Wood sawdust as fertilizer: how to make compost and apply humus correctly. How to make manure fertilizer

Compost is an essential ingredient fertile soil in your garden and the most affordable fertilizer, obtained literally from waste. Properly prepared compost will not only fill the need of plants for nutrients, but also improve the structure of the soil, its friability and the ability to absorb and retain moisture.

The “correct” compost is not just a rotten heap in the corner of the garden, where you can dump everything you need. In order for compost to be useful and safe, some rules must be followed.

Compost may include:

• cut grass, hay and straw;
• green parts of healthy plants and some weeds;
• branches, wood residues and sawdust;
• food residues of plant origin;
• herbivore manure and bird droppings;
• chalk, ash, coal, eggshell;
• composting accelerators.

You can not use the compost heap as a garbage pit by adding the following components to it:

• food residues of animal origin - they cause rotting and a persistent unpleasant odor;
• faeces of humans and carnivorous domestic animals - they may contain eggs of worms;
• rags, coated glossy paper, rubber, stones, bones - these components do not decompose during the composting process;
• chemicals and disinfectants;
• weeds with seeds with a long germination period, as well as creeping roots - in the process of composting, these plants do not lose their germination;
• diseased plants affected by pests and fungal diseases, such as late blight. They need to be burned.

Store the components in a compost bin. It can be made in the form of a pit or a fenced compartment, located in a secluded corner of the garden. According to the rules, the laid compost heap does not emit strong odors and does not have a harmful effect on the soil.

Compost device

The right device compost heap- one of the keys to quickly obtaining high-quality compost. It is not difficult to perform it, it is important to follow the recommendations.

Compost maturation

The process of fermentation and composting lasts from several months to two or three years, the maturation time of the compost depends on the size of the components and the mode of fermentation. It is important to achieve an increase in the temperature inside the pyramid to 55-60 degrees and above, while not only the processes of decomposition of the components with the help of bacteria are accelerated, but also weed seeds lose their germination, pests and insects die. For the correct mode, it is important to ensure a good supply of moisture and air to the composter. This is achieved through simple operations.

You can use compost when it acquires an almost homogeneous structure, becomes free-flowing and loose. Ripe compost smells pleasantly of damp earth and rotten leaves, it should not contain traces of fungus and mold. Ready compost is brought into the holes when planting bushes and trees or planting seedlings, mulching the soil under perennial plants or adding it to greenhouses and greenhouses. You can also scatter it over the beds before planting the seeds and slightly loosen the surface of the soil.

Good mature compost does not require organic or mineral fertilizers during planting and allows you to get a rich and environmentally friendly crop.

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 macroelements - 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 constant renewal of which the most blooming 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, optimal time for the maturation of compost based on livestock waste, a time interval equal to a year is considered.

Vermicomposting

IN last years organic farming is gaining 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 .

In conditions middle lane 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 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, pork or cow dung pour water 1:1, and insist 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 it is available. a large number of animal organics. 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 the spring - they are used as biofuel, in the construction of warm beds for cucumbers and other melons. 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 top dressing, it should be borne in mind that, depending on the age and sex of the animal, the chemical composition of the 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 ground. Horse dung contains more nutrients than cow dung.

The approximate chemical composition 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 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. Topped with a layer fertile land, not less than 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 to interesting feature 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 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 for personal plot, but also at home, for feeding 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 because 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 top dressing for your garden and 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.

One day my friend bought a plot on a farm near Rostov. Not only was it one of the islands of meter-thick chernozem that had survived, but it turned out that the okolotok took the place of the old stables of some Cossack regiment: neighbors sometimes removed layers of ancient manure directly from the garden, dried it and heated the stoves like peat. I remember his desperation about the garden: “I planted it like a white man, began to clean it - cursed everything that I remembered! Imagine going for beets with a bucket - more than one does not climb into the bucket! Carry onions - five onions in a bucket! I didn’t weed the potatoes, weeds - a meter long, I was so tired of carrying them! This is a punishment, not a garden!” We should be punished...

