[tomato] Dianes questions on manure.
Paul Reynolds (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Mon, 08 Mar 1999 20:01:02 -0600
Diane,
You can either directly apply the manure or compost it. I don't know
how much you produce, but, if the urea in the urine is a concern in the
rabbit manure, composting will help with that problem. Composting is a
way of getting ammonia and urea to a more organic form instead of losing
them to the environment as a gas.
Basically, what happens is composting helps the inorganic forms of
nitrogen (N), such as ammonia, urea, nitrates and nitrites change to a
organic N. This is called denitrification. Nitrification is the
reverse. However, nitrification generally goes to just the nitrate
form. Nitrites are an intermediary and aren't of much concern because
they are so short lived, but, just the same, they are highly toxic to
most living forms.
If you have tight soils, the addition of just the manures as they are
will help with the tilth of those soils. Basically making them easier
to work if there is enough manure put down in a small enough area.
Of course, any urine is raunchy, as you call it. :-))
Enjoy
Paul Reynolds
Austin Texas