What Is Mustard Cake Fertilizer And How To Use It For Plants?

100 grams of mustard cake fertilizer contains 4 grams of nitrogen, 1 gram of phosphorus, 1 gram of potassium and other crucial micronutrients such as zinc, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, manganese, iron, and copper. That’s why using mustard cake fertilizer on plants is considered beneficial as it is rich in essential nutrients that are required for plant growth, increases soil organic content, promotes microbial activity, and improves aeration, water retention and soil texture.

What Is Mustard Cake Fertilizer?

Mustard cake fertilizer is a organic plant fertilizer which is made up of the leftover materials that is obtained after extracting mustard oil from the mustard seeds. It contains essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, manganese, iron, and copper required for the healthy plant growth.

You can use this organic fertilizer to fertilize plants that require a lot of nitrogen such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, etc. However, you can also use them to fertilize flowering plants to promote blooming.

How To Use Mustard Cake Fertilizer?

Depending on the form and purpose, you can apply mustard cake fertilizer by following any of these methods:

1. As Fluid Fertilizer: To use mustard cake as a fluid fertilizer, take a plastic bucket or an earthen pot and fill it with a liter of water. In this add 100 grams of mustard cake, stir it with the help of a wooden stick, cover the opening with a piece of cloth, keep it in shade and let it ferment for at least 48 hours, i.e., 2 days. Once the solution is fermented, strain it and add 500 ml of water to the strained liquid.
   
   You can apply 100 ml of this liquid fertilizer per plant to promote healthy growth.

2. As Top Dressing: If you are using powdered mustard cake in dry form, then you can apply a tablespoon of powdered mustard cake per plant. With the help of the spoon sprinkle the powder around the base of the plant, mix it with the soil and water gently.

3. As Potting Mix: You can also add 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered mustard cake for preparing potting mix with other components such as 40% soil + 30% vermicompost + 20% cocopeat + 10% river sand + 3 tablsepoons powdered mustard cake.

Pro Tip: To promote fermentation process, you can add 50 grams of jaggery in the water.

When To Apply Mustard Cake Fertilizer?

You can apply mustard cake on plants mainly during the winter months as it is a strong fertilizer so during the hot summer season it may burn your plants. However, if you dilute it well with water, then you can even apply it in summer. Prefer to fertilize your plants during early mornings or late evenings for best results.

Benefits Of Using Mustard Cake As A Fertilizer

1. First of all, it contains nearly all the necessary nutrients required to promote growth and flowering in the plants.

2. Mustard cake is a slow-releasing fertilizer, which means your plants get sustained nutrient supply for a longer time which also helps in improving soil health.

3. It has natural pest-repelling properties, mustard cake also acts as a bio-pesticide and primarily helps to control nematodes in the soil.

4. Mustard cake is a good alternative to chemical fertilizers that can damage soil health in the long term.

5. It helps in improving soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity in the soil.

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