By Luke Sumpter Reviewed by: Mr José


To a gardener, soil health is everything. This vital growing medium contains all of the nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial microbes that plants need to thrive. Many soil-centric cannabis growers go by the phrase “feed the soil, not the plants''. It turns out manure from several animal species benefits the soil in more ways than one. You might think this sounds like a great big pile of sh*t, but one of the best ways to keep your cannabis productive is to accrue poo.

Below, you’ll find out why manure plays such an important role in the garden, how it can make your weed plants more productive, and the best manure for cannabis cultivation.

Why Use Manure To Grow Cannabis?

The fall months are a busy time for any outdoor grower. Cannabis plants are nearing the end of the flowering phase, and many vegetable varieties are edging closer to harvest. As gardeners start to enjoy the fruits of their labor, their beds, patches, and containers begin to look a little empty.

Outdoor growers view the sight of bare soil as a reminder to feed this complex growing medium. Gardeners have different ways of going about this, but many opt for the tried and tested technique of spreading manure. Traditional growers prefer to till their beds and thoroughly mix the manure into the topsoil. Those following a “no-dig” or “no-till” approach simply mulch manure onto the surface, keeping the structure of the soil intact.

Benefits of Manure for Weed

Manure brings a host of benefits to the garden. Whether you’re growing high-grade ganja or tomatoes, you’ll find your soil and your plants benefit.

Improves Soil Structure

First and foremost, manure greatly improves soil structure. Mulching with manure places a protective layer over the precious soil below. This casing reduces raindrop impact that would otherwise erode the soil. This aspect of manure works especially well for those growing on slopes.

Improves Water-Holding Capacity

By improving the structure of the soil, manure also improves its water-holding capacity. Not only does this mean that gardeners have to water less, but it helps to prevent water stress that can disrupt plant growth and even kill crops.

Feeds Beneficial Microbes

The organic carbon present in manure serves as an energy source for soil microbes. Feeding these microscopic populations has a massive knock-on effect on plant health. Many species of bacteria and fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. Some of them fix nitrogen and make it available to plants, and others break down organic matter into plant-available nutrients.

Offers Key Nutrients to Plants

Finally, manure serves as a source of key nutrients that plants need to grow and thrive, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and an array of micronutrients. Plants require nitrogen to build proteins and crucial enzymes. Manure contains organic nitrogen (a form of the element bound to organic molecules) that releases slowly over time. In contrast, the nitrate found in commercial fertilisers quickly dissolves into water and leaches out of beds.

How Much Manure Does Cannabis Need?

The benefits of using manure in the garden are many, but how much should you spread? Initially, you need to aim somewhere in the region of 317.5 – 458.6 oz per 9m².[1] This quantity will help you establish beds, feed your plants, and kickstart microbial activity. Use a lower amount for dense soil and a higher amount for loose soil. For very loose soil, use up to 70.5 oz per 1m².

Once you’ve established beds and have a successful growing season or two under your belt, some of the most prominent voices within the gardening world call for a much more laid-back approach. The no-dig gardening pioneer Charles Dowding simply calls for a 0.8 – 1.2 inches application of manure or compost each winter. Instead of tilling it in, he advocates for sheet mulching. By the time spring comes around, the elements will have transformed lumpy manure into a fluffy layer ready for planting.

Which Manure Is Best for Growing Cannabis?

There are plenty of different kinds of manure that benefit the garden and help cannabis plants reach their full potential. Each has a slightly different composition and its own advantages. However, there are a few factors that determine the quality of every type of manure. Before we delve into the differences between them, let’s explore some crucial points you need to keep in mind.

Which Manure Is Best for Growing Cannabis?
  • Avoid AP at All Costs

Have you heard of aminopyralid? Also known by the acronym AP, this herbicide often shows up in manure, and contaminated batches frequently destroy crops every year. If you know any avid gardeners or allotments holders, they can probably tell you a thing or two about this pesky chemical.

Farmers apply this selective broadleaf herbicide in pastures, where it kills pretty much everything apart from grass. As horses and cows chow down on the vegetation, they end up consuming this chemical. However, it passes through them intact and ends up contaminating their manure.

When gardeners spread contaminated material across their beds, they unknowingly invite a molecule that takes years to break down. Plants that grow in contaminated manure often display curled, yellow, and dead leaves, as well as poor germination rates.

