Manure: use of rotted and fresh, application, types and composition. Manure is the best organic fertilizer.

Manure is a natural fertilizer, the most famous and used in all countries of the world, throughout the history of world agriculture. This type of organic matter is a natural source of macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as a number of microelements, such as lime, magnesia, sulfur, chlorine and siliconnecessary for the full life of plants.

Supporters of mineral fertilizers often say that manure is a fertilizer of the past, that it is not very effective, its composition is not balanced, it is inconvenient to work with, and, in the end, it smells bad. Yes, all these shortcomings are present when using manure. But, at the same time, this organic substrate has such an advantage that mineral fertilizers do not have, and cannot have. With the help of manure components, a fertile layer is formed, which, when mineral fertilizers are used, is only depleted. Manure biomass eventually transforms into humus, forming the upper humus horizon, without the constant renewal of which the most flourishing garden turns into a desert.

Manure processing methods

For use in the garden and garden, agronomists usually recommend the use of well-rotted manure, in which the minimum content of ammonia, and it does not "burn" the roots of plants. Also in its composition there are no harmful microorganisms, they die in the process of decomposition.

Nowadays, there are many methods that help to quickly change the structure of fresh organic matter and improve its consumer qualities. For example, the processing of manure into fertilizer can be done in the following ways, which are available to all gardeners and do not require special equipment:

Composting

You cannot get compost by simply placing manure in a high pile and waiting for it to overheat, as the result will be ordinary humus. In this way, only manure is usually stored. And compost is a fertilizer richer in nutrients, since it includes many components.

To make a compost heap according to all the rules, it is necessary to lay last year's substrate at its base, which will provide the collar with the necessary amount of bacteria that ferment organic matter. The next layers are made from any organic waste (herbs, tops, peels of vegetables and fruits), which is sprinkled with manure. Such " layered cake"erect until it reaches a height of 1-1.5 meters. Then the pile is watered and left to rot. Processed manure as fertilizer can be used in a few months. But, the optimal time for the maturation of compost based on livestock waste is a time interval equal to a year.

Vermicomposting

In recent years, organic farming has gained popularity, which uses methods of natural renewal of nutrients in the soil, without the use of chemicals and mineral fertilizers.

Manure composting using worms (vermicomposting) allows you to get not only a useful fertilizer, but also a permanent, self-renewable source of nutrition for the soil, since together with this substrate, worms are introduced into the beds, where they continue their vital activity and reproduction, processing the soil around them .

Under the conditions of the middle zone for vermicomposting, agronomists recommend choosing a hybrid of red Californian worms with worms of the Kuban natural population. Before proceeding with their help to process manure into fertilizer, the substrate must be acidified with slaked lime, ash or bone meal to a value of 7.5-8 pH units, since worms cannot live in a neutral environment.

Accelerated fermentation using humates

These natural bioadditives are used to accelerate the process of fermentation of the manure substrate during its composting. They make the use of manure very economical, since after its treatment with bioactive preparations, the application rate of this organic fertilizer can be reduced by three times, while maintaining the same efficiency. The price of manure in this case also decreases, due to a decrease in the volume of its use.

Humates are used for fermentation of organic matter as follows - 2-3 months before it is introduced into the soil (usually in early spring, as soon as constant positive temperatures are established), the manure pile is shed with a solution of humates, introducing about 10 g of biostimulants per 10 kg of manure. After the procedure, the pile is thoroughly mixed to speed up the processing processes.

Infusion

This is the fastest method of manure processing, which allows you to get rid of excess ammonia contained in uric acid and kill harmful microflora, including worms and nematode eggs. It is very simple to apply it - horse, pig or cow manure is poured with water 1: 1, and insisted for a week. The resulting working solution is diluted again, in a ratio of 1:10, and the plants are watered with the resulting mixture in the evening. It is impossible to pour manure infusion under the very root, so it is poured into the drawn grooves between the plants.

Video: making liquid fertilizer from litter / manure

Application of fresh manure

Fresh manure can be used for fertilizer, despite the fact that the nutrients from its composition are more difficult for plants to absorb. But, sometimes the end justifies the means, since it is not always possible to wait until the compost matures.

Fresh manure is used in cases where there is no time, but there is a large amount of animal organic matter. Then with manure proceed as follows:

• In summer, liquid fertilizer is prepared from manure. For this, manure is bred in warm water in a proportion of ¼, and the resulting mixture is watered with plants along the edge of the near-stem circle in the evening. For 1 sq.m. consume 1.5 liters of solution.
• In autumn, it is used when digging the soil. The application rate of manure is 1 bucket (10 liters) per square meter, the embedment depth is no more than 30-40 cm.
• In winter, the soil is pre-fertilized with manure, scattering it around the garden right on the snow cover. The consumption rate is 1.5 buckets per square meter, since with prolonged interaction with air (and in this case, manure will be on the surface of the earth), it loses a significant part of nitrogen, and therefore this organic fertilizer is required with this method of application more.
• In spring - they are used as biofuel, in the construction of warm beds for cucumbers and other gourds. The most preferable for this purpose will be mutton manure, since it has a heating temperature inside the heap of at least 60-70 ° C, and cow, pig and horse manure - 15-20 degrees lower. When using fresh manure for seasonal fertilizing of garden plants, it is necessary, in accordance with clause 4.4 of GOST 26074-84, to withstand a certain time interval before harvesting, otherwise finished products worms and other unpleasant microorganisms can migrate.

Types of manure

cow dung

This type of organic is the most common. Cow manure fertilizes all types of plants in all agricultural zones. But it must be used skillfully, otherwise you can oversaturate the finished product with nitrates, which are contained in it in large quantities. The composition of this substrate is as follows (per 1 kg of mass):

1. Nitrogen total - 3.5 g;
2. Calcium (oxide) - 2.9 g;
3. Phosphorus (oxide) - 3 g;
4. Potassium (oxide) - 1.4 g.

When choosing the concentration of feeding, it should be borne in mind that, depending on the age and sex of the animal, chemical composition manure may vary. For example, the excrement of adult cows contains 15% more nutrients than calves and bulls of the first year of life. It is recommended to apply this substrate in the amount of 7-10 kg per square meter, depending on soil fertility.

The temperature of cow manure at a depth of 1 meter is about - 31-34 ° C, at a depth of more than two meters - 40-46 ° C. At the bottom - 23-28 ° С. Therefore, the optimal heating beds for cucumbers will be piles of manure at least 1 meter high, only such a volume is able to sufficiently heat the surface, providing a high temperature.

Cow dung, despite its wide distribution, is one of the most non-nutritious types of organic matter, as it contains the least amount of nutrients. At the same time, this property can even be useful, as it reduces the risk of an overdose of fruits with elements from the NRK complex, and, accordingly, the risk of nitrate poisoning of finished products.

Horse dung

This type of organic fertilizer is considered one of the best, and is used both indoors and outdoors. open field. Horse dung contains more nutrients than cow dung.

The approximate chemical composition of horse manure is as follows (per 1 kg of mass):

• Nitrogen total - 4.7 g;
• Calcium (oxide) - 3.5 g;
• Phosphorus (oxide) - 3.8 g;
• Potassium (oxide) - 2 g.

Horse manure as a fertilizer is used in preparing the soil for garden crops such as potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, squash and pumpkins. When fertilizing the soil with manure, it is recommended to apply it in the amount of 5 kg per 1 sq.m. This amount is sufficient, since there is more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in its composition than in mullein. If horse dung is used as a biofuel in the greenhouse, the manure must be spread in a layer of at least 30 cm and thoroughly spilled. hot water with potassium permanganate, to destroy harmful microflora, including fungi. From above it is covered with a layer of fertile earth, at least 20 cm thick.

Video: horse manure and its application

Pig manure

Manure from pig farms is also used as fertilizer. They include excrement (both solid and liquid), feed residues, bristles, and a small amount of bedding (hay, straw or sawdust).

Pig manure is considered one of the most "caustic". Indeed, it contains a large amount of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, a high concentration of which is present in the urine of these animals.

The chemical composition of pig manure, on the first day after receipt, looks like this (per 1 kg of mass):

• Nitrogen total - 8.13 g;
• Calcium (oxide) - 7.74 g;
• Phosphorus (oxide) - 7.9 g;
• Potassium (oxide) - 4.5 g.

