Horse manure as a fertilizer: properties, pros and cons, application options

Horse manure is the natural waste of horses that occurs in large quantities.

Even where owners keep only a couple of horses, their manure becomes a serious problem over time.

The fact is that it not only has a sharp, unpleasant odor, but is also a source of various infections. However, if used correctly, horse manure can bring many benefits.

Considering that an adult horse produces approximately 20 kg of manure per day , the owners of these animals should know well what to do with it, how to properly fertilize their summer cottage/garden with it in spring and autumn, so that the land replenishes its nutrients as much as possible, and other methods of using dry , rotted and fresh excrement.

From this article you will learn:

• what is it for, what properties does horse manure have, is it useful for the garden, and what exactly is it good for;
• how to properly use rotted excrement in the garden and dacha for fertilizer in spring and autumn, and whether it is possible to use it fresh;
• how to dilute fresh, rotted or dry horse manure to feed plants, what can and cannot be fertilized/watered with it;
• how and where else you can use it at your dacha.

What is horse manure?

Usually this type of excrement is in compact piles, because due to the fairly low humidity (75–80%) it does not spread like cattle manure.

Due to the fact that horses are not only kept in pens or stables, but also periodically walked, their excrement can end up at any point on their usual route.

Manure collected in a stable or paddock can be either bedding, that is, a mixture of excrement with sawdust, straw or other chopped vegetation, or unlittered, that is, collected from a concrete or wooden floor.

The design of the stable is also of great importance. If it is equipped with a urine drainage system, that is, separation into solid and liquid fractions occurs immediately, then the humidity of the excrement is 70–75%.

If there is no such system, then the solid and liquid fractions are removed during daily cleaning, but in this case it is necessary to use bedding that absorbs animal urine.

Sawdust and coniferous shavings are
very , because they not only absorb urine, but also:

• perform the function of an antiseptic, suppressing the activity of bacteria that cause various diseases;
• Due to the high concentration of aromatic resinous substances, they muffle the unpleasant odor characteristic of manure.

In open areas, excrement cannot always be detected immediately, so some of it has time to dry out and turn into dry manure. There is also partially dried material - not yet dry, but in which the activity of bacteria has almost completely stopped and their population has begun to decline.

Livestock conditions and types of manure

Depending on the conditions of keeping the animal, manure can be semi-liquid bedding or liquid without bedding. Both types of organics differ from each other in different chemical compositions, which determines differences in physical properties, method of storage, and use. Litter consists of solid, liquid, semi-liquid excrement; animal urine contains a maximum of nitrogen and potassium; solid feces contain a high concentration of phosphorus.

Urine includes easily soluble components, solid feces contain nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of organic compounds. In order for the nutritional components from hardened excrement to be easily absorbed by plants, they need to be overheated or mineralized.

Composition and properties

Despite the fact that the main component of horse manure is water, it also contains many other substances in various proportions - per 1 kg of fresh excrement there is an average of:

• 230 g of organic matter, which contains not only partially digested cellulose or lignin, but also intestinal enzymes, as well as various acids;
• 6 g of nitrogen in the form of various compounds;
• 5 g potassium oxide (K2O);
• 4 g calcium oxide (CaO);
• 3 g phosphorus oxide (P2O5).

Many elements of the periodic table are present in less significant quantities (from tenths to thousandths of a gram).

All this makes fresh manure a very aggressive substance that can kill any soil, but after rotting it turns it into one of the best complex fertilizers, which introduces not only humic acids (humus) into the soil, but also many essential microelements.

Manure in fresh consistency

Early maturing crops are usually fed with fresh manure. This type of feeding is prepared in advance, in the autumn, or even earlier. Fertilizer material is applied to the soil after harvesting the fruits. But it prepares the soil for fertilization in advance, clearing the area of ​​weeds and other plant debris.

Add 1 bucket of fertilizer material to 1 m2 of soil that will be used for planting. It is best to dig up the soil, which will allow the soil and droppings to mix. To get maximum results, the planting site is covered with film material until spring. This measure is necessary to ensure that nitrogen and other compounds do not evaporate from the manure.

By spring, the land will be ready for planting. It will only be possible to use organic or purchased minerals to provide the soil with additional elements. The manure will have rotted away by this time, and any plants can be planted on the beds.

Can it be used as a top dressing?

