The paper presents the results of a laboratory study of the influence of sapropel with different methods of its introduction on the growth processes of barley of the common variety Nur. The experiment was carried out in 2021 under climatic conditions at the Vologda Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The study was carried out by the method of soil culture. In the control variant, the soil of the Nord Pulp LLC peat company was used for setting up the experiment; in the experimental variants, sapropel was additionally introduced into the soil (as an integral part of the soil; during irrigation; combining both options). Each variant included 10 vessels, 10 seeds were placed in each vessel. On the 10th, 15th and 20th days of the experiment, the morphometric parameters were taken from the plants and the average daily increments were calculated. As a result of the study, it was found that sapropel had a growth-stimulating effect on barley plants. Probably, the observed effect is associated with the high content of biologically active compounds in sapropel.