The ultimate guide to use manure as fertilizer

Did you know that providing your plants with the right amount of manure and nutrients will give you a greater harvest? However, choosing manure can be tricky. We’ve gathered our best tips to help you on your way.

Why you should add manure to your plants

To succeed with your cultivation, water is a must. Without water, the plants won’t be able to absorb important nutrients and minerals from the soil. However, the soil rarely consists of enough nutrients. Therefore, adding manure that’s nutrient-rich is therefore necessary if you want healthy plants and a great harvest.

What plants to fertilize

Different vegetables and flowers need different kinds of nutrients in different amounts. We’ve collected a list of plants that need nutrients and how much they need.

Need a lot of nutrients - Cabbage plants, rutabaga, celery, cucumber, tomato, pumpkin, squash, garlic and leek.

Need a moderate amount of nutrients - Root crops, sallad, onion, parsley and dill. Too much nutrients can have a negative effect on the growth of plants.

Need a smaller amount of nutrients - Potato, corn and artichoke.

Then there are plants that actually provide the soil with nutrients. For example; peas, beans and other legumes release nutrients in the form of nitrogen. You could therefore plant these beside plants that are in need of nutrients. You could also wait a year and grow plants that need nutrients in the soil where other plants have released nutrients before.

How to choose manure

The different kinds of manures can be divided into two groups; solid and liquid manure. Which one you choose depends on what you prefer and what you find most practical. Simply choose the one that’s more convenient for you to use.

Solid manure

The biggest benefit of solid manure is that it is easy to dose and lasts for a long time. The manure has to be broken down for the plants to be able to absorb it by their roots, which means that they have access to nutrients over a longer period of time.

There are different types of solid manures to choose from based on the needs of your plants. Choose from cow, worm and chicken manure. Worm manure is cow dung that’s been processed by worms. Solid manure can be both mineral and organic and comes in the form of granules or pellets. Another alternative is nutrient sticks that are perfect to place in pots.

Liquid manure

Liquid nutrients are highly concentrated and should be mixed with water before you give it to your plants. You can use it for plants in pots both outdoors and indoors. It’s an easy way to fertilize bigger plants without having to dig into the soil. There are two different liquid nutrients to choose from: organic and mineral. The organic fertilizer is certified for ecological cultivation and consists of materials from plants and animals, which means it has to be broken down before it’s absorbed by the plants. Mineral fertilizer on the other hand is absorbed faster.

When to fertilize

Regular soil that can be bought at the store rarely consists of enough nutrients for your plants to grow big and healthy. This is because a single seed is filled with everything it needs to grow until it’s time to replant it. When the seeds have sprouted and it’s time to replant them in bigger pots, you should consider using more nutrient-rich soil. Whether or not the soil consists of enough nutrients for your specific plant depends on the type of soil, how much nutrients your plant needs and how long it’s supposed to grow in the same soil.

The best tip is to start cultivating and getting to know the needs of your plants. The more you cultivate, the more knowledge you’ll have on how your plants behave when they are healthy and when they’re not. If they suddenly stop growing, get yellow leaves or look weak in other ways, it’s probably time to fertilize.