Fertilizing strawberries with chicken droppings: preparation of fertilizer, methods of application

Positive qualities of chicken manure

Among most summer residents, this fertilizer is one of the most popular types of organic fertilizers. Feeding strawberries with chicken droppings will give the owner a number of valuable benefits:

As a rule, gardeners have chickens in large quantities at their dachas. Therefore, chicken droppings are an accessible fertilizer;
This fertilizer contains a huge amount of not only important potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. It also contains impurities of calcium and other important trace elements. Other types of droppings are not so concentrated and therefore will bring less benefit;
if the owner does not want to use minerals due to the unsafe effect on the plant, then you can safely replace them with droppings. It has been noticed that feeding strawberries with chicken droppings allows the substance to influence them for another 3 years. This effect is associated with the slow decomposition of substances in the fertilizer.

As you can see, feeding strawberries with chicken droppings has undeniable benefits for the plant due to the positive qualities of the substance.

Benefits of Chicken Manure

Bird droppings are rich in nitrogen, without which the plant cannot grow and develop normally. The concentration of minerals in this fertilizer is several times higher than in farm animal manure. The product is rich not only in nitrogen, but also in phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, cobalt, and zinc.

Even after a single treatment of strawberries with bird droppings, the effect is noticeable: the plant looks stronger, healthier, grows faster, and forms ovaries. And with regular use, crop productivity increases over 2-3 years. This is explained by the fact that nutrients slowly, gradually saturate the soil and root system of the plant.

Poultry manure can be used in different forms. It is used liquid, dry or granular, it all depends on the qualities that you want to endow with the soil.

granular liquid

If you use manure as a bedding for seedlings, it will protect the soil from drying out, nourish and improve the structure of the soil. In addition, thanks to this organic mulch, the area will be protected from weeds.

The nuances of using fertilizing

Fertilizing strawberries with undiluted chicken manure is strictly prohibited. This ban is imposed due to the fact that the berry contains a special type of uric acid, which can cause burns on the berry. Summer residents consider top dressing a natural concentrate due to its high phosphorus and nitrogen content.

To feed strawberries, the fertilizer must be kept in the sun to reduce the concentration of active ingredients. Keep it in the sun the more the better, stirring occasionally. Chicken droppings after solar therapy will evaporate harmful substances, and it will be ready for use.

Caution is also needed because of the presence of pests such as helminths in chicken droppings. Therefore, when working with fertilizer, experts advise wearing a protective suit, or at least a mask and gloves.

How to deposit

You should know how to properly fertilize strawberries with chicken droppings. Here are the main recommendations:

The product is poured under the root, being careful not to splash the foliage. If it gets on the leaves, wash them immediately with water, otherwise a burn may occur.
The correct infusion should be the color of a weak brew; a darker color will indicate an excess of concentration.
You need to feed with infusion after rain or watering on moist soil.
It is impossible to fertilize with organic matter too often, so as not to obtain an excess of green mass to the detriment of the harvest.

Remember! The main thing is to dilute the solution correctly. Exceeding the concentration leads to burns.

In the fall, it is more advisable to fertilize the plantings with compost based on chicken manure, spreading it between the rows. This will serve as biofuel for the roots and help get the berries harvested early.

What is better to fertilize strawberries with, cattle manure or poultry manure? The content of almost all elements in chicken is higher than in cow's, so it requires stronger dilution. For the working solution, chicken infusion must be diluted in a ratio of 1/10 or even 1/15, and cow infusion can be diluted in a ratio of 1/5.

It is not at all difficult to prepare fertilizer based on chicken manure, and the effect of its use will delight any gardener.

But getting a good harvest of strawberries is not easy, because they are very demanding of care, in particular fertilizers. The plant especially reacts positively to feeding with chicken droppings. The effectiveness of its use is noticeable after just two weeks, which cannot be said about fertilizing with other types of organic fertilizers.

