Re: [CH] Sheep droppings V8 #742
Bob Shuman (hobbyfarmer@t-one.net)
Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:59:39 -0500
Cameron Begg wrote:
> Hi C-H's,
>
> I asked Bob the Hobby Farmer:
>
>> > How does sheep droppings work as a pepper fertilizer?
>
>
> .....and he wrote back explaining his methods but not answering the
> question!! So, again Bob, how well does it work? Better or worse than
> horse, chicken or granulated fertilizer? [We may have to get you to do
> some controlled experiments :-) ]
Well, I could give you the 'Microsoft Help' style of answer: It
works by making nutrients available to the plant...
Our sheep manure gets mixed with the horse manure, straw, hay and
spilled feed, so I can't compare horse and sheep - they are a team
effort. The aged mix works very well. There is no odor to speak
of. It doesn't burn the plants. I get healthy plants, but not with
excessive vegetative growth at the expense of fruiting.
Adjusting the PH with lime (which also loosens the clay we garden
in) is very important. When the PH is out of whack in an area of
the garden the plants stunt or yellow or worse. Lime is a byproduct
at the local Dow Chemical calcium chloride plant. They sell it by
the truckload for a couple of bucks.
We spread wood ashes - mostly oak, ash and beech - to round out our
NPK and to add some trace minerals.
Our chicken manure goes into the compost pile. We feel it is too
hot to go directly into the garden. It sure helps keep the compost
cooking.
We don't use granulated fertilizer - don't need it.
Bob