Proper organization of storage, transportation and application of fertilizers is important to reduce losses and increase their efficiency.
Mineral fertilizers are stored in special warehouses built according to standard projects: near railways and near railway stations, as well as directly on farms. Storage mineral fertilizers in open, unequipped areas leads to significant losses (up to 10-15%) and a deterioration in their quality: dampness, caking, and a decrease in their nutrient content. On a specially prepared asphalt or concrete open area, from which drainage of rain, melted and groundwater, it is allowed to store in stacks only fertilizers packed in plastic bags (except for ammonium nitrate). In this case, the stack should be placed on wooden pallets and covered on top with a tarpaulin or plastic film.
The need to store fertilizers is due to the seasonality of their use and uneven supply throughout the year. The types and sizes of warehouses vary; they are designed for a certain capacity, taking into account the annual turnover of fertilizers. Railroad and near-station warehouses have a significantly larger one-time capacity than warehouses on collective and state farms. Warehouse buildings are constructed from reinforced concrete and lightweight wooden structures, as well as from brick and other local building materials. They are located at a distance of no closer than 200 m from residential, public and industrial buildings. The capacity of railway and railway warehouses is determined based on the number of farms served by the warehouse, their distance from the warehouse and the prospective annual need for fertilizers (for 10-15 years), as well as taking into account minimum costs for the construction of a warehouse and the delivery of fertilizers to collective and state farms. The annual turnover of fertilizers in railside warehouses, depending on zonal conditions, can be two, three, or four times.
Warehouses built according to standard designs must meet the following basic requirements: ensuring the isolation of fertilizers from precipitation, melt and groundwater, creating a microclimate in the storage (excluding drafts and the influx of moist air), the possibility of mechanizing the unloading and loading of fertilizers (along the warehouse there should be there should be a central passage 3 m wide for the free movement of loading and unloading machines). To unload bulk fertilizers, the warehouse must have a receiving device; the floors in the warehouse must be concrete or asphalt (when storing fertilizers on an earthen floor, their physical properties change, they become moistened, and the granules are destroyed).
Contained and uncontained fertilizers are stored separately in warehouses, they are placed by type and shape in special compartments, or uncontained fertilizers are separated by portable shields. On the front side of the compartment (section) a label is posted indicating the name of the fertilizer, its nutrient content, and the time of receipt. Uncontained fertilizers are stored in a mound 2-3 m high. Fertilizers scattered on the floor are immediately removed.
Contained fertilizers (except for ammonium nitrate) are placed on flat or rack pallets in three tiers of five rows in each pallet (15 rows in total). In areas of sufficient and excessive moisture, it is better to place packaged fertilizers on gratings and racks. To ensure the safety of the packaging, care must be taken during installation. If the fertilizer package breaks, it must be repacked immediately.
Ammonium nitrate is flammable, so it is stored in specially equipped isolated sections or in a separate warehouse. Packages with ammonium nitrate are best stored on racks or on rack-mount anti-corrosion pallets with a stacking height of 10 rows (in 2 tiers of 5 rows in each pallet). The distance from the stack to the wall should be 1 m, with a gap of up to 3 m between the stacks.
Phosphorite flour and dusty lime fertilizers are stored in special rail silo-type warehouses. Warehouses must have reliable weighing equipment. Fertilizers, lime materials and other chemical agents can be released from warehouses (bases) only by weight. The storekeeper (or warehouse manager) keeps accurate records of the receipt and consumption of fertilizers and is responsible for proper organization work in the warehouse and compliance with safety precautions when unloading and loading fertilizers, placing them in stacks, preparing fertilizers for application, etc. (Muravin E.A., 1984).
Bibliography
1. Agrochemistry. /Edited by B.A. Yagodina. M.: Kolos, 2002. -584 p.
2. Agrochemistry. - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - M.: Kolos, 1984. -304 p. edited by Smirnov P.M., Muravin E.A.
3. Borisov V.A. Fertilizers for vegetable crops. M,: Kolos, 1978. – 207 p.
4. Deryugin I.P. Nutrition and fertilization of vegetable and fruit crops. /I.P. Deryugin, A.N. Kulyukin. M.: MSKhA, 1998. – 326 p.
5. Dudina N.H. and others. Agrochemistry and fertilizer application system. /N.H. Dudina, E.A., Panova, M.P. Petukhov. M.: Agropromizdat, 1991. – 400 p.
