Description

Castor cake

A plant-based organic fertilizer, castor cake creates a living soil, rich in humus and essential nutrients, and is the key to growing wholesome fruits and vegetables, abundant flowers, and long-lived trees and shrubs.

• It is a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer, obtained as a solid residue from the treatment of seeds for castor oil.
• Castor cake is natural nitrogen fertilizer. It is simple manure, which acts progressively to encourage soil microbial activity.
• It has insecticidal properties and is naturally pest repellent. It can be used in organic farming and fits for any type of soil because of its high organic matter content.
• Castor cakes are also a suitable fertilizer for turf and lawns. It promotes root development and winter cold hardiness.
• Rich in nitrogen, trace elements, and organic matter.

Application

• When used as basic manure, castor cake should be spread on the soil 10 to 15 days before planting.
• When used as a fertilizer for maintenance, it is spread to the surface, slightly hidden (if possible), and lightly watered (if necessary).
• Note that 100 kg of castor cake provides as much nitrogen as 1800 kg of cow dung.

Benefits of castor cake

1. Controls pH
2. Increases fertility, humus, and residual effect
3. Encourages growth of earthworm
4. Increases the shininess of fruit.
5. Increases nitrogen supply for root
6. Aids soil aeration for better root development
7. Inhibits growth of termite & other pests
8. Rich source of NPK and other micronutrients
9. Can be used with other fertilizers for a synergistic effect.

Precautions

• Castor cakes contain a substance (ricin) which is particularly toxic for oral ingestion. Avoid keeping it into piles and keep the bags away from animals and children.
• To be stored in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and moisture. It should not be stored unprotected outside for any length of time.
• Rain will wash away a lot of the beneficial compounds (nutrients etc.), and the sun can dry out the material.