To answer this question, it is necessary to understand how the soil changes during the development and fruiting of plants, and then find out how fresh and rotted horse manure affects the soil.

Any soil consists of humus, clay and sand.

The basis of humus is humic acids , which are the only substance that is a building material for plant cells.

Mono- and polysaccharides contained in humus provide the plant with energy, and from humic acids, the germinating seed or developing sprout forms new cells, due to which the plant develops.

Clay acts as a binding material, giving the soil the necessary strength, and sand is a conductor and reservoir of water. Plants primarily extract humic acids and various saccharides from the soil; the less of them remains in the soil, the less fertile it will be .

Fresh horse manure does not contain humic acids, so it has no particular benefit to the soil until it rots. But even fresh excrement is used as fertilizing, diluting it tens or hundreds of times with water, because this makes it possible to safely supply plants with microelements.

But such fertilizing in the spring is less effective than using full-fledged humus, because in addition to microelements, the soil needs the renewal of humic acids and various organic polymers, which are necessary for any plants to develop.

But after rotting, horse manure has many beneficial properties, turning into a source of such acids. In addition, part of the vegetation that served as food for horses, after passing through their gastrointestinal tract, retains its shape and structure, due to which it can loosen the soil, performing the same function as sand.

However, litter excrement is more effective for improving soil structure , and the larger and thicker the litter material, the higher the effectiveness of such fertilizer.

When is it not recommended to use manure?

Organics are not added in the following cases:

1. fungus on the ground (prevents organic matter from releasing heat);
2. using horse manure for fertilizer is dangerous in areas with dense soil, as it will slowly decompose and release hydrogen sulfide, which negatively affects plants;
3. When planting potatoes, summer residents must adhere to the established proportions, since improper feeding leads to infection of the tuber.

For which plants is horse manure harmful?

It’s worth noting right away which crops you can’t apply horse manure to. These are: carrots, beets, radishes, radishes, turnips, horseradish, celery and parsley; manure cannot be added either in the fall or in the spring. Although they can be grown in areas where manure was applied to the crops preceding them. You cannot add manure when growing aster; this leads to Fusarium wilt.

And how can applying horse manure be beneficial? These are zucchini, cucumbers and cabbage. And also planting peonies, roses, lilacs, clematis and dahlias will thank you with generous flowering for adding manure.

Chemical composition of horse manure. Horse manure contains up to 71.3% water and 25.4% organic matter. Nitrogen contains 0.59% of which 0.09% is ammonia nitrogen. Phosphorus is 0.26% and potassium is 0.59%. Calcium 0.21%. Acidity is 7.9 pH. And the ratio of nitrogen to carbon is 21, this is the ideal ratio for rapid decomposition.

Horse manure contains trace elements such as magnesium in an amount of 0.14% by weight of the manure. For example, 100 kilograms of manure contains 1.4 grams or 1400 milligrams. In addition, boron is present in the amount of 140 milligrams, cobalt 7 milligrams, copper 110 milligrams, zinc 670 milligrams and molybdenum 15 milligrams.

The data are averaged and can change by a factor of 2, both up and down. The content of microelements in manure depends on what kind of food the animal ate.

Horse droppings are used both for plant nutrition and as biofuel. It is recommended to apply it fresh to the soil only in the fall. In spring, it can only be used in the form of liquid fertilizers.

This type of organic fertilizer begins to decompose at a temperature of about 80 degrees, and the decay processes occur much faster than other types of manure. And in the end, this fertilizer ends up with the loosest structure.

Therefore, horse manure, like sheep manure, should primarily be used as a fertilizer on cold, dense, clayey soils. To improve their structure and enrich them with organic matter.

What plants is it suitable for?

Horse manure can be used to fertilize any crops that grow naturally in fields or forests, because their metabolism is based on feeding on humic acids, into which this material turns after rotting.

Therefore, they can be fertilized:

• any garden or vegetable plants;
• garden trees;
• plants in pots that naturally grow on humus soils, that is, where the soil is renewed by rotting dead animals or plants.

But they shouldn’t fertilize and feed crops growing in sandy deserts, because they have a completely different metabolism, they use different nutrients, and manure can only harm them.

How to feed the beds after harvesting the autumn harvest

Fresh manure is rarely used to enrich the soil. It is chemically active, caustic, and can literally burn the root system of garden crops. Also considered a disadvantage is the presence of weed seeds in fresh organic matter. They get there from the digestive tract of domestic animals in a semi-digested state. Penetrating into the soil, they easily germinate, clog the beds, and do not allow cultivated plants to grow and become stronger.

