How to Make Your Own Fertilizer Tea and Use It

How to Make Your Own Fertilizer Tea and Use It

To have a thriving vegetable or flower garden, most plants require a little boost during the growing season. This is partly due to a lack of nutrients and microbes in the soil and also that many plants are actually heavy feeders, requiring some form of fertilizer to do their best

While there are many synthetic fertilizers on the market that will help your plants produce a robust crop or large flowers, they do nothing to help develop the long term health of the soil. One way to give your plants the nitrogen boost they need and also contribute to the health of your soil is to use a manure tea. Almost any plant in your garden, including container plantings, will benefit from a dose of organic fertilizer tea.

There are a few different ways to make this tea - a popular one uses livestock manure. It is recommended that you not use manure tea on root crops such as carrots, turnips, radishes, beets or potatoes. These crops require more potassium than they do nitrogen. While this would result in really pretty top growth, it will not do much for root growth.

How to make manure tea

There are a number of different types of manure that you can use to make manure tea. These include cow, goat, horse and poultry. It is imperative that you never use manure from carnivores such as dogs and cats as these contain pathogens that may cause sickness. If you live in an area where there are a lot of livestock, it should not be difficult for you to find some fresh manure. You can also purchase manure from your local garden shop if necessary. Two methods are commonly used to make manure tea:
Bucket Method

1.      Fill a 5-gallon bucket two-thirds of the way full with water.

2.      Add enough fresh manure to fill the bucket the rest of the way.

3.      Allow this to steep for two days. Stir twice a day.

4.      After steeping, allow the solid material to settle to the bottom of the bucket - this may take an hour or so. Do not stir.

5.      Pour the liquid into another container for use.

6.      Put the solid manure in your compost pile.

Bag Method

Fill an old feedsack or pillowcase with manure and place it in a 5-gallon bucket. Use the same proportions that are used with the bucket method - 1/3 manure to 2/3 water.
Allow the bag of manure to steep for two days.
When you are ready to use the fertilizer tea, simply lift the bag out of the manure.
Allow all of the liquid to drain off and add the manure to your compost pile.

Using the Manure Tea

It is important to dilute the manure tea before using it - otherwise it will be too strong for most plants. Use your eye as a guide to how much water to add to the tea. Generally, you want it to be the color of very weak tea. You can use this tea once a week, or as needed. Just pour around the base of each plant, directly into the soil.
Worm Castings Tea Another way to make a great fertilizer tea is to use worm castings. This is often referred to as vermicompost tea. Instead of using animal manure to make your fertilizer tea, you use worm castings, or worm poop. This tea will provide a hearty boost of nutrients and microbes for your growing plants.

1.      Cut a pair of panyhose in half. Thsi will be your makeshift tea bag.

2.      Fill the tea bag with worm castings and tie at the top.

3.      Place the bag in water - be sure it is submerged.

4.      Let it steep overnight - it should be light brown. For best results, use the fertilizer tea immediately on home and garden plants.

5.      You can put the tea in a spray bottle and spray the whole plant once a week. This tea is also safe for seedlings and young plants.

6.      Place the worm castings in your compost bin.

Start saving money today by making your own nutrient-dense fertilizer for your plants - they will reward you with vibrancy!

 

 

Epiphyllum oxypetallum (Brahmakamal) : Orchid Cactus - ‘Star of Bethelieum’

Epiphyllum oxypetalum is a very interesting and unique plant. It belongs to Family Cactaceae. It is commonly known as Night blooming Cereus, Queen of the night, Lady of the night as its beautiful Lotus like flower blooms late night..

It is popularly known as Orchid Cactus as the flower has orchid like beauty and plant resembles cactus in habit. It is known by different common names in different parts of the world viz. Jungle cactus, Dutchman's Pipe 

Interestingly, many people in India don’t make a fine botanical distinction between Saussurea Obvallata and Epiphyllum Oxypetalum (A night blooming cereus – family cactaceae) and also treat Epiphyllum Oxypetalum as Brahm Kamal. This flower is also known as ‘Star of Bethelieum’, and ‘Dutchman’s pipe’ or Queen of Night and belongs to the species of Succulents. These are grown in the planes of India viz. Maharastra and Kerala etc and Sri Lanka. The petals look like lotus but are of smaller size. This is a night bloomer with lovely fragrance and the flower lasts as only for one night and is supposed to bloom only once a year.

