Cheap manure ideas please

Messieurs administrators, how about it actually?

 

You from the Isle of Mann too then :DOH:

 

Je dois fabriquerai la question maintenant

 

Did you think about this method IDPSH ?

 

I'll have to look it up, Ziggy, as I've no idea what you're talking about. All I know is there are aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms and they either do or don't need air (or oxygen?) to digest stuff. That's so far as my school biology course takes me

If you don't mind it too awfully (and have spare time on your hands of course), would you be so kind as to elaborate on the subject? For the sake of educating the community along with my un-enlightened self :WINK1: What sort of equipment, conditions, space it involves, any setting up/running costs perhaps?

 

No problem,

Dead simple and cheap.

I use a plastic dustbin, fill it up with water and cram as much vegetation in as possible. Keep the lid on as it smells.

After a few days it will start to ferment and bubble a bit as the anaerobic bacteria get to work.

I stir it regularly to help break down the bigger bits, it soon turns into a soup.

After about 2 weeks I start using the liquid as a plant feed, watered down as its probably a bit strong to use neat.

I had been digging the resulting sludge straight into the veg bed but i'm now putting it in a drained container to see how it works as a peat substitute. I've got one dustbin in use for liquid feed, another fermenting and another just starting.

Not had any weeds or bindweed come back after digging it in. I think the bacteria must break those down along with the rest.

BTW Anaerobs were the dominant life form on the planet in the begining, till a new bacteria evolved that excreted a gas that was toxic to them, oxygen.

 

See this could be a problem Ziggy, as all my non-essential activities that are potentually - not to mention factually! - smelly, messy or unsightly are likely to be banned by my dear hubbs
How stinky is it? If you've got say 2 bucketfulls worth of this stuff and you're like 2-3 foot away, would you smell it? Does it stink less with more water in it?

Does it matter if the container is only half full? I mean unless you're using airtight containers the air is still going to get through?

 

This actually reminds me of another gardening technique used in my native Isle of White (so white you get polar bears roaming Red Square rummaging through MacDonalds bins )

Chop up lots of nettles (that's the weeding bit sorted :yess stick them in a bin full of water, seal and leave for a few weeks. I honestly can't remember whether the resulting gunk is a fertiliser or funguicide, but I think it might be called green manure...

 

Oh, it smells, I first made it when I was about 8. My Brother described it as "Pure Evil" If you get it on your hands you have to scrub with detergent or you'll smell bad forever.

You don't need an airtight container, the water is enough. I've brewed it up in an open bucket.

Nettles are good, as is comfrey, but I just throw everything in.

Tried googling Isle of White, but it just came up with Isle of Wight.

Not seen many polar bears in Ventnor, so i'm guessing you come from Newfoundland or somewhere like that.

 

Red Square not enough of a hint then, aye? :WINK1:

 

See I couldn't really do that for fear of ex-communication and loss of parental rights I could only maybe do it if i get an airtight tub, and then only in small quantities.

That said, it can never be bad enough to outdo my in-laws! Dad in law stinks from a mile away, he never EVER washes which drives me mad :wallbang: Bro in law does wash but then pours half a bottle of aftershave over himself, so the whole house stinks like a toilet spray factory half an hour after he left :gaagh:

how does it fare on the structure/nutrient scale? Seen as my main priority for the mo is to make my clay lighter, rather than fertilise it per se.

 

Aah:DOH:

 

Thats why i'm trying to make a peat substitute from it as most of the nutrient will be used up by taking the liquid fertilizer off it, leaving, hopefully something that will bulk up compost or soil. So it should be good for a clay soil conditioner.

Probably not worth doing on a smaller scale though, you don't get vast quantities.

I'm just about to try the same method with kitchen waste, oh, I think I already said that.

I'll post results when its done

 

I'll keep my nose plugs handy then :WINK1:

 

Well maybe it depends on the area, but I do find my local homebase MILES cheaper than b&q on most things i buy. Also my local b&q is quite small and often lacks any choice. Last time I went there, it had none of the stuff i wanted (no garden sand, no MANURE, no lime), and their garden centre looked really poor and plants were wilting. Wonder if that may be due to the fact b&q recently went into administration. Went to homebase, found everything I needed.

I don't think my local Wickes even has a garden centre. It didn't 2 years ago which was the last time I went there.

of course there are, the big problem is - I can't drive, unfortunately. Hubby does, but it would be a job and a half trying to pursuade him to drive horseshit in his car first, he doesn't see the point, second, he works 24/7 and really doesn't have time for this.

I did however get him to drive me to Homebase this week (mainly because there were other things we wanted there) and got four 50L bags of manure. They're 4 for 3 so it wasn't that bad. I'm hoping that should sort my border, seen as I'll hopefully have some worm compost to add to it come autumn.