Adding organic matter to the soil

The best fertilizer is rotted manure or humus, which is applied to the ground in the fall, immediately before digging and the final withering of the plants. A favorable time for adding organic matter is the last quarter of the lunar cycle. The new moon and full moon are considered unfavorable periods. If you fertilize the soil in the fall, it becomes so rich that the plant has enough decay products for the entire next season.

Organic fertilizer is a source of complete nutrition for soil microflora. When it is applied in the fall, decomposition processes proceed slowly, the percentage of accumulation of useful components proceeds intensively, ending with their maximum accumulation. Regular application of slurry or rotted organic matter will turn poor soil into black soil in a few years.

Which is better?

This question usually refers to the physical state of the manure, that is:

• liquid - collected using the flush method;
• fresh, including litter, normal humidity;
• partially rotted, including litter;
• humus, including litter;
• dry, including granulated.

The answer to this question is directly related to the purpose for which they are going to use horse manure and where to use it. If we are talking about fertilizer, then rotted material is best, because it is a universal product that simultaneously performs several functions.

If it is going to be used to heat the soil in greenhouses or greenhouses, then fresh bedding material is better suited, because it not only burns longer than clean material and releases a lot of heat, but after rotting it also turns into high-quality humus that can loosen the soil.

If it needs to be transported over a long distance, then dry material is best, because it has minimal volume and weight. We have prepared a table that includes the most popular methods of application, as well as the corresponding type of horse manure:

Types of natural fertilizer and stages of organic decomposition

Depending on the stage of decomposition, organic matter can be of the following types:

How to use horse manure in the garden?

The options for using this material depend on two factors :

• his physical condition;
• goals to be achieved.

Therefore, we will talk about how to transfer it from one state to another, and about its correct application, which allows you to achieve your goals.

Production of liquid fertilizer

There are several options for preparing this fertilizer, which differ in the state of the original product, that is, horse manure. Fertilizer from fresh material has a minimal concentration, because it is diluted hundreds of times with water .

If you make the mixture stronger, then instead of benefiting the garden, it will do a lot of harm, because in such a concentration, intestinal enzymes and other substances have a detrimental effect on plants and soil.

Feeding from semi-rotted material is made less concentrated, that is, one share of raw material accounts for 30–70 parts of water. To make fertilizer from humus, a ratio of 1:10 is used, that is, for one share of raw material there are 10 shares of water.

Preparation of rotted material

To rot, excrement is taken to a pre-prepared site (gnosche) or stored in special structures located at a sufficient distance from both the stable and other buildings.
At the sites, they are dumped into piles and covered with waterproof fabric or polymer film, leaving space underneath for free movement of air and escape of gases.

To speed up decay, the pile is treated with bacterial preparations, and also turned by hand or with tractor turners. The time for complete decay depends on many factors and ranges from 3–18 months.

Drying and granulating

If it is necessary to store horse manure for the future or transport it to another city/region, then it is dried or granulated.

For drying without special equipment, they use the methods that we described in the Kizyak article, that is, they form cakes and either lay them on the ground or sculpt them on a barn wall intended for this purpose .

As soon as the dung has dried a little, they are placed in conical hollow piles, leaving space between the cakes for air movement. Drying by granulation is described in detail in articles about separators and granulators.

Mulching

Mulching with manure is used to solve many problems, such as:

• reduction of water evaporation;
• protection from frost or heat;
• weed control;
• restoration of soil fertility;
• improvement of soil structure.

The only advantage of horse excrement is that it produces the most balanced mulch , so it will be the most versatile.

However, properly prepared mulch from any other excrement will be better suited for solving the tasks for which it was made than universal fully or partially rotted horse manure.

Heating soil in greenhouses

Horse manure is considered one of the best materials for heating the soil in greenhouses or greenhouses, because it “burns” for a long time, releasing more heat than the excrement of other animals or birds.

It should be noted here that the most effective material for these purposes will be the material on the litter .

The procedure for heating with horse excrement is exactly the same as that described in the article on greenhouses, and dried excrement of not only horses, but also any other animals or birds can be used as insulation.

