It involves mixing 2 to 3 inches of compost into every square foot of the top inches of soil to improve the soil composition and consistency. Before applying your compost, make sure the decomposition process is complete as it generates tremendous amounts of heat that can damage the plants.
When it is ready, compost will be dark and soft with a crumbly texture and an earthy smell. Mix well as further decomposition can give off a stinky smell, especially if the compost was turned poorly while it was in the dump. Fertilizer is a synthetic soil additive that contains a specific number of macro nutrients plants need to grow and deliver bountiful yields. Unlike manure and compost which are made from natural materials, fertilizer is produced from industrial chemicals in concentrated forms.
Fertilizers are designed for fast action, thus they can dissolve quickly in water to provide nutrients to the plants as soon as they are applied to the soil. There are different fertilizers based on the nutrients they supply including the popular NPK, urea, potash, superphosphate, and more. They are produced to deliver targeted nutrients for plants at important periods of their life cycle, hence the many blends of fertilizers. There are several ways of applying fertilizer. If you are using granular fertilizer, you can use a spading fork to work it into your garden bed.
But water the bed thoroughly to allow the fertilizer dissolve quickly for easy plant uptake. You can also apply close to the root using a cultivator. For liquid fertilizers, you can use a watering can or inject into your watering system. From the above, we can conclude that the following are the main features of manure, compost and fertilizer.
Manure is produced from mostly livestock waste through natural decomposition by microorganisms. Compost is also a product of decomposition, but it is controlled.
Fertilizer is a synthetic product produced from industrial chemicals. Manure and compost offer improved soil health benefits such as erosion control, increased aeration, water retention and more. Fertilizer does not deliver these benefits.
Manure and compost provide their nutrients to the plants slowly. However, fertilizers have a fast delivery of nutrients. Because of their organic origin, the environmental impact of manure and compost is minimal but fertilizer can have drastic effects on the environment, particularly the water body and soil microfauna.
Fertilizer is expensive because it contains specific nutrients in high concentrations. Manure is almost always free but you will pay for the transport to your place. Compost is a bit expensive because the production requires extensive and often costly resources.
If your garden or farm is going through a nutrient deficiency crisis and your plants are showing yellow coloration, your best shot is to apply chemical fertilizer to provide the plants with the nutrients they need to survive and grow well. Compost and manure are best for long-term soil health improvement. The three additives have their advantages and disadvantages.
You can always combine the three as the situation of your garden or farm warrants. However, know how much to use and when to use it. Composting is the preferred way to boost soil health and productivity for many gardeners. There are several other benefits of using compost which fertilizers cannot provide. They include:. Manure and fertilizer perform almost the same function of feeding the plant.
But manure goes further by enriching and replenishing the soil. Here are the differences between fertilizers and manure. Name : Manure is made from natural materials of animal and plant origin while fertilizer is made from synthetic chemicals. Preparation : Manure is prepared in open pits in the field through microbial activity and fertilizers are prepared in chemical factories.
Nutrients : Manure is low in nutrients but high in organic matter humus. Fertilizer contains concentrated amount of plant nutrients and almost no organic matter save for the filler material. Availability : Manure provides nutrients slowly while the nutrients from fertilizers are quickly absorbed by plants. Cost : Fertilizer is expensive. You can make manure by yourself or get it for free from farms. Environmental Impact : Manure has a positive environmental impact.
Fertilizer can harm soil organisms like the earthworm, pollute water bodies and disrupt marine ecosystems and more. With six kids two not pictured we KNOW all about playsets! We created this site to help share our knowledge of everything we've learned! Poultry manure is particularly high in ammonia and readily burns if over-applied.
Because of the high amounts of ammonia-nitrogen in fresh manure, it should be incorporated 6 to 8 inches within 12 hours after application. Without incorporation much of the soluble nitrogen will be lost to the atmosphere as ammonia. If the manure is mixed in with bedding or litter this will dilute the nutrient content.
Salts in fresh manure also tend to be high — especially in chicken, turkey, or other poultry manure. To avoid salt damage, wait 3 to 4 weeks after application before planting anything in the area.
Fresh manure may contain high amounts of viable weed seeds, which can lead to a weed problem. Because of the potential of transmitting human pathogens, such as E.
If you are growing crops where the edible portion is in contact with the soil such as carrots, beets, or potatoes fresh manure applications should be made at least four months prior to harvest. On other edible crops, fresh manure applications should be made at least three months prior to harvest.
With just a four month or so growing season, this means you should only apply fresh manure in the fall; not in the spring or during the growing season to any area that is or will be planted with food crops. Composted manure Composting manure eliminates some of the problems of fresh manure — including the odor.
But salts may be more concentrated and some of the nitrogen is lost, leaving the more stable organic forms. Composted manure has lower availability of nitrogen and will contribute more to the organic matter content of the soil compared to fresh manure. However, unless applied at high rates, composted manure alone may not be able to supply all the nutrients for fast growing plants. If you have convenient access to a supply of fresh manure you can try composting it yourself, but most people just purchase bagged composted manure that is readily available in garden stores and nurseries.
Nutrient availability. So how much manure should you use? If you purchased bagged composted manure, the label on the package will tell you the nutrient content and application rates. The nutrient content of farm manure varies considerably depending on many factors. The availability of the nutrients from the manure for plant growth will depend on the breakdown and release from of the organic components.
Manure piles take advantage of waste that might otherwise be a huge problem. The efficiency is as good as it gets. As you can see, most livestock on a farm produces manure that you can use. Once you let it decompose and process it, you can use their feces to grow top-notch crops for more food.
These animals include the following:. Getting the most out of your manure pile is all about finding the correct balance between eligible manure from vegetarian animals and plant waste. Note: Some people make manure piles to sell to other farmers. If this is your intention, you need to contact your local government to see what the necessary licenses and fees are.
They have to verify that the manure is consistently healthy and high-quality. Finding a purpose for old trash is cheap, eco-friendly, and incredibly healthy. There are also a handful of other items that people try to compost without much success:. To prevent foul smells, make sure that you always mix the compost pile regularly. It should sit between to degrees to allow bacteria to thrive.
Regardless of which option you choose, they both require maintenance. The good news is that you can follow the steps below to promote a healthy bacterial environment quickly. If you live on a farm or you have plenty of land with livestock, manure is the way to go. On the other hand, people who live in a house with a backyard and no farm animals should consider a compost bin.
Anyone can compost, even if they live in an apartment. Bins range from all sizes, giving everyone an opportunity to recycle and reuse table scraps, paper, and plant material to create high-quality fertilizer. Whichever you choose, recycling old waste in favor of new, usable material is an excellent idea.
Compost and manure are easy to make, inexpensive even with all of the tools included , and efficient. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Both Fertilizers Manure and compost piles are an excellent way to recycle, promote healthy growth, and control excess trash, dead plants, and feces. Fortunately, you can use the mixture to produce more food for your livestock, benefitting you, them, and the landscape. This process increases the nutrition of the soil, raises the amount of moisture that it can hold, and improves water filtration.
All in all, manure changes the surrounding environment. Manure can cost you virtually nothing if you have enough livestock to maintain the pile. Another advantage of manure is that it increases the air quality of the soil, produces healthier plant life, and it propels the drainage of the nearby soil. When you use manure throughout the land for crops, it influences and improves everything from the roots to the nutrition in the soil for many years to come.
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