soil, sawdust is added to the soil, then in the spring such soil will thaw faster.

The use of sawdust as a covering material

"Waste" after wood processing can be used to protect plants as a shelter. The most proven method is when plastic bags are stuffed with sawdust and wrapped around the roots of the plant. Plants such as roses, clematis and grapes are left to winter in place of growth to protect them, the shoots are bent to the ground and covered with a layer of sawdust. If you want to achieve 100% confidence in the safety of your plants in winter, then you can make a more durable shelter: put a cap over the plant (you can use a wooden box for this) and fill it with sawdust from above - in this case, frosts obviously do no harm.

Sawdust can also be used as a wet shelter, however, this is fraught with the fact that in severe frosts the sawdust will freeze and form an ice crust over the plant. Such a shelter is not suitable for everyone, although garlic tolerates winter well under wet sawdust of coniferous trees - they not only provide warmth, but also protect the crop from diseases and pests.

Sawdust can also be used to provide thermal insulation to the root system, for this they simply need to be poured in a thick layer at the bottom of the planting pit.

Mulching has many benefits. This agricultural technique allows you to keep 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 garden soil and what are the rules for using sawdust as mulch.

If you are afraid that such a mulch can harm a future crop, try to take a chance and mulch at least one bed this season. You will see that mulching with sawdust will only bring benefits. That is why many people use this material for mulching - it is cheap, easy to use and safe. It is possible to cover with sawdust both the surface of the beds and the passages between them, as well as near-stem circles of trees, the surface of the earth under raspberry bushes, currants, etc.

Mulching with sawdust is widely used in closed ground - 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, rots 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 only rotted sawdust, respectively, with rotted manure.

Mulching the soil with sawdust 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, and mowed grass.

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 vegetable beds with them.

This is one of the most common preparation methods. It is necessary 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 hermetically sealed and left for 2 weeks, after which the sawdust can be safely used for mulching.

Experienced gardeners say that fresh sawdust can be used as mulch without preparation. This is possible only 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 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 left over from sawing chipboard, fiberboard and similar materials. To mulch vegetable beds, aisles or garden paths, you can use sawdust from any hardwood tree. But coniferous wood is especially relevant for garden strawberries: due to their characteristic smell, such sawdust repels 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 bed from the inside in the process of decay.

Due to its availability, sawdust has gained popularity among gardeners and has been widely used in the garden. Most often, sawdust is used as fertilizer. Is it possible to mulch with sawdust? We will try to find the answer to this question in this article.

Sawdust properties when used in mulching

Many vegetable growers do not even assume that sawdust can also be suitable for mulching or warming the soil. Sawdust can be compared with organic matter, which, when introduced into the soil, begins to decompose, releasing carbon, which in turn leads to the activation of microflora and an almost twofold increase in beneficial bacteria. Consider the impact of sawdust on soil and plants.

Benefits of sawdust mulching

The soil acquires friability, lightness.
Breathability makes it possible not to linger on excess moisture.
In its composition, the soil becomes similar to peat, which positively affects the development of the root system of planted plants.

Harmful effects of sawdust mulching

Overripe sawdust makes the soil more acidic, that is, it increases its acidity, and acidic soil is not suitable for all plants.
Fresh sawdust reduces the amount of nitrogen in the soil, and no plant grows without nitrogen.

Experienced owners advise: if you do not know all the features of the soil (namely, the level of acidity), then you can try to mulch one bed. This will not bring any special losses, but in the future you will know for sure whether sawdust mulch is suitable for your site. And, if it fits, you will see that mulching with sawdust will only bring benefits. That is why many people use this material for mulching - it is cheap, easy to use and safe. It is possible to cover with sawdust both the surface of the beds and the passages between them, as well as near-stem circles of trees, the surface of the earth under raspberry, currant, gooseberry bushes, etc.

Mulching the soil with sawdust 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, and mowed grass.

What kind of sawdust can be mulched?

According to its structure, sawdust mulch can be of different sizes, composition and production time. In this regard, it may have some differences in properties. Based on this fact, each type of sawdust mulch should be used for its intended purpose. You can not use sawdust from chipboard because they are artificially impregnated with all sorts of resins and other muck.