Storage methods

In order for nutrients to be better preserved, you need to properly store horse humus, granulated manure and fresh litter. Nitrogen is the main active ingredient in litter, so it must be preserved. To do this, the droppings are mixed with peat or straw, less often with sawdust. The liquid that drains as fresh manure decomposes will be absorbed into and retained by the dry plant components.

Store-bought granular mixtures are stored closed. If the granules are coated, then increased humidity can speed up its dissolution. Therefore, the bag of horse manure pellets is closed and placed in a cool, dry room.

Hot

Not a very effective method, since horse manure quickly decomposes and loses a lot of nitrogen.

Installation method:

• stack horse manure without compaction in piles no more than 50 cm high;

• when the temperature starts to rise, add the next 50 cm layer, and so on.

You can cover the top with a layer of straw or peat so that the released carbon dioxide is absorbed and evaporates less.

Video: Mulching plantings in the garden with horse manure

Cold

The most productive option. How to organize a pile for cold storage of horse manure:

• Make a pile of boards: height 1.5 m, length - no matter how much, width - no more than 2 meters. This is important because it is necessary to control the access of oxygen. If more air flows into the horse manure due to its small width or height, then the method will turn into a hot method. The fertilizer will lose its potency.

• Place a layer of peat or straw on the bottom. If not, use sawdust, but preferably one that has been sitting for a year or two. This will be drainage. Some people lay a layer of oilcloth, and then drainage substances.

• A layer of horse manure 20 cm high is laid out. On it is the same layer of soil or peat. Everything is carefully compacted. There should be a minimum amount of air. So the layers are stacked to a height of 1.5 m. On top is the last layer of earth.

• At the end, it is necessary to build a canopy to prevent rain from getting into the pile.

With this method, the activity of soil microorganisms will be suspended, and the temperature inside will remain at 30 degrees. The collar should not have wide gaps - the boards are nailed tightly.

Liquid

In this form, storage of horse manure should be carried out in a closed form. How to cook:

• The storage container is filled 1/3 with horse manure.

• Filled with water to the brim.

• When it dissolves a little, mix well and cover tightly with a lid.

It is believed that the use of horse manure as a fertilizer in liquid form is possible only after its fermentation. It is not right. During the fermentation process, an important component, nitrogen, is released and evaporated. Therefore, the fermentation process must occur in the soil. You can avoid fermentation by simply tightly closing the lid on the slurry. In the spring, it is diluted with water again and the beds are watered.

How not to store

It is advisable to immediately place fresh horse manure in a pile for cold storage or compost it to avoid loss of nutrients. If the droppings are left in the open air - without bedding and shelter from above, then rain and sun will destroy most of the useful components.

Humus cannot be left in the air - it dries out and decreases in volume.

The benefits and harms of horse manure will depend on the storage method. There is a danger that flies will lay eggs in openly lying material, so it will be infested with larvae. Making compost without active ammonia will be more difficult because the temperature will not rise to kill bacteria, larvae and other parasites.

Feeding plants with a liquid solution

Fertilizing restores in the soil the nutrients and microelements consumed by plants for their development. Many diseases of cultivated crops are associated with a lack of various substances, and proper fertilizing improves their condition and helps cope with the disease.

All fertilizers can be divided into 3 types :

• general;
• root;
• foliar.

During general fertilizing, fertilizer is poured throughout the garden or vegetable garden, so it has a beneficial effect on all plants.
Root feeding is used to fertilize individual plants, so the solution is carefully poured under the root, trying not to touch the leaves.

This allows you to more accurately regulate the impact on the soil, because not all plants on the site need additional nutrition, and for some plants, especially during the period of fruit ripening, this can even be harmful.

Foliar feeding is sprayed over the surface of the foliage, so that nutrients are supplied not through the root system, but through the leaves.

General

General fertilizing is best done in late autumn (after harvest and leaves fall) or early spring (before sap flow begins). Moreover, in the fall you can use a composition based on partially rotted excrement, adding 30–40 parts of water to one part of the material .

For spring feeding, the amount of water needs to be increased by 1.5–2 times. If fertilizing is done from humus, then the optimal ratio between fertilizer and water is 5–15 and depends only on the comfort of work.

After all, a steep solution is similar to a medium liquid semolina and not everyone is comfortable working with it, but at a minimum concentration the mixture turns out to be more fluid, almost liquid, so many people find it convenient to work with it.

