Organic farming and organic fertilizers are getting more and more popular. There are so many different organic materials plant growers use, and so many methods to apply organic fertilizing in your garden.

For example, some people use bat guano, other use kelp. Some gardeners choose bone meal for their plants. Others stick to worm castings. All these organic methods prove to be very effective while still natural and organic and thus not harming to the environment.

However, one of the oldest organic fertilizers and also one of the most effective ones is simple manure. Manure fertilizing is a traditional way of organic fertilizing throughout the world. However, some contemporary gardeners shy away from using manure because it's seen as unsanitary and, let's face it, the smell is not the best in the world.

The benefits of using manure, however, are greater than the downsides. This is a completely natural and very effective way of fertilizing. It's also widely available and affordable. For these reasons, all farmers and gardeners should consider it for their plants. The results are often stunning.

Using manure can be the best choice especially in areas where supply stores don't carry large quantities of other organic fertilizers (such as bat guano or seaweed). Large farms always include cattle, so manure is readily available. Even if you don't live on a farm you may consider manure to use it as organic fertilizer.

How to Use Manure

Collecting manure is often the trickiest part, but it can be made easy on large farms. It's very easy to collect it with a tractor and pile it into a manure spreader. The spreader easily spreads the manure all over the field. It's a well-known fact that plants such as corn and beans grow taller and greener when manure is used.

If you don't live on a farm or you don't need this much manure this method may not work for you, but it's beneficial to get some manure if you can and try it out in your garden. Perhaps you can visit a farm in your area and ask owners for manure. Many will be able to help.

Depending on your circumstances, it may be possible to get dry manure for your garden. It's easier to collect and it's not as messy to work with as fresh manure is. Some smaller organic farming stores even prepare manure packages for gardeners who wish to use this method of fertilizing. Check with for availability.

Manure is easy to use because all you need to do is to spread it over the soil. Sometimes, to make it more effective, it's good to dig it up inside a hole in the soil where you grow your plants. Make sure to rake it evenly and if you want to grow your garden plants from seeds, spread the seeds evenly across the area fertilized by manure.

It's also a good idea to mulch the area with bales of straw or another similar material. After this, make sure to water the garden thoroughly. It will not only help the growing plants but will also dissolve the dry manure and spread it evenly across the land.

The results should be seen pretty quickly. Manure is very effective as a fertilizer and it will make your plants stronger and healthy. It's understandable why some people hesitate to use this method of organic gardening but the benefits definitely overcome the downsides.

Photo credit: Rob Bertholf