Every Thing You Need To About Cow Manure In Your Garden

Cow manure is a valuable resource in rural areas because it is used to improve the yields of crops.

Villagers use cow dung as a fuel for cooking and heating. Cow manure is also used in traditional construction techniques such as mud-brick making.

In this article, we are going to discuss with you how you can use cow manure in your garden and make your soil more rich.

The presence of all the essential nutrients in the soil is crucial because the health of your plants depends upon these nutrients.

What Is Cow Manure Made Up Of?

As you know cows eat grass and grain so the manure is made from highly organic material. This is a natural product and a very cheap way of fertilizing the soil and making it richer for growing your favourite plants.

There are micro and macronutrients present in the cow manure that play an important role in the growth of the plants. Cow manure is rich in nutrients, it has 3% Nitrogen, 2% Phosphorus, and 1% Potassium.

Ammonia and potentially dangerous pathogens are also found in cow manure. It is better to use aged or composted cow manure for better results.

Benefits Of Using Cow Manures In Your Garden

Every gardener knows the benefits of cow manure in the garden. Those who don’t know about the benefits think it is just poop but in reality, it is more than that.

When you use cow manure in your garden it will improve the structure, drainage, and water retention of soil. All these benefits make cow manure an important organic matter that helps to enrich the quality of the soil. The application of cow manure becomes the best nutrient source for plants.

Cow manure is a rich source of organic matter and other nutrients. The application of manure to the soil improves fertility and increases the yield of your favourite crops.
Cow dung water solution is also used to deter different pests and insects that are harmful to your crops.
Cow manure is also used to speed up the seed germination process.
Cow manure raises the pH of the soil and makes it more alkaline. If the soil in your garden is acidic then you can use it to maintain the pH level.
The presence of beneficial microorganisms in the cow manure helps to improve the fertility of the soil. The decomposition of organic matter in the soil is very important and is done by microorganisms. In this way, nutrients become more accessible to plants.
The nutrients present in cow manure are released slowly into the soil without burning the roots of your favourite plants.
The application of cow manure helps to improve the soil structure and reduce erosion in the garden.
Aeration in the soil is very important because if the roots of the plants can’t breathe how can they spread in the soil? Application of the cow manure helps to loosen the compacted soil. When the soil improves roots can easily penetrate.
It is suggested that you should use aged or composted manure which will lower the risk of burning plants due to the presence of ammonia in the fresh manure.

Where To Get Cow Manure?

After knowing the benefits of cow manure, you think about where to get manure. If you have a farm nearby then you can easily get manure from the farm by asking the farmer. You must get permission before starting collecting.

When you get cow manure the next step is to compost it in your garden. The other things you need are straw, leaves, or wood chips to make the best cow manure compost. When the composted manure turns dark brown and crumbly you can use it in your garden.

Can You Put Cow Manure Directly In The Garden?

Normally, you should apply fresh or composted manure because it works great as a fertilizer in your garden. The question arises can you put cow manure directly in the garden?

It depends on the type of manure and your location. For instance, if you are living in a livestock farm then you must use composted manure properly to discard harmful pathogens that are present in the manure.

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How To Make Cow Dung Manure Compost?

It is better to use composted manure because there are no harmful pathogens in it. In case you are using raw cow manure then it contains harmful pathogens. The best time to use fresh manure is in fall or winter.

After laying cow manure in the soil, mix it well. After the application water the soil so the cow menu makes it properly. Following are the simple steps through which you can easily make cow manure compost.

You need a place where you can build a 3 to 4-foot square pile. Make sure you have enough room to turn it.
As you know you are making cow manure compost so you need the dung of the cow. The other ingredients are shredded paper, straw, leaves, and spoiled hay.
Spread the dry organic ingredients on the area that you have selected. The layer must be three inches.
On the top of the pile spread two inches of cow manure. Repeat this process of layering until the size of the pile reaches 4 feet. When you are building the pile, water it continuously. This will keep the pile moist.
When all the layers of organic material and manure are finished you can apply a layer of soil on the top.
You should turn the pile every 3 to 4 days. Keep the pile moist with slight watering. Make sure you do not make it soggy.
When you are turning the pile of the compost you must examine the temperature. The ideal temperature should be between 50 to 70 degrees Centigrade.
After a few days, you will see the colour of the compost turn dark brown. Its texture is crumbly with an earthy smell. This is the right time to use this composted manure in your garden.