Nomenclature

Botanical name : Epiphyllum oxypetalum (DC.) Haworth The generic name Epiphyllum of the plant refers to flowers borne on leaf like phylloclade and the Specific name oxypetalum refers to acute petals

Epiphyllum oxypetalum plant is native to Sri lanka where it is known as Kaduphul ,it is believed that plant blooms rarely and that too late night. In India this plant has been reported from different parts like Mumbai, Bangalore,Chennai, Ranchi ,Uttrakhand etc. The plant flowers generally in rainy season from mid June to mid October.

 It has diverse distribution and grows wild in tropical rain forests. Epiphyllums are indeed true cacti, but are more often labeled as "Epicacti" or "jungle cacti" to differentiate them from related desert flora. A slightly different type is found in Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela and is locally described as Phyllocactus purpusii . It is also found as a cultivated plant in some parts of America such as California either as Epiphyte or Lithophyte. Here the flowers bear carmine red coloured outer tepals and instead of sweet fragrance has slightly unpleasant smell.

Cultivation and propagation Propagation

To grow the plant a matured leaf of an existing plant is planted in the soil. The plant has almost no stem, the base of the leaf which is planted becomes hard and transforms into a small stem. The flower blooms from the sides of the leaves. The plant grows to a height of 1 - 1.5 mtr. but the flowers themselves are 1.5 to 2 cm. 

It prefers acidic soil and filtered sun light. It can also be grown indoor .To grow the plant , a Phyllocade is planted in the soil or is placed horizontally on soil. The cut phylloclade can also be dipped in water (Figure 1) . In about three weeks adventitious roots come out , then can be planted in pot containing soil. From margins of phylloclade bulbil like structures grow ( Figure-3).

Figure: 1-Cut phylloclade dipped in water 2- Adventitious roots coming out from cut end 3- MatureEpiphyllum oxypetalum  plant in a pot 4- Phylloclade 5- Young flower bud emerging from  serrate margin of phylloclade 6- Bud with peduncle and  a bloomed flower.

Very easy to grow in milder areas, moved mine from Chandigarh to Ludhiana and now in Dehra Dun . It is sensitive to extreme cold here so I moved it under a tree  where it gets filtered light and cut back on the water for the winter. I  have had the same plant for over 20 years. Some leaf sections were given to me and I was told to "damage" the ends of the leaves to help them establish roots. So I took the poor innocent leaves and whacked the ends of them and stuck them in a pot filled with regular potting soil. It took off and bloomed the following fall. Beautiful blooms! Love this carefree and beautiful plant

 Brief Morphological Description
Stems are branched and erect, climbing or sprawling, profusely branched, primary stem cylindrical, 1-4 m long, flattened laterally. Secondary stems (which look like leaves) are flat, elliptical , acuminate, about 30 cm x 12 cm in size, with wavy and crenate margins (Figure- 3 ).

Flowers are produced from flattened portion having brownish receptacle 13 to 30 cm long . Flowers are 12-17 cm wide ( Figure -4,5 & 6 ) bearing green slightly angled short narrow about 10 mm long arching bracteoles , outer tepals linear, acute, 8–10 cm long reddish to amber; inner tepals oblanceolate to oblong, acuminate, to 8–10 cm long and 2,5 cm wide, whitish; stamens many (about 100) white, filament delicate slender and weak; style greenish white or white, 4 mm thick, as long as inner tepals, when flower bloms, later on become longer and comes out of tepals ends ends pale yellow or white multilobed stigma. Round pollen grains are with thick exine). Fruit is oblong, 12 x 8 cm, purplish red, angled. The flower is nocturnal with fragrance dispering in its surroundings .The principal odour component in the aroma is of benzyle salisylate.

Blooming of Flower
Orchid cactus flower starts blooming after sunset from 7 p m onwards and takes about two hours to full bloom,about 8 inches in diameter and remain open through out night. It closes in the morning before sunrise appear drooping on long stalks.Since the flowers are predominantly pollinated by bats and large moths. They have large pure white star-like flowers with lovely fragrance to help their pollinators locate the blossoms by moon or star light. 

This flower, named after Brahma, the God of Creation (as per Hindu mythology), blooms only for one night in the entire year, somewhere between mid June and mid October. The blooming lasts only for a few hours. Brahmakamal is related with the story of how Brahma emerged from Vishnu’s naval in a lotus flower. It ia also believed that it is a sacred flower and does not bloom in all homes and in the homes where it blooms are considered lucky and is a sign or notation of prosperity. There are some interesting stories about the Brahmakamal. It is believed that it is the flower in which Hindu God Brahma resides and the place where it blooms will be the receiver of glad things. People who pray to God while the flower is blooming get their wishes fulfilled. There is a belief that the Brahmakamal should be gifted and should not be sold or bought from the market .

Medicinal uses 

The phyllocaldes contain some active ingredients and show antibacterial activity.The stem is also used medicinally to cure dropsy and cardiac affections.Vietnamese people use petals of the faded blooms to make soups which are supposed to have tonic and aphrodisiac medicinal properties.

Confusion about the Brahma Kamal flower

Some from northern part of India claims that the flower of Saussurea obvallata of family Compositae to be Brmaha Kamal. Which is a very beautiful flower of valleys in Himalayan ranges. However there are people who claim that flower of Epiphyllum oxypetalum(Orchid Cactus), which blooms at night, to be Brahma kamal.

IN FULL BLOOM

A FEW HOURS BEFORE OPENING OF THE FLOWERS

A FEW MINUTES TO  BLOOM

Star-of-Bethlehem
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Lily family (Liliaceae)

Description: This introduced perennial plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves spanning about 1' across. These linear leaves are about 6-12" long and ¼" across. They curve upward from the base and bend downward around the middle. There is often a white stripe in the middle of each leaf, which has smooth margins and parallel venation. From the center of the rosette, there develops one or more flowering stalks about 6-9" tall. Each stalk terminates in a cyme-like raceme of white flowers. This raceme is rather short and spreading. The lower pedicels are 1-3" long, while the upper pedicels are somewhat shorter. Both the basal leaves and flowering stalks are hairless. 

Each flower is about 1" across when fully open, consisting of 6 white tepals, 6 stamens, and a single pistil. Each tepal is lanceolate-oblong; there is a green stripe along its outer side. A stamen has a yellow or light brown anther at its apex, and a white filament underneath. This filament is lanceolate or narrowly triangular in shape (tapering at the top), which is a distinctive characteristic for this species. The blooming period occurs during the late spring and lasts about 2 weeks. There is a pleasant floral scent. The flowers open during the morning and usually close by noon. Each flower is replaced by a 3-celled seed capsule containing several black seeds. The root system consists of a bulb about 1" long that is ovoid. This plant reproduces by its seeds and vegetative offsets (primarily the latter). It often forms dense colonies that can exclude other species during the spring.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun to light shade, moist to mesic conditions, and a fertile loam. Growth occurs during the spring; the foliage withers away by mid-summer. This plant has few problems with pests and disease; the waxy foliage resists contact herbicides.

Range & Habitat: The Star-of-Bethlehem naturalizes occasionally in southern, central, and NE India, but it is less common in the desert area of the state. It is often cultivated in flowerbeds, from which it occasionally escapes. Habitats include cemetery prairies, grassy meadows, sunny or semi-shaded banks of streams and drainage ditches, and miscellaneous waste areas. This species is usually found in degraded sites, although it can invade high quality natural habitats and displace native species of plants that bloom during the spring. The Star-of-Bethlehem is native to eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East; it was introduced into the India as an ornamental plant.

Faunal Associations: The primary pollinators of the flowers are probably bees. The foliage and bulbs contain toxic alkaloids that can poison livestock. The cooked bulbs are reportedly edible to humans, although suitable caution should be exercised.