Types of fertilizer

When wondering how to feed strawberries with chicken droppings, you should understand that it can be used in several forms:

Liquid fertilizer can be prepared using several methods. A special feature of use is that it is used not under bushes, but next to them and between rows;
feeding as litter with a mixture of green mass. A layer of droppings is laid out on the greens harvested to fertilize the berries. Then mix the ingredients well. Rotting is accelerated by the presence of high temperature inside the substance. If you prepare fertilizer in August, at the end of the month, then in the spring it can already be used;
feeding from sawdust. Litter is mixed with sawdust, the optimal ratio is 1:3. Fertilizer is spread in the furrows between shrubs of any variety. The shavings can be replaced with straw or peat in the same proportions;
you can find mixtures of chicken manure. The advantage of purchased mixtures is that they are processed, so it is unlikely that you will become infected with helminths. This type of fertilizer can be used as a supplement to watering shrubs. You can add dry manure directly to the soil soil.

Having understood the types of droppings, you need to understand how to dilute chicken droppings for feeding. After all, liquid fertilizer for strawberries is preferable and safest.

Application and storage of fertilizer

It is strictly not recommended to use fresh chicken manure. The mass is too caustic, because it consists of metabolites (chicken waste products) and can damage the plant. Uric acid is converted over time to nitric acid. At the end of the development period, strawberries receive a double dose of nitrogen, which is why the berries are saturated with nitrates.

When storing fertilizer for a long time, ammonia is released and it becomes toxic. To avoid this, it is recommended to store the droppings in the fresh air, but in such conditions it dries out, and therefore it is important to properly prepare the fertilizer.

You can make compost from chicken manure. Thanks to loose composting, the fertilizer retains its beneficial properties and matures faster. However, it should be remembered that litter is a strong concentrate, and therefore it must be used strictly in accordance with the dosage.

If you are making a compost pile, use poultry manure as a layer (5-7cm) between the cattle manure. Such a heap matures from 5 to 8 weeks; if it is compacted, the process will take up to 6 months. Horse, cow, rabbit and sheep manure can be used as the main manure.

If the compost heap is prepared using chicken manure, then alternate it with a ball of straw, peat or sawdust. The fertilizer layer is 15–18 cm, and the layer of dry components is from 26 to 28 cm. The total height of the compost structure is 100 cm.

Chicken manure can be used dry. To extend the shelf life of the fertilizer, it is mixed with loosened peat. The best place for dry fertilizer is in boxes, nets and plastic containers with holes. The manure storage room should be well ventilated and have a low humidity level.

Method of preparation of fertilizing

The question of how to breed chicken manure is most relevant for strawberries. After all, violation of the proportions of such fertilizing using different methods can ruin the berry harvest.

Fermentation technique

It is worth noting that this particular method is widely applicable on an industrial scale. The process is based on chemical catalysis of organic elements. Pallets are placed under the cages with chickens so that waste does not mix with sawdust and other impurities. The required amount of sawdust is manually added to the mass. They are pre-treated with specialized solutions to speed up the fermentation process.

After cleaning, the droppings are transferred to a designated place and stored there until they form one and a half meters high. After which the litter is processed using special accelerators. In summer, the fertilizer is left in the open air for 30 days, and at other times of the year up to 60 days due to low temperatures and slow reaction. It is during this time that the substrate dries out and can be used for fertilizer.

Infusion technique

Another method widely used by experienced gardeners. The concentration of nitrogen compounds allows you to speed up the process of the effect of fertilizers on the plant. To increase yields, you can feed strawberries in the fall using an infusion.

This method will not take much time from the gardener. The droppings that have stood over the winter are filled with water and mixed thoroughly. Next, it should be covered with something on top and kept in the open air for about 3 days. The readiness of feeding can be determined by its light brown color. If the chicken manure has a darker shade, then it is worth adding water until the required concentration and color is obtained.

