PLANTS LOVE MANURE TEA FERTILIZER!
Fertilizer can be expensive, particularly if you have a large garden to maintain. One cost effective way to fertilize your plants is to make it yourself.
It is easier than you think to do, and is much cheaper than purchasing commercial fertilizers that often contain harsh chemicals.
You Will Need…
Manure:This can be sheep manure, horse manure, cow manure, poultry manure or goat manure.
NEVER use manure from carnivore animals, such as cats and dogs – Manure from these animals contain harmful pathogens that could make you sick if it comes into contact with food.
Many garden stores sell bagged manure at a reasonable price. Always try to get organic manure as this isn’t as harsh on your plants, or pets that may roam in your garden.
Make sure the manure is old dry manure. DON’T use fresh manure as this can burn your plants and kill them.
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If you know someone on a farm, this is even better and most likely won’t cost you a cent, except what ever it costs you to travel there.
Manure straight from the farm ground is a good way to get manure that doesn’t contain harsh chemicals.
A Cotton Pillowcase or Large Stocking: This will be needed during the manure tea making process, and acts as a strainer for any non-dissolvable matter in the manure.
A Large Water Proof Drum or Rubbish Container with Lid (approx 10-15 gallon size): This will be used to brew the manure tea. Using a rubbish container with handles will make things easier during the steeping process. A lid is necessary to keep the flies away.
Water near by – Having your hose near by will be handy when the water needs to be added during the making process.
Thin Rope or Twine – This will be used to tie the pillow case during the processing period of the manure tea.
Demonstration: How to Make Manure Tea
INSTRUCTIONS – HOW TO BREW MANURE TEA
As a rule many gardeners find using 1 part manure to five parts water effective. Brewing the manure tea in a sunny hot area will help to make the mixture brew faster.
(1) Place manure inside the pillow case.
(2) Tie the open end of the pillow case shut with the rope. Make sure the rope is long enough at the ends to reach from the bottom of the container to the top.
(3) Place the manure filled pillowcase on the bottom of the container, and tie the long ends of the rope to the handles or outside of your container. Tying the ends to the handles of the container will make it easier to remove the pillow case once the brewing has finished.
(4) Add water to the container. Fill the container up to just below the top. Place lid on top of container
(5) Now leave to brew (steep) for no more than 2-4 days.
(6) When the brewing is complete, remove the manure bag from the container, and discard it’s contents into the compost heap or onto the garden.
The end result of your manure tea should be a liquid the color of weak tea – A brownish yellow color. If your tea is darker than this once brewed, you can always water it down when you are ready to water your garden with the watering can.
This home made liquid fertilizer is full of rich nutrients. Feeding your plants with this nutrient rich fertilizer once to twice a week during the growth period will result in healthy lush plants.
Article written by Wen Dee
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