With that in mind, try to source manure from trusted farms and suppliers. Read reviews online or ask those in the know to determine the best source near you. Some companies are also willing to distribute trial bags. Sow seeds that are fast to germinate, such as beans, into this material, and look for signs of AP before using it to grow your weed.

  • Only Spread Well-Rotted Manure

You should only ever dress your beds with well-rotted manure, with the exception of that derived from rabbits and alpacas (more on that below). Fresh or “hot” manure contains high levels of nitrogen, ammonium, and salts that can burn plants, especially young seedlings. If you can only source fresh manure, you’ll need to throw it onto your compost pile with equal parts wood chips, hay, or other material high in carbon.

This biomass will allow anaerobic bacteria to get a foothold, which will catalyse a thermophilic reaction that breaks down the manure into usable compost over several months. This level of heat will also help to kill off any seeds that passed through the animal's digestive tract. Use a compost thermometer and flip your pile when the dial reaches the red zone. Keep your pile moist, but not dripping wet. When you grab a handful and squeeze, it shouldn't leak water.

- Chicken Manure

Using chicken manure for cannabis is becoming more and more popular. Chickens are incredible creatures capable of playing a fundamental role within permaculture gardening systems. Their manure is high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Of course, keeping your own chickens will offer a good supply of manure, along with high-quality eggs and a patrol of pest-eating birds. Chicken manure takes between 6–9 months to compost, so growers will need to plan ahead when considering this option.

If you don’t want to wait so long and need to add the nutrients contained in chicken manure, you can mix it with water in a 1:2 ratio and let it ferment for about four weeks in a closed barrel. Decant and dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10 before use; otherwise, it will burn your plants.

Chicken Manure

- Rabbit Manure

Rabbit manure is an excellent option for growers who need nutrients fast. Rabbit manure does not need to undergo hot composting, and thus can be added directly to the topsoil to provide nutrients to cannabis plants. Rabbit manure is absolutely loaded with nutrients and contains large quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

Rabbit Manure

- Horse and Cow Manure

Horse and cow manure contains around 1–2% nitrogen and 1–3% potassium, and works to enhance soil texture and fertility. This type of manure requires hot composting before use due to an increased likelihood of pathogens. Horse and cow manure is sometimes loaded onto garden beds and covered in straw over the winter season to decompose. One disadvantage of horse and cow manure is that it is usually more costly to transport.

You’re also more likely to encounter AP in horse and cow manure. Exercise caution when looking for a source. Read reviews if you’re buying from a bulk supplier, or simply have a chat with a local farmer about their herbicide practices before using horse or cow manure for cannabis.

Horse and Cow Manure

- Pig Manure

Back in the day, many growers used to dig pig manure into their beds and leave it to break down over the winter months. While a viable option in the past, intensive pig raising operations have led to an increase in E. coli, salmonella, and parasites in these animals.

Simply digging pig manure into your beds won’t expose it to the higher temperatures of hot composting. If you obtain fresh pig manure, add it to your compost pile to kill off these pathogens. Alternatively, source well-rotted pig manure from a reputable supplier before spreading it.

Pig Manure

- Sheep Manure

Sheep manure outperforms cow and horse manure in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content. It's also loaded with organic matter that attracts beneficial bacteria. Again, you'll need to compost fresh sheep manure to destroy any seeds and avoid burning your plants.

Sheep Manure

- Alpaca Manure

Alpaca manure offers a good shortcut when you want to fertilise your beds quickly. It’s high in nitrogen and potassium, with average quantities of phosphorus. Although it’s lower in organic matter than other options, growers don’t need to compost it prior to application. Simply spread it directly onto your beds as a top dressing when needed.

Alpaca Manure

Tips for Growing Cannabis With Manure

Now you’re ready to bring some serious fertility to your garden. By using manure correctly, you’ll grow some luscious marijuana plants and optimise your harvest. Before you head out and start spreading, commit these key tips to memory to help things go as smoothly as possible:

  • Spread 317.5 – 458.6 oz per 9m² onto your beds during the winter, ready for spring.
  • Always vet compost for AP. Carry out a test if you don’t get a clear answer.
  • Only use well-rotted manure to avoid burning your plants, with the exception of rabbit and alpaca manure.
  • Compost manure with equal parts high-carbon material, such as wood chips and cardboard, to create a thermophilic reaction that generates viable compost.

There you have it! Keep these tips in mind, and your cannabis plants will thank you for it. Happy growing!‌

External Resources:
  1. Fertilizing a Garden - How much fertilizer should you use in a garden? https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

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At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

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Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

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To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: