01 Jun Making and Using Natural Liquid Fertilizer
Materials Needed
Amendments or Plant Material
Leaf Mold
Soft Water/Rain Water
Containment Tank (5 gallon bucket, 50 Gallon Pickle Barrel, 1,000 gallon vortex brewer)
Dilution Tank
Paddle
Aeration Pump (optional)
How to Make Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer
Depending on what type of input you choose will determine the process to make the Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer. We will go over the process to make biodynamic accumulators, fruits, vegetables, flowers, grasses, weeds, dried powders, manures, guanos, rock dust, and compost. We use 50 gallon pickle barrels, and/or 1,000 gallon vortex brews as our containment tanks.
Soft water that is free of chlorine and chloramine is necessary for optimal microbial growth. The leaf mold and/or humic acid is added to help break down our inputs.
When all Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer is used, do not remove the remaining contents. Add more inputs to the same recommended level. Add some more leaf mold and soft water free of chlorine and chloramine. The older they get the stronger the solution becomes.
Biodynamic Accumulators (Cannabis, Comfrey, Mallow, etc.)
Biodynamic Accumulators are plants with long root tap roots, that penetrate deeply into soil, mining the nutrients from within, and then store them in a more bioavailable form in their plant tissue. They are great for soil remediation, as they pull nutrients deep in the soil and make it readily available in the form of fertilizer to the top layer of the soil when their leaves drop.
Time to ferment: 14 days Dilution Rate: 20:1 / 300:1 Use For: Vegetative/Transition/Flowering
Step 1: Use the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the containment tank with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
For vegetating plants use vegetating plants, for transitional plants use transitional plants, for flowering, use flowering plants
Vegetating Plants (Purslane, Black Berry (New Growth), Weeds, Grasses, etc.)
Vegetating plants are rich in nitrogen and growth hormones. These type of plants are the best choice for feeding plants that are also vegetating.
Time to ferment: 10 – 14 days Dilution Rate: 20:1 / 300:1 Use For: Vegetative
Step 1: Select plants to be harvested that are fast growing, vigorous, new growth. These have the most growth hormones.
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Clover
Clover is a great option as supplementation to a transitional feed as the flower contain phosphorus, and the green portion of the plant contains nitrogen.
Time to ferment: 10 – 14 days Dilution Rate: 20:1 / 300:1 Use For: Transition
Step 1: Select plants to be harvested that are vigorous with plenty of flowers. You are looking to combine the nutrition from both the green portion of the plant and the flowers.
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: close lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers (Pumpkin, Zucchini, Figs, Bananas, Roses, etc)
Fruits, vegetable, and flowers are great options for flowering plants as they contain the necessary phosphorus for flowering plants.
Time to ferment: 10 – 14 days Dilution Rate: 20:1 / 300:1 Use For: Flower
Step 1: Use unripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for transition, and ripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for flowering. Plants will have the desired hormones within them during each phase of their life cycle.
Step 2: Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Horsetail 20 days 20:1 / 300:1
Use Horsetail to provide silica to the plant. Silica strengthens cell walls within the plant, increases immunity, improves metabolic function, and builds resistance to pests, pathogens, and environmental stresses.
Time to ferment: 10 – 14 days Dilution Rate: 20:1 / 300:1 Use For: Overall plant vitality
Step 1: Use unripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for transition, and ripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for flowering. Plants will have the desired hormones within them during each phase of their life cycle.
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Compost
Time to ferment: up to 90 days Dilution Rate: 30:1 / 500:1 Use For: Vegetative/Flower
Option 1: Compost Tea Brewer – Can be used in conjunction with Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer solution. Great for microbial growth. The longer you aerate the more microbes grow!
Step 1: Fill a compost tea bag with 3 gallons of compost and a gallon of leaf mold
Step 2: Add the filled compost tea bag to a compost tea brewer
Step 3: Aerate for 12 – 24 hours
Option 2: As a Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer
Step 1: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 2: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 3: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 4: Stir often to keep materials wet.
Step 5: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 6: Typically finished in 90 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 7: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Dry Powders (Oyster Shell, Manure, Guano, Sulfate of Potash, Bone Meal, etc)
Time to ferment: 30 days Dilution Rate: 100:1 / 500:1 Use For: Vegetative/Flower
Step 1: Use unripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for transition, and ripe fruits, vegetables, and flowers for flowering. Plants will have the desired hormones within them during each phase of their life cycle.
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 7: Stir often to keep materials wet.
Step 8: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 9: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Rock Dust (Azomite, Glacial Rock Dust, etc)
Time to ferment: 30 days Dilution Rate: 100:1 / 500:1 Use For: Vegetative/Flower
Step 1: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full with input.
Step 2: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 3: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 4: Add 1 cup of Humic acid per 5 gallons
Step 5: Stir together the contents with a paddle
Step 6: Close the lid or put a piece of plywood over the top. Let sit in the sun.
