With the goal of being a self-sustained (minimal off-site input) farm, supplying my own soil amendments/fertilizers is paramount. As nutrient rich food comes from nutrient rich soil, I’ve been focused on fertilizer production from day one, knowing that I am farming denuded native soil.

I’ve adopted several means of enriching the soil. At the top of my list of favorites is Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia).

Mexican sunflower is not a true sunflower. It is also known as the “tree marigold” as the flowers more closely resemble a marigold. Mexican sunflower is beloved for its tall (up to 8ft), vibrant flowers. The flowers attract loads of beneficial insects, especially butterflies.

Mexican sunflower can be grown as a perennial in south Florida. It is considered a ‘green manure.’ The plant accumulates nitrogen, phosphorus & other nutrients & has been found to have a nutrient profile similar to that of chicken manure😲- hence its nickname, “vegan manure.” It grows & spreads quickly; making it an ideal substitute for expensive, synthetic fertilizers.

Using Mexican sunflower as a fertilizer has been shown to increase crop yield. The leaves can be chopped & dropped (like a mulch) around a plant or can be gently worked into the soil. The leaves will decompose & offer its nutrients to the needy plant. You can also add the leaves to a container of water & allow that mixture to ferment before diluting a bit of the solution in a watering can & pouring the liquid fertilizer onto a plant in need.

Mexican sunflower can be used as fodder for animals, as well.

In order to get my vegan manure production underway, I purchased multiple cuttings from an established Mexican sunflower plant.

What looked like a bunch of sticks at the start became fully rooted new plants in just a few weeks.

Once transplanted into the Earth, the cuttings took off & Mexican sunflowers have been popping up all over the farm.

Now I have a seemingly endless supply of free, high quality, vegan manure to feed to my crops🤲🏾. Only good food can come of this💚

For those growing food, I now offer fresh Mexican sunflower cuttings for purchase via Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AsEHDcxPL/?mibextid=79PoIi