Sawdust of deciduous trees will overheat faster, therefore, if possible, we give preference to them. But softwood sawdust is also suitable.

Sawdust that is very small in size should not be used on the beds, as they can cake into lumps and form a crust on the soil surface.

Using large-sized sawdust as mulch contributes to the formation of a very thick and rather loose sawdust layer on the surface of the earth. Such a layer is quite difficult to compact, as the stems of plants in it may suffer. Therefore, the structure of the sawdust mulch directly depends on the age of the plants to be covered: the finer the structure of the sawdust, the younger the plant organisms to be covered. Larger sawdust should not be thrown away, considering them unnecessary material. They are well suited for sheltering ornamental shrubs or fruit trees growing near the house for the winter.

Can I mulch with fresh sawdust?

Of course, it is possible to mulch the beds with fresh sawdust, but preferably with sawdust of deciduous trees. Sawdust of coniferous trees contains a lot of resinous, which means substances harmful to plants. Such sawdust can be mulched between rows. There is an exit. In order to harm the plants without fear, sawdust of coniferous trees should be slightly rotted, that is, “old”, having lain for about a year, but in no case musty and rotten, not caked. So that no troubles happen with sawdust, they are treated in the same way as with manure when humus ripens, that is, they turn it over and loosen it from time to time so that moisture does not stagnate from rain and a favorable environment does not arise for the development of pathogenic bacteria, mold and putrefactive fungi. Under natural conditions, the overheating procedure can take up to 10 years, so there are ways to quickly prepare sawdust for use. The most common and easiest way to prepare for mulching is as follows: 3 buckets of sawdust and 200 g of urea are poured onto a film and water is poured on top so that it completely wets the sawdust, then the layer is poured with urea and the procedure is repeated. Thus, several layers are obtained, which are then hermetically wrapped and kept in this state for two weeks. After this period, sawdust can be used. You can scatter sawdust not only near the plant itself, but also in the aisles between plantings.

How to mulch with sawdust?

Mulching the soil with sawdust should be carried out only after careful processing of the beds.

It is necessary to weed the weeds, trim the mustache and shoots (if it concerns strawberries or raspberries).

Some gardeners cover the beds with thin paper before mulching, this more thoroughly protects against the appearance of weeds.

The layer of sawdust is usually from 3 to 5 centimeters.

In the case of mulching with fresh sawdust, nitrogen fertilizers must be applied. Since they oxidize the soil, it is recommended to apply them with ash. A good effect gives the simultaneous use of the drug Baikal EM1.

Mulching with sawdust in a greenhouse

Sawdust is one type of mulch that can be used in greenhouses. Cultures do not rot and deteriorate. They are used to enrich manure and plant waste. They accelerate the decomposition of organic fertilizers, the compost is loose and breathable.

Mulch is added to greenhouses in spring or autumn. Sawdust is best applied in combination with other components. This mixture is laid in the fall in the ridge. You can make compost:

200 kg. sawdust;
50 kg. manure;
100 kg. herbs;
30 kg. food waste.

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

In the spring, the soil is mulched when the increased growth of crops begins. In greenhouses, during heavy irrigation, a crust often forms on the surface of the soil, and the earth 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.

For a greenhouse measuring 3x6 m., six bags of coniferous sawdust will be required. The mulch is spread in a layer of 5-7 cm between the rows and around the stems of the crops.

What crops can be mulched with sawdust?

Trees, shrubs, flowers are mulched with sawdust.

This material is used to cover beds with vegetables and berries; for this, the space between the beds is sprinkled with sawdust to reduce the growth of weeds.

For decorative mulching of flowers, trees or shrubs, sawdust of large fractions can be dyed in various colors. This gives a unique splendor to landscape design.

Use this type of mulch for growing vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, onions, cucumbers. To increase the yield of potatoes, mulching the distance between plants with sawdust after hilling gives a good effect.

In combination with nitrogen fertilizer, such a layer provides better crop growth.

Mulching with sawdust is an inexpensive and effective way to increase crop yields, preserve and improve soil fertility, and give the garden and vegetable garden an aesthetic look.

Many gardeners and gardeners have long been practicing such an agricultural technique as mulching. Thanks to him, many different problems are solved in the economy. What does mulching mean and how to do it with sawdust? We will try to answer this question in this article.