Pig manure, unlike cow or horse manure, is a semi-liquid suspension, where solids (in the form of 3-5 mm granules) occupy at least ¼ of the total volume. Pig excrement is quite difficult to separate into fractions, so they are usually transported in closed containers.

In the article "The use of pig manure for fertilizing crops" (Perspective pig breeding: theory and practice, issue 5, 2012), authors Merzloy G.E., Shchegoleva I.V., Leonov M.V., this organic fertilizer was compared with cattle manure. The authors pointed out an interesting feature of the nitrogen contained in this type of organic matter, 70% of which is in an easily digestible form, and tends to accumulate in the soil in a mineral form. This is a big plus of pig manure, but also a noticeable minus. Because of this saturation, this substrate is not easy to use. It is recommended to dilute it well, twice as thin as mullein, and keep it in compost for much longer.

rabbit dung

This substrate differs from other types of organics in its consistency and composition, as it is much drier than all other types of animal organics, which greatly facilitates its transportation. Another advantage of rabbit manure is that it does not contain weed seeds, which allows it to be used without prior composting. Of the harmful microorganisms in rabbit droppings, only coccidia are contained, which can only harm the body of rabbits. To avoid this, in hot weather, storing manure near the cages is strictly prohibited.

Rabbit excrement is used in the same way as cattle waste, brought into the ground for plowing or digging, infused in compost, and liquid fertilizers are prepared from them. But there is one processing method that is impossible for other species - dry powder is made from rabbit droppings, which is used not only in the garden, but also at home, to feed home flowers. To prepare it, the pellets are dried in the sun and pounded in a mortar. After that, mix with the ground, at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon for 3 liters. land, and fall asleep in pots designed for planting home flowers. Rabbit manure can be bought not only on farms, but also in large gardening supermarkets.

Ready manure is good in that it is already disinfected in accordance with GOST 26074-84 (Veterinary and sanitary requirements for processing, storage, transportation and use), and it can be used immediately, since it is already rotted and thoroughly dried.

Video: rabbit manure and biohumus

The use of organics as fertilizers for personal plots has never lost its relevance, and, in the past few years, in the wake of the revival of the popularity of organic farming, it has significantly supplanted mineral fertilizers. Mankind is coming to understand that the thoughtless exploitation of lands leads to their depletion, due to the rapid reduction of the humus layer. The use of animal organic matter prevents this process and helps to restore the fertile soil horizon. This property of natural fertilizers, when choosing a top dressing for your garden and vegetable garden, is increasingly inclining the choice of gardeners towards organic matter, because it renews the most important resource - soil fertility, and therefore is the fertilizer of the future.

Every gardener knows that it is impossible to ensure the correct growth, development, flowering of plants, as well as good harvests if the land is not fertilized. Every plant growing in your garden needs to be fed from the soil. But even if the land was fallow or used for other crops, it may not have enough of the necessary elements. And then the seedlings or seedlings will not be able to get enough nutrients.

The natural and most famous fertilizer is manure, a natural source of trace elements, without which the full life of plants is impossible.

Plants by their appearance will immediately tell you that they are missing something. They will grow worse, changes in the size and color of the leaves will begin to occur, their color will not be so bright and vibrant, and the roots may die.

And therefore, taking care of the garden, garden, greenhouse, flowers and wanting to see the plants in excellent condition, you will certainly have to use fertilizers to care for them.

When and how to fertilize plants with manure?

There are only two ways to apply fertilizer: fill the soil or feed the plants.

Soil dressing is a single application of organic fertilizer just before planting the plants directly into the ground in autumn or spring, when you loosen the soil. If you combine them with mineral, you can get an excellent effect. Digging up a garden or empty beds, fresh manure added to the soil only in autumn. But fruit trees will have to be handled with care. Fertilizer can burn the roots if it comes into contact with the bark. But you can lay manure in early spring.

Top dressing should be carried out during the period of development of garden and garden crops. If you feed garden plants when they grow, bloom and bear fruit, this will certainly affect the quantity and quality of the crop. By feeding the flowers, you will provide them with bright colorful blooms. And it is better to do fertilizer in liquid form.

Top dressing of horticultural crops

A few plants that benefit from fresh manure are cucumbers. Fertilizer will give an alkaline reaction and nitrogen. And the cucumbers love it. Feed them 4 times:

• at the beginning of flowering;
• at the beginning of fruiting;
• in another half a month;
• in another 2-2.5 weeks.

Cauliflower requires double feeding. First, one and a half to two weeks after planting, and the second time - when her head becomes the size of a walnut.

White cabbage is also fed twice.

The first time they feed the tomatoes when 20 days have passed from transplanting to the beds, with the appearance of the second flower brush - the second time, and with the flowering of the third brush - the third.

Manure top dressing loves beets. They get excellent yields even where it grows poorly. With the advent of the third or fourth leaflet, the first top dressing is done, and when the root crops begin to pour, the second. And do not be afraid to overfeed her.

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Before flowering, start feeding zucchini. Later, during the flowering period, this is done again.
When the third true leaf appears, feed the pumpkin.

But for carrots, top dressing may be required only under the condition of poor development of crops. Because usually she does not tolerate it well.

Potatoes react little to top dressing.

Top dressing flowers

If your flowers are annuals, you will need to feed them twice:

• a couple of weeks after the seedlings are planted in the ground;
• when flowers form buds.

For perennial flowers, three times top dressing will be required:

• as soon as the earth dries up in the spring, loosen and fertilize it;
• when buds appear;
• as soon as the flowers bloom.

In this case, they will have enough strength for wintering, and they will be able to lay good buds for the future.

When feeding plants, it is important to remember that you should not fertilize them in the heat and at noon. If water drops get on the leaves, they act like a magnifying glass and can cause burns.
Every grower should know that there are conditions when flowers do not need to be fertilized.

• If the flower is at rest.
• If the snow has not melted and the earth has not warmed up. It is necessary to wait for the water to drain and to seize the moment when the soil is still wet.
• If you have recently transplanted flowers.
• If the flowers show signs of infection.

Suitable organic fertilizers

Most flowers prefer organic. The basis of such fertilizers is the remains of various organisms, and microelements contribute to their decomposition by their active actions.

Of the organic fertilizers, animal manure and bird droppings are most often used.

Manure is a fertilizer that acts slowly, gradually. And therein lies another value. It cannot be scattered and left on the ground or in small piles. Manure must be immediately buried in the ground. In the spring, you can dig it up again before planting, but in no case leave the manure to wait for the spring digging, if you do not want it to lose its qualities.

All types of animals have a different composition of manure. It is impossible to imagine the rich harvests of many vegetable crops, bright flowering of roses, peonies, dahlias without proper feeding with manure.

Bird droppings are characterized by the highest concentration of nutrients. Goat, sheep and horse manure is given second place. The latter belongs to pork, as the weakest in terms of the presence of useful elements in it, besides, it is highly acidic.
Manure is usually stored in heaps lined with peat or straw (hay) and it should lie down for six months, no less. Ordinary manure has a high content of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, which are so necessary for the growth and flowering of plants. By introducing fresh manure into the soil, you risk harming the roots of young plants, burning them, because its activity is very high. Therefore, it is recommended to use manure in the form of liquid top dressing.

It is best to fertilize garden and garden plants, flowers with cow and horse manure. Moreover, the mullein (as they are called) must first be overheated, but the horse can be used for fresh top dressing. By the way, the mullein is the most popular.

As a rule, greenhouses, beds, flower beds are fertilized with liquid manure. It is not at all difficult to prepare it, one kilogram of manure must be insisted for a day in ten liters clean water. Use this top dressing with diluted water in a ratio of 1: 2. After such watering, you can loosen the soil or mulch.

Details about the types of manure

Cow dung. Not uncommon at all. Suitable for all types of soil. It takes a long time to decompose, so it can be used from early spring until the flowering period of plants. The best effect can be obtained from half-decomposed manure that has lain for a year or six months. Requires tedding and flipping. Determined by color. It is usually black, and its components have not yet become dust. Acquires the greatest value after three years.

