Over the years, people have found various ways to improve plant growth. One of such ways is to add manure to the soil.
There are several types of manure for this task. These items include manure from pigs, sheep, poultry, and other farmyard animals. Others can stick with green or compost manure.
Now, how about turtles? Is their manure suitable for enhancing soil quality and plant growth? If you want to know about this topic, you should go through this article.
How Does Turtle Waste Help Plants Grow?
Since turtle waste is high in ammonia, it might not help with plant growth. But if you compost the turtle manure or dilute it, you might get some benefits.
Turtle waste is not commonly used by many growers. Although some people claim that it supports plant growth, its excess ammonia can damage the plant. With this in mind, do not apply turtle waste directly to your greenery.
But if the manure is placed in a well-prepared compost heap, it might not cause much harm. Since there are few studies about this subject, you might not get a definite answer.
What are the Effects of Turtle Waste on Plants?
As mentioned earlier, turtle waste has a large amount of ammonia. When you apply it directly to a plant, it might burn up the leaves and roots. But if you work on the waste, it can reduce its toxic levels.
Composted turtle waste might be beneficial to plants. Since it contains nitrogen, it should improve plant growth. Furthermore, it enhances the quality of the soil.
How Can I Use Turtle Waste for My Plants?
Since turtle poop can burn out your plants, you cannot apply them to the plants. So before you can use turtle poop on your farm, mix it with water. You can also add the turtle waste to a compost heap and use it in your garden.
How Can I Mix Turtle Waste With Water?
Collect turtle waste into a bucket. Pour some water into the bucket. Then use an airstone and air pump to allow it to decay properly. On top of that, the setup will reduce ay nasty smells. Remember to wash your hands after working with turtle waste.
How Can I Add Turtle Waste to a Compost Pile?
Adding turtle poop to a compost pile does not require much work. Moreover, it breaks down the harmful content of turtle waste. Now here are some basic steps for adding turtle waste to compost.
- Prepare a pile of brown or green materials. Ensure that the pile gets to three feet deep. In the pile, you can have kitchen waste, garden waste, animal waste ( including turtle manure), papers, and wood shaving. Remember not to add waste from dogs or cats.
- Mix the pile with three parts of the brown materials ( wood shavings, papers e.tc) with one part of the green materials ( garden waste, animal manure ( including turtle waste)
- Add some water to the pile. Instead of soaking it, make sure that it is damp. Also, test the temperature of the pile with a thermometer.
- Pick a day in the week and mix the pile well. To get a perfect mixture, use a garden fork. Before turning the compost pile, ensure that the pile remains warm.
- Wait until the compost becomes dry or brown.
- Measure 4 to 6 inches of the dry compost and apply it to your garden or pots.
Can I Use Turtle Waste for Aquaponics?
Yes, you can use turtle waste in the water can help with plant growth especially in an aquaponics setup. But since these materials might carry salmonella, it would help if you feed the plants to the animals themselves.
Can I Use Other Manure for My Plants?
As there isn’t much information about turtle manure, you might have to look for an alternative method. Now here are some of the top manures for working on farms and gardens.
Chicken Manure
Growers use chicken manure because of its high nitrogen content. But before you can use this material on your farm, you will have to combine it with your compost. For the best results in your garden, apply chicken manure in spring or fall.
Sheep Manure
There are tons of benefits from using sheep manure. Asides from offering important nutrients like potassium, this manure encourages soil microbial activity. Also, it does not smell like many other types of manure while its small size allows quick composting.
Goat Manure
Unlike some manure, goat droppings do not look messy. Instead, the materials come in neater forms. Moreover, goat droppings do not offer offensive smells. But since goat manure contains urine, it would help if you composted the waste especially before using it.
Horse Manure
When it comes to nutritional content, horse manure stands as a top choice among most options. If prepared properly, compost filled with this material will support plant life. To use horse manure, try to compost the material to avoid the growth of weeds or bacteria.
Cow
Asides from beef and milk, cows offer effective manure for gardens. With this waste, you can improve the quality of your soil. Thanks to its environmentally friendly features, composted cow manure does not stuff the air with greenhouse gases.
How to Use Animal Manure as Compost
Because of the presence of nitrogen, you cannot apply this manure directly to your plants. If you ignore this tip, you can damage your plants. To avoid any loss, compost your manure before applying them to any plants.
To make compost:
- Prepare two bins for the piles.
- Add the animal manure with straw bedding for the right mix of carbon and nitrogen.
- Check the pile for moisture by squeezing it with gloved hands. If the compost feels dry, dampen the material with a little water.
- Use a garden fork to turn over the compost pile. Allow to cool and move the material to the other bin.
- Allow the compost to decompose within two – six days.
- Use small amounts of compost manure on your farm. If your garden soil has low nutritional content, you can add more compost.
How Does Animal Waste Help Plant Growth?
When you use composted animal waste on your farm, you can expect tons of benefits. With this item, your plant gets important nutrients for plant growth. These nutrients include potassium and nitrogen
Also, if you add this material to the soil, it reduces leaching and soil erosion. Besides, your garden can enjoy a high level of soil carbon.
Tips for Using Turtle and Other Animal Waste
Here are some tips for working with all types of animal waste including turtle manure. By using this idea, you can keep yourself safe from unhealthy microorganisms.
- Wash your hands after handling the compost or waste of animals.
- Do not add pig, cat, and dog waste to your compost pile. When it comes down to it, such items carry an incredible amount of parasites.
- Do not rush to harvest crops that used manure. If you want to harvest crops that stay above the ground, wait for 90 days before harvest. But if you are expecting a harvest of root crops, consider waiting for 120 days.
- Do not eat vegetables with unwashed hands.
- Avoid eating raw vegetables.
- Do not store manure in flood-prone areas.
- Use the compost as quickly as possible.
- Store compost by keeping it in a compost bin, garbage can, or even plastic bags.
- Cover unused manure with plastic tarps to prevent
- Apply a little water to dry compost that includes any type of animal, farmyard, or garden waste.
Wrapping Up
Although turtle waste is not commonly used, it might offer some help for plant growth. After all, it has a few nutrients that can improve soil structure and plant yield. But remember to compost this material before applying it to your plants.
As there is little research about using turtle waste as manure, we might not know of all its benefits. With this in mind, you can try other popular types of manure from farmyard animals. Compost these materials before using them in your garden.
Do not touch manure without wearing gloves and also wash your hands. Besides, avoid consuming meals made from raw vegetables. If you want to get additional advice about using turtle waste or any other waste, consider seeking help from professionals in your area.