Comments: The Star-of-Bethlehem is a surprisingly aggressive little plant with attractive flowers. Key features include the spreading racemes of erect flowers, and the triangular or lanceolate filaments underneath the anthers. These filaments are erect and surround the pistil. Other members of the Lily family that are somewhat similar in appearance include the Allium spp. (Onions) and Nothoscordum bivalve (False Garlic). However, False Garlic and the various species of Onions have umbels of flowers and the filaments of their flowers are thread-like. Another cultivated plant, Ornithogalum nutans (Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem), rarely escapes into the wild. It has nodding flowers on elongated racemes and each of its filaments have a pair of small teeth at the apex. The pedicels of this latter species are usually ½" or less.

TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS (GROUND ORCHIDS)

About 30,000 species of orchids come from all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. As you can imagine, they come from a wide range of habitats and each type of orchid has different care requirements. Their incredible diversity also means you can always find another interesting orchid type to grow.

Most orchids are epiphytes that grow on trees. Terrestrial orchids, or ground orchids, obviously need somewhat different care! The main differences have to do with the type of potting mix used. Most orchids from temperate regions are terrestrial, but there are plenty from tropical areas too. Different orchid types have different climate considerations, such as light, water, and temperatures, so I won't address those here.

Most ground orchids still don't grow in dirt! Bogs, leaf litter, and clumps of moss are more common. So they should still have a freely draining, airy potting mix. But it should have considerably smaller particles than you'd use for epiphytes. A mixture of equal parts sand, sphagnum moss, and gravel or fine-grade fir bark is a good starting point. Some plants like to be kept moist, while others come from drier climates; adjust the water-retentiveness of the potting mix accordingly. For example, Cypripediums come from bogs, and can tolerate a somewhat denser mix, so recommend equal parts sand and peat.

Some of these plants don't like their roots disturbed. For these, use potting mixes that last a number of years before they break down! Inorganic components, such as sand, gravel, perlite, and lava rock last practically forever. Peat also lasts well, because it has preservative properties: long-dead people are sometimes discovered sunk in peat bogs, undecayed!

As with all orchids, the key to growing these is to reproduce their natural habitats. Mimic the sorts of materials they'd be growing in naturally, and they'll do well.

Spathoglottis plicata

This ground orchid is a native of Southeastern Asia (Malaysia) to the Philippines, is the common species of Orchid which blooms round the year. This easily grown terrestrial herb has pretty, arching broad leaves with prominent parallel veins and a few or large cluster of small flowers at the end of a long stalk as tall as 1 metre arising from a basal leaf axil. The flowers are seen from the more common purple to white, yellow, peach, pink and magenta shades. and The leaves emerge from round pseudo bulbs that become increasingly multiple and larger as the orchid matures. Ground orchids can be grown as potted plants and also do well in beds and borders.

Spathoglottis, including the Ground Orchid, Spathoglottis plicata, are terrestrial orchids with showy, often purple, flowers. They are often included in flower gardens in areas where temperatures stay above freezing.

The Spathplicata can flower from June through September, these particular varieties have purple two toned blooms.  This means enough light in the winter and early spring to give them enough stored energy to bloom. It is suggested to  pot these orchids in clay pots, with about 2 inches of river stones on the bottom to increase air flow and drainage. This is an important step, since most houseplants die from overwatering, not under watering. Then mixed standard potting soil in with about 20% extra perlite, once again to improve drainage and also to prevent compaction of the roots.

Although not very well known in India, Spathoglottis plicata is the most common terrestrial (ground dwelling) orchid in Singapore, where it is often used for landscaping.

There are two species of spathoglottis in India (Assam) and Bhutan, and they belong to a group of over 40 species distributed from tropical Asia to Australia and the Pacific islands

Plant details

Common name: Spathoglottis, or garden orchid

Botanic name: Spathoglottis plicata

Description: Tropical terrestrial orchid. Softly textured, pleated leaves to 1m (3') long emerge in February from egg-shaped pseudobulbs about 5cm (2") in diameter. The flowers range in colour from white to purple and are borne on erect spikes to 1m (3') tall. Flowers open a few at a time at the top of the stem and each stem can last for months.

