I was watering the plants on my balcony one day when I saw a bucket in a corner that was properly covered and with the message “Do not touch”. After seeing it, I got really interested to find out what was inside. So, I immediately removed the lid and discovered damp waste, including banana peels that I recognized. I ran to my mother and questioned why she had kept the waste in the balcony and why she hadn’t thrown it away.

Organic manures are natural materials used by farmers to feed agricultural plants. Now a days, these are also used in homes as natural organic manures for plants. Organic manures are useful in crop cultivation. They enhance the organic matter in the soil, which in turn makes plant food accessible from crop usage. Organic manures allow a soil to store more water and enhance drainage in clay soils. They even offer organic acids, which aid in the dissolution of soil nutrients and make them available to plants.

Organic manure may be made at home in a very simple way. You may turn your everyday trash into rich, organic manure and use it to produce flowers, vegetables, or plants.

Pot composting is one such method of preparing organic manure in home. Put wet waste leftovers of food, fruits and vegetables peels, and tea bags in a container. Also add dry leaves of the same quantity as the waste and can either add cow dung or butter milk to initiate the decomposition process. Every other day, rotate the pile. Maintain the proper degree of moisture in the pile.

Once full, keep the pot open for 30-45 days to allow the composition to take place. The semi-composted debris should then be transferred to a bigger container or bin. After two months, the waste will have decomposed into rich compost, which may be utilized or sold as manure.

One can also ferment the daily kitchen waste into air tight drum for fermentation. It generally gets ready within three weeks and turns out black in colour. The waste smells like molasses, bran and vinegar.

Dried and grinded egg shells can also be used as a manure. Eggshells contain around 95% calcium carbonate, the same component as lime, a common soil supplement used to decrease soil acidity and enhance fertility.

Vermicomposting is also a very efficient method of preparing organic manure but that involves earthworms.

(I’m sure most of you won’t let an earthworm into your home : P).

Earthworm feeds on the waste and their excreta increases soil fertility because it contains nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium. Earthworm burrows improve soil porosity, increasing the quantity of air and water that enters the soil. Increased porosity reduces bulk density and promotes root growth.

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