Contents
Manure for currants is applied in early spring, in the first half of summer, and also in mid-autumn, a few weeks before the expected frost. Raw materials can be applied both in dry and liquid form. At the same time, it is important to know in which cases they use fresh, and in which – rotten organic matter.
Does currant like manure
Currant needs to be fed with different types of manure up to 2-3 times per season (spring, summer and autumn). The benefits of such fertilizers have long been tested, therefore it is well known:
- enrichment of the composition with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, trace elements;
- penetration of beneficial bacteria into the soil;
- improvement of soil structure;
- formation of a fertile layer of humus;
- pest prevention;
- normalization of pH (organics work especially well on acidic lands).
Regular fertilizing with manure allows the shrub to quickly gain green mass in spring and form fruits in summer. In autumn, raw materials are used as mulch, which protects the roots from freezing.
What kind of manure is better
There are different types of manure – they are used as fertilizer for currants in spring and autumn. The most common types of top dressing, their composition and benefits are described below.
bird droppings
Poultry droppings are a common form of manure used to feed currants. Litter is of several types:
- chicken – one of the most common;
- duck;
- pigeon (considered the most effective).
Even in small concentrations, this type of manure acts very quickly, almost like mineral fertilizers (for example, azofoska). During production, the raw materials are thoroughly dried and then composted. After removing excess moisture from 300 kg of fresh manure, it is possible to obtain 100 g of dry concentrate. Moreover, after evaporation, weed seeds lose their ability to germinate.
Most often, a form of manure such as chicken manure is used to feed currants. It has several benefits:
- affordable price;
- economical consumption;
- rich chemical composition – contains a lot of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, as well as trace elements (iron, copper);
- increases the resistance of currants to fungal diseases;
- an alkaline environment is useful for soils with an acidic reaction (but if the soil, on the contrary, is alkaline or neutral, pH should be measured periodically).
Raw materials must be diluted with water at least 15 times
Watering currants with chicken manure is carried out in the spring. Moreover, the solution must be diluted with water 10-12 times, in some sources it is recommended to dilute it 20 times. Therefore, we can say that the optimal ratio is 1:15. Up to 10 liters of the resulting solution are spent on each currant bush (5 liters are enough for a young specimen).
Horse manure for currants
Currants can also be fertilized with horse manure. It is dry and light. Its density is so low that a 10-liter bucket weighs only 8 kg. In fresh form, such manure is not used, since raw materials can burn the roots and stimulate the growth of weeds.
First you need to wait for maturation (rots within 2-3 months). To speed up the process, it is recommended to add pig and cow manure. Then it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 (partially rotted raw materials in a ratio of 1:40). Most often, horse manure for currants is used in the fall. The procedure is carried out at the end of September.
The advantages of using horse manure are obvious:
- rich in potassium and nitrogen;
- it is convenient to dilute it with water in any ratio;
- quickly gives off heat, protects currant roots from night frosts;
- does not contain pathogenic microorganisms that can harm the soil and plants.
rabbit
Rabbit manure is close in composition to chicken manure and other types of bird waste. As a fertilizer for currants, it has quite a few advantages:
- balanced composition – potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen;
- excellent digestibility – fast and complete;
- it does not contain weed seeds, so you can not do pre-composting;
- it practically does not need to be dried;
- easy to transport even over long distances.
However, there is a drawback – the volume of raw materials is small, so it is used directly when planting currant bushes (put in a hole). It can also be used for watering shrubs in the spring – for this, 2 kg of raw materials are taken and dissolved in 10 liters of water. Then put in storage (you can keep up to two weeks or use immediately).
When used in liquid form, water is added to the raw material in a ratio of 1:5
Measly
Cow dung is one of the most common organic fertilizers. It has several undeniable advantages:
- contains a lot of potassium, necessary for the normal formation of ovaries;
- suitable for both watering and mulching;
- not only increases the fertility of the soil under the currant, but also improves its structure;
- optimizes the water and air balance of the soil;
- stimulates the growth of beneficial soil bacteria;
- affordable.
But there are also disadvantages. A significant disadvantage is that the raw material is slightly heated, ripens for a long time. To speed up the process, horse manure is often added to it (by weight it is put four times less than cow manure). The standard form of application is watering with water infusion (liquids take 10 times more than raw materials). Also, cow dung can be put under currant bushes in the fall. It works well as mulch.
Pork
Pig manure is also used to feed fruit and berry bushes, but somewhat less frequently. It contains many nutrients, but there are also disadvantages:
- fresh raw materials lead to a strong oxidation of the organic components of the soil, so it is not used even as a mulch;
- decomposes for a long time – to speed up it is mixed with horse waste;
- contains pathogenic bacteria and often worms.
When to apply manure for currants
Chicken manure and other forms of manure for currants are used in spring, summer and autumn. Terms and application rules for each case are described below.
Fertilizing currants with manure in spring
In the spring, top dressing is applied in mid-April, when the buds begin to bloom confidently. You can act in two ways.
- Distribute raw materials in the near-stem circle in a rather large layer (up to 10 cm high) within a radius of 40-50 cm from the trunk. Thanks to this, it is possible not only to fertilize the soil, but also to impede the movement of insects whose eggs have overwintered in the surface layer.
- At the end of May or in June, pour infusion, for example, mullein (1:10) or bird droppings (1:15 – 1:20).
In the spring, the bushes are fed in mid-April
Autumn top dressing of currants with manure
In autumn, 2-3 weeks before the first frosts, they take rotted or fresh raw materials and lay them out in a circle near the trunk also within a radius of 40-50 cm. This will provide additional shelter. In a few months, the raw materials will rot and enrich the soil with nutrients.
Fertilizer application rules
Organics are added in a variety of ways. The raw materials can be used fresh, dry, in the form of granules, as well as an infusion that is easy to prepare on your own. How to do this is described below.
Fresh
Fresh fertilizer is given only in the fall. It is used as a mulch as well as a source of nutrients. Regardless of the form of manure, there is only one rule – organic matter is laid out in a layer up to 10 cm high in the trunk circle. And you need to do this a few weeks before the first frost.
In dry
In dry form, organic matter is also laid in the surface layer of the soil. But first it must be removed to a depth of 5 cm and then carefully loosened. After removing the layer, the raw material is evenly laid out so that it is level with the surface.
Granular
Granules with manure are the easiest to apply – it is enough to scatter them over the surface, and then mix them with the soil (preliminarily loosen the surface layer). Further, it is recommended to pour a small amount of settled water.
Liquid
In liquid form, top dressing is given in spring and in the first half of summer to enrich the soil with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus compounds. Raw materials are diluted in the following ratio (only for rotted composition):
- chicken manure 1:15;
- horse manure 1:10;
- cow 1:10;
- rabbit 1:5;
- pork 1:5.
If the organic matter has not rotted (i.e. fresh), it can also be used for irrigation, but in a very diluted form – in a ratio of 1:80-1:100.
Conclusion
Currant manure is recommended to be applied regularly, at least once a year in spring (in liquid form). In autumn, it can be used as mulch. You can use different forms of fertilizer, while many gardeners prefer cow, rabbit, horse and bird. Pork is used less often because it contains pathogenic bacteria and parasites.