6. Tarakanov G.I. Vegetable growing. – 2nd ed., revised. and additional - M.: Kolos, 2002. – 472 p.
Organic fertilizer not only improves the structure of the soil, but also promotes the proliferation of beneficial microflora, which is also important for plants. The nutrient content depends on how long the substance has lain in the open air, the ambient temperature, and the type of manure (from whom it was received). To preserve more useful components, you need to know how to properly store manure.
Types of animal organics
If the farm has pets or birds, one thing is certain: there will be no problems with fertilizing the land. After all, animal organic matter, introduced at least every year, is capable of maintaining biological processes in the soil that are close to natural.
In nature, fruiting is not the goal - it only allows vegetation to reproduce and maintain its species. Another thing is a summer cottage plot from which it is planned to harvest annually. Plant growth and development require much more nutrients.
It is better if these are natural ingredients. Then plant tissues accumulate less toxic substances and nitrates. The farm uses the droppings of birds, sheep, goats, horses, as well as cow manure.
All types differ in nutrient content, so the missing components are added separately. One thing can be said about all types of manure, except chicken manure: they contain little phosphates. Therefore, it is better to mix organic matter with superphosphate, phosphate rock or bone meal. Then it will be a balanced mixture.
Manure is distinguished according to the method of production:
- litter – contains straw or peat;
- unlined;
- slurry.
Bedding is most often produced in households, where animals are provided with straw for comfortable sleeping. Without bedding - on farms. Slurry is manure without bedding diluted with water.
Bird droppings
One of the most concentrated. Used fresh in empty beds only in autumn. Under perennials applied in diluted form so as not to damage the roots. If you scatter it around the area, watering it with water, the nitrogen concentration decreases, but then there will be a significant loss of nutrients.
How to store chicken manure in the country:
- dry in bags;
- compost;
- dilute with water in a barrel, tightly closing the lid.
Chicken manure is considered a complete fertilizer and contains: 24 g calcium, 14 g phosphorus, 16 g nitrogen substances, 8 g potassium per 1 kg. In addition, microelements are sulfur and magnesium.
Mullein
Significantly poorer than poultry droppings, but more popular due to the meat and dairy industry and the presence of farms. Suitable for all types of soil. It decomposes slowly, as it contains a lot of plant residues and few microorganisms. Contains: 3 g phosphorus, 1.5 g potassium, 3 g calcium, 3.5 g nitrogen.
Horse dung
It is second only to cow manure in terms of nutritional value, but contains much less water, so it decomposes faster and generates more heat. Contains: 4 g phosphorus, 2 g calcium, 4 g nitrogen, 3.5 g calcium. It is used in greenhouses as a warming element for the root system of seedlings.
Rabbit droppings
It is valuable due to its low weight. Nutrient components are contained in equal quantities - about 6 - 7 g of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus elements and calcium. It differs in that it can be used without prior composting - there are no weed seeds or pathogenic flora.
Small cattle litter
Goats and sheep produce very dry droppings, but its weight and consistency depend on what the animals are fed. 1 kg of sheep droppings contains 6 g of nitrogen, 3 g of phosphorus, 7 g of potassium. To store manure, you need to equip a separate room or a tightly packed pile, since nitrogen substances evaporate quickly. There is a formula for nitrogen loss: 20% of the crop is lost every day.
Important! Manure must be incorporated into the soil within one day.
Manure age and beneficial components
Visually you can determine the age of organic matter. The fresh material is brown in color and the straw litter is dense. The half-rotted substrate is darker, the straw has not lost its shape, but has become softer.
Rotted manure is a dark mass with no signs of litter - it has dissolved. Humus is a dark-colored, free-flowing substance. When storing manure, the total mass of rotted matter decreases by 50%, and of humus by 75%.
Semi-rotted organic matter
How to store manure that has already been sitting for 3-6 months. It is not recommended to put it in a hole without access to air, as the substance will sour. Microorganisms that process organic matter die. The best way– prepare compost by mixing it with green manure or weeds, kitchen waste, soil or peat.
Rotted substrate
Rotted droppings have a dry consistency; they have lain in a pile or in the open air for at least a year. It can be packed in bags and kept half-open. As soon as possible, use it in the garden as fertilizer or mulch.
Humus
The advantage of humus is that its volume, when added to the soil, is restored due to the supply of moisture. This property is used to loosen soil – clayey and loamy. It is necessary to evenly distribute the substance over the area and dig it up.
