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Liquid manure is made by suspending or
floating a sugar bag of fresh animal manure in a drum of water for 3 or
4 weeks — a practice still favored by some gardeners, though in a
closely settled area the aroma generated is unlikely to make you a
popular neighbor! Before applying the brew dilute it to weak tea
consistency and color.
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Seaweed extract is good substitute for
the old liquid manure brew and is generally more acceptable. Both forms
of liquid feeding receive criticism from people who assess plant food
on their content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash because these
liquid preparations contain low percentages of those elements in
relation to standard commercial fertilizers.
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However, it is obvious horn the results
obtained by gardeners for several centuries that these
organically-charged solutions contain substances that act as catalysts,
and help intake and conversion of available nutrients, and encourage
growth of algae-type soil organisms which utilize atmospheric nitrogen
and carbon dioxide, and make these elements ;amiable to the plants. So
try the mystery brews and if you get good results, stay with them.
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Liquefied meat extracts and fish
emulsions have also proved worthwhile but are also in the low analysts
category. Some suppliers are 'fortifying° these with urea and potassium
salts to improve the analysis so it is as well to keep to the dilution
recommended on the label.
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