The technology of using mulching, as one of the most effective agricultural practices, has long been recognized by many amateur and professional gardeners. Mulching refers to covering the upper soil horizon or layer with mulch.

Mulch can be various materials of organic and inorganic origin.

This technique helps to protect the soil and the plants in it from the winter cold, and also helps to improve its structure. To obtain a high yield and maintain the health of the plant organism, it is simply impossible to do without mulching.

In most cases, mulch can be films, fallen autumn leaves and various bulk materials. As for fallen autumn leaves, this is a good covering material of organic origin. The film type of covering material is also widely used by gardeners; it can be purchased at many retail outlets. Loose mulch is mostly organic materials of varying composition.

In the national economy, the function of loose mulch can be performed by:

Peat.
Potato peelings.
Husks of plants.
Compost.
Sawdust and more.

Mulching the soil and plants for the winter is one of the main activities that contribute to the preservation of plant life during the winter frosts. Thanks to the use of this agrotechnical method, spring moisture is retained in the soil by absorbing materials. And as you know, without it, it will be difficult for plants to start growing after a long period of rest.

Mulching features:

Many gardeners and gardeners use mulch as an excellent fighter against growing weeds. For this purpose, they do not remove covering material until late spring, as a result of which there is a significant slowdown in the growth of weeds in these soil areas.
By practicing mulching in your summer cottage, you can create additional protection for plant roots from summer overheating, as well as from winter hypothermia. This is very important to ensure the growth of the plant organism during these periods.
At the same time, mulching helps protect berry and vegetable crops from soil pollution. So, using a covering material on the soil, it is possible to prevent contamination of fragile strawberries with soil particles. Thus, the berries will be clean, and they will not need to be thoroughly washed from particles of dirt with numerous microorganisms.
Mulching technology favorably affects the protection of the upper fertile soil layer from spring leaching. This is especially important for gardeners whose plots are not on flat ground, but on various kinds of slopes. This will preserve the nutrients in the soil.
Many organic materials used as mulch provide a favorable environment for soil organisms such as earthworms to thrive. By moving and mixing the organic mulch material with the upper soil horizon, good conditions are created for the life of such worms, whose benefits for plant growth are simply invaluable.
Mulching helps to create a protective layer on the surface of the earth, thanks to which a hard crust does not form on it. And as you know, it prevents the penetration of moisture and air into the lower soil layers, thereby inhibiting the germination and growth of plants available in this area.
And the most amazing advantage of mulching is its use as a decoration for your site. For these purposes, a special decorative mulch is produced, which creates the effect of plants being on the site in late autumn or early spring.

All of the above advantages, which are provided by the use of such agrotechnical measures as mulching on the site, can solve many problems with plant growth and facilitate the work of gardeners and gardeners.

The use of sawdust as a mulch has long been used by many plant growers. And this is no accident! After all, sawdust mulch has many advantages that allow gardeners to choose it as a covering material in the winter.

Consider the main advantages of soil mulching with sawdust:

Firstly, the use of sawdust mulch is one of the cheapest materials for this technology. For those who live near forest plantations, where there is a lot of dead wood, it is not difficult to prepare sawdust. And if any of the woodworking enterprises is located next to you, then when you come there, you will be generously presented with this material of any kind.
Secondly, sawdust, especially coniferous, is not a favorable environment for the reproduction of various pathogens. This advantage allows us to consider sawdust as a good sterile material. Fresh sawdust repels many crop pests, especially snails and slugs. The rough surface of sawdust is unbearable for their movement.
Thirdly, by using sawdust materials as mulch on your site, you contribute to the saturation of the soil layer with spring moisture. The amount of this moisture especially increases when sawdust of the smallest sizes is used. Providing the soil with these hygroscopic properties is favorable for early plant growth. In addition, the small sizes of sawdust are quickly impregnated not only with moisture, but also with solutions of liquid fertilizers, while they themselves decompose faster. Thus, the use of sawdust will not only preserve the plants during the winter cold, but also contributes to the saturation of the soil with moisture.

Mulching the soil layer with sawdust is one of the best heat-insulating materials. Many of us insulate our summer cottages and buildings with the help of sawdust.