At the beginning of the century, humus was studied in detail by scientists from the anthroposophical school of Rudolf Steiner in Germany. They believed that every substance carries a certain energy in itself - a “shape-forming force”. This force remains even after the transformations of substances. Something like the “mind of molecules”. The power of biological substances is very great. Therefore, humus - a concentrate of living substances - is the most powerful stimulant of life. So did the anthroposophists. And they were right about almost everything.

Their experiences are amazingly beautiful. They learned to direct the maturation of humus with the help of decoctions of various herbs. Established qualitative differences different types manure and compost. Proved: the quality of humus is directly related to the quality of animal feed. And quality, this very “strength” of the crop, has a powerful effect on the health and strength of animals and humans. So in closed system“Plants – Animals – Man” can improve the health and quality of everyone to an ideal state. This is how the biodynamic system of agriculture arose.

For the "organist" humus is the basis of well-being. They animate him and treat him very reverently: "no humus - no harvest." Taking care of the humus and communicating with it is the main work of all. The preparation of humus and compost is an art and a sacred act. The smell of ripe humus is one of the most pleasant for an organist. Scattering, throwing away organic matter is the same as throwing away bread for a Russian peasant. Because high-quality humus, a handful per plant, can double the yield and dramatically improve the quality of vegetables.

Humus - alive in the most correct sense of the word. This is a community of living organisms that decompose organic matter for plants. Our roommates symbionts. Assistants. Lapushki. Look through the microscope: look, they are trying. It is not difficult to take care of them: the food is already there. But you need to provide moisture and air. And feed stern - discord. And the conditions can be such that instead of humus, a harmful sour “silo” will turn out. Let's consider, how to make a useful humus.

What can be composted? First of all - any manure. If it is too liquid, it needs to be dried for a couple of days, and then mixed with straw, grass, sawdust, leaves, simply layered. Bird droppings can be scattered on the compost heap in a thin layer: it is too concentrated. It is better to infuse it in water for liquid dressings, 1 part to 40-50 parts of water.

Grass cuttings, straw, leaves, sawdust, husks, food and cooking leftovers, spoiled food, meat and fish production- everything will turn into compost over the summer, if you put it in layers and crush each layer with earth.

No need to throw fats, wool and bones into the compost heap: they do not rot for 3-4 years. And, of course, you can not throw synthetics into the compost. Pieces of wood, chips, branches - should be chopped up and placed at the bottom of the pile: before they rot, they will work as a drainage.

How to arrange the right pile. First of all - don't make holes. With our loams and rains, water accumulates in depressions. And without air, putrefactive microbes freeze and multiply “fermenting-fermenting” - we make silage in this way and ferment cabbage. Such smelly silage is harmful to plants!

Therefore, find a place that is not flooded. Definitely in the shade, otherwise you will often have to water a bunch. Fence 2-4 sq. meters with walls made of boards, iron, slate, a meter high. Throw a layer of straw, sawdust, leaves at the bottom: they form a layer that separates the compost from the ground, and it will be easy to take it with a pitchfork. It is even better if the pile is arranged on a concrete surface: it is more convenient to work in all respects. Yes, and you will have to carry humus on a wheelbarrow - you need tracks.

"Cold" compost heap.

There can be three walls - without the front. Or maybe four, but the front one should be removable: the humus has to be shoveled and picked up. The construction is completed by a sheet of film, slate or roofing felt, covering the compost from above: rains should not wash out nutrients. At the same time, the “lid” will reduce the evaporation of moisture. And the humidity is better, the more stable. If the pile is covered and in the shade, it practically does not have to be watered in the summer. And the last thing: if you decide to make the main walls of brick or concrete, make sure that excess water could leak from below when it rains.

How to make compost mature. If the organic layer is moist and covered from drying out, it, in general, matures normally on its own. But still…

First. If freshly cut grass, especially wet from dew or rain, is heaped in a layer thicker than half a meter, it can become very compacted, and the aforementioned “ensiling” will begin. Therefore, it is better to dry the grass for a day. Or alternate with layers of something drier. But microbes must have air! In general, a layer of material should not be made more than a meter.