Useful properties and disadvantages of mullein

Pig manure. It is rarely used in the garden. It will take several years for the substances in it to be absorbed. Its decomposition is slow. If you decide to fertilize them, it is worth remembering that you can expect little benefit from it for a long time.

Bird droppings. The most accessible, but very insidious. Its excess can burn all your plantings and, moreover, render the soil unusable for a long time.

You can prepare an infusion from it in the same way as you did with cow or horse manure, you will have to insist for almost two weeks. They usually dilute half a liter of infusion in a bucket of water. Plant roots are poured with this solution. Although it should be borne in mind that bird droppings in themselves are a fast-acting fertilizer. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it too often, otherwise nitrogen will accumulate in the soil in large quantities. So if you want to use it in solid form, just close up the manure for autumn digging.

Horse and sheep manure. Fast decomposing organic fertilizers. Can be used fresh. Horse manure is especially loved by roses.

Rabbit litter. Excellent organic fertilizer. It is recommended to use in liquid form. For top dressing, it should be infused with water for a week in a ratio of 1:10. Winter manure can be laid out as a mulch directly under the plants and not worry about their safety. Rain and watering will activate top dressing and enrich the soil.

Note! Never try to use cat and dog feces as fertilizer, do not put them in compost. Even more! If you meet their "traces" in the garden, remove them. They are not just not useful. They are harmful.

An excellent fertilizer is infusions with pure manure in combination with the ground part of individual plants. Among them, comfrey and nettle are of particular value. First you need to insist a kilogram of green mass with 10 liters of water for two weeks. And before watering, the infusion, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, mixed with manure.

Manure is often used as part of compost. The compost heap is stacked in a dry place. Manure, straw, leaves, peat, weeds are piled together, covered with ordinary earth and periodically watered. After a year, the fertilizer is ready and can be applied to the ground, mixing with the soil.

In order for plants to grow, develop, bloom and bear fruit properly, each sprout in your garden or in your house must receive additional nutrition. Therefore, if you want the plants to be in excellent condition, do not forget to use fertilizers when caring for them. And then they will thank you with rich harvests and lush flowering.

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Abundant fruiting of cultivated crops is the result of considerable efforts and compliance with all necessary conditions. Moreover, an important role in agriculture is played by the periodic feeding of planted vegetables and fruits with various kinds of fertilizers. If this is not done, the harvest will be poor and small. Problems in the choice of dressings, as a rule, do not arise. Indeed, in specialized points there is such a huge selection: powders, granules, tablets and more. Despite this, most experienced gardeners to this day use horse dung like fertilizer.

In addition, no less rarely, the earth is fed with the help of horse defecation. By the way, it is considered the most useful and effective among other organic substances. What is the benefit of this fertilizer for plants? How to fertilize the soil with horse manure?

Horse feces contain many useful substances needed by plants. They are rich:

• nitrogen;
• potassium;
• Phosphorus;
• calcium and other elements.

Thanks to this complex, the soil becomes more fertile, and as a result, the development of cultivated plants begins to occur faster. But, despite all the "privileges" of this tool, not all gardeners consider it appropriate.

Manure is an organic fertilizer consisting of the excrement of domestic animals. This is the most famous and used fertilizer in all countries of the world throughout the history of mankind. Manure is formed in the process of microbiological and enzymatic processing by animals of various feeds.

Manure as a fertilizer is a natural source of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus macronutrients necessary for plants, as well as many trace elements, including sulfur, chlorine, silicon, lime and magnesia. Manure improves the structure of the soil and its physical and mechanical properties: it activates the soil microflora, enriches the soil with carbon dioxide and promotes the absorption of mineral fertilizers by plants, including indoor ones.

IN Russian Empire manure was the main fertilizer. IN Soviet time in terms of efficiency, only vermicomposts could be compared with manure. Today, fresh manure is still considered the best fertilizer, despite the fact that it has a depressing effect on many plants and contains harmful microorganisms and weed seeds. And although supporters of everything new and progressive argue that manure is not as effective as balanced mineral complexes, that it smells bad and is not suitable for all plants, this organic product forms a fertile soil layer, while mineral fertilizers only deplete it.

Manure is used not only as a fertilizer, but also as a binder in the construction of village houses. In addition, biogas and paper are produced from it, and dry manure is used as biofuel.

Types of manure - features

Depending on the amount of moisture in the manure, there are three types of this organic fertilizer:

• - litter, that is, solid or dry manure, the moisture content of which is about 80%;
• - semi-liquid - manure with a moisture content of up to 90%;
• - liquid - manure, the moisture content of which is above 90%.

Dry manure.

Bedding manure is formed from animal excrement and bedding materials, meaning manure with sawdust, straw, leaves or peat. The composition of such manure includes all the elements of plant nutrition. Depending on the degree of decomposition, dry manure is divided into:

• - on semi-overripe;
• - rotted;
• - humus.

There are three ways to store manure:

• - hot;
• - hot-pressed (according to the Kranz method);
• - cold.

The hot method involves storing manure in a loose state in a heap into which air easily enters. Such a content of manure leads to the active growth of microflora, which destroys organic components, which causes a loss of up to 60% of the mass of dry matter. organic matter and up to 50% nitrogen. With the Kranz method, manure is stored in a compacted state, removing air from it, which causes the temperature inside the mass to rise to 50-60 ºC. This slows down the development of microflora and increases the thermal conductivity of manure. The best manure comes from cold storage: the manure is compacted and stored in cool rooms on a concrete floor.

Semi-decomposed manure. In such manure, the straw becomes brown and easily destroyed: the loss of organic matter in the manure is 20-30%. Semi-rotted manure is used in agriculture most of all other types. Crops such as cucumbers, zucchini, squash, spinach, cabbage, pumpkin respond well to the introduction of semi-rotted manure, and the next year, potatoes, radishes, carrots, beets and other root crops can be grown on a site fertilized with semi-rotted manure without additional organic matter.

Overripe manure. The rotted manure is a highly decomposed manure, that is, a homogeneous mass, where neither straw nor sawdust can be distinguished. The loss of organic matter at this stage of decomposition is about 50%. Mature manure is also often used to fertilize the soil. How much manure is needed to fertilize a plot for crops? When digging, 10 kg of fertilizer is applied per 1 m² of soil. And rotted manure, mixed with soil in a ratio of 1: 2, is a good substrate for growing vegetable seedlings. This manure is also used for liquid feeding: 2 kg of rotted manure is mixed into 10 liters of water.

Humus. Humus is a product of the final stage of manure decomposition, a loose dark mass that has lost about 75% of organic matter during decomposition. It is used both for creating soil mixtures and for surface mulching. Humus as a fertilizer is suitable for any plants, its presence in the soil improves taste qualities roots, potatoes grow large and crumbly, and onions and radishes lose their excessive bitterness, acquiring tenderness and sweetness of taste. Humus is introduced into the soil for digging in a ratio of 1:4. To obtain humus, fresh manure is tightly laid in special boxes in layers, sprinkling them with phosphorite flour (20-30 g per 10 kg of manure) and moss peat (2 kg per 10 kg of manure). After six months of natural decomposition, you will get rotted manure, and after a year or two, the manure will turn into humus.

Fresh manure.

Despite the fact that nutrients from fresh manure are more difficult for plants to absorb, sometimes you still have to add it to the soil, because there is not always time to wait for the humus to ripen. How to apply fresh manure? Can:

• - dig the soil with it in the autumn on the site to a depth of 30-40 cm at the rate of 1 bucket of manure per 1 m² of land;
• - in winter, scatter manure around the garden directly on top of the snow cover at the rate of 1.5 buckets of fertilizer per 1 m² of area;
• - use fresh manure for the greenhouse in spring to build warm beds.

It is better not to produce seasonal top dressing with fresh manure, since worms and others can not migrate into the soil. useful to plants and humans micro-organisms.

liquid manure.

The fastest way to make fertilizer from manure is to fill it with water in a 1: 1 ratio and insist for a week. Before use, the resulting infusion is diluted with water 1:10. Keep in mind that fertilizing plants with manure can burn their roots, so the solution is poured not under the plants, but into the grooves made around them at a certain distance.

Granulated manure.

