This is an entry in this month’s contest “How To Grow Tomatoes; Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials”. A big reason for this contest is to have a living resource of information we can all reference in the future. Be sure to rate this article – your vote is important!
The gardening of tomatoes can be immensely improved by the addition of rabbit manure to your soil. Why are rabbit droppings, or bunny berries as we call them here on Honey Bunny Farm, so beneficial to your gardening endeavors?
Rabbit manure has a very high Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium, or NPK, ratio of N- 2.4 P- 1.4 K- .60. The nitrogen helps a plant grow greener and stronger so the more nitrogen that can be added to the soil the better your plants will grow.
Phosphorus is used by the plant to convert solar energy into chemical energy. It is also an important element in helping plants withstand stress. In regards to tomatoes, phosphorus encourages the creation of bigger and more numerous blossoms, which allows us to have a bigger tomato yield.
Potassium is used by plants to help produce proteins and sugars which are essential for the plant life cycle. Potassium also helps in improving fruit quality and reduction in plant diseases. Rabbit manure also is host to a myriad of other micro-nutrients and beneficial trace elements such as boron, calcium, cobalt, copper, manganese, magnesium, sulfur, and zinc as well as many more.
Rabbit manure also has the benefit of not being a “hot” manure, it will not burn your plants if you use it directly in the soil straight from the rabbit cage. This allows you to skip the compost pile and reduces the time you need to wait to use it which is not possible if you are using other animal manures. Rabbit manure is also safe to use on food plants which makes it a friend in both the ornamental garden and the kitchen garden.
We have found the best way to boost our soil’s nutrient value is to dig a hole where we are planting our tomatoes, it needs to be at least 18 inches in both depth and diameter, we then fill approximately 1/3 of the hole with rabbit manure and mix the dirt back in with the manure. This adds amazing nutrients but it also breaks up the soil and allows the roots of the plant room to expand. The tomato plant is then planted in the nutrient packed earth and given plenty of sunshine, water and love. In return we are given a delectable fruit packed with amazing nutrients of its own.
We are giving away five prizes this month! Winners get to pick one of the following; a copy of the “Grow Your Own Groceries” video set, or a copy of the “Alternatives To Dentists” video set, or 3 months of free membership in the Core Community. If you want to enter this month’s contest click here: http://growyourowngroceries.org/contribute-here/
In 2008, Alayne left the city for the rural life. She is thankful to have some acreage to spread out, live more sustainably, and start a garden. Alayne is a freelance writer, who lives outside of Lockhart, Texas and enjoys writing about locally grown food, cooking, nutrition, natural health, and the environment. Homeless dogs have a spot in Alayne’s heart, as she has rescued more than she cares to mention. She is making up for lost time, since she didn’t get started with vegetable growing until recently. Now, she is all in with greenhouses, raised beds, starting vegetable seeds, growing herbs and trees, and learning about the wild edibles growing around her. You can visit her at www.kitchenchat.net.