"Hot" compost heap.

Second. You can speed up maturation by half if you sprinkle a couple of shovels of earth on each new layer of organic matter: bacteria for divorce. Left rotten, green water - pour on a pile: food for microbes.

Third. You can make mature compost in a month. For this, it is applied hot composting. In this case, the volume of organic matter should be close to cubic (optimally -1–1.2 m in height). There should be gaps in the walls for air (best of all - mesh walls). Nearby there should be the same empty volume for throwing compost. The volume is filled in layers, flavored with ready-made compost or earth, with a lack of moisture, the layers are watered. Here you need to know the properties different materials: depending on the content of nitrogen or carbon, they behave differently. nitrogenous – grains, seeds, bread and flour products, food waste, rotting fruits and vegetables, as well as manure and feces are a “firebox”: their rotting heats up the pile. A hot pile matures an order of magnitude faster. But these "stokers" contain little air and are too acidic. Therefore they are layered carbonaceous materials: straw, leaves, grass, sawdust, shredded cardboard, paper. They are airy, they themselves almost do not heat up, and when rotting, on the contrary, they consume nitrogen. If you take equally those and others, the balance is normal. And this mixture heats up quickly. But after 4-6 days, the heat in the center of the heap exceeds 70 ° C, and the oxygen ends - the microbes begin to die. If the pile is covered with a film, then in three or four days. Here you take a pitchfork and throw compost to an empty seat. And so - four times. Troublesome. But by June, you can cover the beds with a layer of fresh compost. And get three servings for the summer. Western farmers often compost this way.

The conclusions are: if the heap contains mainly nitrogenous materials, the finished compost should be sprinkled with ash, chalk or lime - deoxidized. If only carbonaceous - add nitrogen: urea (carbamide) or saltpeter per kilogram per cubic meter - it will rot faster and retain nutritional value.

mature compost(humus) easy to find out. It becomes dark and monotonous: the differences between the different components almost disappear. But the main thing is the smell. All unpleasant odors are eliminated. Mature compost smells strongly of fresh earth or forest floor. More precisely, this earth smells like compost if it contains organic matter. If it doesn't smell, it's dead land.

compost tea. One shovel of compost is infused for a week in 20 liters of water. It turns out a feed. We do the same with manure or chicken. A very good revitalizing fertilizer! True, if there is humus mulch, such measures are useless - it itself both fertilizes and stores moisture.

Let's talk about worms. Doctor of Medical Sciences, doctor Anatoly Mikhailovich Igonin devoted his life to the technology of breeding earthworms. He saw that "... human health is directly related to the health and well-being of earthworms." And this is not an exaggeration. Passing soil and organic residues through the intestines, worms create a unique substance - biohumus. In terms of nutritional value and biological activity, it is much more valuable than the best humus or compost. Commercial agronomy primarily destroys worms: they are afraid of dryness, acidity, excess salts and lack of organic matter. Breeding worms, as Igonin suggests, is too troublesome. And under the mulch they will divorce themselves. You just need to greet them and feed them plant residues. If during the summer a layer of organic matter disappears from the garden, this is good: the worms have eaten it. Our job is to add it.

But where can I get it? First, just don't throw it away. Secondly, you don’t have it simply because you didn’t set yourself such a goal. You can carry leaves, mow weeds, buy manure, husks, sawdust and other waste. In the West, all organic city waste is sold cheaply to farmers. If we want it, so will it be with us. For example, I compost grass from ten acres of meadows and all the garbage in the front garden. Neighbor gives manure. I also buy from the farm. And enough. I concentrate all the strength of the site in several beds. And these beds give incomparably more than the soil - at least plow it and fertilize it. The beds are dying!

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 plants.