It is not always possible to buy fresh manure, and the processing of manure into fertilizer requires space and time, so many people prefer to buy granular dry manure packaged in bags and plastic buckets in specialized stores. What is this fertilizer? How is it produced? Manure is composted when heated to 75 ºC, adding straw to it to improve the organic properties. After composting, the mass is dehydrated, dried and granulated. This fertilizer, when properly stored, does not lose useful properties within 5 years.

Manure in granules has all the advantages of fresh, it is easy to use, but devoid of a specific smell and pathogenic organisms. The composition of manure in granules includes nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and boron. Granulated manure improves the structure of the soil, makes it looser, helps to retain moisture in it, creates a favorable environment for the development of beneficial soil microorganisms that turn organic waste into nutrients for plants.

Granular manure has a neutral pH (7.0) and is suitable for almost all plants. The duration of its action in humus is several years. How to use manure in granules for soil fertilization? In early spring, it is dug up with soil, planted to a depth of 10 cm. The amount of manure is 1-5 kg ​​per m² of land. After manure, it is desirable to water the soil well. You can also use granular manure for liquid top dressing: it is poured with cold water and infused for two weeks, after which the composition is thoroughly mixed and applied to the soil. Each type of manure has its own dosage and consistency. It is indicated on the packaging.

What kind of manure is better?

Horse dung.

Horse manure has a loose porous structure and decomposes quickly, releasing 50 to 70 ºC heat. It is an ideal soil fertilizer in greenhouses, greenhouses and greenhouses. Horse manure is also suitable for the garden: it does a good job of fertilizing heavy and infertile soils. Such manure is especially valuable for cucumbers, potatoes, celery, cabbage, squash, marrows and other pumpkin crops.

The composition of horse manure includes nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other valuable elements that contribute to the growth of plant productivity, increase their resistance to external factors and diseases. The effect of horse manure is prolonged, so its one-time application provides an increase in soil fertility for several years.

2 kg of fresh horse manure is diluted in 10 liters of water, 1 kg of sawdust is added to the solution, insisted for two weeks, stirring regularly. Vegetable crops are fed with this infusion after heavy rain or watering. You can make fresh horse manure for autumn digging, but in this case, the manure will lose half of its useful properties.

Horse manure is perfect for the device warm beds: dig a trench half a meter deep in the greenhouse, lay a layer of fresh horse manure 20 cm thick in it, fill the trench with soil over the manure and spill it with a warm pink solution of potassium permanganate with the addition of Nitrofoska (2 tablespoons) and wood ash(1 glass). It is impossible to use horse manure as a biofuel if a fungal coating has formed on its surface. Insufficiently rotted manure is not suitable in this capacity, since ammonia that has not weathered can poison plants. It is undesirable to use horse manure to fertilize too dense soil, since when it decomposes, hydrogen sulfide and methane will accumulate, which also poison the roots of plants.

Do not spread fresh horse manure under the potatoes, as they are vectors for scab.

Mostly fresh manure (of any animal) is brought into the soil for autumn digging. Under crops with a long growing season, manure can be applied in the spring.

Mature horse manure is much more beneficial for plants, since it contains several times more nutrients than fresh manure. They fertilize near-trunk circles fruit trees(5 buckets each) and berry bushes(3 buckets each). Mulched beds with tomatoes and strawberries are mulched with rotted horse manure, and if there is a lot of sawdust in it, then it is suitable for mulching near-stem circles of fruit trees after watering.

Since it is problematic for most gardeners to purchase fresh horse manure, horse manure in granules is sold in stores. The most popular granulated manure is "Horse Orgavit", which differs from fertilizers of other brands in that most of the nutrients contained in it are stored in a form available to plants. In addition, it does not increase the toxicity of the soil, it does not contain weed seeds and substances harmful to humans. You can buy horse manure in bags, each of which contains 40-50 liters of dry matter weighing 35-40 kg. Not so long ago, a liquid concentrate of horse manure appeared on sale in containers of 5 liters, which was highly appreciated by gardeners.

Cow dung.

Cattle manure is the most common fertilizer that is applied to all types of plants. But despite such widespread use, cow dung is one of the most non-nutritious organic fertilizers. 1 kg of cow manure contains:

• - 3.5 g of nitrogen;
• - 2.9 g of calcium;
• - 3 g of phosphorus;
• - 1.4 g of potassium.

Mullein also contains magnesium and sulfur. However, it should be borne in mind that, depending on the sex and age of the animal, the composition of the manure may vary. For example, the manure of adult cows contains 15% more nutrients than the manure of calves of the first year of life. On the positive side, due to the low nutrient content of mullein, plants are not at risk of overdosing on nitrates.

Cow dung is most effective for sandy and sandy soils. It is rarely used fresh, because it contains ammonia in large quantities, which is harmful to the roots. cultivated plants. But you can make liquid fertilizer from fresh litter. To do this, one part of the manure is placed in a deep container and poured into it with five parts of water, stirred well, covered with a tight-fitting lid and infused for 2 weeks, stirring the infusion every three days. If you do everything right, small bubbles will appear in the composition, then the infusion will brighten, and large particles will settle to the bottom. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1 and added for every 10 liters of 500 g of ash and 100 g of superphosphate. The output is a balanced complex fertilizer.

Rotted cow manure and humus from it can be used in autumn for digging, and in spring as mulch for almost all garden crops, berry bushes, fruit and ornamental trees and perennial flowering plants. On the basis of humus, mixtures are made for growing seedlings of garden crops. Holes are filled with mullein humus when planting tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons or zucchini.

Chicken manure.

A very popular fertilizer is chicken manure, and primarily because of its availability: poultry is often kept both on summer cottages as well as in private homes. But availability does not detract from the valuable nutritional qualities of chicken manure. This type of manure contains nitrogen, calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus at a concentration that is three to four times higher than in the manure of other animals. For example, nitrogen in chicken manure is 1.5-2%, while in mullein it is only half a percent, and in sheep manure no more than 1%. In addition, chicken manure is characterized by a prolonged action: since nutrients are released from bird droppings slowly, it continues to nourish the soil even 2-3 years after application.

The pH level of chicken manure is 6.6 units, which is why it is called a "soil former": it not only increases crop yields and enhances the activity of plant photosynthesis, but also participates in the formation of humus in the soil and contributes to soil deoxidation.

The advantages of chicken manure include the fact that it is non-toxic, does not cake, increases the resistance of crops to diseases and adverse external factors. It is absolutely environmentally friendly and is much cheaper than mineral fertilizers.

Like any other type of manure, it is better not to apply fresh chicken manure under plants due to the content of uric acid in it. In addition, the concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen is too high in it, so you need to keep chicken manure in the open air for a long time so that the excess and unnecessary can evaporate. Sometimes, in order to rid bird droppings of excess uric acid, they fill it with water for two days and change it several times. However, even after the completion of such treatment, the litter cannot be applied under the root of the plants: it is buried in the aisles or in the grooves around the tree trunks.

Fresh chicken manure has another drawback: the presence of harmful microorganisms in it.

Liquid fertilizer can be prepared from fresh manure: pour one part of manure with 20 parts of water and keep this solution in the open air for 10 days, stirring occasionally. The resulting infusion is watered between rows of beds with vegetables after heavy rain or heavy watering. However, neither under the roots of plants, nor in the holes during planting, this composition can not be poured. Do not keep the manure solution in an open container for more than two days, as ammonia starts to come out of it. If you are confused by the unpleasant smell that occurs during the fermentation of fresh chicken manure, add a little iron sulfate (200-300 g) to the container, and then the solution can be used not only as a fertilizer for plants, but also for the prevention of fungal diseases.

For the preparation of rotted manure or humus, chicken manure is placed in a box or container on a bed of grass or leaves, alternating layers of manure with the remains of garden plants, sawdust, peat, straw and other organic waste. Since the decomposition of chicken manure takes place at a very high temperature, the processing process is completed much faster than when composting horse manure or cattle manure: poultry manure laid down in the fall will be overripe by spring. You can judge how much heat chicken manure generates during decomposition by the fact that in winter no owner heats a room with chickens: in a pillow of chicken excrement that covers the ground in a chicken coop, leaks chemical reactions with the release of methane, which maintain the temperature in the room normal for poultry.

The optimal dose of dry chicken manure when fertilizing the soil for digging is 50 g per m² of land.

