Horse manure

I have access to a massive and old Horse manure heap, I just have to turn up and help myself. At one end its so rotted down it resembles good compost, at the other end is the freshest/newest.

Watching over time a few gardening programmes on the television they always mention using "well rotted" manure, yet it always looks like its still full of straw (although its black) and nothing like the stuff at the old end of the heap I have access to.

I will this week start transporting this home, which part of this heap should I be collecting for use and or storage for the next year on my blank canvas garden?

Regards

Steve

 

Only ever use the well rotted stuff which will still have about 50 per cent straw in it, which is an ideal mixture, never use fresh manure as there will still be acid/urine in it and will probably still be smelly!

Only problem I have had with well rotted is that if the weeds get in it they can take over a bit, so be careful not to import unwanted weeds into your garden.

If it is well rotten/old then you can use it straight away and it will improve the soil no end especially if you are on clay like me, but I can't imagine much clay in Cumbria?

 

Hi Steve. In general the more the manure is rotted, the better. When it is new it is full of nitrates and nitrites that can burn your plants. Store the newer for use later on, preferably next year.

 

When its really well rotted - 5+ years there is no sign of straw, its just like Mississippi mud pie - lovely stuff. But you probably don't find much that old.

 

Just to back up DAG's comment - make sure there are no weeds in it - I brought in the dreaded creeping buttercup in some manure from a friends midden years ago. Still trying to rid the garden of the blessed things!

 

Ditto Jarbax, :eek: same happened with me years ago.

 

I am hoping to go at the weekend to a nearby stable to get some horse manure. Can I put it in the compost bin for 6 months? Dont really want a pile of horsey pooh anywhere as I am overlooked on all sides from different angles and it may be well away from my patio but not the neighbours!!!

 

LG - you could - but it seems a waste of a bin, that you should be using to make your own compost. Why not put the manure into black bin bags or preferable stronger bags, and pile them up.

I do that with garden compost. I find bags a lot more convenient than a compost bin. You only put in enough that you can conveniantly lift. You can have as many as you like, they sit on each other and mould to their shape and you can pile them as high as you like. They also fit in odd spaces like behing a shed. That way you can store much more material than in a bin.

 

I agree with Peter L-G. You wont get much in a compost bin, if the manure is fresh, bag it, if the manure is well rotted, spread it on the garden.

 

The straw is key. My stock is picked from a meadow then delivered fresh, straw less (never been in a stable)poo. It is used all year straight on beds and trees. It is the urine that's dangerous and it is the smell too.
C0NCLUSION : use the stuff that doesn't smell which most likely is the oldest too.

 

Hi Folks, glad I stumbled across this as I too have the opportunity to dig in to a big pile of horse pooh filled with straw. My understanding is gathering minimum 6 month old stuff for straight to the plot. Would this be corect? Also, I have clay soil, would manure alone improve the soil, i.e drainage. Or would it require some sharp sand too?

 

As long as the manure is well rotted Moonshine, it can go on the ground. In my opinion, sharp sand does very little to improve the soil. Always use plenty of organic material. Use it as a mulch, and the worms will do the job of taking it down into the soil for you.

 

Stupid question time again i'm afraid, but this straw thats in it, has that come out the horse, but just not digested by it? Or has it been added afterwards for some reason?

 

No Newbie, it`s the horses bedding. And that is not a stupid question, there are no stupid questions on this site. Only questions that need an answer.

 

If the equipoo has been collected from the paddock/field you can use it as a mulch after a few months but if it's from a stable, usually with a high straw, paper or woodchip content, it's probably had a high dose of equiwee as well.This should be stacked for at LEAST 6 months before use and turned at least once during that time. I also cover with old carpet to try and keep the rain off.