Manure in Containers ?

Hi,

Read a Q&A article in a current gardening magazine where the answer was the addition of rotted manure to soil of their container plant, also stating he never adds any manure to his containers, only the appropriate fertiliser.

Now when mixing some soil and compost for our hanging paskets, greenhouse containers for toms or tubs for the patio, we have always added some manure such as Westlands Farmyard manure or similar ( not anything direct from stables).
For existing containers we often add a top dressing of such manure.

Any idea why its not a good thing to do ?

 

I do exactly the same, and use the Westland manure. When looking up plant needs adding well rotted manure comes up quite regularly so I can't see why he wouldn't use it. Obviously there's plants that wouldn't benefit from manure but other than that I can't possibly think why it's not a good thing to do.

 

I remember reading in dusty old books about adding manure to potting compost, usually cow manure.
I've never done it myself because I use chemical feeds especially when it comes to short term summer plants.

 

Have sent an email to Garden News magazine , but it takes a few weeks for anything to be published.

Just cannot see any reason for not using some well composted manure like Westlands ?

 

I see no reason for not doing it, its just something I dont do myself.

 

If I am filling a big planter I add some manure but not in a small one. Again it is Westlands I use.

As an aside. When I was a kid we had two rose growers in the part of the street I stayed, and the Co-op bakery van was horse-drawn. It was great to see the rose growers with their brushes and spades at the ready to see who could be first out if the horse left a deposit!