Organic Fertilizers: Basic Rules Of Use

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Growing a rich crop without the use of organic fertilizers, especially on poor or depleted soils, will be extremely problematic. This natural wealth is extremely unattractive in appearance, but its properties are in many ways superior to those of artificial counterparts. They contain all the nutrients required for plants, improve the quality of the soil and improve its structure, and also raise the level of carbon dioxide required for garden crops in the ground. Moreover, it was noticed that the presence of organic fertilizers also improves the assimilation of mineral supplements

On the benefits of domestic livestock for the owners of gardens and vegetable gardens

The first place among organic fertilizers in terms of the benefits they bring in garden beds is occupied by manure. However, manure and manure are different, and its quality, properties will be different depending on the type of animal, the composition of the pet's feed and its litter.

Horse and sheep manure occupy the leading positions in the content of such elements as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. For example, from 10 kg of horse manure, the following gets into the soil:

• 50 g of nitrogen;

• 25 g of phosphorus;

• 60 g of potassium.

In addition, it is rich in boron, cobalt, manganese, copper, molybdenum, contains ash substances, which means calcium and magnesium.

Bird droppings also vary in quality. Those who want to qualitatively enrich the soil with organic fertilizer based on poultry manure should be provided with concentrated feed for their chickens and pigeons.

A lot depends on the litter

For the preparation of high-quality organic fertilizer, it is important not only the feed provided for farm animals and poultry, but also the environment into which the manure gets, namely the litter. For its device, it would be best to use such raw materials as:

• grain straw;

• peat;

• tyrsa.

Whenever possible, the straw should be crushed - in this form it absorbs liquid better with less material consumption. Peat also has an excellent ability to absorb manure, and it is this natural material that will contain the highest percentage of nitrogen. The moisture content of peat for litter should be at least 30%.

Terms of application of manure to the beds

When applying manure in the garden, it is not recommended to embed fresh raw materials into the soil, especially cow dung. This product can contain a large amount of weed seeds, and instead of enriching the land with useful substances, on the contrary, it will clog it.

Manure must be allowed to overheat and decompose. The more decomposed the raw material, the better its effect on the planted vegetables and the final yield of the crop will be. And the positive impact of organic fertilization will continue for several seasons.

You can fill the soil with organic matter both in autumn and spring. It depends both on the degree of decomposition of the fertilizer and on the preference for different vegetables. So, the site on which the placement of early potatoes and cabbage is planned is filled with manure during the autumn cultivation of the vegetable garden. But for late varieties, manure can also be applied during the spring digging of the site. Pumpkin crops, namely, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, give a higher yield if planted in areas filled with decomposed manure in early spring.

On the contrary, some crops do not tolerate the introduction of manure for planting, and they can be placed on these beds only in the second year after filling the soil with fertilizer. These crops include green crops, carrots, onions. For example, if you place onions on such sites intended for long-term storage, they will not please with keeping quality in winter and will rot. Humus is more suitable for such crops in the year of planting.