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Talkback: Manure

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I make lovely liquid feed from comfrey put in a water butt in old tights, put it on most plants, spray on roses had no pests 4 yrs. Stinks but worth it.

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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Yes, I too have access to some fresh horse manure, mixed with wood shavings. Do I have to wait for it to compost, or can I use it straight away?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have a very kind friend who runs a rare-breed stables, with goats and mini-horses, who has the most wonderful rotted pile of black gold. As per "Larrtcotter" said in the previous comment above, she is really keen to get rid of it as it is a constantly appearing item.


    If I am unlucky, somebody else has beaten me to it and taken half the pile, but our school vegetable patch is full of many carloads of it now and I am looking forward to the resultant vegetables!
    The only down side has been the occasional glove or once a horse-shoe found in the pile!!!

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I have recently read a book called "Compost" by Ken Thompson, who writes that "Strawy stable manure can go straight on the garden". However, if the manure contains wood shavings, it will rob the soil of prescious nitrogen if it is dug into the soil. The answer is to put it on top of the soil as a mulch, which will help to improve the soil structure.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I too have recently received 2 trailers of manure at least 3 year old well rotted, it is more like loam rather than manure smells really sweet. Oh how I have enjoyed spreading it on my borders, I am now hoping for the best flowerbeds in the neighbourhood this summer, you can almost hear the plants saying thankyou. I do have my own compost but there is never enough to mulch all the borders. I too am keeping my source a secret.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    fresh manure with straw or sawdust in must be rotted down for 6 months to a year or until it is dark and smells 'sweet' and not like ammonia before it is used, even if it is to be used as a mulch as the nitrogen content is very high and will burn stems. I have found strawy manure better as I think it is more fibrous and better at breaking up heavy soil, saw dusty manure also seems to take longer to rot down. unrotted manure will 'tie up' nitrogen in the soil during the decomposition process.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I make my own garden compost, using old pallets, as containers, this last week I removed to the garden 10 barrow loads, it has the texture of peat, and was from lawn mowings, green kitchen waste, shredded prunings, etc, turned about 5 times during the year,and covered with plastic sheeting to keep out the worst of the wet weather, Vegetables and the borders benefit from it, don't use a lot of fertilisers.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    my neighbour insists his pigeons produce the best product for putting on vegetables. Is this safe or is he just trying to get rid of his pigeon droppings?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I can get my hands on plenty of horse manure for nothing, the horse owner is just glad for it to go. Problem is it,s full of horse bedding (hay or straw ) and poss. urine any advice would be welcome as i dont know how old it is
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