This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Horse manure
Rodge
Posts: 4
Hi I have access to some free horse manure and I am thinking of using as a mulch on an existing flower bed and also a new border I am creating. Also is now a good time to do this Thanks
0
Posts
Thanks!
It is, but you need to make sure it is well rotted first.
I've used it for years, but it has to be dark and rotted, no smell. Only thing is that hay gets mixed in it and some seeds seem to survive the digestion process, so my manure grows weeds, like sow thistles and grass! My soil was very poor and alkaline with clay pockets and after years of manure it's so much better. I always dig it into new borders and often mulch in winter with it.
Is stable bedding acid enough for rhododendrons?
We piled the new manure for a year under polythene, you get loads of worms and steaming.
Horse manure is too acid to put on plants before it has rotted. It needs to be left in a heap to rot for at least 6 months until it is black and crumbly. It will then be slightly acid, more acid than garden compost which is around neutral, so it should be OK for rhododendrons. You could always buy a soil testing kit.