Root

Root feeding from completely or partially rotted excrement is applied either in early spring before the start of sap flow, or 1–2 weeks before the ovaries appear.
to add it later, because this will lead to an increase in the amount of nitrates in the fruits .

After harvesting and the leaves have fallen, you can apply any fertilizer, including fresh material, maintaining the correct ratio of fertilizer and water.

Often, root feeding is combined with pre-winter watering; in this case, fertilizer can be applied both during watering, before or after it.

Foliar

Foliar feeding is applied during the period from the appearance of fruit buds to the beginning of fruit ripening. Due to its minimal concentration, it does not lead to an increase in nitrate content , but accelerates the growth of green mass, which has a beneficial effect on all processes occurring in the plant.

However, even it should not be used after the fruits begin to ripen, because this will lead to a change in their chemical composition.

And after harvesting, the plant begins to prepare for winter, so treating the leaves with fertilizer can no longer help it.

How to properly soak feeding material?

To prepare the infusion, you will need a plastic or metal container, the volume of which is 1.5–2 times larger than the required volume of the finished solution.

To properly dilute, use the following dosage -
add 3-5 parts of water to one part of excrement , since it is necessary to make the fertilizer more liquid, suitable for further dilution with water and subsequent effective use.
Manure is placed in the container and water is poured in, and the order of actions does not matter, then all the contents are thoroughly mixed with a strong stick or shovel.

Despite the fact that a couple of hours are enough for the manure to liquefy, it is advisable to leave the mixture for a week so that the bacteria process it at least a little and make it less toxic. This should be done even when soaking humus, because after such exposure the mixture has a more beneficial effect on the soil and plants.

How to dilute the mixture?

To convert soaked manure into a usable liquid fertilizer, the semi-liquid mixture is poured into the required amount of water or diluted with the required amount of water. There is no difference between adding fertilizer to water and adding water to the solution container.

Then the contents of the container are mixed until smooth, and the liquid fertilizer becomes ready for use.

If water is delivered in buckets or barrels for pre-winter irrigation, then the ready-made fertilizer for general application can be evenly distributed between all containers.

Methods of application

, standard equipment is used to apply the mixture , which any gardener or gardener has, that is:

• buckets;
• watering cans;
• sprayers.

Watering cans are best suited for general fertilizing, because they allow you to evenly distribute the solution over a large area.
For root feeding with liquid fertilizer based on horse manure, use buckets or watering cans with the sprayer removed.

All this allows you to apply the finished composition to the plants, without paying attention to small lumps.

However, the foliar method requires a sprayer that can only work with clean liquids, so the fertilizer must be filtered before pouring.

How to get high-quality nutritious humus

To obtain a complete nutritious organic fertilizer from manure for fertilizing the soil in the fall, you need to do the following:

• fresh manure is placed in large wooden containers, boxes, and sprinkled in layers with peat, phosphate rock, and any mineral fertilizer with phosphorus. At the same time, a certain proportion is observed, adding 25-30 grams of flour or 1.8-2 kg of peat for every 10 kg of organic matter;
• while filling the containers, the organic matter is thoroughly compacted, then left to completely rot for 4-7 months;
• to obtain complete humus, the mixture is left to mature for 1.5-2 years.

When organic fertilizer decomposes, a large amount of liquid is released. It does not disappear anywhere, but is absorbed by peat moss, and after rotting, along with nitrogen and other components, it enters the ground.

How to use manure in spring and autumn?

The main goals of spring and autumn application of horse manure are to restore soil structure and replenish nutrients lost by plants.

Only humus is suitable for application/application in the spring, because partially rotted material, and even more so fresh manure, contain too many substances toxic to the soil and plants that decompose during the process of decay.

For autumn application to fields sown with winter crops, only humus is suitable , however, if the field was not planted in winter, then partially rotted material can also be used. If the field is left fallow, then even fresh manure can be applied to it.

Humus is brought to the field and scattered over it manually or using special attachments in an even layer 2–10 cm thick, and where winter crops have already been planted, the layer thickness should be minimal.

If the soil is severely depleted, then humus is first added, then the field is plowed and disked, after which winter crops are planted. Partially rotted manure is spread throughout the field either manually or mechanized , then immediately plowed or dug up.

Fresh manure is distributed over the site in any convenient way, always taking into account its chemical aggressiveness so as not to damage the attachments, then plowed or dug up and left fallow.