The disadvantages inherent in fresh chicken manure are not present in granulated manure, which is easy to purchase in specialized stores. There are neither fly larvae, nor helminth eggs, nor viable weed seeds, nor an unpleasant smell in it, and granulated bird manure retains its valuable qualities for a long time. It is easier to dose, and if the granules are ground into flour, they can even be added to the wells when planting. Just be careful in the calculations and try not to exceed the dosage. Granular chicken manure is used as a dry fertilizer, introducing granules into the soil for digging, but you can also prepare liquid top dressing from it in accordance with the attached instructions.

Do not fertilize garlic, onions and other herbs with chicken manure during its active growth period: this can only be done in June, at the very beginning of the growing season. They also do not like chicken manure, all root crops, except for potatoes.

Rabbit manure.

Rabbit manure is the most valuable species manure from livestock. Farmers jokingly call it "rabbit gold". By consistency, this type of manure is much drier than cow, chicken and horse manure, so it is more convenient to transport it. Another advantage of rabbit manure is that it does not contain weed seeds, as rabbits only eat the stems and leaves of plants. Rabbit manure contains magnesium, nitrogen, potassium, water and organic matter that stimulates plant growth and gives them vitality. Of the harmful microorganisms in rabbit manure, there can only be coccidia that cause harm to rabbits, so it is impossible to store manure near cages with animals, and cleaning in cages must be done regularly.

However, rabbit manure cannot be applied fresh under the roots of plants, since it burns out their root system, supersaturating the soil with nitrogen and releasing methane.

Rabbit manure is used, as well as cattle manure: they are brought into the soil in advance for digging, composted and used in a rotted form. For example, liquid top dressing is made from it: put 1 kg of rotted rabbit droppings in a bucket of water and insist for 12 hours with regular stirring. Holes or furrows are shed with this infusion before planting vegetable crops, spending from 1 to 2 liters per m².

However, there is one way to use rabbit manure, which is impossible for the excrement of other animals: rabbit pellets are dried in the sun and pounded in a mortar, and then this powder is used as fertilizer not only for the garden or garden, but also for top dressing indoor plants. How to fertilize houseplants with manure? For example, add 1 tablespoon of rabbit manure powder to 3 liters of earth, mix thoroughly and use as a substrate for growing indoor flowers.

Rabbit manure is composted according to the same principle as other types of excrement. It is kept in boxes or piles, layered with other types of organic matter: sawdust, straw, weeds, peelings of vegetables and fruits. To improve the composition of rabbit humus, you can run worms into the lower part of the compost, and after a month and a half, the worms are removed and the pile is mixed. Moisten the compost heap with water or a solution of mineral additives. The result is an excellent humus fertilizer for crops such as pumpkin, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, as well as gooseberries, currants and barberries. But, as we already wrote, top dressing is applied to the soil before planting. For example, in winter, compost is scattered around the garden, and in spring, when the snow begins to melt, the soil is saturated with useful substances from rotted rabbit droppings.

You can buy rabbit manure at farms and garden pavilions. Rabbit dung sold in specialized stores better themes that it is disinfected, dried and ready for use, since it has already passed the overheating stage. Farmers highly appreciate the quality of rabbit manure, arguing that after it is applied to the soil for two years, the land on the site becomes airy and soft, but at the same time it does not sprout with weeds, as after applying horse manure or mullein.

Pig manure.

Many readers ask if garden plants can be fertilized with manure from under pigs. Pig manure is different from other domestic animal manure, because pigs are omnivores, that is, they eat not only plant foods, but also animal foods. This leads to the fact that pig manure is not suitable for all plants: its pH is shifted to the acid side, and it has very little calcium. In addition, pig manure has a low heat output and decomposes more slowly than manure from other animals.

The introduction of fresh pig manure into slightly acidic and acidic soils makes them unsuitable for agriculture. If you still decide to use fresh pig manure, first neutralize its oxidizing properties by adding lime (50 g per bucket of manure), then mix it with horse manure in a 1: 1 ratio. But it is best to resort to infusion of fresh manure: dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 1 and let it stand for a week. During this time, the bacteria will die, and the amount of nitrogen will decrease to an acceptable level. Before use, 1 liter of infusion is diluted with 10 liters of water. Ready fertilizer is poured into shallow furrows between rows, around trees and bushes. They do it in the evening. Never water plants with liquid fertilizer from fresh manure under the root.

And yet it is desirable to use pig manure in a rotted form: when composted, it becomes more nourished and useful for structuring the soil. And to speed up the rotting process, add a little chicken or horse droppings to the pig manure.

In 1.5-2 years after laying pig manure in a compost pit, you will receive rotted manure, in which there will no longer be any weed seeds or microorganisms dangerous to plants. By this point, the manure has lost half its mass and darkened, and if you put straw in the pit, then it easily disintegrates at this stage of composting. Such fertilizer can be applied to the soil for digging in the amount of 6-7 kg per 1 m², and for the preparation of liquid fertilizer, 2 parts of manure per 10 parts of water are taken.

Pig manure that has lain in a compost pit for more than two years turns into humus - the most valuable fertilizer containing a minimum of moisture and a maximum of useful substances in a form accessible to plants. Since the amount of nitrogen in the manure is largely lost at this stage of decomposition, it is safe for the roots and can be incorporated into potting mixes for growing seedlings. Pig humus is applied to the soil in autumn or spring in a ratio of 1: 4, but a mixture of pork and cow humus will still be an ideal fertilizer.

It is not recommended to use pig manure in greenhouses, greenhouses and in places with high levels of humidity, which activates the pH shift of the medium to the acid side. It is also undesirable to use pig manure as mulch.

Goat manure.

Goat manure, like any other, is better not to use it fresh because the nitrogen in it is in a free state and, in close contact with the roots of plants, can burn them. But you can make liquid fertilizer from fresh manure: pour 1 part of feces with 10 parts of water and insist for a week by placing the container in a greenhouse. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10.

The quality of goat manure depends on the nutrition of the animal, and the best litter in this respect is obtained from eating roughage: bran, hay and straw of legumes. If animals graze in roadside plantings, it is likely that their manure will contain heavy metals that are harmful to plants and people.

In general, goat manure is 7-8 times more effective than cow manure, since it contains twice as much nitrogen. Goat manure is considered hot: it quickly decomposes, releasing significant heat, so it is used to fertilize cold and dense soils. One ton of goat dung contains 2.5 kg of phosphorus, 5 kg of nitrogen and 6 kg of potassium. They can be introduced into the soil five times less often than mullein, and 4 times less often than horse manure. This type of litter is used as a fertilizer for vegetable, grain and fodder crops. On beds fertilized with goat humus, cucumbers and tomatoes give an excellent harvest, and onions turn out juicy and acquire a delicate taste.

Most often, goat manure is stored in briquettes under a canopy or in a ventilated room, laid on a bed of straw. But still, it is desirable to compost goat manure, for which the briquettes are placed in a compost pit or container and mixed with other organic waste: vegetable and fruit peels, wood shavings, sawdust, straw, foliage, and so on. If bedding manure is laid in the pit, it is not necessary to add organic waste to it. Layers of manure are interspersed with layers of soil, the top pile is also covered with a layer of earth and watered. Within 2-3 weeks, the manure rots at a temperature of approximately 65 ºC. During this process, infectious agents, helminth eggs and weed seeds are killed. However, the decomposition of manure will require regular moistening of the compost heap, since goat manure is very dense. In addition, decaying manure must be turned over from time to time to saturate it with oxygen. To keep the compost slightly moist, it is covered with plastic wrap to keep the moisture from evaporating. Fertilizer can be applied to the soil after four months of composting for digging in the fall, and in the spring, if necessary, the procedure can be repeated, but humus is laid directly into the pits prepared for seedlings 2-3 weeks before planting.

Sheep manure.

Sheep manure is a highly effective fertilizer. Because it has a high decomposition temperature, it can be used to fertilize loam and clay soil. The composition of this type of manure, in addition to nitrogen, includes magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. However, sheep manure does not contain as many nutrients as other animal droppings. It differs from cow, horse and pig dung in dense build and dryness, and in order to improve the quality of sheep dung, it is watered with slurry.

