- What types of grass are suitable for this?
- What are the benefits of green manure?
- How long is it good for?
- Instructions for making fertilizer from grass
- In a regular barrel
- From grass with nettles
- From rotted grass
- From various weeds and grass
- Using cut grass as fertilizer
- Making an infusion of green grass
- Rules for applying green manure
Green fertilizer is a valuable substance widely used in natural farming. Any gardener can make it. The composition can be periodically changed by choosing different herbs. It's important to study their properties and composition. So, how can you make fertilizer from herbs? To do this, you need to choose the right ingredients and strictly follow the preparation instructions.
What types of grass are suitable for this?
Natural fertilizers can be made from various types of herbs. Any weed is suitable, with the exception of hogweed. The most common fertilizers are made from the following plants:
- nettle;
- lawn grass;
- dandelion;
- woodlouse;
- burdock;
- clover;
- shepherd's purse;
- sedge;
- Ivan tea.
These plants can be used to prepare single-component or combined fertilizers. The raw materials are readily available, making fertilizer production inexpensive. A major advantage of these products is that they allow for the disposal of weeds.
Additionally, any plant waste can be used to make fertilizer, such as straw or carrot tops. However, nettle is considered one of the most valuable. It contains many valuable substances and enriches plants with nitrogen.
What are the benefits of green manure?
Weeds contain a range of micro- and macroelements essential for the normal development of crops. These include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, zinc, and other substances. Weeds absorb these elements from the soil and partially accumulate them. As they decompose, these substances are released, transforming them into a bioavailable form.
Using green manure helps to achieve the following results:
- Enrich the soil with valuable nutrients. Furthermore, the mixture provides an excellent environment for earthworm activity.
- Reduce soil acidity. This effect is achieved through the product's alkaline reaction.
- Saturate the soil layer with nitrogen.
Green manure is considered environmentally friendly. Furthermore, its preparation is inexpensive. After use, the green mass can be used to make compost, rather than thrown away. Moreover, the composting process will be significantly faster.
How long is it good for?
Fertilizer preparation itself takes some time. Since this process relies on fermentation, it can take 10-15 days. Once prepared, the fertilizer retains its properties for another week. However, it's important to keep in mind that the fermentation process doesn't stop. This means that instead of beneficial nitrogen, a large amount of ammonia accumulates in the fertilizer. Excessive amounts of this element are more likely to cause harm than good.
Instructions for making fertilizer from grass
There are several ways to prepare grass fertilizer. In any case, it's important to follow the instructions carefully.
In a regular barrel
This recipe requires a 50-200-liter barrel. The solution can be made from various herbs, including wormwood, comfrey, clover, and chamomile. To obtain the beneficial substance, follow these steps:
- Prepare the raw materials. The herbs need to be crushed. This will significantly speed up fermentation.
- Place the weeds in a container of water. It's important that the liquid just barely covers the weeds.
- Add additional ingredients. These stimulate nitrogen release. Manure is considered particularly effective in this regard. Other agents, such as urea, can also be used. To eliminate unpleasant odors, a microbiological agent can be used.
Once fermentation is complete, you'll have a wonderful liquid fertilizer. This process takes 10-15 days. The finished mixture should smell like cow manure. It should also turn dark green and be covered in numerous bubbles.
From grass with nettles
Preparing nettle fertilizer is quite simple. Here's what we recommend:
- Prepare the plant material. To do this, it needs to be chopped.
- Place the mixture into the prepared container, filling it 50% full.
- Add warm water. Rainwater is best.
- Cover the container with gauze or mesh.
- Place the container in the sun. It is recommended to stir the mixture twice a day.
To determine if the solution is ready, check for foam—there shouldn't be any. The liquid will turn very dark. Depending on weather conditions, the process takes 10-14 days.
The prepared solution cannot be used in its pure form, as it is extremely concentrated. Therefore, before use, it must be mixed with water at a ratio of 1:10. The working solution is not suitable for storage.
From rotted grass
A special pit is needed to decompose weeds. Plant material can be stored in a plastic container. To prepare compost, follow these steps:
- Find a suitable location. It's important to keep in mind that decomposing grass produces an unpleasant odor. Therefore, the container should be placed away from residential buildings. It's also important to remember that it shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight.
- Pour a small amount of soil onto the bottom.
- Place a 30-centimeter-thick layer of plant material into the container. This can consist of weeds, fruit, or fallen leaves.
- Sprinkle the layer with sawdust.
- Arrange the plant material again. This process should be repeated several times.
To ensure the compost survives the winter, it's recommended to cover it with straw. Plant residues take several months to decompose. However, true nutrition will only be available after two years. To reduce this period to six months, you can add a solution of chicken manure to the compost.
From various weeds and grass
To make a healthy and nutritious remedy, you can use a mixture of herbs. Comfrey, chamomile, clover, wormwood, and wild mustard are all suitable. A small amount of lawn grass is also worth adding. All ingredients should be coarsely chopped and watered. Add dolomite flour to the resulting mixture. For every 100 liters, use 1.5 kilograms of the mixture.
To obtain a beneficial green fertilizer, hay or straw can be used. Poultry house litter can also be used. To maintain a constant solution temperature, it is recommended to place the container in a greenhouse.
Using cut grass as fertilizer
Mown weeds are often used to make liquid fertilizer. They can also be used as mulch. In this case, the grass is placed around the trunks of berry bushes such as raspberries, currants, and gooseberries.
Making an infusion of green grass
To create a beneficial herbal infusion, you can add various ingredients to the water and weed mixture. For a 200-liter barrel, use the following dosages:
- 5 tablespoons each of potassium sulfate and superphosphate. These substances will enrich the fertilizer with potassium and phosphorus.
- A bucket of wood ash. This will increase the concentration of trace elements.
- A glass of honey or molasses. These ingredients speed up the fermentation process.
Rules for applying green manure
This product can be used to enrich the soil with valuable nutrients and prepare garden beds. For this purpose, it should be mixed with water. For root watering, maintain a ratio of 1:10. For foliar application, maintain a ratio of 1:20.
A wide variety of herbs can be used to make beneficial fertilizers. They are readily available and contain many valuable micronutrients. To ensure a high-quality product, it's important to strictly adhere to the dosage.