This is my first time to post to this board, but love all the interesting posts I've read. Learned some really interesting facts. Here's my question, I have a horse, and this winter he has provided me with quite a large pile of manure. We used some straw, and at times used wood shavings for bedding. Recently we have had quite a lot of rain so could I use the run off water from the pile to put on my asparagus bed? or would it be too powerful? Thanks for any helpful input
If the manure smells good and fresh to you, then it is safe to use. If it smells stinky, sour, yeasty, moldy, or otherwise bad, leave it to do more composting.
Make sure the manuer is composted well. Then you can put some in a bucket, let it stand a day or two, and use this to water with. If it looks too dark cut it with more water. You can burn the plants if it's too strong.
Make sure to add a few tblsp of a sugar product like molasses or corn syrup to your teas, in order to speed up microbial growth in the teas and your plants and soil for application time.
Also since all sugar products are easily digestible high carboneous materials, the extra carbons will also act as an odor eater, as well as help balance and buffer the nitrogen and other nutrients in the tea for your plants.