Step 6: Stir no less than once a week to keep materials wet
Step 7: Typically finished in 30 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Seawater / Sea Salt
Seawater contains about 83 minerals. 500 grams of sea salt = 20 litres of sea water
Dilution Rate: 30:1 Use For: All stages of plant growth
Fish
Time to ferment: up to 90 days Dilution Rate: 30:1 / 500:1 Use For: Vegetative/Flower
Step 1: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 2: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 3: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 4: Stir often to keep materials wet.
Step 5: Typically finished in 90 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 6: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
Kelp
Time to ferment: 10 – 14 days Dilution Rate: 100:1 / 500:1 Use For: Vegetative/Flower
Step 1: Gather from the ocean
Step 2: Chop plants early in the morning while they are still wet from the morning dew. This allows for optimal microbial life on the plant. Cut/Chop plants into 2” – 4” pieces. The smaller the pieces the more surface contact and better breakdown of the material.
Step 3: Fill fermentation containers no less than half full.
Step 4: Add 1 gallon of leaf mold and (optional) one smashed baked potato
Step 5: Fill the container with soft/rainwater water
Step 6: Stir often to keep materials wet.
Step 7: Typically finished in 10 – 14 days. Use when the solution turns dark brown. The older the solution, the stronger the solution becomes.
Step 8: Before transferring to tank mix well with a paddle or aeration pump
How to Use Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer
Creating Optimal Water Conditions for Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer
Use a soft water such as rain water or reverse osmosis water. Some well water will be suitable. If you have chlorine in your water Humic Acid will remove it but leave behind chloramine. Further research is needed to be done before we begin playing with the PH of our regenerative farm as You don’t often need to pay attention to pH at all when running a natural farm. Humates, lime, and the microbes should do the job. They provide the plant with what it needs compared to an inorganic grow where the pH could lock out the nutrients. But if you are stifler about PH even on a natural farm. Here is some insight to organic ph down. Keep in mind most beneficial microbes prefer a slight higher PH and dislike most acids (Humic Acid is the exception). Ascorbic Acid will remove both chlorine and chloramine while lowering PH. Distilled Vinegar (Acetic Acid) applied at 1 ml per gallon will lower PH by .3 points. Again we do not worry about the PH and neither should you if you are adding dolomite lime directly to your soil.
Mixing Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer to the Dilution Tank
Use a diaphragm pump and a RV 20 micron filter attached to transfer the desired amount of fertilizer from the fermentation tank to the dilution tank. Do this for each Natural Farming Liquid Fertilizer.
Fertigating Crops Using Drip Irrigation
Use a 155 mesh filter such as Netafim Screen Filter, MPT x MPT, 2 Inch, 155 Mesh, 89 GPM Maximum Flow (SF200-155) if you plan on using a drip system. Gravity flow when possible if a pump is necessary opt for diaphragm pump.
The Humboldt Cure Recipe
The following is a typical nutrient regimen that The Humboldt Cure follows. Keep in mind we add sea water every 2 – 4 weeks regardless of the growth phase.
Spray (only on vegetating plants)
Yucca Extract: Dilution:
Fish Natural Liquid Fertilizer: Dilution: 100:1
Kelp Natural Liquid Fertilizer: Dilution: 100:1
Sulfur: Dilution: 15 – 30 ml per gallon
Vegetating Plants
Use this recipe on every other watering day:
Chicken Manure and/or Composted Steer Manure: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Blood Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Neem Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Azomite (with Humic Acid): 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Humic Acid: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Molasses: 2.5 gallons per 2.500 gallon tank
Green Plants: 75 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Compost: 25 Gallons per 2,500 gallon tank. See option 1 of compost for a better alternative!
When Transplanting add aloe vera flake at manufacturer recommended dosage, and Natural Microbial Soulution 3 times to promote root growth.
Transition
First 2 weeks of flowering
Use this recipe on every other watering day:
Glacial Rock Dust (with Humic Acid): 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Sulfate of Potash: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Precipitated Bone Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Blood Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Fruit, Vegetables, and Flowers: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Compost: 25 Gallons per 2,500 gallon tank. See option 1 of compost for a better alternative!
Molasses: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Humic Acid: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Flowering
Week 3 through through last week of flowering
Use this recipe on every other watering day:
Glacial Rock Dust (with Humic Acid): 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Sulfate of Potash: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Precipitated Bone Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Archipelago Bat: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Fruit, Vegetables, and Flowers: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Compost: 25 Gallons per 2,500 gallon tank. See option 1 of compost for a better alternative!
Molasses: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Humic Acid: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Beginning of week 5 (one time on day 29 or 30) Blood Meal: 25 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank
Flush
Last week of flowering
Use this recipe on every other watering day:
Molasses: 2.5 gallons per 2,500 gallon tank