How Long Does Cow Manure Take To Compost?

When you are composting cow manure you think about how long it takes to compost. The composting time of manure depends upon many factors including temperature and the quantity of manure.

Proper composting needs a high temperature. As it will help to improve the decomposition process and kill harmful pathogens with grass seeds.

If you are not using any equipment for composting then your manure will be ready to use within 6 months.
In case, you are using manure composting equipment then it will be ready within 20 days.
The composting process is complete within 7 to 10 days if you are using an aerobic fermentation pot.

Important Factors For Manure Composting

Following are the factors that play a very important role when you are composting cow manure.

MOISTURE CONTROL

Composting quality depends upon the water content in the manure. Moisture in the manure helps to dissolve organic matter, regulate the temperature, and support microorganisms.

The ideal water content in the compost must be between 50 to 60% at the start.

If the water content is less than 40% then the process will become aerobic. If the moisture level is over 70% then it inhibits aerobic microorganism growth.

When you are using cow dung you must use additives that have strong hygroscopicity because it already contains about 75 to 80%.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

It is better to control the temperature when you are composting cow manure. The ideal temperature for different microorganisms varies. For instance, mesophilic bacteria require 30 to 40 degrees Centigrade.

On the other hand, thermophilic bacteria prefer to thrive at 45 to 60 degrees Centigrade. The temperature of the pile can be controlled by turning and forced ventilation.

You should maintain a temperature between 55 to 65 degrees Centigrade. At this temperature, pathogenic bacteria are killed. Manure composting is an exothermic process that’s why the temperature would reach 75 to 80 degrees Centigrade.

CARBON NITROGEN RATIO

When you are composting cow manure the carbon and nitrogen ratio must be 20-30:1. This is an ideal ratio of carbon and nitrogen. In composting manure, the function of the carbon source is to provide energy for microbial application.

The nitrogen source provides nutrients to the composting manure. When the consumption process is complete carbon sources turn into carbon dioxide and humus. If we talk about the nitrogen sources they disappear after turning into Ammonia gas.

VENTILATION

As you know living organisms need oxygen to survive. In the same way, microorganisms also need it to grow. That’s why ventilation is very important to make perfectly composted manure.

When you control the air around the compost pile then it will help to adjust the temperature, remove redundant water, and reduce odour.

pH VALUE

The pH value of a composting manure must be neutral because high or low pH causes problems. If the pH is low you can add calcium carbonate or slaked lime. In case the pH is high then you can add green manure or grass to maintain the pH at a suitable level.

LIGHT

Sunlight is also an important factor when you are composting cow manure. Sunlight helps to speed up the process of composting. If you choose a dark corner of a garden for locating your composting pile then you will see the manure will rot soon.

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How To Use Cow Manure In Your Garden?

As you know cow manure is used to amend the soil in your garden because it contains nitrogen and other organic matter. The pH of the cow manure is high.

That’s why it increases the alkalinity of the soil. Following are the tips if you use them then you will get ideal outcomes of using cow manure in your garden.

The right time to apply the aged manure in your garden is in the fall or winter before planting your favourite plants.
It is better to apply 2 inches of cow manure to the soil. After the application of cow manure, you must mix it well in the soil.
Composted form of cow manure is best because it will not burn your plant.
The phosphorus level in the cow manure is very high. When you add cow manure to the soil then you are feeding your soil with too much phosphorus. It is better to do a test of the soil before using cow manure. If too much manure is applied to the soil then you will see excessive vegetative growth and nitrate leaching occurs. Disease-causing pathogens are also contaminated with freshwater.
You should not apply cow manure to those plants that are eaten raw like tomatoes and lettuce.