Correct Methods for Applying Manure and Urine Fertilizer to Medicinal Herb Fields

Scientifically applying manure and urine fertilizer in medicinal herb fields can improve the disease resistance of medicinal materials, reduce nitrate content, and improve the quality of medicinal materials. However, it is worth noting that if manure and urine fertilizer is poured directly onto medicinal herb plants, it will also contaminate the medicinal materials and cause the spread of pathogens. Therefore, manure and urine fertilizer must be applied by the right method.

Treatment before application. In order to effectively kill parasitic eggs and infectious pathogens in manure and urine fertilizer, harmless treatment must be carried out before application. Usually, the high-temperature composting method and the sealed manure pit method can be used. A toxic substance treatment method can also be used, that is, treating manure and urine fertilizer with substances toxic to parasites and pathogens, such as adding 200 ml of formalin to every 100 kg of manure fertilizer and sealing it for 1 day, or adding 2 g of 50% trichlorfon tablets and sealing it for 2 days, or adding 1 kg of urea and sealing it for 3 days. Where conditions permit, manure accumulation can be combined with biogas fermentation, and it is best to apply converted organic fertilizer and biogas residue.

Apply fertilizer in furrows or holes. According to the size of the medicinal herb plants and the soil moisture conditions, when applying decomposed manure and urine fertilizer, it needs to be diluted with water, applied by opening furrows or digging holes, and covered with soil to prevent fertilizer loss and improve the utilization rate of manure and urine fertilizer. When topdressing manure and urine fertilizer during the seedling stage of medicinal herbs, the concentration should be thin and the amount should be small to avoid burning the seedlings. In addition, human urine contains a relatively high amount of salt, so it is not suitable for chlorine-sensitive medicinal herbs such as yellow ginger, sand ginger, and amomum in the Zingiberaceae family, so as not to affect product quality.

Do not use sewage to dilute fertilizer. Sewage contains large amounts of pathogens, insect eggs, toxic substances, and heavy metal ions, which easily induce pests and diseases, cause soil pollution, and even affect the subsequent crop. Therefore, whether industrial sewage or domestic sewage, if it has not undergone harmless treatment, it cannot be used for irrigation of medicinal herb fields or for diluting fertilizer with water.