Best climate: The tropics, Assam, Western and Eastern Ghates and the north coast of Western India.

Good points: Showy white/mauve/purple flowers free flowering easy to grow

Care: Spathoglottis can be grown in the garden or in containers with plenty of room for the roots. They like a well-drained soil or potting mix, and need plenty of moisture throughout the growing season.

Some information concerning this plant:
a) Native plant of Malaysia
b) Common Name - Pleated Leaf Spathoglottis. These are locally known here as palm orchid.(actually found out later as Ground Orchid). When they do not flower, the leaves look exactly like palm leaves.
Planting conditions:
a) Over watering may cause fungal problem
b) Need evenly moist - do tolerate few days of dry period.
c) Well drain - deep pots may needed as roots go deep.
d) May need more nutrient compared to average plant.

Ground orchids are orchids which grow in the soil, rather than in the air, like the epiphytic orchids with which many people are more familiar. A number of orchid species grow in the ground, with Bletilla striata and Spathoglottis plicata being two popular ornamental cultivars. People who are interested in growing these orchids can find them at some nurseries and garden supply stores, or they can order them from specialty growers.

These plants produce pseudo bulbs from which the leaves and flowers develop. The leaves tend to be spear-like and deep green, and can be quite long in some species. The flowers emerge in a cluster on a long stalk, and they may be purple, white, yellow, or variegated, with some cultivars coming in more exotic shades. Most species are native to Southeast Asia, with Borneo being a region which is particularly famous for its ground orchids.

Like other orchids, ground orchids have evolved to prefer the environment of the tropical and subtropical rainforest. They prefer damp, humid conditions which reflect their natural environment, and they like to be grown in partial shade. Full sun is too intense for these orchids. These orchids are less fussy about having wet roots than orchids which have developed to grow in the air, but they can develop mold and mildew if they are allowed to stay wet for too long.
Some cultivars are very fragile, and will only grow well in warm areas or in well-controlled greenhouses. Chinese ground orchids are famously hardy, with delicate flowers and leaves which can be quite charming in the garden. People may also see ground orchids labeled as yellow, purple, Bornean, or Philippine ground orchids in a nursery. Rather than relying on common names, gardeners should find out about the scientific name of an orchid so that they can get proper directions about its care.

In addition to being grown outdoors in the garden, ground orchids can also be cultivated indoors. They can be less challenging to grow than epiphytic orchids because they do not require a highly specialized planting mix and attentive care. Like their canopy dwelling cousins, when ground orchids are grown indoors, they should be kept out of direct sunlight and provided with ample bright ambient light. If a house is particularly dark, it may be necessary to use a grow light to coax ground orchids into thriving.

Not surprisingly, ground orchids are found growing in soil, unlike their tropical brethren that we are accustomed to thinking as orchids, for example the genus Cattleya.  The name "ground orchid" itself is a misnomer, and even then the more technical term, terrestrial orchid, is in part inaccurate.  The reason why has to do with the substrates these highly varied plants are found in naturally.  Some are found in loamy soils of forests, while others colonize old sand dunes.  

Probably some of the best known terrestrial orchids are in the genera Bletilla, Cypripedium, and Orchis.  Many have gotten the name hardy orchid because some colorful flowered species are found in temperate regions.  Of course not all terrestrial orchids are from temperate climates, in fact, they can be found as far north as the Arctic Circle and all the way down to the very south end of Patagonia.  They live in any climate zone, from tropical to subarctic.  Not surprisingly, their cultural needs are equally as varied.

If your growing conditions are right, you will find many others that too could be called easy - genera such as Dactylorihza and Pterostylis have members that fall in that category.  Many more are challenging - the vast bulk of the popular genus Cyripedium, many of the acidic bog species, and most of the tropical jewel orchids all need more care and attendance to than a typical tropical orchid.  

Others still defy cultivation completely, at least under normal growing conditions - these would include all of the chlorophyll lacking saprophytes, and  yet others such as Cypripedium irapeanum.

A few pictures of Spathoglottis ground orchid are appended belo: