Panchgavya is a traditional mixture of cow products that is used for various purposes in Indian households. This mixture is comprised of five components, namely cow milk, cow dung, cow urine, curd, and ghee. The use of panchgavya as a natural fertilizer is gaining popularity amongst farmers because it is cheap, easy to make, and completely organic.
To make panchgavya for liquid organic fertilizer, you will need the following ingredients:
– Cow dung – 1 Kg
– Cow urine – 4 Liters
– Cow milk – 2 Liters
– Curd – 2 Liters
– Ghee – 500 ml
The procedure involved in making panchgavya is as follows:
1. Collect 1kg of fresh cow dung from a cow that is fed with natural feed and doesn’t consume any artificial supplements. Also, ensure that the cow is not undergoing any medication.
2. Mix the cow dung with water in a 5-liter plastic container, (you may use a wooden or earthen vessel as well). Ensure proper mixing of the contents so that there aren’t any chunks of cow dung in the mixture.
3. Add 4 liters of cow urine to the mixture and stir well. Cow dung and urine are excellent sources of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are the primary macronutrients required by plants. This will create a basic solution for the panchgavya.
4. Add 2 liters of cow milk to the mixture. Cow milk is rich in calcium and also acts as a binder that helps to bring together all other components of panchgavya in a smooth blend.
5. Next, add 2 liters of curd. Curd contains bacteria that are good for the soil and act as a natural pesticide for plants.
6. Finally, add ghee (500 ml) to the mixture. Ghee is rich in fatty acids and helps to maintain the acidity level of the solution.
7. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and keep the mixture covered with a lid. Stir the solution once a day for the first seven days.
8. After seven days, filter the mixture through a fine mesh or cloth and the liquid panchgavya organic fertilizer is now ready to use.
9. Dilute the liquid panchgavya fertilizer with water in a 1:10 ratio, i.e., one part of panchgavya solution to ten parts of water. Use the diluted solution to spray on plants.
In conclusion, making panchgavya for organic fertilizer is a simple and cost-effective process. The components of the mixture are easily available and can be collected from a cow that is raised on natural feed. The liquid organic fertilizer can be used in small or large scale agriculture and can replace chemical fertilizers, which are harmful for soil and have an adverse effect on the environment. With the use of organic fertilizers like panchgavya, farming can become sustainable, and we can help in the conservation of the ecosystem.