If you have horsetail in the garden, in most cases it will not please you. The herb is one of the particularly stubborn weeds that is difficult to control. On the other hand, you can process the plant, also known as horsetail, into horsetail manure to obtain biological fertilizer.
For what purposes is horsetail manure used?
Horsetail manure is a biological fertilizer made from horsetail that provides plants with silica, minerals and essential oils. The manure strengthens plants, promotes growth and increases resistance to diseases and pest infestation.
What is horsetail manure used for?
Horsetail contains silica, many minerals and essential oils - all substances that are also contained in commercial fertilizer. In order to supply your ornamental plants in the garden with it, you must first make horsetail manure from the horsetail herb. This is the only way to remove the silica from the shoots.
You can collect horsetail yourself until July. If you don't have horsetail in the garden, the manure can also be made from extract (€12.00 on Amazon), which you can get from a gardening store.
This is how you can make horsetail manure yourself
To make horsetail manure for plants yourself, you need a tub or bucket, preferably made of plastic or wood. Metal containers are not suitable.
Put in a kilogram of fresh, slightly chopped horsetail herb. If you only have dried horsetail, about 200 grams is enough.
Fill the container with rainwater so that there is about six centimeters of space under the edge. You need to let the mixture stand for several days to weeks, stirring once a day. The horsetail manure is ready when fermentation is complete. Then no more bubbles will rise.
Make broth from horsetail
Apart from manure, you can also make broth from horsetail for plants. To do this, the herb is placed in rainwater for 24 hours. The mixture must then be boiled for half an hour to release the silica.
The broth is diluted 1:4 with water and sprayed as a spray several times a day on areas of roses and other plants affected by mildew.
How to use horsetail manure correctly
- Dilute manure 1:5
- water plants with it once a month
- do not use in direct sunlight
- Do not wet roots and leaves
Horsetail manure strengthens the plants so that they grow better and become more robust against diseases and pest infestation.
Tip
Horsetail manure is used as a fertilizer to strengthen plants, especially roses. Broth made from horsetail, on the other hand, is used as a spray against powdery mildew and pests on roses and other plants.
