Well Rotted Manure and Dogs
Annietts
Posts: 5
Hi, My son has just dug me brand new borders. Before digging them, he killed all the weeds off and left that for a couple of weeks and then dug it all over. I know very little about gardening and so need some advice. The guy I spoke to at the garden centre said that were going the right way with what we had done up to now and that we should dig in some Well Rotted Manure and leave the borders over winter and start planting in Spring. My worry is, I have three dogs. They are attracted to horse manure in the street and I am concerned they will be constantly digging trying to get to the pooh. Maybe they will not if it is Well Rotted? I dont know as the stuff they go after is "fresh" lol. Do you have any advice for me please? Is there something else I could use instead of the manure? I intend to make a "Cottage Garden" - with flowers, not vegetables. Thank-you.
Posts
Any manure that's less well rotted can go in the compost heap, where it will not only finish its decomposition, but help everything else to rot too.
I have to admit I looked at this thread because of the title - ' well rotted manure and dogs' ...are the dogs well rotted too?
I'd agree with philippa - if it's well rotted it won't be an issue, but a temporary barrier would be the best solution or, as Steve says, the compost bin if you have one.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I put 40 bags of well rotted farmyard manure on the borders last yr. and have recently spread a bit more about. I have a collie x retriever that eats just about anything - the only bits she pulled out and chewed were a few half-rotted bits of twigs.
The manure didn't smell very manurey (if you know what I mean!)
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I wonder if you can cover it over with black poly sacks held down with something.it's just a thought.
I'm sure someone else on here will know if it would work
Are your dogs Beagles or another type of hound by any chance?? My two can smell any type of manure.....fresh or not, a mile off and even eat soil with anything in it.......delightful!!! As far as I know it doesn't do them any harm though, just don't let them near you
They even dug up plants to get to blood fish and bone (or whatever it's called) and rose food that contains manure!!
Not much help I know, but at least you know you're not alone
Thank-you all for responding. lol no Fairygirl, my dogs are quite fresh but might not be if they start eating the pooh. Right, well, maybe I will try some in one part of the border and see what happens. My dogs are Tibetan Terriers. They have an amazing sense of smell, but dogs do, dont they!! I really appreciate your comments and will have another read of them now. I have so much to learn. Not a youngster either. Very old but never actually made a new garden. Very exciting actually.Thank-youxxx
It is very exciting Ann and you will learn so much on here, I only joined earlier this year and was also new to gardening, I've learnt so much this year
Welcome by the way 
Oh thank-you for that. Much appreciated. Yes, a heck of a lot to learn. I cant wait to get started. You will no doubt see me popping up on here from time to time. You seem to be a friendly lot!!
I dug in compost for my new cottage garden border as the soil was poor, the dog wasn't interested in it. Maybe it's not ideal but I didn't leave it to settle but planted up straight away as I'm impatient. The border is now full with lots of plants of growing.