Organic Fertilizers

Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers play an important role in vegetable growing. Organic fertilizers are so-called farmyard/manure fertilizers. They supply the soil with large amounts of mineral nutrients, organic matter and microorganisms. They increase humus formation in the soil, support microbial activity and increase soil fertility.

Organic fertilizers include:

Farmyard manure, dung - is the basic fertilizer for most types of vegetables grown in the garden. Direct fertilization with farmyard manure is not suitable for all plants. Farmyard manure is a fertilizer that decomposes slowly after being worked into the soil and plants can draw nutrients from it for several years.

Farmyard manure contains 75% water, 15% organic matter, 0.5% nitrogen, 0.1-0.2% phosphorus, 0.3-0.6% potassium.

Farmyard manure favorably affects the basic physical properties of soil. It binds light soils, increases their cohesion and ability to retain water. It aerates heavier and compacted soils and increases their permeability.

Types of manure:

• horse manure - is among the best. Fresh manure is suitable for establishing hot beds. Mature and well-aged horse manure is suitable for all soil types, which it aerates and warms.
• sheep manure - is richer in nutrients than horse manure. It is also suitable for establishing hot beds, but loses its heating capacity sooner
• cow manure - is cooler and more watery. It is often mixed with horse manure. It is suitable for autumn fertilization.
• pig manure - is cold. It is advisable to compost it before use.
• rabbit manure and poultry droppings - contain large amounts of essential nutrients. Pigeon droppings are the richest in nutrients. Rabbit manure is better to compost beforehand. Poultry droppings are best left to ferment for 2-3 weeks and used diluted as a nutritious liquid feed.

Other fertilizers we can use:

Ash - is produced by burning wood. It contains 5-15% phosphoric acid, 8-10% potassium, 25-40% calcium and small amounts of magnesium and sulfur compounds. Ash is applied at approximately 2kg per 10m2. We fertilize with ash in autumn or winter, at the latest several weeks before sowing. Ash does not contain nitrogen, so when fertilizing with ash it is necessary to supplement with nitrogen-containing fertilizer.

Liquid manure - is used as a nitrogen-potassium fertilizer. It contains stimulating substances that favorably affect plant growth. Fertilization with liquid manure is done in autumn and winter. The soil should not be frozen or waterlogged. If we want to fertilize with liquid manure during the growing season, we dilute it at least 3 times.

Peat - favorably influences the properties of heavy and sandy soils. Peat also increases soil warmth. In sandy soils, it retains irrigation and nutrients. It aerates heavy soils. Its main use as a nutritious fertilizer is:

• improves soil in hotbeds
• suitable for pre-cultivation of plants

Green manuring - is an adequate substitute for farmyard manure. Leguminous plants (pulses and clovers) are suitable as green manure. These plants have a rich root system that leaves channels enriched with humus in the soil. Air and water easily penetrate the soil through these channels. Nutrients stored in the plants are available in the upper part of the soil for further cultivated vegetables after incorporation.

Creating a Compost Heap

Compost should not be missing from any garden. Compost replaces fertilization with farmyard manure or peat. With compost, we supply not only nutrients to the soil, but also soil microorganisms and, last but not least, the most important substance - humus.

We create the compost heap in a shady and dry place in the garden. Optimal compost dimensions are width=max. 2m, height=max. 1m, length arbitrary.

To prepare compost, we need various plant residues and waste materials, which we layer with topsoil in a ratio of 5:1. This process is called humification (topsoil contains many microorganisms that support decomposition).

We obtain the basic material for composting gradually during plant vegetation. We add - vegetable scraps, plant residues, mown grass, non-flowering weeds, raked leaves. The compost definitely should not contain - weed plants, diseased plants, moldy plants, overripe plants and vegetables that have already formed seeds. The compost should contain farmyard manure, peat (maintains moisture in the compost).

By adding ground limestone to the compost, we limit the development of pathogenic germs. We add approx. 10 kg of ground limestone per 1m³ of compost.

The compost temperature should not exceed 65°C during maturation. If the temperature rises, it is necessary to water the compost. The optimal temperature during compost maturation ranges between 35-40°C. At this temperature, the most humus is formed. During dry weather, we water the compost with water or liquid manure. We continuously cover the compost surface with mown grass to prevent the compost from drying out.

At least once a year, we turn the compost. Turning is suitable for aerating the compost. Turning also accelerates compost maturation.

We can add compost accelerators to the compost. It is also worthwhile to supply it with nutrients in the form of industrial fertilizers - superphosphates. We don't spare the dose of nutrients; we use 5-8 kg for the compost.

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Author: Hana Michalíková