How to use cow dung as a fertilizer

Manure. A magical substance that allows you to get extraordinary crops. Precious in modern times, and unattainable to many for this reason. But imagine a situation: you suddenly became the proud owner of a huge fresh pile. What will you do? Drag to the beds. And this is wrong. There will be no use from such actions. How to apply cow dung as a fertilizer? So that the benefit is and the result is quick. Let's get it right.

We prepare competent fertilizer

The fact is that in the case of fresh cow manure it does not work out quickly. It contains too much nitrate, and the level of urea in it goes off scale. All your plants will receive a powerful burn of the root system. Well, what will be the harvest?

There is an exit. True, they will have to endure for a long time, at least a year. In order for cow manure to become fertilizer, it needs to be stacked or in a tall box. There is no need to cover the structure. But it is desirable to thoroughly water it. In this form, they forget about the pile for at least 5-7 months. During this time, cow manure begins to actively decompose, releasing nitrogen.

Secret. In order for the decomposition process to continue, and the nitrogen not to evaporate too quickly, it is necessary to pour cow manure in the heap with any phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.

After six months, the manure in such a structure will rot enough to be used as fertilizer in the beds.

But still, particles of grass, straw, grain can still remain in it. This should not scare you. After about a garden season, they will not leave the slightest trace. If you are still unpleasantly concerned about the presence of foreign particles in cow dung, you will have to wait another six months. Bacteria will decompose the remains of organic matter into excellent humus.

Tip. To speed up the ripening process of manure, pour milk whey, yogurt or old kefir into the heap if possible. Just do not look or buy these liquids in barrels. For a bunch of medium size, just 2 liters is enough.

Harmless fertilizer

It happens: people are afraid of worms and pathogenic bacteria. Manure from such owners lies in a heap of 4 years or more. Say, the longer, the safer. This is a profound error. Worm eggs and pathogenic microbes die in cow dung from high temperatures, not from time. Even if the manure lay down for 10 years, this is not at all a guarantee of its safety.

What to do? Raise the temperature inside the heap. This is the only way to be sure that all weed seeds, worm eggs and pathogenic bacteria died. In order to start warming up cow manure, it is not enough to water it and put it in a box. It is necessary to add any biofuel in the calculation of at least 25% of the total mass. That is, if you have a ton of cow manure at your disposal, you will have to add at least 250 kg of “catalyst”. This role is often played by:

• food waste
• ash
• paper
• juicy grass
• straw (hay)
• natural fabrics (cotton rags)
• old sawdust or shavings
• small branches

If possible, all these materials are ground, then mixed with manure. If such a procedure is problematic (anything can happen), then you can simply lay out the components in layers, on the principle of a pie.

Tip. Be sure to spill each layer well with water. It is high humidity that helps to activate microorganisms that process organic residues into fertilizer.

Ideally, the proportions of cow manure and “catalyst” should be in the ratio of 50 to 50. But in reality it can be difficult to do.But if you manage to carry out such an operation, then in the end, after about 8-10 months, you will get excellent fertilizer from cow manure. Moreover, it will be absolutely safe in terms of hygiene. Of course, this does not mean that you can eat it with spoons. It can be brought under all cultures without fear. By the way, root vegetables do not really like such a treat. But aboveground plants - with great pleasure.

Secret. Fully rotted cow manure is a substance that resembles oily soil or compost. By the way, the content of nutrients and nutrients in it is approximately half lower than in the half-matured. But this does not detract from its value, as a rich fertilizer.

Urgent need!

What to do to those happy owners of cow manure who have no opportunity to compost it? Well, you never know, they “help” to use it, or the land on the site has already become excessively impoverished. Such owners will have to knead the mullein. This is a liquid solution, which is ready for use after 3-7 days. It just depends on the ambient temperature.

How to prepare liquid manure from cow manure, procedure:

1. Take a barrel of any volume. Better plastic, wooden, but not metal.
2. A quarter is filled with fresh cow manure.
3. A quarter of any freshly picked grass. Suitable even from ordinary weeding.
4. Add a little yeast and old jam.
5. Pour with clean warm water, not reaching the edges of the tank about 20-25 cm.

Now it must be mixed with a wooden stick, cover and forget for 3 days. Or a little more if the street is cool. The beginning of the fermentation process is indicated by the appearance of foam bubbles on the surface.

How to understand that a mullein is ready for use? Everything is determined visually. Foam disappears, the characteristic smell of cow dung disappears. There is a smell of humus and grass. The liquid itself becomes cloudy, but noticeably lighter. And the most important sign: all components sink to the bottom, and not float on the surface.

Everything, cow manure as a fertilizer is completely ready for use. Before direct use, it must be diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1 to 10. The concentrated liquid contains a huge amount of free nitrogen, it will instantly burn small feeding roots.

Tip. We strongly discourage the preparation of such a mixture in large quantities. She used to spoil very quickly. But it is not enough. For watering 1 square. m. just enough 2.5-3 liters of water infused already diluted with water.

Some helpful suggestions

You can use natural helpers to accelerate the maturation of cow dung. Earthworms significantly accelerate processes. But, to them such a home was to their liking, it is not enough to bring them from the garden or from the garden. In addition to manure, there should also be food in the pile. Food waste handles this role perfectly. In particular:

• banana peel
• tea brewing
• rotten and spoiled fruits, berries

Just do not fill such a bunch with plain water to the state of the swamp. Earthworms love moisture, but not excessive moisture. By the way, they really do not like eggshells. And further. Try to raise cow dung at least once a week if you use this method. Or pierce through with a thick stick. This will allow oxygen to enter. The process of decay will be reduced significantly.

How to apply cow dung as a fertilizer? Here come a comic wish, allegedly borrowed from Chinese wisdom: “Not a peat bog (manure should overtake), not a wave wave (your plants will have time to get a treat), and a smile (after all, you are the owner of such wealth)!”

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