There are practically no nutritional components for plants, so complex mineral fertilizers or a solution of fresh droppings are added along with humus.
How to store humus in the country:
- in bags;
- in the collar;
- in bulk, covered with film.
Humus is used in compost to increase mass. It is not capable of burning and increasing the temperature, therefore it is used as one of the components.
How to store fertilizer - 5 popular ways
The question of how to store manure on the site should concern those summer residents who have purchased a large amount of fresh manure and cannot apply everything at once. And vice versa: who has 20 - 30 kg and wants to retain more nutrients. Several methods are used.
In liquid form
For small volumes, a plastic barrel is suitable for 200 - 300 liters. Pour manure into it by a third and fill it with water by 2/3, mix. You need to place the container in a cool place in advance so that the liquid does not ferment.
In winter, it is not advisable to allow it to freeze, because the plastic may crack. Cover the barrel tightly with a lid to prevent air from entering and flies from landing. In spring, the liquid is used to prepare a working solution. Mullein is bred
In bags
Storing manure in bags is a practical method, but is recommended for dry matter - humus or specially dried manure. Ground horse, chicken, sheep and rabbit droppings are stored in this way. To prepare fertilizers, take organic powder and add water.
Dry storage of manure
In dry form, manure can be stored in a pile. To do this, the boards must be tightly packed. You can pour a layer of soil up to 10 cm on top to avoid further drying out, but at the same time open access to air.
In small quantities, dry manure is mixed with dry peat or soil. Apply it to the soil, evenly scattering it over the area.
Video: How to store manure in winter
Composting (hot method)
In order for the compost heap to start burning, create special conditions:
- the collar must have slots up to 2 – 3 cm for full air access;
- all components are poured without compaction;
- the amount of manure and all other components of the mixture should be in a ratio of 40% to 60%.
How to compost:
- Choose a site, preferably concreted, located above the level of the site, so as not to flood in the spring.
- Width up to 3 m, height 1.5 – 2 m, length arbitrary.
- Soil or peat is poured onto the bottom so that the flowing liquid is retained, since it contains many nutritional components.
- Next, plant residues are laid in layers: green manure, weeds, soil, peat, vegetable and fruit waste from the garden.
Cover the top with a layer of earth to prevent nitrogen from evaporating. With this method, the temperature rises to 70 degrees, and the mixture begins to ripen.
Each type of fertilizer must be stored separately in a dry place.. If stored improperly, a significant part of the nutrients is washed out of them, their value is lost, and their physical properties deteriorate. You can use compacted mineral fertilizers after grinding them if they were stored in a dry room.
When storing mineral fertilizers It is necessary to avoid getting them wet with water, as this leads to a deterioration in the physical properties of fertilizers and loss of nutrients. Best to store fertilizers outside the residential premises, in a separate utility room. Fertilizers are stored separately from one another, preferably in closed, non-corrosive containers, isolated from the floor (on a floor, platform) and the walls of the room.
Ammonium, sodium and potassium nitrate must be stored with extreme caution, as they are explosive and flammable, capable of detonation.
Should not be allowed contamination of ammonium nitrate with scraps of paper, fabric, peat, since after some time they form very flammable materials. It is generally preferable to store ammonium nitrate separately from other fertilizers. The quality of fertilizers during storage depends on a number of their properties: humidity, hygroscopicity, caking, and dispersibility.
From fertilizer moisture the basic physical and mechanical properties of fertilizers change. For nitrogen fertilizers, humidity should be kept as low as possible. Superphosphates are less critical and can be stored at some excess air humidity, the same applies to potassium chloride.
Hygroscopicity is the ability of fertilizers to absorb moisture from the air. With increased hygroscopicity, fertilizers become damp during storage, then mix poorly, and the granules lose strength. Calcium nitrate is highly hygroscopic; powdered forms of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride are also hygroscopic. They have less hygroscopicity superphosphates.
Caking– this is an unpleasant property of mineral fertilizers, which causes a lot of trouble for vegetable growers. You have to break up the clods and sift the fertilizer through a sieve. Before breaking up the lumps, place them in a strong bag and crush them with light blows of a hammer. At the same time, remember that saltpeter detonates! However, it is unlikely that detonation will occur from a hammer blow through the bag, but still be careful.
