Manure Tea Vs. Miracle Grow

Dusky Beauty · #1 10/26/12, 12:52 PM

My fall plants are doing pretty good, but if I can squeeze out any extra health or vigor I'd like to.

I'm not asking about supplementing a 100 square foot garden or anything, I just have a few containers with tomatoes, peppers, herbs, onions, strawberries and squash.

Is miracle grow worth half a darn, or is it just for city people that don't have access to conventional things like compost and manure tea recipes?

Do note I am located in the Southwest... it's like spring in reverse right now and full on garden season for us. I still have 13 hour daylight days and night temps in the mid 60s.

uncle Will in In. · #2 10/26/12, 01:19 PM

What kind of manure are you using/ Does it make sweet tea or that nasty stuff like they have in the north? Do you eat squash blossums? They are tasty.

Dusky Beauty · #3 10/26/12, 04:42 PM

I have horse or goat poo available for manure tea.

Never made fried squash blossoms, I usually let the fruits flower out.

rags57078 · #4 10/26/12, 06:21 PM

I use both , that goat manure tea would be good

Paquebot · #5 10/26/12, 06:23 PM

Only problem with manure tea is that it could be highly alkaline. Using that on soil which is already alkaline would not be a good thing. Other than that, nothing wrong with either that or Miracle Grow.

Martin

jwal10 · #6 10/26/12, 08:09 PM

Squash bear two kinds of flowers on the same plant. For every female flower, there are at least three male flowers produced on the same plant. Once the female flower has faded and begins to form fruit, the role of the male flowers is over. As a result, a large zucchini plant may end up with lots of excess male flowers. These large male flowers are edible. These blooms can be prepared in a variety of delicious dishes.

In the case of winter squashes that don't mature until very late, blossoms offer a food crop early in the season. This is valuable for farmers, who may have little to feed their families until the main crops mature.

In Asia, for example, the flowers are fried in batter for a crunchy tempura-like snack. In Italy, they are stuffed and baked for savory packets. Native Americans even made squash-blossom soup.

A very simple dish for fresh male squash blossoms is a quesadilla. In Mexico, cooks use large burrito-style flour tortillas for this fresh-from-the-garden dish.First, cut the stems from your harvested blossoms. Then spread six or eight of them out in a single layer over half the tortilla's surface. On top of this lay thin strings of mozzarella or Mexican Oaxaca cheese. Fold the tortilla over and let it heat gradually, then flip over. When the cheese is fully melted and the blossoms have collapsed, the quesadilla is ready. Serve with black mole sauce for a truly exceptional summer taste treat....James

Bearfootfarm · #7 10/26/12, 09:27 PM

Both contain the same nutrients

It just takes a LOT of "manure tea" to equal the amount in a TEAspoon of Miracle Grow

**clovis** · #8 10/26/12, 09:48 PM

Miracle grow is pretty good stuff if you want plants to grow well. I used it many years ago, especially on some potted flowers, and the flowers always grew fast and were beautiful.

My neighbor used MG daily on his flowers, and they bloom all summer long, whereas another neighbor, who doesn't use MG, his flowers only bloom for a short while.

willow_girl · #9 10/26/12, 11:26 PM

I like Miracle Gro for container plants. With manure tea, you really can't be sure of the nutrients. And container plants only get what you give them ... their roots can't go out in search of nutrients.

CaliannG · #10 10/27/12, 12:29 AM

I prefer MG for potted plants, and I have a RICH compost pile and LOTS of manure tea!

And yes, it is worth a darn.

The stuff has been around forever, and the only problems I have ever heard of is people using too way too much (A teaspoon is good? Then a cup must be better!) and burning their plants. Then again, you can burn plants with manure tea, too, depending.

Alice In TX/MO · #11 10/27/12, 06:57 AM

The other thing to consider is the salt level in manure tea if your critters are salt consumers.

oregon woodsmok · #12 10/27/12, 02:03 PM

If you literally mean Miracle Grow, then you pay a lot extra for all the advertising. Any good quality commercial fertilizer will do as good a job and cost a lot less. You do have to read the labels because some of the cheap fertilizers are no more than junk.

If things are actively growing, then fertilize, either commercial or aged manure. Using commercial fertilizer when the plant isn't growing is a waste of money.

Manure, on the other hand can be added off season, and it is a good idea to load the garden down with manure as the plants finish for the year and get pulled out. That will improve the soil for the next year.

MichaelK! · #13 10/27/12, 04:52 PM

You'd do well to read the list of ingredients carefully when you want to fork out the cash to pay for Miracle Grow. It's true that Miracle Grow IS good stuff, but mix a few other things together and you get the same thing for MUCH LESS money! Like ten times as much for half as much money.

Just take regular lawn fertilizer, such as generic 15-15-15 and add to that an equal amount of Ironite. That will more or less duplicate Miracle Grow, but will be MUCH CHEAPER!

Paquebot · #14 10/27/12, 05:01 PM

Manures and other slow-release fertilizers would not help the OP's situation. The plants are in containers and need the nutrients now, not next year. Therefore it must be something such as a liquid or soluble fertilizer which is immediately available. Not many options match that of Miracle Grow.

Martin

Tricky Grama · #15 10/28/12, 05:30 AM

I vote for tea.

silverseeds · #16 10/28/12, 11:21 AM

I like compost tea rather then manure tea. bypasses the potential salt issues. Also I like "fish water". I raise some fish in tanks, and I give their water to plants and then give the fish water from the well.