Horse Manure

Discussion in 'Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling' started by kapper5502, Sep 5, 2011.

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  1. kapper5502

    kapper5502 Gardener

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    Hi,

    We have been given some bags of horse manure. How long do we have to leave it, before it can be used.:scratch::scratch::scratch:

    Josie
     
    kapper5502, Sep 5, 2011
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  2. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Josie, it all depends on how old the manure was before it was bagged. But, no matter, get it out of the bags anyway.:dbgrtmb:
     
    daitheplant, Sep 5, 2011
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  3. kapper5502

    kapper5502 Gardener

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    Hi Dai,

    My husband has got the first lot out of the bags, and tonight, the horses' owner has brought another barrowload. I think that it is pretty fresh tho', because last week, his 3 horses/ponies, were moved into the field opposite our house, and that is where we are having it from. As you will have gathered, l'm not au fait with horse muck LOL.

    I remember tho', when l was a small child, if l saw some on my way home from school, l would run as fast as l could, to let my Grandad know its whereabouts, and off he would march, with his bucket and shovel to get it, before anyone else could capture this treasure LOL:yess::yess::yess:.

    Josie
     
    kapper5502, Sep 5, 2011
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  4. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    It will be ready to spread on the garden when you can't see what it consists of!

    Yours will probably need putting on the compost heap over the winter to rot down.
     
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      JWK, Sep 5, 2011
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    • whis4ey

      whis4ey Head Gardener

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      I would normally keep this for at least a year before using
      Having said that, I have used some in the past a little earlier :)
       
      whis4ey, Sep 6, 2011
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    • Evil Len

      Evil Len Nag a ram

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      We've got a horse ... just never had a garden to go with it until June :) I've set up a compost heap behind the summer house, put a load of horse poo on about a month ago. You can tell it's starting to go darker and break up already. But I wont be using it until spring.
       
      Evil Len, Sep 6, 2011
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    • Salgor

      Salgor Gardener

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      Corrr! you wil need to take your clothes pegs when yo go to have a nice cuppa in the summer house.:heehee::heehee:
       
      Salgor, Sep 6, 2011
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    • kapper5502

      kapper5502 Gardener

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        kapper5502, Sep 6, 2011
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        I have several stables near me and used to take away trailer loads of it as they were giving it away free and were desperate to get rid of it. It's really good stuff to use in the garden but it has one drawback. The horses are grazing in the fields and eating grass and weeds. When they excrete the result the seeds of the grasses and weeds have survived and tend to grow in the borders where you've put it
         
        ARMANDII, Sep 6, 2011
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        I have several stables near me and used to take away trailer loads of it as they were giving it away free and were desperate to get rid of it. It's really good stuff to use in the garden but it has one drawback. The horses are grazing in the fields and eating grass and weeds. When they excrete the result the seeds of the grasses and weeds have survived and tend to grow in the borders where you've put it. I've also got a pretty large collection of horseshoes that came with the manure:D
         
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          ARMANDII, Sep 6, 2011
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        • kapper5502

          kapper5502 Gardener

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          I've also got a pretty large collection of horseshoes that came with the manure:D


          TEE HEE:heehee::heehee::heehee::heehee::heehee:
           
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            kapper5502, Sep 6, 2011
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          • Evil Len

            Evil Len Nag a ram

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            LOL, actually it's remarkable pong free ... cant smell anything at all.
             
            Evil Len, Sep 6, 2011
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          • *dim*

            *dim* Head Gardener

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            bumping this thread as I have a query

            One of my clients is a young girl (mid 20's) ... I have landscaped a small garden at her home

            I told her last week that I will need to buy some well rotted organic farmyard manure so as to mulch the plants in the next few weeks before the cold sets

            I told her that the local garden has a special (3 large bags for £11), and she agreed it was a good idea

            anyway, today I received a call from her, saying not to bother, as she has arranged a friend to deliver loads of horse manure which is well rotted, and will be delivered in bags on the weekend

            I did not want to say anything negative, as she sounded excited and well pleased

            what is the difference with farm horse manure and the stuff you buy at garden centres? ... Does the stuff at garden centres get treated in a specific manner so that weeds do not germinate?
             
            *dim*, Sep 22, 2011
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          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            The stuff at the garden centre will have been well rotted and sifted.

            The stuff she is getting from the farmyard will be just as good if it is well rotted but may not have been sifted - but that doesn't really matter. If it isn't well rotted then it may contain weed seeds. This isn't usually too much of a problem as they are easily sorted as they grow.

            Going back to the original question: I would be inclined to leave it at least a year. A lot of the farms and stables around here allow their manure to mature before letting people come and take it away for nothing. We quite often get 3 - 6 year old manure.

            They give it away but want to make sure it is well rotted so that you come back for more. They don't have to find a way of disposing of it if we come and dig it and bag it ourselves. We normally just dig out from the lower half of the pile and leave the top half to mature futher.

            Even when it is very well matured it can still appear to be in its globular state but breaks down easily as you spread it.
             
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              shiney, Sep 22, 2011
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            • ARMANDII

              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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              Shiney is spot on, as usual. The only "danger" is the weed seeds that come with the manure and of course the odd horse shoe!!
               
              ARMANDII, Sep 22, 2011
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