7 Answer the questions.
1. Where do plants get their nutrients from?
2. How can fertilisers be supplied to plants?
3. When are nutrients removed from the soil?
4. What should farmers do to compensate the loss of nutrients?
5. Why are acids contained in chemical fertilisers harmful?
6. What nutrients are organic fertilisers rich in?
7. Which fertilisers help the soil retain moisture and resist erosion?
8. What does the over-use of fertilisers imply?
8 Read the text and choose the correct option.
How to Make Nettle fertiliser
a. Harvest nettles 1. on / by / with cutting young stems, which 2. have not flowered / have flowered / flowered yet. 3. Cutted / Cutting / Cut them before June, because then they are ideal for fertiliser production.
b. Chop approximately one kilogram of nettles up with the clippers and crush 4. they / them / their with your gloved hands 5. as / since / because you place them into a barrel.
c. Pour in water, but don’t forget to place a tightfitting lid on to the barrel, as nettle brew tends to get rather smelly. Finally, I suggest the barrel 6. is / be / would be located way down the garden.
d. Leave the mix to brew 7. since / of / for about three or four weeks before you consider 8. to apply / appling / applying it.
e. When the time 9. is coming / is come / comes, mix it in your watering can at a rate of ten parts water to one part nettle brew, then water liberally around your plants.
f. As the resulting feed is high in nitrogen, it is recommended 10. watering / having watered / water it especially onto those plants 11. who / whom / which require leafy or upright growth, e.g. lettuce, cabbage, lawns, sunflowers etc., but virtually all plants will receive a 12. welcoming / welcome / welcomed boost.
Adapted from: http://www.kilcannon.ie
9 Watch the video about getting nitrogen fertiliser from nature, and say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1. Fava beans are included in the Egyptian diet.
☐ T ☐ F
2. Legumes are poor in protein content.
☐ T ☐ F
3. Legumes contribute to soil fertility.
☐ T ☐ F
4. Rhizobium bacteria are activated in the air.
☐ T ☐ F
5. After being penetrated by Rhizobium bacteria, legume roots form dark red nodules.
☐ T ☐ F
6. It is not difficult to find inoculants with Rhizobium bacteria on the market.
☐ T ☐ F
7. Seeds should be coated with a sticky liquid two days before sowing.
☐ T ☐ F
8. Tap water is recommended to make a syrup of sugar.
☐ T ☐ F
9. Nitrogen is slowly released in the soil through the roots of legumes.
☐ T ☐ F
10. The bacteria can survive in the soil less than 6 years.
INSERIRE VIDEO: Get nitrogen Fertiliser from nature, for Free posted by Organic Egypt
GLOSSARY
bank : argine
bone meal : farina di ossa
cottonseed meal : farina di semi di cotone
to hinder : impedire
nettle feeds : nutrienti a base di ortiche
sewage sludge : detriti fognari
to thrive : crescere florido