Sometimes fresh manure is laid out around the plants, at a distance of 10–20 cm from the trunk, but only material with minimal moisture is suitable , that is, lying on the ground for at least a few days (or better yet, weeks), into which the excess moisture goes.

Such fertilizer really accelerates the growth of green mass, but if you fertilize the plant in this way after the flowers have set, the fruits will be filled with nitrogenous compounds, including nitrates.

Eating them can be very harmful to your health. However, for roses and many other flowers, fresh manure is a very good fertilizer, but even it cannot fully replace humus.

Degree of decomposition of manure

It is used in various consistencies. Fertilizer has its own special classification, which is determined by the degree of decomposition and its duration.

1. Fresh fertilizer is added to the soil in the autumn, when digging is necessary. This is done to ensure that the manure is rotted on time. It is not recommended to add it to crops in the soil, as this may affect the appearance and taste of the plants. The fertilizer may contain fungal spores, crop seeds, and worm larvae. Since rapid organic processes occur in manure, plants can die from such exposure.
2. Dung , which is ½ rotted, is used to fertilize the ground while digging up the site or, alternatively, it is mixed with water to obtain a fertilizer material.
3. If fresh manure is not available, then rotted horse excrement is more often used. After it is laid, its mass is reduced by half and the fertilizer dries out. It is used in a ratio of 1:10 - where 1 is square meters, and 10 is kg of manure used.
4. Humus has the most beneficial qualities which is very difficult to obtain. This is a labor-intensive process that takes more than one year, but the effectiveness of such fertilizer material is at a high level. In stores you can buy first-fresh litter, but in order to maximize its positive properties, it is placed in a dark place for a while so that the fertilizer can infuse and be able to absorb the most useful compounds.

How to use in a greenhouse?

In addition to heating the soil, which we talked about above, horse excrement is used in greenhouses for:

• restoration of soil structure;
• restoration of lost nutrients and microelements;
• accelerating the development of plants and increasing their productivity.

To restore the structure , humus from litter excrement is best , because it combines the qualities of a universal fertilizer and effective loosening of the soil.

Due to the absence of toxins in humus, which are characteristic of fresh manure, the application of such fertilizer does not reduce soil fertility and does not harm the plant. Also, litter humus effectively restores nutrients spent on plant development.

However, the most effective use of manure will be when applied after the removal of old plants, that is, in late autumn, before the start of winter.

You can restore lost nutrients and microelements at any time of the year , as long as the greenhouse is actively functioning.
To do this, you can either add humus to the beds or apply liquid fertilizers based on horse manure.

All fertilizers are used in exactly the same way as described in the previous sections, because their effect on the soil and plants is the same.

The same measures are used in the country and in cases where it is necessary to accelerate the development of plants and increase their fertility without the use of mineral and chemical fertilizers.

Contraindications for use

Horse humus is not always beneficial. There are more advantages, but there are also negative phenomena. The harm from horse manure, rather than the benefit, is observed in the following:

• in the presence of dense soil (especially in greenhouses) it decomposes slowly. Negative results: accumulation of methane, hydrogen sulfide. These substances act as poison on the crop;
• will have a negative impact on growing potatoes;
• when planting cucumbers in “warm beds”, manure does not decompose well and kills the plant at all stages of development;
• After the appearance of plaque on the surface of excrement, it is not recommended for use. Reason: loss of warming ability.

How is it better than the excrement of other animals or birds?

Horse manure is noticeably superior to any other excrement in terms of the amount of substances suitable for conversion into humus or plant nutrition.

Both fresh and after rotting, its chemical composition is the most balanced to be used as a fertilizer in fields, orchards and vegetable gardens.

This is due to the following factors:

• nutritional characteristics;
• special structure of the intestine (the length of the horse intestine is almost 2 times less than that of the cow);
• regular physical activity, because horses are rarely bred for meat or milk.

Therefore, any fertilizers made from it will be more effective than from the manure/droppings of any other animals or birds.

The influence of horse droppings on a variety of crops

Application for flowers

For example, if you take flowers such as roses, you will notice that they require meticulous care, which is very labor-intensive. To improve the quality of the flower, it must be fertilized with horse droppings. The planting site for this flower crop is prepared in advance in the autumn, because in the spring the most nitrogenous bases are released. Other flower crops also respond positively to horse manure.

Use for apple trees

For apple trees, horse droppings are applied in regular form or in a liquid consistency.

