From the Archives: Using Animal Manure as Fertilizer

In a correspondence between Prof. W. L. Drew and Link & Bagley, dealers of Stable and Dairy fertilizers, Drew brings up the idea that their fertilizer could aid in the growth of his citrus groves. He credits the Citrus Industry magazine for the idea that animal manure would work very well in the growth of citrus.

There are several benefits to using animal manure as fertilizer, besides the low cost. Animal manure is rich in nutrients that plants depend on such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen is essential for chlorophyll production aiding in the overall health and growth of plants; phosphorus is used for ATP, or energy production, which is very important for flowering and blooming in plants; potassium is necessary for the use of several enzymes within plants and is essential for photosynthesis and water uptake in plants.

In some cases, animal manure can also help to regulate the pH levels of the soil. When soil is too acidic, this can lead to a decrease in the important nutrients discussed earlier. It can also stunt plant growth and cause browning of the leaves; in some cases, it can even lead to plant death.

Using animal manure also decreases the chances of runoff taking place. When using chemical fertilizers, excess nutrients can get washed into bodies of water. This can be very detrimental to the surrounding environment and lead to excessive algae growth. This is known as algae blooms, and it is caused by excessive nitrogen and phosphorus, the main nutrients in chemical fertilizers.

The addition of manure to soils helps improve the structure of soil making it better at holding water for longer periods of time. This is beneficial because during dry periods plants continue to have access to water stores being held in the soil. This reinforced soil structure is also less likely to erode when compared to regular soil structures.

Overall, the use of animal manure makes sense for various reasons.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:

Furiness, Cari, Ellis Cowling, Lee Allen, Robert Abt, Doug Fresrick, Kelly Zering, and Robert Campbell. “Using Animal Manures in Forest Fertilization.” North Carolina State Extension, January 1, 2011. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/using-animal-manures-in-forest-fertilization.

Mack, Thomas B. Citrifacts II: A Portion of Florida Citrus History. Bartow, Florida: Associated Publications Corporation, 1998.