Soaking technique

In some cases, you can dilute chicken manure by soaking. Soaking helps get rid of the very acid that can destroy strawberries or burn the entire harvest of other plants. Fertilizer is obtained by pouring water and letting it sit for 3 days; the amount can be taken by eye. Then the water is drained and replaced with fresh water. Use the finished litter according to the standard procedure.

Having dealt with the question of how to breed and obtain valuable types of fertilizers, you should find out exactly how to use chicken fertilizer specifically for strawberries.

Chicken manure supplements

You need to carefully feed strawberries with chicken droppings so that the plant only benefits. There are different types of feeding.

To prepare liquid fertilizer you will need bird manure and water. For 2 liters of litter you will need 30–40 liters of water; the components must be thoroughly mixed. The resulting solution enriches the soil around the strawberries. But this can only be done 2-3 hours after watering the area or after it has rained. The remaining fertilizer can be mixed with compost.

Another important point is compliance with feeding deadlines. It must be done at the beginning of plant development, otherwise you risk overfeeding the berries with nitrates or getting too much foliage and tendrils.

To prepare a concentrated liquid infusion that can be stored for a long time, you will need 1 liter of manure and water. Mix the ingredients, pour the fertilizer into a container, cover and place in a warm place for 2-3 days. Dilute a liter of concentrate in a bucket of water and use it on the site.
Dry droppings are used in the fall to enrich a freshly dug area. The product must be sprinkled with water and added to the soil (0.6–1 kg per 1 m²). Before adding chicken fertilizer to the soil, it can be mixed with compost, sand and wood ash. compost wood ash sand Using this mixture you will protect the area from uneven distribution of minerals. Sprinkle the soil with fertilizer and level it.
Granular chicken fertilizer does not have an unpleasant odor, is stored longer and does not lose its beneficial properties. When wetted, the granules expand. This fertilizer does not carry diseases, pests or weed seeds.

Granulated manure is applied to the soil in a ratio of 200–300 g per 1 m². The concentrated granule should not touch plants or seeds. This fertilizer contains a lot of nitrogen, which saturates the soil with minerals. To prevent nutrients from being washed out of the soil, fertilizer is added to the soil in early autumn. Gardeners recommend buying just such litter.

You can also make bedding with fresh chicken manure. The advantage of this fertilizer is that it is not very concentrated, and therefore is not so dangerous for strawberries, it protects the soil from drying out and gradually saturates it with minerals.

The basis of the litter is straw or peat, chicken manure is placed on top, which is introduced gradually until the litter eventually reaches 50 cm, then it is changed. Moisture, insects and sun turn the litter into compost. Over time, the soil becomes saturated with minerals, which it transfers to the plant’s root system.

Tips for practical use

It is known that before planting berries in the soil, it should be watered abundantly and fertilized. The droppings are introduced one day after abundant watering of the seedling area. In the fall, you should not fertilize the plant with chicken droppings; autumn berries need to be fertilized in the spring.

Application of fertilizing in autumn

The optimal feeding time in terms of plant age is measured by the size of the leaves. In strawberries they should reach 10 cm in length. If the leaf is young, it is recommended to use only fresh chicken droppings. Watering is carried out directly under the bushes, bypassing the foliage. The droppings can leave burns on it even in diluted form. This fertilizer should be carried out in August.

Next, it is recommended to fertilize the plant in the autumn season. For such events, mixtures of chicken manure and sawdust are suitable. Strawberries also love green stuff. This kind of fertilizer should be spread not on the beds, but between the rows. This layout will allow the soil to stock up on heat before the frosty winter. It will also give strawberries the opportunity to stock up on the necessary amount of nutrients.

Application of fertilizing in spring

If strawberries were planted in the spring, then fertilizing should be done no earlier than 5 weeks after they are rooted in the ground. This is followed by the period of berry set; at this time, strawberries also need additional substances. Adding chicken manure, as well as general care for strawberries, does not differ from autumn processing of berries.

Advice! If remontant or mixed varieties of strawberries are planted on the plantation, fertilizer should be applied more often depending on the available varieties. Some gardeners apply chicken manure several times to remontant varieties of strawberries, avoiding unnecessary contact with regular types of berries.

Proper care and feeding of berries will help you get a high-quality and tasty harvest several times a season.

Strawberry propagation

Strawberries are propagated by seedlings or tendrils. You can choose one two-year-old bush on your site that will produce seedlings, and grow 15-20 rosettes on it. When the rosette produces roots, you can root it yourself. On the bush that serves to “give” the mustache, the flower stalks should be removed.

If the bush is not intended for breeding, the mustache must be removed!

If you plant purchased seedlings, then before that they need to be stored in dark and moist soil. Your seedlings need to be transferred to a new place immediately after digging. In the first year after planting, it is customary not to harvest the crop so that the plant takes root well. Collecting or plucking mustaches on young bushes is the decision of the owners.

But remember that a good bush is obtained only from the first rosette! In addition, it is not recommended to grow more than five mustaches on one bush if the bush is not intended for seedlings. It is best to remove the mustache, but - attention! - do not tear off, but cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears.

Store-bought mixtures and granules

Special mixtures of chicken manure and various additives can be found in many gardening stores. Any mixtures of chicken manure are applied in accordance with the instructions directly into the soil, in dry form. Some mixtures are suitable for preparing liquid fertilizer. Available in granule or powder form.

General recommendations for any mixtures:

The finished fertilizer can be used both as a dry fertilizer in the autumn and for preparing a solution of various concentrations;
Any soil fertilization with chicken droppings requires subsequent abundant watering of the soil;
You can often find a mixture with the addition of various organic and mineral substances, micro- and macroelements. In this case, the choice of mixture should be based on the composition of the soil in the place where the strawberries are planted, in order to replenish the missing elements.

It is strawberries that most gratefully accept fertilizer from chicken droppings. Proper feeding of strawberries will bring excellent results! A rich harvest, large berries, distinguished by rich taste and aroma, will delight berry lovers throughout the entire fruiting period.

What fertilizers do strawberries need in spring?

In the spring, before flowering begins, strawberries actively grow green. The volume of the harvest depends on how large the leaves are and how thick the petioles are. On frail bushes the berries will grow small. In other words: the stronger and healthier the bush, the more large fruits it will have. But you can’t overfeed strawberries, otherwise they will become fatty, won’t set berries, and what’s even worse, they may get burns and die. Therefore, fertilizers should always be applied with caution and not exceed dosages.

Strawberries need a balanced diet to produce healthy foliage and large berries.

The building material for the green parts of any plant is nitrogen, and this is what is needed in the spring. Nitrogen is found in mineral fertilizers, humus, mullein, and bird droppings. In addition, strawberries need microelements, but without nitrogen nutrition they will be ineffective. If you add them additionally, like vitamins after the main course, the result will be noticeable. In particular, microelements help cope with stressful situations (drought, heavy rains, frosts), increase the resistance of strawberries to diseases, and accelerate growth, budding and ripening of fruits. At the same time, the berries grow larger, more beautiful and sweeter.

Feed in spring and autumn

Chicken manure for strawberries:

Preparation of the solution. You need to take 1 liter of liquid droppings and dilute it in 15 liters of water. Mix well to obtain a homogeneous mass. Pour the resulting mixture into a watering can, and the grounds can be poured under any bush or tree in the garden.
Fertilizing strawberries. Carefully pour the resulting mixture onto the strawberry bushes from all sides so that the solution does not get on the green mass of the plants. Fertilizing is carried out at the end of May, when strawberries are just beginning to bloom. It is better to water with droppings in the evening.
Plant cleaning. After treating the beds with the nutrient mixture, you should wash the leaves well with clean water to avoid burns. To do this, use a hose with a spray nozzle to water the beds well. Thus, the plant will be saturated with nitrogen-rich fertilizer and will produce an excellent harvest of sweet berries.

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