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 depresses 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:

• to half-ripened;
• 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 that destroys organic components, which results in the loss of up to 60% of the mass of dry organic matter and up to 50% of 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 the taste of root crops, potatoes grow large and crumbly, and onions and radishes lose 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 fall 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 greenhouse manure in the 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

Most fast way prepare fertilizer from manure - pour it with water in a ratio of 1: 1 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. Such fertilizer, if properly stored, does not lose its useful properties for 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 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 use granular manure for liquid top dressing: it is poured cold water and insist 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 arranging a warm bed: 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 Nitrophoska (2 tablespoons) and wood ash (1 cup). It is impossible to use horse manure as a biofuel if it has formed on its surface fungal plaque. 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-stem circles of 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 granular 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 nitrogen;
• 2.9 g calcium;
• 3 g phosphorus;
• 1.4 g 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. positive moment is that due to the low content of nutrients in mullein, plants are not threatened with an overdose of 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 everyone horticultural 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 long time keep chicken manure on outdoors so that the superfluous 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 abundant 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 occurs 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. Granulated 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.

Don't fertilize chicken manure garlic, onions and other greens during its active growth: 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 dung

Rabbit manure is the most valuable type of manure that livestock provides. 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 stimulating plant growth and giving them life force. Of the harmful microorganisms in rabbit manure, there can only be coccidia that harm rabbits, so you can’t 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. With this infusion, holes or furrows are shed before planting. vegetable crops, spending from 1 to 2 liters per m².

However, there is one way to use rabbit manure, which is not possible 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 mortar 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, which 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 available 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 places with high level humidity, which activates the pH shift of the medium to the acid side. It is also undesirable to use pig manure as mulch.

goat dung

Goat manure, like any other, is better not to use it fresh because 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: 1 part stool pour 10 parts of water and leave for a week, 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 excellent harvest, and the onion is juicy and acquires 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 peelings, 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 plastic wrap that does not allow moisture to evaporate. 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 the 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:

• The soil cannot be fertilized with fresh manure. To do this, use semi-rotted, rotted manure and humus;
• a solution of fresh manure is used to fertilize mature plants, however, 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;
• the best time to introduce rotted manure or humus into the soil is autumn, since 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 a 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 add 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 pile: 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 chips, cut 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 upper layer at least 10 cm thick must 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, a cold storage method is more efficient, 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.

Leaf humus is most often used to fertilize crops. But you can make this nutritious fertilizer not only from leaves. It is also important to store it properly so that it does not lose nutrients.

Humus - what is it? Inexperienced summer residents often ask such questions. Humus is a fertilizer of organic origin. With its help, you can saturate the poor soil with all the microelements necessary for the growth and development of plants. Humus is easy to do with your own hands. All the ingredients needed for this can be found at any farm.

What does it consist of?

Before preparing humus at home, you need to find out what is included in its composition. The composition of humus, as a rule, includes the following components:

• Leaves.
• Cattle manure.
• Bird droppings.
• Straw.
• Hay.
• Weeds from the field.
• Ash.
• Leftover fruits and vegetables.
• Bark.
• Wood sawdust.
• Special additives to accelerate plant growth.
• Branches of trees and shrubs.

It can be said that all parts of plants that grew on the site, as well as cattle manure, can be included in the composition of humus. This is especially convenient for those summer residents who are also engaged in agriculture.

How to do it yourself?

Grass and leaves are the basis for fertilizer. But this alone will not be enough. Also, you can not do without bird droppings and cattle manure. Otherwise, instead of nutrient fertilizer, you can get silage or rotten grass, which does not bring any benefit to plants.

What can not be used for processing into humus:

• Chemical agent.
• Infected parts of plants.
• Food of animal origin.
• Weed seeds.

If cattle manure is used, then the animals must be healthy. Not all waste that is intended for disposal can be used to make humus at home.

How to get humus?

In order to get high-quality humus prepared at home, you need to know exactly in what order to arrange the layers.

