Poultry manure is a real treasure for plants, as its properties promote their rapid growth. Indeed, the elements it contains decompose very quickly once buried in the ground, and represent a real source of nutrients. That's why gardeners don't throw them away.
Discover in this article, the advantages of this natural fertilizer for gardening.
Hen manure is made up of nitrogen, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. It is a natural, ecological and superior quality fertilizer. You only need a few laying hens to get a considerable amount of compost.
You should know that a laying hen needs a diet very rich in calcium, because this element is necessary to produce the shell of the eggs. Thus, it is completely normal if the excrement contains it. Once added to the soil, all the substances contained in the chicken droppings are absorbed directly by the plant.
In addition, the positive effects of this fertilizer are effective at any time of the year. You just have to prepare the droppings well and above all collect them at the right time.
There are two ways to use chicken manure. Either you use it directly, or you use it in composting. In order not to burn the roots of the plants, you must mix the chicken droppings with other elements such as straw or wood shavings.
Over time, organic matter degrades. Nutrients are thus released little by little, which has a positive effect on your plantation. Then to limit the evaporation of water, the use of straw is recommended.
Composting requires a lot of preparation. It consists of alternating hen manure with layers of green waste (such as leaves or lawn mowing). You should water the plants every 10 days to balance the compost.
To have a promising result, use hot compost which is much more effective than cold compost. The latter requires at least 6 months of preparation.
You can use chicken droppings on leafy plants and some root vegetables. Cucumbers, zucchini or even potatoes need a large amount of nitrogen. So, do not hesitate to use it on this kind of vegetation.
Shrubs, perennials, and even lawns can host chicken manure.
However, it is strongly advised not to put compost on fruit vegetables, namely:eggplant, squash, green beans and tomatoes. Indeed, the fruits germinate on the stems and leaves.
Be aware that chicken manure has a repellent effect. Therefore, if you want to keep away fond squirrels or any other harmful insects, do not hesitate to use it. To do this, put some on the surface of the soil rather than in the planting hole. In this way, you will have a satisfactory result.
Be careful, do not use more than 500 g of manure powder per square meter. To compensate, add small regular additions, because once mineralized, nitrogen is immediately leached by rain and irrigation water.