Dispersibility– important property mineral fertilizers th, making it easier to introduce into the soil. Sometimes a problem arises when storing artificially mixed fertilizers. The fact is that many of them contain crystallized water; as a result, after some time the mixture turns into a soggy mess, which is very difficult to distribute evenly over the soil surface. To prevent this from happening, the mixtures should be stored in tightly closed containers.
It should be noted that in this case the mixture does not lose its fertilizing properties, but their application is only made more difficult. The container must be plastic or enameled metal. Thus, the main condition for maintaining all the original properties of fertilizers during storage is their isolation from moisture.
The quality of fertilizers during storage is affected by a number of parameters, in particular changes in temperature and humidity. How to avoid storage mistakes?
The best place to store mineral fertilizers is a warehouse for non-combustible materials, with sufficient ventilation and a flat floor surface. The optimal storage temperature is 5-20 °C. Fertilizers must be placed inside the warehouse at a distance of at least 1 m from the roof and walls. It is better to choose the largest possible packaging for storage - the fertilizers in it are very stable. It is best to place fertilizers on pallets, which are placed on a flat and dry surface.
Fertilizers should be stored away from flammable materials such as straw, sawdust, feed and other flammable substances used in agriculture (oils, greases, fuels, agricultural chemicals). This is especially important for nitrogen fertilizers, which oxidize quickly. It is also recommended to store nitrogen fertilizers away from a heat source. Do not store fertilizers that may react with each other, such as urea, near nitrate fertilizers.
All fertilizers stored outdoors must be protected from external factors. Avoid direct contact with soil and water. Liquid fertilizers should be stored at the appropriate temperature to prevent them from freezing, which causes the fertilizer to crystallize.
Another unfavorable phenomenon is delamination, which leads to the formation of sediment. It contains minerals that are inaccessible to plants and the fertilizer will be ineffective.
Improper storage conditions lead to deterioration in the consumer value of fertilizers. Often, especially in the case of fertilizers that contain salts, if they are not stored correctly, greater absorption of water from the environment occurs, which, in turn, makes the fertilizer lumpy. The reason for this phenomenon in the case of nitrogen fertilizers is their storage at temperatures above 30 °C. To granulate agglomerated manure, very expensive technical measures must be resorted to. The only way to protect fertilizers from forming lumps is to lower the storage temperature. Excessive absorption of water from the environment, for example due to damage to packaging, also results in the formation of lumps or sedimentation, which significantly reduces the useful value of fertilizers.
High temperature and humidity can cause nitrogen fertilizers to oxidize, resulting in chemical decomposition and even spontaneous combustion. Improperly stored fertilizers can contaminate ground and surface water, so it is best to store fertilizers at least 10m away from watercourses. (
Inorganic fertilizers include mineral, phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers. Almost all gardeners use them. To store them for a long enough time, you need to follow some recommendations. For all inorganic fertilizers there is one general rule storage: the temperature in the premises should not fall below zero.
Mineral fertilizers lose their beneficial features upon contact with water. They are stored in dry and well-ventilated areas. At the same time, drafts should not be allowed. Such rooms should not have concrete or clay floors; such coverings may allow moisture to pass through. Bags of different fertilizers should be kept separate from each other.
The rules for storing ammonium and potassium nitrate are more stringent. It's all about the great chemical activity of these substances. Potassium nitrate can explode from mechanical shock. Containers containing such fertilizers should be placed on the ground to reduce the possible risk of physical impact. Avoid getting paper or pieces of fabric into any saltpeter, as they become explosive after a while. It is better to store ammonium nitrate separately from other fertilizers.
Try to maintain air humidity at 30%. Most modern fertilizers come in the form of granules, which have the ability to draw water from the air. When wet they become ineffective.
Periodically check bags and containers in which fertilizers are stored. They should not have holes or other flaws, otherwise the fertilizers may get mixed. This often results in the formation of toxic substances.
For the needs of agriculture, warehouses are built according to special projects, where all of the above measures for storing fertilizers are observed. Such premises vary, depending on the types of fertilizers and their turnover during the year.
Storage of organic fertilizers
Organic fertilizers include manure, compost and others. To increase yields and improve soil quality, these fertilizers need to mature and get rid of excess moisture before they can be used on your site. The ripening process is accompanied by the release of a very unpleasant odor, so they should be stored away from residential premises. Keep manure and compost away from rain, as water easily washes away beneficial substances. It is also necessary to protect organic fertilizers from excessive drying.