Basically, sheep dung is used as fuel.

How to apply manure

Application of manure in the garden.

Actually, we talked about this in each of the sections, but let's refresh our memory on the procedure for introducing manure into the soil. So:

• - You can not fertilize the soil with fresh manure. To do this, use semi-rotted, rotted manure and humus;
• - a solution of fresh manure is used to fertilize mature plants, but it is poured not under the root, but into a furrow specially made in the aisle or along the perimeter of the trunk circle;
• - real fertilizer is manure that has lain in a compost pit for at least a year, and not in its pure form, but layered with straw, sawdust, grass, foliage, shredded paper and other organic waste;
• – best time introducing rotted manure or humus into the soil - autumn, because the whole next year the plants will live due to the gradual breakdown of nutrients and the release of elements in a form accessible to plants. How quickly the decay and release processes will occur depends on the moisture and temperature of the soil, its friability and other indicators. However, if poor soil is fertilized with manure every autumn, a real black soil can be created from it in a few years;
• - the introduction of humus into the soil at the beginning of the growing season is very important for plant nutrition, since in spring and early summer they grow and develop most intensively. Thus, we can say that the autumn application of manure is very important for increasing soil fertility, and the spring application is very important for plant nutrition. Therefore, it is best to do this: in the fall, add humus to the soil for digging, and in spring and summer it is better to feed the plants with a solution of rotted manure.

Manure in the greenhouse.

Fertilization with manure of the soil in the greenhouse is of great importance. However, it is important not only to feed, but to create conditions under which plants can easily absorb nutrients. But first you need to fertilize the soil in the greenhouse. Manure or humus is placed under the soil layer below the depth of root germination since autumn, so that it releases heat and nutrients into the soil all winter. If you don't have much manure, mix it with straw or sawdust. Cucumbers respond especially well to sowing in beds heated with manure. To fertilize the soil, it is better to use rotted horse manure, but if you don’t have it, then get at least a small amount in order to start the process: lay any manure that you have under the soil, and apply horse manure pointwise to initiate combustion.

How to make fertilizer from manure yourself

As we already wrote, the best fertilizer is humus and well-rotted manure. Choose a shady spot to compost the manure. You can dig a hole for composting, just keep in mind that water will accumulate in it, so it’s better to make a collar: a wooden box with a lid and a removable front wall to make it easier to mix the compost. It is better to install it on a concrete surface. The height of the box should be 1-1.5 m. A layer of straw, leaves or sawdust should be laid on its bottom, and manure mixed with organic waste should be placed on top: the same sawdust, foliage, weeds, wood shavings, mowed grass or straw. If the manure is liquid, dry it for several days, and only then mix it with organic matter and lay it in layers in the pile, alternating them with the soil, and the top layer with a thickness of at least 10 cm should be earthen. Each layer of manure with organic additives should be no thicker than 50 cm. If the manure is too dry or dense, pour water or slurry over it, then cover the pile with polyethylene. When the temperature in the compost rises to 60 ºC, compact the layers well.

Mature humus looks like a dark monotonous mass that has lost its unpleasant smell: it smells like forest floor or fresh earth.

Manure storage

Manure is stored in compost heaps about 2 m wide and up to 1.5 m high or in shallow pits away from residential buildings. However, in open pits, manure dries out quickly.

Actually, compost heaps are manure storages, which can be kept hot, loose or cold. During hot and loose storage, manure decomposes quickly, losing a lot of nitrogen, therefore, from an agrotechnical point of view, it is more efficient cold way storage, which does not allow the substance to overheat, lose a lot of nitrogen and promotes uniform decomposition of organic substances.

For cold storage, you will need a concrete pad or a place with well-compacted soil. A layer of peat, earth or dry leaves 25-30 cm thick is laid on the site, which will serve as an absorber of flowing manure moisture. As it arrives, the manure is laid in layers and compacted, sprinkling it with superphosphate or phosphate rock every 15-20 cm. For one ton of manure, 10-20 kg of mineral fertilizer will be needed. But it is much better to shift the manure with the same height layers of low-lying ventilated peat. The pile filled to the top is covered with a layer of earth or peat at least 20 cm thick, on top of which a layer of leaves or reeds of the same thickness is laid. In winter, the pile is covered with snow.

To prevent the loss of nitrogen, slurry is stored in closed containers, but it is undesirable to leave it for the winter, since it can freeze. It is better to use it to moisten the compost.

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A good harvest can only be obtained on good land, and in order for the land to be good, it must be fertilized. When is the best time to fertilize- spring or autumn? Timing the application of fertilizer to the soil is of great importance. Many agronomists believe that those who fertilize the land with manure taken out in winter make a big mistake. The benefit is minimal. Fertilize the soil in spring, leaving the manure to lie for a month and a half before plowing. In this case, the fertilizer efficiency will almost double. About varieties, timing of application to the soil and effectiveness various kinds fertilizers and will be discussed in this article.

All fertilizers are divided into 3 main groups: organic, mineral and organo-mineral fertilizers.

organic fertilizers

They, in turn, are also divided into 2 groups: animal origin and vegetable origin. Vegetable fertilizers include composts and peat, and animals include manure and bird droppings. When fertilizing with organic substances, the structure of the soil is significantly improved and this contributes to the reproduction of living organisms that benefit both the soil itself and plants. There are some disadvantages - an imbalance of nutrients can occur, weed seeds can come across in such a fertilizer, and organic matter can cause plant diseases and attract toxic substances.

If you decide to use organic fertilizers, then it is better to use compost. It is prepared quite simply: on an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 10 square meters. meters, straw 15 cm thick is laid out, then a layer of manure - 20 cm, a layer of peat - 15-20 cm. Phosphorite flour and lime are poured on top, mixed in a 1: 1 ratio. For 1 sq. meter should be poured 50-60 grams of the mixture. A layer of manure 15-20 thick is again covered from above. All layers are covered with a thin layer of soil and kept for 7-8 months.

With regard to fertilizing with manure, in our time the number of cattle has been greatly reduced, and therefore we have to look for an alternative. As plant products for fertilizer, you can use everything that grows and rots: cut grass, fallen leaves, tops and weeds, etc.

It is impossible to fertilize the land with fresh manure. Getting into warm and humid soil, such fertilizer begins to actively decompose and release heat and gases, so the crop can simply “burn out”. Fresh manure is used only for feeding mature plants, diluting it with water and watering the aisles. You can also use dried manure, pouring it in a thin layer between the rows.

It is better to use manure if it has lain for at least a year - during this time it decomposes and turns into humus. It is worth remembering that in its pure form, manure and chicken manure rot worse, so it is better to dilute these animal waste products with straw, foliage, sawdust and even shredded waste paper (it is better to take paper without printing ink).
IN organic fertilizer, as you know, a smaller part of nitrogen is in a soluble form, and a large part is part of the insoluble organic compounds. When compost hits the soil, myriads of soil dwellers pounce on it, eating, decomposing, and transforming it. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, insoluble nitrogen gradually turns into a soluble form, which was shown by the analyzes: immediately after the introduction of compost into the soil, the content of soluble nitrogen begins to rise steadily. And then it all depends on the growth rate of the aerial parts of plants. In potatoes, this process is so intense that it “eats away” all the nitrogen prepared for it by soil organisms, therefore, under potatoes, the content of available nitrogen in the soil remains low until early August and begins to rise only when the potato tops stop their violent growth. On carrots, where haulm growth is slow at first, the nitrogen content was quite high until mid-July, and then decreased in line with increased leaf growth.

When fertilizing in autumn plant nutrients are part of the soil organo-mineral complex, and the whole next season the plant lives due to the gradual disintegration of this complex and the release of available nutrients. The speed of this process depends on the activity of microflora, which is determined by external conditions: soil moisture, temperature, looseness, and so on.

In addition, organic fertilizer serves as a source of substances necessary for the formation of humus for soil microorganisms. When applied in autumn, organic fertilizer decomposes more slowly, and the process of its incorporation into humus is more intensive and contributes to increasing soil fertility to a greater extent. If you regularly add compost or manure to the soil in the fall, you can create real black soil in your garden. When applied in spring, organic fertilizer decomposes faster and better supplies plants with soluble nutrients. This is important for plants, since spring and early summer are the period of their active growth, requiring abundant nutrition. Thus, autumn organic fertilizer contributes more to soil fertility, and spring - to plant nutrition. Both are important.

