Oct
Is Manure Any Good For Your Tomatoes?
Manure remains the best of all fertilisers, with compost running a close second. Whilst the proportion of the three major nutrients that manure contains is rather low, & dollar for dollar artificial fertilisers do give more weight of nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium - manure rots down to make humus to benefit the soil & its micro-life.
When you buy manure, it’s likely to be pretty fresh & far too strong & hot to use. You’ll need to leave it in a heap for six weeks or so, covered with a plastic sheet to keep the rain from leaching the nitrogen out. This also allows you to assess whether the manure contains a lot of weed seeds as they will germinate in this time. Those deep in the heap will probably be killed by the heat of fermentation & any that come up on the surface can be put on the compost heap. Or if there is room in the bin you can simply dump the manure on the compost heap.
If you feel that your tomato plants would benefit from a quick boost, then manure tea is a great way to encourage them. Simply put a couple of shovelfuls of manure into a Hessian bag & then steep it like an outsize teabag in a garbage bin full of water for a day or two until the water is the colour of weak tea. Do not use it on dry soil, howeveras it may be too concentrated.
Keep the lid on the garbage bin, the brew smells & will attract flies. It will keep for a week or so, or you can pour any leftovers on the compost heap, along with the contents of the used teabag.
Discover which type of manure is the best - cow, horse, sheep or poultry in How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes
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Annette Welsford & Lucia Grimmer are the authors of the world best seller - How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes. The book has been developed following years of research & trials & is a valuable reference used by thousands of professional & amateur tomato growers.
With a Masters Degree in Plant Pathology, Lucia gives expert technical nutrition & disease advice to professional tomato growers around the globe. How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes features more than 230 photos of tomato varieties, cultivation techniques, nutrition deficiencies & pest & disease symptoms.
Annette’s writing & design skills ensure the information can be understood by non-technical readers & is professional presented.
