A little bit of cow manure with straw in would be no different to a little bit of horse manure with straw in it. I'd do just the same with it. Except because it stinks and I'm not so keen on the smell of cow crap, I'd have it well away from the house.
But it makes a good mulch. Obviously just the same as with "fresh" horse manure, you don't want it touching your plants or risk burning them but it does get some organic matter and nutrients into the ground as it's washed through and it does (if on thick enough) stop weeds making themselves too prolific.
Last year my husband and I started our first vegetables beds. We used well rotted horse manure in the beds from around August but did not plant anything until spring this year. Had a fabulous crop of vegetables. Now we are ready to empty the beds and top them up again ready for winter. My question is my local stables have just got rid of their well rotted manire but have plenty of neat horse manure (no bedding/straw in it), would this be ok to use to top the beds up with over the winter??
Still very new to all this but really enjoying growing our own. Many thanks in advance.
Yes, no problem. Use it as a top dressing and overwinter it as usual and dig in before you plant out.
The nature of horse dung means it is a slow release nitrogen that with a large amount of ruffage means that decomposition is slow, just be wary of using it on beds where you want to plant spuds and brassicas. A good few inches of top dressing of pure dung is fine.
hi i have 9 raised beds want to prepare them for next year,have access to horse manure can i bury it into beds,turn over occasionally, or do i have to let it rot down first....
its not a good idea to use fresh manure direct on the beds at this time of year. i would stack it to rot down and use in the autumn, of add to your compost heap in layers with other materials.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
only growing in 2beds this year,wanted to top up soil in other beds thought could drop couple bags of manure in beds let rot down,as you say tthat is not the way to go.
I have to grow in some raised beds as I am lacking soil to grow in. Three months ago I sprinkled a mixture of blood&bone, growmore, ground egg shells, dried teabags, ground seaweed and ground banana peels onto the growing areas. This I dug into the soil yesterday.
My question is:, I want to grow leeks, butternut squash, kale, turnips, tomatoes, salads, courgettes and sweetcorn.
Is there anything else I can do either now or start of next year to help improve the soil and nutrient content?
Hello- I m new to gardening. Can I use fresh manure directly into my garden in next few days. I need to make my garden soil fertile so that I can strat growing veggies from April 2019?
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If it was well rotted horse manure I'd agree too but it isn't, is it! The post I replied to (from KFH2) clearly says new cow manure with straw in it.
A little bit of cow manure with straw in would be no different to a little bit of horse manure with straw in it. I'd do just the same with it. Except because it stinks and I'm not so keen on the smell of cow crap, I'd have it well away from the house.
But it makes a good mulch. Obviously just the same as with "fresh" horse manure, you don't want it touching your plants or risk burning them but it does get some organic matter and nutrients into the ground as it's washed through and it does (if on thick enough) stop weeds making themselves too prolific.
Hi,
Last year my husband and I started our first vegetables beds. We used well rotted horse manure in the beds from around August but did not plant anything until spring this year. Had a fabulous crop of vegetables. Now we are ready to empty the beds and top them up again ready for winter. My question is my local stables have just got rid of their well rotted manire but have plenty of neat horse manure (no bedding/straw in it), would this be ok to use to top the beds up with over the winter??
Still very new to all this but really enjoying growing our own. Many thanks in advance.
Hi dlb007
Yes, no problem. Use it as a top dressing and overwinter it as usual and dig in before you plant out.
The nature of horse dung means it is a slow release nitrogen that with a large amount of ruffage means that decomposition is slow, just be wary of using it on beds where you want to plant spuds and brassicas. A good few inches of top dressing of pure dung is fine.
Thank you.
hi i have 9 raised beds want to prepare them for next year,have access to horse manure can i bury it into beds,turn over occasionally, or do i have to let it rot down first....
When you say next year, do you mean spring 2018
Why are you not growing stuff this year?
its not a good idea to use fresh manure direct on the beds at this time of year. i would stack it to rot down and use in the autumn, of add to your compost heap in layers with other materials.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
hi yep 2018
only growing in 2beds this year,wanted to top up soil in other beds thought could drop couple bags of manure in beds let rot down,as you say tthat is not the way to go.
will compost many thanks Dove
cheers
Hi all.
I am new here and also new to gardening.
I have to grow in some raised beds as I am lacking soil to grow in. Three months ago I sprinkled a mixture of blood&bone, growmore, ground egg shells, dried teabags, ground seaweed and ground banana peels onto the growing areas. This I dug into the soil yesterday.
My question is:, I want to grow leeks, butternut squash, kale, turnips, tomatoes, salads, courgettes and sweetcorn.
Is there anything else I can do either now or start of next year to help improve the soil and nutrient content?
Thank you