Rabbit manure is an excellent, nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used in pots, planters, and in-ground gardens. Here’s how you can use it:
**Pots and Planters:**
- **Fresh Rabbit Manure:**
- Add about 1-2 tablespoons of fresh rabbit manure per gallon of soil in your pots or planters. Mix it into the top few inches of soil. Rabbit manure is not "hot," so it won't burn plants and can be used directly.
**Composted Rabbit Manure:**
- If using composted rabbit manure, you can use 2-3 tablespoons per gallon of soil. Mix it well into the potting mix before planting or top-dress around existing plants.
**In-Ground Gardens:**
- **Fresh Rabbit Manure:**
- For in-ground gardens, spread about 2-3 cups of fresh rabbit manure per square foot. Work it into the top 6 inches of soil before planting.
**Composted Rabbit Manure:**
- If using composted manure, you can apply 4-6 cups per square foot, mixing it into the soil just like with fresh manure. This will enrich the soil and support healthy plant growth.
**Top-Dressing:**
- You can also use rabbit manure as a top-dressing throughout the growing season. Simply sprinkle a small handful around the base of each plant in pots, planters, or in-ground. Water it in to allow the nutrients to seep into the soil.
Rabbit manure is a "cold" manure, meaning it doesn't need to be composted before use, making it a convenient option for your homestead gardening.
Rabbit manure tea is a great way to deliver nutrients directly to your plants. Here's how you can make and use rabbit manure tea:
**How to Make Rabbit Manure Tea:**
**Ingredients:**
- 1 part fresh or composted rabbit manure
- 5 parts water
- A large bucket (5-gallon bucket works well)
- A stirring stick
**Instructions:**
**Fill the Bucket:** Add about 1 part rabbit manure to the bucket. For example, if you’re using a 5-gallon bucket, add about 1 gallon of rabbit manure.
**Add Water:** Fill the bucket with 5 parts water. This means if you added 1 gallon of manure, add 5 gallons of water.
**Stir:** Mix the manure and water thoroughly with a stick.
**Steep:** Let the mixture sit and steep for 1-3 days. Stir the mixture once or twice a day.
**Strain (Optional):** If you prefer, you can strain the liquid to remove the solids. However, some gardeners leave the solids in for extra nutrients.
**Dilute (Optional):** If the tea is very dark, you can dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio (1 part tea to 1 part water) before applying it to plants.
**How to Use Rabbit Manure Tea:**
1. **Watering Plants:** Use the manure tea as a liquid fertilizer for your plants. Pour it around the base of your plants, both in pots and in the ground. This will deliver nutrients directly to the root zone.
2. **Foliar Spray:** You can also use it as a foliar spray by pouring the tea into a spray bottle and misting it onto the leaves of your plants. This method allows plants to absorb nutrients through their leaves.
3. **Frequency:** Apply rabbit manure tea every 2-4 weeks
Adding Molasses to Rabbit Manure Tea:
**Ingredients:**
- Rabbit manure tea (as prepared above)
- Unsulfured blackstrap molasses
**Instructions:**
1. **Mix the Tea:** After you’ve let the rabbit manure tea steep for 1-3 days, stir the mixture well.
2. **Add Molasses:** Add 1-2 tablespoons of unsulfured blackstrap molasses per gallon of rabbit manure tea.
3. **Stir Well:** Stir the molasses into the tea until it is fully dissolved.
4. **Use Immediately:** It’s best to use the molasses-enhanced manure tea right away, as the sugars can quickly boost microbial activity.
**Benefits of Adding Molasses:**
- **Enhances Microbial Activity:** The sugars in molasses feed the beneficial bacteria and fungi in the tea, helping them multiply. This makes the tea even more beneficial for your soil and plants.
- **Improves Soil Health:** When you apply the tea to your plants, these microorganisms help improve soil structure, break down organic matter, and make nutrients more available to your plants.
**Application Tips:**
- **Watering:** Use the molasses-enhanced tea as a drench around the base of plants to feed the roots.
- **Foliar Spray:** You can also use it as a foliar spray, but make sure to strain the tea well to avoid clogging your sprayer.
Adding molasses to your rabbit manure tea can give your plants an extra boost of nutrients and microbial life, promoting healthier growth!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.