To introduce horse excrement, dig up soil near the trunk within a perimeter of about 40 cm and apply fresh fertilizer. You can also dilute the manure with water, dig a trench in the tree trunk area and pour out the liquid manure. After soaking the soil, the trench is covered with earth.

Application for strawberries

For a rich and sweet harvest at harvest, strawberries need to be fertilized regularly.

Horse droppings are used for the berries in a liquid state. You need to wait a certain time in advance for the mixture to infuse. Take 0.5 buckets of manure per 100 liters of liquid. After settling, the infusion is mixed and diluted with water when irrigating the berries. Water in a ratio of 1:1 liters of infusion and a bucket of water.

Application for cucumbers

Cucumbers are considered one of the heat-loving plants. Horse manure can help create warm conditions for the crop. If you plan to plant cucumbers in winter, then using the manure in a greenhouse will be able to make your wish come true.

Straw and manure are mixed in equal proportions and laid out on an open planting area. The stop signal will be the moment when a small amount of smoke appears above the mixture. This will mean that the fertilizer mixture can be used.

At the intended location of the bed, it is necessary to make a groove into which droppings are poured and compacted. After the procedure, irrigate the sowing area with water. The grooves are covered with film material, and after two days the cover is removed. The trench must be covered with earth.

Application for tomatoes

Tomatoes grow especially productively in areas where the soil was fertilized with horse manure a year ago; fresh manure is poorly accepted by the vegetable crop.

What you can do is plant zucchini this year and fertilize the soil, and then next year plant tomatoes in that area. With this method, the result is significant. The fresh form of manure is not suitable because manure contains nitrogen, which significantly increases the weight of the vegetable.

Application for potatoes

Cons and possible harm

When used correctly, this material never harms the soil or plants, but improper use can cause serious damage to the soil and destroy plantings.
After all, many substances found in fresh excrement are not only incompatible with plant metabolism, but are also poisonous to them.

Therefore, an incorrect attempt to fertilize the garden with fresh or even partially rotted manure leads to dire consequences. However, this is typical for the excrement of any animal or bird, because they all contain substances that pose a threat to plants.

Reviews about the application

The most reliable reviews on how to use this material as a fertilizer can only be found on specialized forums where discussions are held on various issues related to the garden, home or agriculture.

Therefore, we have prepared a list of the most authoritative forums where users share reviews about horse manure and talk about their experience of using it in their country houses and gardens in spring and autumn:

• Your garden;
• lucky club;
• Landscape forums;
• Agricultural Forum;
• Golden apples of the Hesperides;
• Nizhny Novgorod online;
• Labrador RU;
• Apesin;
• Our dacha;
• Houseplants.

Bottom line

The use of horse manure helps enrich the soil with nutrients and structures its composition. The centuries-old experience of using organic matter has not lost its relevance in modern times, despite the invention of agrochemicals. Horse feces are distinguished by their dry and light structure, quickly decompose and are not affected by pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, horse manure loosens the soil, regulates its acidity and water-air exchange, and retains heat. This feature of horse feces makes it indispensable in country and garden farming.

Is there an alternative?

If there is no fresh horse manure, and there is neither the opportunity nor the desire to use the excrement of other animals or birds, then as an alternative you can use dried cakes, which often remain on the route of horses .

Such cakes do not smell or get dirty, so they can be put in any shopping bag, and then diluted with water at home and added with bacterial preparations that accelerate rotting.

If horses do not walk nearby or there is no desire/opportunity to collect dried cakes, you can order horse manure in granules or bags.

You should not use so-called “liquid manure” as an alternative , because at best it is an aqueous solution of humus, and not necessarily obtained not only from horse, but in general from any manure or litter.

And in the worst case, it is an aqueous solution of manure filled with preservatives that block the activity of bacteria, because without preservatives in the aqueous solution the process of decay will quickly begin, which is accompanied by the release of various gases.

Biofuel for gardening

Horse droppings are an organic source of heat, which can be used to grow plants that do not like cold. Its fermentation temperature is +30 °C.

How to “warm up” a bed for cucumbers?

Let's look at why you need to use horse manure in a greenhouse.

There are several ways to set up a greenhouse. Simple - digging a shallow trench and placing organic matter in it. Soil is placed on the material, disinfected with potassium permanganate, ash is added and the crop is planted. Under the film, the plant produces rapid growth and large fruits.