Wood waste not only serves as a good insulating material, but also contributes to the passage of air through itself, which is necessary for the growth and development of plants under it.

So, having considered the main advantages of sawdust mulch, we can conclude that its use solves many problems in the cultivation of various plants. In addition, the technology for using this type of mulch is very simple and affordable.

Many users of this material as a mulching have noticed that semi-rotted sawdust is the most favorable. Usually they have a gray-brown color and are also called "horse" sawdust. This name is associated with the place where they lie, usually they are taken out of the places where horses are kept (stables), where they used to play the role of bedding. The secondary use of sawdust in this way makes their presence on the farm mandatory. By structure, they are of medium size, due to which they do not cake and ensure the penetration of moisture and air into the lower layers of the earth.

Sawdust that is very small in size should not be used on the beds, as they can cake into lumps and form a crust on the soil surface.

Freshly made sawdust mulch is ideal for covering strawberry and strawberry plants. The outgoing smell of fresh wood is unpleasant and has a deterrent effect on many types of garden and garden pests. For example, using wood waste from coniferous trees on carrot beds as mulch, you can forget about such a pest as a carrot fly, because its coniferous aroma is very unpleasant. Sawdust also protects the berries lying on them from soil dirt.

For strawberries, sawdust is successfully used as a covering material. The technology of mulching them in the beds is very simple. First you need to weed all the beds from the weeds on them. Next, you need to spread layers of newsprint between the strawberry bushes.

Typically, newspapers are spread in two layers to provide extra strength. These layers are covered with prepared sawdust, up to five centimeters thick. Mulching completed. Now the beds will not only be protected from the winter cold, saved from the loss of spring moisture, but will not need additional weeding.

More information can be found in the video.

Sawdust- a very valuable organic matter, the place of which an experienced gardener will always find.

Today we will talk about mulching beds with sawdust. And so sawdust can still be composted, covered with garden paths, used as a substrate for growing seedlings, stored vegetables (carrots, beets) and other root crops (dahlias for example).

Let's talk about myths.

Many gardeners shy away from sawdust, as they heard something somewhere that they take nitrogen from the soil!
And that's it! Don't give us such a blood-drinker!
But not everything is so simple! Gardeners make a major mistake. What? Read more...

In no case do not use sawdust from chipboard and chipboard!

A bed mulched with sawdust with garlic, tulips, peonies.

Fresh sawdust only for mulch.

On sawdust, during decomposition (rotting), microorganisms, various bacteria and fungi multiply, which use nitrogen.
But it is harmful if the sawdust is DIRECTLY in the soil! And then temporarily, after the sawdust is overheated, the borrowed nitrogen returns to its place.
If the sawdust is on the ground, then theoretically they cannot take anything out of it!
For reference: the air contains nitrogen - 78%, oxygen - 21%, carbon dioxide - 0.0392%, and the rest is accounted for by other gases.
Therefore, feel free to use sawdust for mulch! And if you periodically water them with a bio-cocktail, then there will be nothing to think about at all!

What do we mulch.

Actually everything. Sawdust can be used especially well for raspberries, garden fruit trees, flowers (tulips, roses, etc.), carrots, garlic and onions are very good. We mulch the garlic in the fall so that it does not freeze out as well.
It is very good to use for mulching garden strawberries. But more on that...

We mulch garden strawberries.

Strawberries are very good at this procedure.
If you have a lot of weeds in your beds and you are tired of fighting them, use this technology.
We weed out the garden. We take old newspapers and spread them between strawberries in 2-3 overlapping layers. Then we fill everything with sawdust, a layer of 3-5 cm. That's it. You can forget about weeding. After overheating this cake for 1.5-2 years, we repeat the procedure.

It is better to use not small sawdust, but small chips. It is less caked, it passes air better, and as a result, it decomposes faster.

What sawdust is better.

As we have already said, we do not use sawdust from chipboard, etc., since they are ARTIFICIALLY saturated with all sorts of resins and other muck.
The rest of the sawdust will do!
Sawdust of deciduous trees will overheat faster, therefore, if possible, we give preference to them.
But softwood sawdust is also suitable.

Well, that's all in a nutshell.

We will talk about the use of sawdust in the preparation of compost in a separate article.