| Well-rotted animal manure is one of the finest | | | | Chicken manure is often sold in pellet form so it is |
| by-products that are available to the organic gardener. | | | | easy and cleaner to handle. It is very rich being high in |
| It may sound like a messy and an unhygienic | | | | nitrogen but it is lacking in almost all other nutrients. It is |
| substance to handle but in this form it looks completely | | | | very useful when used combined with other fertilizers. |
| different from the fresh product. It doesn't smell, in fact | | | | Chicken manure must never be used fresh. Hop |
| it resembles rich, brown, crumbly compost, which of | | | | Manures- Spent hops are useful for improving the |
| course it is. However, when handling any type of | | | | physical condition of the soil, however they have little if |
| composts and fertilizers it is sensible to wear gloves. | | | | any nutrients. |
| Farmyard manure is a mixture of the droppings of | | | | Liquid manure There are so many things that you can |
| horses, pigs or cows, including their urine and the litter | | | | make up into a liquid feed. Comfrey leaves put in a bin |
| used for their bedding. Cow manures are wetter, | | | | with water and allowed to rot down make a very |
| colder and lower in nutrients than horse manure, and | | | | good liquid feed. Other ingredients such as manure, |
| decompose more slowly in the soil, which makes them | | | | blood and bone meal, a capful of concentrated |
| more suitable for sandy soils. Likewise, pig manure is | | | | seaweed fertilizer allowed to stand for about a week, |
| slow acting but long lasting, as it is slow to ferment, this | | | | make up a very fine brew. It must be diluted at a ratio |
| too is a cold manure and therefore unsuitable for the | | | | of about 1 parts liquid feed to 4 parts water. As you |
| making of hot-beds. | | | | draw the last dregs from the container, it is wiser to |
| Bullock manure is not recommended because many | | | | dilute a little more, as the mixture becomes more |
| are fed a composition diet to build up tissue and body | | | | concentrated at the bottom. This feed can be |
| weight, therefore the residue could be transported into | | | | administered about every 2 - 3 weeks throughout |
| their manure and which might not necessarily be | | | | summer. |
| beneficial to us. | | | | Foliar Feeding. All living parts of a plant above the |
| One ton of farmyard manure will give about 10lb. | | | | ground can absorb nutrients: twigs, branches, buds, |
| Nitrogen, 5lb. Phosphoric acid and 10lb. Potash, much of | | | | fruits, flowers, leaves and stems. Foliar intake of |
| which is accessible to the plants soon after application. | | | | nutrients is similar to absorption by plant roots except |
| Not everyone lives in the country or close by riding | | | | that foliar nutrients are readily available and more easily |
| stables but many of the animal manures can be | | | | utilized by the plant than soil nutrients. Foliar feeding is |
| purchased from good Garden Centres or from | | | | quick acting and especially useful when applied to |
| suppliers with web sites who can deliver to your home. | | | | plants that are suffering nutrient deficiencies in chalky |
| Manures are generally good all round balanced | | | | and other alkaline soils. It improves the plants root |
| fertilizers with amounts of nitrogen as well as a little of | | | | structure, which facilitates the uptake of nutrients from |
| many other ingredients. It must always be used when it | | | | the soil and enhances the photosynthesis process. For |
| has matured, fresh will harm the plants by "burning" the | | | | strengthening and increasing leaf growth a spray |
| stems and roots. If you are able to collect it from | | | | containing urea at the rate of 1 oz. per 2 gallons of |
| source let it rot for about 8 weeks but do make sure | | | | water, will be sufficient to cover 25 to 30 sq. ft. |
| that you cover it to stop the rain-washing away all the | | | | (7.62m-9.144m) of soil fully covered with foliage. |
| nutrients. | | | | Potassium nitrate, when applied at the same rate, will |
| In autumn dig lots of manure into the vegetable plots it | | | | help to harden soft sappy tissue without checking |
| will ensure that the plants have a really good start in | | | | growth. |
| the following season. Besides root crops prefer soil | | | | To read about milk thistle side effects and milk thistle |
| that has been manured the previous season. | | | | benefits, visit the Plants And Flowers site. |