It goes without saying that this is the solution: we apply compost or manure in the fall, and in spring and summer we feed the plants liquid fertilizers which are easy to make: mullein infusion, fermented nettle infusion or any weeds. To enrich these nitrogen-rich infusions with phosphorus and potassium, bone or phosphate rock and ash are added to them. Another option is to apply most or even half of the compost in the fall, and the rest in the spring.

You can use green top dressing. The main raw materials are ordinary grass, weeds. The green mass is finely chopped, put in a large container and poured warm water(10 liters of water per 2 kilograms of grass). All this should be fermented for 2 - 3 days, after which you need to stir and strain the solution. Then they feed the plants with the calculation of 3 - 4 liters per 1 square meter. It is necessary to perform the procedure 2 - 3 times with an interval of a week. This solution is useful for vegetable and berry crops, it not only nourishes them, but also protects them from pests and diseases.

Mineral fertilizers

These chemical substances should be used carefully and strictly according to the norm. Usually gardeners and gardeners use nitrogen, potash, manganese, lime and other types of such fertilizers. The most common nitrogen fertilizers include saltpeter, urea, ammonia water and ammonia. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied twice a year - the first time around mid-April, and the second time - in mid-November. The way they are applied is the same in both seasons - fertilizers are scattered by hand, and then the land is cultivated. It is better if the earth is moist at the same time.
Potash fertilizers also significantly increase yields. Usually, potassium in the soil is in a hard-to-reach form, so the need for plants in it is great. Bring in potash fertilizers better in the autumn period, together with manure before the main cultivation of the land.

Phosphate fertilizers are also important for plants. Without this element, the formation of chlorophyll in plants is impossible, therefore, the application of such fertilizers not only increases the yield, but also improves the quality of plant products. Phosphorus fertilizers are scattered on the surface of the soil, and then they dig it up to a depth of about 20 centimeters.

WITH mineral fertilizer we get the following picture. Immediately after the introduction, a sharp jump in the content of soluble nitrogen was observed: it increased by 5-6 times compared to the initial one and kept at high level until about mid-July. Analyzes showed that at some point there was three times more soluble nitrogen in the soil than was applied with mineral fertilizer. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that mineral fertilizer stimulates the decomposition of soil organic matter and accelerates the release of soluble nitrogen from it. The decay of humus under the influence of mineral fertilizers is a phenomenon that has even received a special name: the priming effect. But in the middle of summer, the peak is replaced by a sharp drop, and the content of soluble nitrogen in both cases - with organic and mineral fertilizers - becomes the same.

It is not difficult to guess what consequences this has for plants. On mineral fertilizers, they grow more intensively, develop abundant leaf mass and give a correspondingly higher yield, although different cultures this applies to a different extent: spinach and potatoes gave a significantly higher yield on mineral fertilizers than on compost, while beans and carrots turned out to be less dependent on nitrogen.

However, when studying the quality of the crop, the advantage turned out to be on the side organic fertilizer. This was manifested in a lower nitrate content, and most importantly, in a significant reduction in storage losses. Both potatoes and carrots grown on organic fertilizers were less affected by fungal diseases.

Mineral fertilizers do not increase soil fertility, but rather destroy it. They can be used for top dressing, but only in very moderate doses so as not to cause excessive growth of leaves and not disrupt the activity of soil microflora. Moreover, it is worth applying mineral fertilizers only if organic fertilizers are applied in the autumn, since soil with a high content of organic matter partially removes the negative impact of mineral fertilizers.

Organo-mineral fertilizers

They are humic compositions of mineral and organic substances. Each drug is used according to an individual scheme, but there are also general rules. For open soil, spraying is used, and for closed soil, surface irrigation, drip irrigation, sprinkling and manual spraying on the leaves. For seed treatment, 300-700 ml of fertilizers are used per ton of seeds, for foliar feeding - 200-400 mm per 1 hectare of crops, for spraying - 5-10 ml per 10 liters of water, and for drip irrigation- 20-40 ml per 1000 liters of water for irrigation.

Separately, it is worth mentioning plants that improve the soil. These include rape, oil radish, rapeseed, turnip and others. Until recently, only lupine was used to improve the soil, which enriched the earth with nitrogenous mineral fertilizers, but recently other equally useful and effective plants have become known.

For example, after harvesting, you can sow a plot with rape, which, before the onset of frost, will have time to sprout and grow to a plant with 6-8 leaves in a rosette. In early spring, after the snow has melted, it will begin to grow intensively and should be plowed into the soil before the beginning of May. After that, the earth will be enriched with mineral and organic substances and improve the structure. In addition, the rapeseed contains a large amount of phytoncides, which destroy pathogens in the soil.

If there is a possibility of non-use of the land plot for a whole year, then it can be sown with oil radish. In this case, the soil will receive the necessary norm of nutrients, and there will be much less weeds. Approximately 70 grams of radish seeds go to one hundred square meters of land. For uniform sowing, it is better to mix the seeds with river sand.

And a little more about how to properly prepare and fertilize the soil with manure.

We have already considered in detail how to properly fertilize with chicken manure, now more about manure. Good quality manure is obtained where it is stored in stalls under livestock, trampled down daily, covered with a new layer of straw. During the daily removal of manure, it is accumulated in large manure storages, where it must be shifted for better preservation with peat or earth. It is also useful in cases of daily removal of manure to add to the bedding or put into the gutters of the stables for each head of livestock about 1.5 kg of peat, which, on the one hand, achieves air purification, and on the other hand, preserves slurry containing the main nutrients substances for plants. When manure is covered and layered with earth and peat, all nitrogen. Manure, when preserved in this way, usually acts strongly and quickly. Re-layering of manure with earth is done every 60-90 cm, and a layer of earth of 7-9 cm is superimposed. The richer in humus the earth, the better. A layer of manure of 60-90 cm is again superimposed on this earth, which is again covered in the same way with earth. Manure is always trampled down. The bottom of the manure storage is usually laid out with straw, a layer of 60 cm thick. The straw must be trampled down. The manure storage itself is usually chosen at a high place so that side waters do not flow into it. The slurry water flowing out of the manure storage should be collected in special tanks, and the same slurry must be watered from above with manure. Manure heaps should not be made higher than 2.5 m, because the lower layers of manure are too compacted and heated. by digging too deep into the soil. The more superficially the fertilizer is applied, the better, the faster and more accurate its action. The best thing is to fertilize with manure to the depth of one shovel. If the fertilizer is applied to the soil at a depth of 40 to 50 cm or more, as is unfortunately very often done when planting trees, then oxygen does not have sufficient access, and therefore the fertilizer cannot properly decompose and produce the proper effect on the tree. . Practice has often proved to us that a fertilizer applied too deeply, after a few years, was found in the soil in the same form as when it was applied to the soil, and, consequently, absolutely no benefit came from it.

If you fertilize with manure in the summer, then the fertilizer is always folded into small piles, broken up and plowed as soon as possible. The incorporation of manure should be the finer the heavier the soil. The decomposition of manure is accelerated if, on the fifth or sixth day after ploughing, it is again plowed to the surface and well mixed with the soil. In most cases, it is also beneficial to roll the soil with a heavy roller after fertilizing with manure, since in this case the manure is pressed down to the ground, which ensures its uniform decomposition and causes the rapid germination of weeds, which must be immediately destroyed.
When cultivating cabbage, strawberries and other plants, it is best to use humus from hotbeds or completely decomposed manure, because fresh manure contains a lot of weed seeds and insects easily start up. Under the cover of humus, moisture is preserved in the ridges, in addition, rains and water during irrigation wash out all the nutritious juices from the humus into the soil, thus, in one step, both fertilizer and moistening of the ridges are achieved. Putting humus should be a layer of about 5 cm thick, and the plants themselves should not touch the manure, otherwise they may rot. Strawberries should be fertilized with manure especially carefully - so that manure does not get into the core of the bush. Instead of humus, other substances are often used, such as chopped straw, chaff, moss, sawdust, etc.