• Plants. The first layer is the remains of plants. It should be no more than 15 cm. If this layer is larger, then the decay process will be slower. All parts of the herb can be used except the seeds. Otherwise, they can germinate and then you have to deal with weeds. The first layer of grass should be sprinkled with earth mixed with lime.
• Straw and hay. Thanks to straw, deciduous and all other layers are saturated with oxygen. Straw creates a porous structure and binds moisture in the humus. Before spreading hay or straw, it must be thoroughly crushed. Mulching with humus with the addition of hay to ensure oxygen access to the roots of plants.
• Leaves. The leaves must be dried before preparing the humus with your own hands. If this is not done, then they will clump together. Leaves are mixed with other plant residues and spread in a thin layer.
• Sawdust. To prepare humus in the country, you can use sawdust. But they do not decompose well, so before laying them they are mixed with grass and bone meal.
• Wood bark. Tree bark contains a large amount of nitrogen. But in order to increase its concentration in the compost, it is necessary to mix the bark with chicken manure, cattle manure or urea.

How to make humus?

At home, you can get humus from the following components:

• Food waste. The preparation of humus is not complete without food waste. They contain many nutrients. But to prevent their decomposition, the waste is mixed with solid material to provide access to oxygen.
• Manure and litter. From manure, the most nutritious humus for plants is obtained. It contains a large amount of nitrogen, which helps to accelerate the growth of crops. From above it is desirable to sprinkle with soil.
• Paper. Before laying paper when preparing manure with your own hands, it must be coarsely cut and moistened in a decoction of herbs. Herbal decoction can be prepared from nettles. There are a lot of nutrients in nettle, and the paper absorbs them during the soaking process. Mix wet paper with another solid material. Otherwise, she crumples.

How to prepare humus from manure?

Many summer residents are interested in the question of humus and where to get it. You can cook it at home with your own hands. The most common type of humus is based on cattle manure. Suitable manure sheep, cows or horses.

We prepare humus as follows:

• Manure for humus must be taken fresh. It contains more nutrients.
• Put together a box and put coarsely chopped grass on the bottom. Then you can lay out the straw. So the humus will be saturated with oxygen.
• Then lay out the manure (you can use chicken manure).
• In order to accelerate decomposition, biodestructors can be added to humus. It could be Baikal-M or Radiance. They contain bacteria that speed up the process of decay.
• Regularly humus should be watered (but not flooded). It is important not to let it dry out.

You can use humus when it will not be possible to consider individual parts. The mixture should be of a homogeneous consistency. The smell of the finished humus should be like that of damp earth. And the color is brown or closer to black.

How to quickly make humus from leaves?

Humus from the leaves is also prepared with the addition of manure. You can use straw, paper and other plant residues.

Leaf humus is prepared as follows:

• You can use any leaves of deciduous trees. If shrubs grow on the site or fruit trees then the fallen leaves are used.
• Since the leaves are poor in micronutrients, they must be mixed with food waste or sawdust.
• Put bird droppings on a layer of foliage.
• Periodically, the humus needs to be watered. If a large number of midges appeared above the box with humus, then this clear sign high humidity. In order to get rid of them on a sunny day, the humus must be left open. When it dries a little, cover it back.
• If the humus does not change color and does not acquire the smell of wet earth, then it means that it is too dry. You can fix the situation by adding water, potato peels or fresh grass.

Plants are mulched with them for the winter so that the roots do not freeze and the bushes do not die. Fertilizers made in this way can be stored in bags.

Where to store it?

How to properly store humus prepared with your own hands so that it does not lose beneficial features? The best way to store is a box. How to make a litter box?

Humus storage box:

• You can put together such a box from any unnecessary boards. You can pour sawdust on the bottom or leave the box without a bottom, and immediately put humus into it.
• On top of the container, you can lay slate or greenhouse film. The moisture that falls on the humus along with the rain should not accumulate in one place, but should drain into the ground.
• Also, do not forget that one of the walls of the box should slide out. So it will be easier to take humus for incorporation into the soil.
• Humus can also be stored in bags, but you just need to make sure that the sun's rays do not fall on it.

How to store?

What are the features of humus storage? First of all, the container with humus should not be located under open sunlight. So the fertilizer will begin to decompose and pathogenic microbes will begin to multiply in it.

It is important to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the box. The earth and the humus itself should not be too wet, but should not dry out either.

It is not advisable to place fertilizer containers near trees. Very soon, trees can direct their growth towards composting. And then all the nutrients will go to their growth.