permaculture

Workshop Module 4: Healthy Soil 131

Field activity : Using liquid fertilizer

Method : Participatory trial of using liquid fertilizer

Tools : Prepared sample of liquid fertilizer, other materials described below

References : PC Book MOD 4 – Healthy Soil

Objective : Participants practice using and making more liquid fertilizer

In the composting section of the PC Book MOD 4 – Healthy Soil there are instructions

for making liquid fertilizer.

It takes 2 weeks for liquid fertilizer to be ready to be used. The facilitator should prepare

a batch of liquid fertilizer at least 2 weeks before running this lesson so participants can

experiment using it.

Preparation

• To be able to run this exercise the facilitator will need to prepare a batch of
  liquid fertilizer at least 2 weeks before the lesson (see previous exercise).


• Prepare water, buckets or watering cans, and materials needed to make more
  liquid compost.


• Identify gardens or fruits trees to use for the demonstration.


• If you are demonstrating direct use on plants, the exercise should be run very
  early in the morning or late afternoon.

Note: If the liquid fertilizer is not properly diluted, plant leaves and roots could be

burned from receiving too much nutrients all at once - young plants are more sensitive

than older, more established plants.

Running this exercise

Step 1

With the participants, demonstrate mixing 1 part liquid fertilizer with 20 parts water.

Step 2

Have the participants create their own mixes and try the two different ways liquid fertilizer

can be used:

• Using a watering can or a tin can with holes, apply the diluted liquid fertilizer
  directly onto plant leaves - use enough to wet all the leaves of the plants.
  Remind the participants that they should only apply liquid fertilizer directly to
  plants in the very early morning or late afternoon. If not, the sun could burn the
  plant leaves.


• Apply the diluted liquid fertilizer onto the ground around plants.

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