When buried in the soil, both straw and other materials listed here can also serve as fertilizer, but they rot too slowly and, compared with humus, are too poor in nutrients. On calcareous and sandy soils that are too light in color, covering the ridges with humus is necessary to change their color so that the heating of the soil occurs more evenly. On dense clayey and light sandy soils, crushed peat can be used with complete success for surface fertilization. In autumn, peat, which has served and completely weathered, is dug into the soil when hoeing and in the first case loosens dense, heavy soil, and in the second it makes light, sandy soil more coherent.

Green manure

Natural organic matter (manure, litter) is not available to everyone, and it costs big money. In the fight against weeds, like a thousand years ago, you have to wave a hoe and crawl on your knees. If the summer is humid, various diseases overcome the potato, and as a result, in the autumn and winter, it becomes necessary to repeatedly sort the crop in order to remove diseased tubers.

Indeed, a lot of labor and money goes to the dacha (subsidiary) farming. Is it possible to alleviate the financial and physical burden that falls on the owner of a garden or a summer cottage?

Yes, you can. Let's start with the fact that in the old days they avoided using fresh manure for potatoes. It was believed that the tubers from it become tasteless and watery. From the diseases accumulated in the soil, they were released using the fruit change. Of course, having several acres of land (each with an area of ​​1.1 hectares), it was possible to organize a three- or seven-field crop rotation. Today, on six acres, this is a rather difficult task. But still, the people do not despair - one sows barley, the second winter rye, and the third dreams of growing peas together with potatoes.

CROSS-FLOWER CROPS
The best option is to sow cruciferous crops as a green manure, consisting of a mixture oilseed radish, white mustard, rapeseed. These plants have been known in world agricultural practice since time immemorial, being close relatives of cabbage plants. They came to us from the ancient farmers of East Asia and the Mediterranean. Cruciferous crops are now widely cultivated in economically developed countries (France, Germany, Holland, Sweden, etc.) as phytosanitary and as crops that increase soil fertility.

Oil radish- powerful, highly branched and sprawling plant 1.5-2.0 m high; with corollas of flowers from white to purple. It is not found in the wild flora, wild field species are found. Cold-resistant plant, growth does not stop until late autumn, grows back after mowing. In comparison with white mustard, it is more moisture-loving, shade-tolerant and productive. Seeds and pods taste like radishes. Blooms 35-45 days after sowing.

Mustard white- was one of the magical plants of the ancient Greeks. Even today, having unique properties, serves as a classic object of study of science. The height of its shoots is somewhat lower than that of the oilseed radish, and the flowers on the racemes are yellow. Mustard is the earliest ripening annual plant. It strongly reacts to the length of the day and the photo period, so the highest yields are obtained during the summer sowing dates - after June 22. Convenient for its precocity and undemanding to the type of soil.

Rape- about 1.2-1.5 m high, light yellow flowers. It is somewhat more demanding on heat than oilseed radish and white mustard. There are spring and winter forms that can turn into each other. The pods of spring rapeseed can open after seed maturation, then the sowing itself takes place, and after overwintering in the spring, part of the young plants grows in the form of a winter form. Sometimes another type is practiced - colza. This is a more "wild" form, inferior to rapeseed in terms of yield, bitter in taste and worse eaten by animals, but better adapted to different types of soils. There are hybrid forms of rapeseed with fodder cabbage, turnip (for example, typhon), which are relatively more productive and stable in various climatic conditions.

USEFUL PROPERTIES OF GREEN FERTILIZER
What are the benefits of cruciferous crops?

Here are 7 of their most distinctive properties:
1. For sowing one hundred square meters of land, only 180-220 g of seeds are required. A denser sowing is used if the biomass is additionally alienated for animal feed. Cultures have a very high rate of development, so you can sow at a variety of times, from May to September. The best time for a high yield is June-July. In practice, it is sown repeatedly in 2-3 terms per season. Flowering occurs 30-40 days after germination and lasts until the end of autumn. flowering plants withstand frosts up to - 6 ... 8 ° and even - 12 ° C.

2. The green mass of plants contains the same amount of nutrients as cow dung: nitrogen - 0.5%; phosphorus - 0.25%; potassium - 0.6%. The mass of plant residues grown on an area of ​​100 m2 contains the following amount of mineral fertilizers (in conventional terms for chemical composition): 3-5 kg ammonium nitrate; 2.5-3.5 kg of superphosphate; 3.5-5.0 kg of potassium salt. In addition, the green mass, when incorporated into the soil, deoxidizes it, acting like the introduction of lime, since it has an alkaline content of cell sap.

3. The underground part of plants has the ability to absorb nitrogen from the air, like clover and lupine. Root secretions dissolve mineral inclusions in the soil and convert microelements, phosphorus and potassium into a form accessible to subsequent crops.

4. Decaying cruciferous biomass releases substances into the soil that inhibit and suppress the growth and development of weeds. On a substrate rich in organic matter, saprophytic microflora rapidly develops, which displaces pathogens of agricultural crops from the soil.

5. After harvesting the green mass, along with rotted residues, plant growth and development stimulants from the class of brassinosteroids remain in the soil, increasing the yield and improving the quality of the commercial products of subsequent crops.

6. Green mass is an excellent food for all kinds of animals and birds, contains up to 30-35% of crude protein in terms of dry matter. This is 2 times more than in clover and 3 times more than in barley grain. It is rich in vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and various nutrients. Regular feeding, even in the form of a small supplement, strengthens the immune system of young animals, makes it resistant to viral and bacterial aggression. Young, not hardened shoots, having a sweet-burning taste of radish, are a delicacy for children. Radish pods are canned like vegetables. Mustard powder and medicinal ointment are prepared from the ripened mustard seeds, which are used for various diseases and ailments.

7. Honey-bearing qualities of cruciferous crops are also generally recognized. Their main advantage is in the release of nectar on days even with cold nights. The nectar contains an average of 120-180 kg/ha of sugars. Cruciferous crops provide honey collection in early spring (winter species) and in the second half of summer (spring species), when other honey plants have already faded. Honey crystallizes, so it is removed from the hives for the winter.

AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

You can sow cruciferous crops for green manure at any time - from early spring to late autumn. For sowing, a small (required) amount of seeds is mixed with sand in a ratio of 1:50, scattered over the site and harrowed. The optimal seeding depth is 2-3 cm. Cruciferous plants are not demanding on the type of soil, but are responsive to fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers (if the soil is poor).

To some extent shoots early dates crops can be damaged by pests, the probability of such a fact is small in June and July crops. With sparse seedlings, you should not particularly worry, since the yield value is capable of auto compensation, i.e. it depends little on the density (density) of plants per unit area.

When used as a green manure, plant biomass during the flowering phase is mowed, crushed and incorporated into the soil. This is the cheapest type of fertilizer, with which none of the other types can be compared in terms of precocity and economic efficiency. In the northern regions, twice a season, it is possible to "fertilize" the soil in this way. IN middle lane this can be done up to three times.

If the plot is half a hectare or more, part of the area can be taken out of circulation for 3-4 years by sowing with pink clover (on waterlogged and swampy soils), pink clover and lupine (on heavy clay soils), blue alfalfa and eastern goat's rue ( on medium and light loams), horned loam and yellow alfalfa (on light and sandy loamy soils).

One of the basic rules of organic farming is to never leave the soil without vegetation cover. Green manures that grow before, after, or in between major crops create dense leaf cover. It protects the soil from weathering and mineralization of organic matter, reduces the leaching of nutrients into the deep layers and keeps them in the upper fertile horizon. Such a leaf cover acts as a living leaf mulch, which is especially important for light sandy soils, especially horizon. Therefore, it is recommended, whenever possible, to sow green manure on light soils in the fall and leave it for the winter, and in the spring to embed living or dead plants in the soil.

Green manure also plays an important health role. Firstly, it suppresses the growth of weeds, and in order for it not to become a weed itself, it is necessary to mow or close it up before seeds are formed. This applies to rapidly growing and abundantly seeded rapeseed or mustard plants. Secondly, some types of green fertilizer help cleanse the soil from pests and diseases. For example, dense sowing of mustard significantly reduces the amount of wireworm.
Green manure produces a green mass that can be used as mulch or as composting material.

Take care of the land on time and correctly and you will always have a rich harvest!